By James Truan
Managing a snow and ice removal company requires a person to wear many hats. To be successful, you must understand more than plowing and spreading. It requires knowledge of how to run a business, and that’s where some contractors fall short. Keeping accurate track of job site statistics or providing proper documentation doesn’t always make the top of the to-do list, but it should.
Although running the business side of an operation may seem taxing, it can also be very rewarding. By following good practices, you can become more efficient and, in turn, put more money in your pocket. Manufacturers have released new products that use job-tracking technology to record important job site data, which can literally help get your business on the right track.
Going high-tech
Municipalities have been using GPS and a variety of other instruments to measure the ground temperature, air temperature and other data for years. This is done not only to reduce the amount of skill required to drive a municipal winter maintenance vehicle, but also to ensure roadways are kept as safe as possible for motorists.
On the other hand, many private contractors have been slower to embrace such technology. For many years, they’ve gotten by with using a pen and paper to record key data, such as the date/time of each service, the air temperature, and the estimated amount of material spread on each job.
However, the demand for contractors to track their jobs more accurately has grown. Clients continue to ask for more detailed information, and the
nagging issue of slip-and-fall claims requires improved documentation. Manufacturers have responded to this need by developing job-tracking solutions specifically for contractors. Rather than having all the bells and whistles of municipal gear, the new products instead track the information needed most for the private sector.
Putting it to work
Generally, a job-tracking device is mounted in the cab. Then, when a contractor arrives at a lot, he selects the appropriate preset job number. To start and stop recording data, he pushes a start/stop button on the unit.
The most basic products on the market track the date and time of each plowing or spreading application, but some devices have enhanced capabilities, such as calculating the amount of material spread. This popular feature eliminates the need to estimate material usage, and contractors can accurately track the numbers without leaving their truck.
Material tracking is only possible when the manufacturer has implemented a way for the job-tracking device to integrate with the spreader’s controller. This allows the job tracker to monitor the material feed rate. After integrating the devices, the operator must calibrate the system for a specific type of material. Then, the unit can determine exactly how much of that material was spread on a lot according to the feed rate and time elapsed.
Most of the devices save the data to a removable USB memory stick, so contractors can easily upload all the data to their personal computers at the end of the day. From there, they can view everything in a spreadsheet, such as the number of stops made on each job, the amount of time spent servicing the lots and, in some cases, exactly how much material was spread.
A wealth of information
By using this technology to its full potential, contractors can save time, improve billing, reduce liability exposure and improve the overall efficiency of their businesses. These systems can:
- Reduce time traveling between lots because drivers can press the start/stop button on the fly, rather than stopping to write everything down.
- Offer contractors a better way to invoice, since they now know the exact time spent and materials used servicing each account during the billing period. Plus, when clients ask for proof of service, the computer printouts will appear much more professional than a coffee-stained notebook filled with chicken scratches of vague information.
- Provide accurate information that can be used as evidence to reduce a contractor’s liability in the case of a slip-and-fall claim. By documenting that a lot was serviced in a timely manner, a contractor can prove he was not responsible for the incident. He can further reduce liability exposure if he uses a job tracker to document that a sufficient amount of deicing material was spread on a lot.
- Help with overall business management. Contractors can monitor the amount of time spent and material used on each route. This allows the
contractor to correct issues if drivers spend too much time or waste too much material on their jobs. - More accurately estimate salt purchases, since the contractor will know exactly how much material is being spread. This allows him to take better advantage of discounted salt prices at the beginning of the season.
- Help sign new accounts. With job-tracking devices, contractors have a new list of selling points when speaking with prospects. They can boast about the ability to provide detailed invoices and enhanced liability protection, and they may even be able to pass down the cost savings achieved by running their businesses more efficiently. Imagine the edge that a contractor can gain over competitors who don’t offer the same.
Different strokes for different folks
Although this technology can benefit contractors of all sizes, the products may be used in different ways. For example, large contractors are most likely to use electronic job trackers to help save money by ensuring their employees are working efficiently. By equipping an entire fleet with these products, contractors can measure the performance of each driver and keep a close eye on material usage.
Smaller contractors may not see as much of a need, if they already have a good grasp on the few employees and trucks they have. Those who are less business-savvy may benefit the most from a billing standpoint. While many large organizations may already have software in place for billing clients, most small contractors lack such a sophisticated system, so job-tracking devices help fill this void.
Whether the goal is to improve billing, reduce liability exposure, keep better track of drivers or all of the above, the new products on the market can help contractors achieve these results easier than ever. And considering the amount of money that can be saved, this is one technology that’s easy to adopt.
James Truan is vice president of sales and marketing for SnowEx. Comments are welcome at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
