Winter weather can have a significant impact on a business’s operations and profitability. This is why it is so important for any business that may be impacted by ice or snow to have a reliable, competent gritting service on their contact list.

Here are a few things that you should consider when choosing a gritting service.

What Kind Of Services Will You Need?

You should have a list of requirements in mind when choosing a gritting service. Make a list of areas you will need gritting such as car parks, unadopted or private roads, pavements and cycle paths. This will help you narrow down your search to businesses with the skills and expertise to deal with your specific business needs.

You could also consider your budget, as you will need to weigh the cost of gritting with the benefits. It is important not to prioritise money over safety, but it is still worth trying to find the best deal you can while not compromising on quality.

Testimonials

When researching a gritting service, it is essential to look into online reviews to see what their track record looks like. Reviews and testimonials can be incredibly helpful to get an idea of how they operate as a business and what their customer service looks like.

You could ask around local businesses to see which gritting services they use, as this is the easiest way to get first hand recommendations. You could also do an online search of review aggregators like Google and Trustpilot to see what the overall experience is like for a customer.

Qualifications

You should ensure that any gritting service you use is qualified to carry out the work required of them. This includes looking into the types of vehicle a gritting company uses. While there are no set qualifications for gritting services to look for, you could check your local council’s website to see what kind of standards they use when providing gritting services. This can help you to get an idea of how a gritting service should operate and the type of expertise is needed

It would be best to look for a company that provides regular training for their staff on winter safety to ensure that you are placing your gritting needs in the safest possible hands.

Experience

When choosing a gritting service, you will want to ensure that they have proper experience dealing with the kind of gritting needs your business will have. If your company has a private car park for customers and staff, then you should ensure that the gritting service you use has experience in car park gritting. This is especially important for business owners as you may be liable any damage caused to cars in a car park you are responsible for.

Choosing a gritting service with many years of experience in gritting commercial property and car parks will be invaluable for ensuring that your business has the best possible service. Have a look at Gritting Works for an idea of the expert, professional service you should be looking for.

Size Of Operation

If there is snow or ice forecast, you will want to be sure that the gritting service you choose will be available as soon as you need it. This means that you should look into the size of the business that you are considering using. If it is a small business with only one or two vehicles, you may end up waiting for your gritting services, which is not ideal in bad weather.

Ideally, you will want to find a business with a decent size team and fleet at their disposal. Every minute counts when it comes to gritting, as snow and ice can accumulate quickly over the winter months. Having a bigger team available to you will give you the peace of mind you need to ensure that your business’s gritting needs will be met promptly.

Consider Pre-Emptive Action

You may wish to ensure that the gritting business you choose has the option to use pre-emptive gritting. Getting your gritting done early will help to prevent ice from forming and sticking. While ice can be dealt with after it has formed, it is often advisable to ensure that you have gritting carried out before you expect freezing conditions. A few hours before is usually the best time to grit to prevent ice.

Conclusion

Finding a trustworthy gritting service can and should involve a lot of research. Gritting is a vital element of health and safety for your business and is essential to help you operate in extreme weather. Use a combination of factors to determine the company you will use, including experience, qualifications and recommendations. Ultimately you know what your business will need from its gritting service so you should always be discerning when making decisions.