KAGE Interview With Snow Removal Contractor – Green & Black, LLC
Part Two – Getting the Business in the Black
Continuing the Interview with Nate Sjulstad, Owner of Green & Black, LLC …
What First Persuaded You to Buy a KAGE Plow System?
We had an opportunity presented to us the second year where we were plowing quite a few large accounts. At the time, all we could buy was snow buckets. We started with that and realized that wasn’t the way to plow snow.
So, we pursued better options and KAGE is what we came across as far as the easiest to use, the least amount of breakdowns and the best reviews from we could find.
Rank Your Favorite Snow Removal Equipment, Best to Worst …
The tractor would probably be number one, the full size wheel loader would be number two, the skid loader number three, the compact wheel loader number four and I’d rather be on the shovel crew than use a truck for plowing snow.
What’s Your Secret to Winning Snow Contract Bids?
So, we normally bid projects on a monthly basis making sure we’re covered on minimums if we exceed a certain amount of snow in a year. There’s usually an hourly charge to cover us.
As far as productivity, we determine how many lots a tractor or certain size KAGE Plow System can do and we make sure all our costs are covered. If we get a winter with no snow, we’ve covered all our costs and we covered all our salaried employees. If we get a winter with a lot of snow, we’re able to cover those costs as well.
What Is Your Preferred Method of Bidding Snow Removal?
We do some per times and per pushes. A lot of it, at least in our market, is what the market allows. You know, if the property managers or companies are familiar with monthly accounts that’s what they’re going to stick with and what they’re going to want to use in the future.
There are some businesses that only know billing by the hour. We’re willing to pretty much take on anything. It’s just what the market will bear at the time.
What’s Your Secret to Winning Contract Bids?
So, the biggest thing we can do is just be up front with the customer. A lot of what we get now is people calling us. They see our tractors driving around, they see the trucks, they see the website and they like what they see. We try to present a brand.
We make sure all our trucks and all our equipment has our logos on it or our name. We go in the door and we present ourselves as a company, not necessarily the price. I don’t want to go bid on the account that is telling me when I show up that they’re going with the lowest price no matter what.
We try to sell ourselves as a company and present the equipment we use. We tell them in the spring there’s not going to be any turf torn up. We’re able to put the snow where we want it – where it needs to go. We’re able to do what’s right in the snow removal industry.
Now Let’s Hear From One of Their Employees – Justin Quilling …
My name is Justin. I’m an operations manager for Green & Black. We’re a landscaping and full-service lawncare and snow removal company in Apple Valley, Minnesota. I’ve been an employee for Green & Black for probably a little over five years now. I’ve been an employee in the snow removal business for well over 12 years.
This is my first management role in the industry. I used to work for a municipal application so I have snow removal experience from there and that transitioned what I do here for Green & Black.
What’s Your First Experience With a KAGE Plow System?
When I first operated a machine with a KAGE I quickly realized how efficient the KAGE Plow System is. Being able to remove the box and operate blading snow or back dragging at any time I want and then be able to grab the box again and push large amounts of snow is definitely superior anything else I used in my time.
If you gotta get out of one of these tractors you did something wrong or you drank too much.
What’s Your Experience With the Durability of the KAGE Snow Plow Systems?
This would be four or five years now of running a KAGE System myself and that goes from running in a skid loader all the way up to this tractor application. In all that I have never broke anything. I’ve never had any downtime in the field with my KAGE Plow System and I’ve always been able to be very efficient with what I’m doing with this system.
Telling Others That Are Debating Buying a KAGE Snow Plow System?
My opinion would be to try it. You can’t … you know, there’s only so long you can sit on the sidelines and watch Youtube videos and you know, watch reviews from other guys. The biggest thing you can do is buy one for your application … try it. By far, it will prove it’s worth to your company.
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