Quick Tip: Qualify your snow prospects before you bid...
As you work on growing your snow removal business, you will take on as many customers as possible. Soon, however, you will reach a point where you need to create a list of criteria that helps you qualify prospects. In snow, there are simply too many variables that will dictate the reality of your service, and you'll need to do some deep thinking in order to create a list of criteria that fits your company. Some things to think about include:
- Equipment: What equipment do you have access to (either owned or through subs)? Some types of equipment will be a better fit for certain properties than others.
- Geography: What parts of town do you service, and how dense are your routes? Logistically, keeping your routes as tight as possible makes a lot of sense from an operational standpoint. Taking on work from a location that is outside of your normal routing may be more trouble than it's worth.
- Prospect History: What is the reputation of the prospect who has contacted you, and what happened to the company who plowed their property last year? Do a little research on the company, make sure that they don't have a bad reputation or have a history of unpaid bills.
- Strategy: Do they fit into your overall strategy and market niche? This ties to the first, and takes some work on your end, but identifying what types of accounts are the most profitable/best fit for you will go a long way to helping you qualify your prospects.
Once you have your list of criteria, create a document or checklist that you fill out as you speak with a prospect. Give the list to your other employees who help man the phones, so they can learn to qualify as well.
This tip was created by the Snow & Ice Management Association, Inc. and its website GoPlow.com and is made possible by Bobcat Company at http://www.bobcat.com/snow_removal/overview.
