Transcript
The SnowJobs Podcast: Here we go, Snowjobs Nation. We are back again, bringing you episode 192 of the Snowjobs Podcast, main show powered by Top Gun Backblades. As always, well, not always, because usually I have a voice. Tonight I don't, but as always, you know who I am.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And you know who's with me.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Steve and Jeremy are going to try and get through this. on a Sunday night. One of us has a voice, one of us doesn't, but we got to get it done for you. So here we go. What is up, Jay? How are we, bud?
RICK JAMES: I'm doing better than you, Steve -O. Sounds like so.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, it sucks. This sucks. Retirement sucks. I fucking hate it. I'm stuck home with these people.
RICK JAMES: Oh, boy.
RICK JAMES: ah These people? You mean your family?
The SnowJobs Podcast: three Three human walking Petri dishes that have been sick since school started round robining, and I can't escape for a day to get away from it. So it finally got me. and I've been now.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I've been battling, but the voice has taken the worst of it. so Whatever. Gotta get it done, right?
RICK JAMES: Right?
The SnowJobs Podcast: How you doing?
RICK JAMES: Definitely got to get it done. Doing really good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Harvest time.
RICK JAMES: Harvest time, yep. Been out in Combine again this week and doing a lot of that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Beans beans beans
RICK JAMES: Just. beans beans beans and salt deliveries and yeah just been busy
The SnowJobs Podcast: nice Very cool, very cool. Are you all done spraying for the year?
RICK JAMES: I think I sprayed my last bit. On Tuesday, we'll see. now I'm sure you never know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Congratulations.
RICK JAMES: We'll probably have a little bit here and there. I don't... I'll foresee it. you never know
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sounds good. Sounds good. Well, like I said, we're going to try and get through this tonight. I'm going to try and talk as little as possible so this thing's not. Horrifically painful to listen to for you guys out there. But ah tonight we are going to talk preseason topics.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We're going to get everybody's take on that. And ah to help us do that tonight, we got to. star -studded audience, so you should have plenty of laughs and knowledge around. You got Mike Santolocito from Outdoor Pride.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You got Todd Dickerson from. Top Dog Services. You got Billy Moore from Executive, and you got Sean DiVincenzo. who you some of you may or may not recognize the name. It's been a while. He's kind of in ghost mode for the whole summer.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But i he graced us with his presence for an hour tonight. So thank you very much to Sean. for you know, gracing us with his... We lose time. He didn't realize that four kids might be a little bit of a hardship or or a tough time.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So... ah We'll have to give them a lot of shit tonight. but That's what we got. if that If that panel can't get it done for you, then I don't think you can get it done.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's pretty good So we got some really good listener questions tonight.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We got some ah some stuff to go over with these guys, and we're going to get to that. But before we do that, everybody knows what we got to do. We got to hear from Team Top Gun. We got to come back and do a quick week review.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, we're back so we can review really quick As we said, we've been saying Equip is the end of the month, right? We've got October 20th to the 23rd. We will be out there, hopefully with a voice, but we will be out there for Equip in Louisville, Kentucky.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Looking forward to seeing some people out there and having a good time. Uh, we, let's see, last week we did the storm chasing season three selection show. went over the six companies who will be lucky enough to be featured on season three of storm chasing So congratulations to all six of those companies.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Snow Jobs Nation webinars will resume now that I have time and once my health returns. We will ah will be doing the webinars. The first one is looking like.
The SnowJobs Podcast: uh from the outpouring after pat salmon's northeast the icing day We're going to be going over the promotional or not promotionals. The, um... the bid presentation packets and how we do our bid presentation PowerPoints.
The SnowJobs Podcast: to try and get customers to understand the difference between 50 ,000 and, you know, when you're in the high 90s to 100 ,000. Whenever you're doubling up. what you're asking for, what your price needs to be, you got to explain to the customer why they need to pay that. versus what they've been paying all along. So it looks like... We've had tons and tons of requests for those packets in that PowerPoint since Patty's day, so that'll probably be the first one. we'll Soon as my voice gets back, we'll schedule that. and
The SnowJobs Podcast: Get off to the races with those. In the meantime, head on over to snowjobsnationstore .com. Get all your Snowjobs Nation swag. and uh keep hitting those five star reviews on apple and spotify for us Keep sending in the comments. Keeps helping us bring more of what you want.
The SnowJobs Podcast: all right anything else jay oh yeah we got one more right
RICK JAMES: Yeah, one more.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We got the Northwest, what is it? It's the first annual Inland Northwest Snow and Ice Field Day. Learn, connect, and get ready. It's Thursday, November 5th, 2026, 10 a .m. to 2 p .m.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That'll be at the Broadway Landscape Supply. It'll be... Let me read this address correctly. 71 -21. 7121 East Cataldo Avenue, Spokane Valley, Washington.
The SnowJobs Podcast: right So if you're out there in the Pacific Northwest, there's a there's an event even for you guys. All right. Anything else, Jay? Good to go.
RICK JAMES: Think we're good, buddy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All righty. Then let's hear from our partners real quick, and we'll come back and get into it with the boys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Alright gang, we are back! Thank you to all our partners. Couple of new commercials there for everybody. The way they didn't get too... do stale on you I apologize in advance, man. This is harder than I thought to do, and I know it's going to be extremely hard for you to guys to listen to, so I'm going to talk as little as possible tonight.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So that's why we got the boys here. so Hello gentlemen, how are we?
Billy: Good.
Mike : doing good
The SnowJobs Podcast: Audio show. Audio show.
Mike : Yeah. Hi, how are you?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Let's fucking go here.
Mike : Nice to see you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Come on. ah
Native Snow: Doing good.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What are you guys doing? Long time no see.
Mike : Eating Halloween candy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All ready?
Mike : Fuck why not? I bought it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right.
RICK JAMES: Okay. I bought it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hi, Sean.
Native Snow: Traders.
RICK JAMES: Hi, Sean.
Native Snow: Hello.
.Todd Dickerson: ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: the
RICK JAMES: This is going to go good.
.Todd Dickerson: un
The SnowJobs Podcast: um
Mike : Oh my god.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah Todd, Sean, Mike, and Billy. Like I said, if you can't get it from this panel, you probably can't get it.
.Todd Dickerson: he's that He's out of practice, obviously.
The SnowJobs Podcast: He is.
.Todd Dickerson: He's out of practice.
The SnowJobs Podcast: he's just You know why he's here? Because he's just tired of getting his balls broken.
Native Snow: i Was like if I don't come on now, I'm never gonna hear about at the end of it
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, you're not. No, you definitely weren't You've missed everything since June.
Native Snow: I'm
The SnowJobs Podcast: Horrible.
Native Snow: i'm sorry
Mike : four kids, I think it's time your balls get broken.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Horrible.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, exactly Get off the poor woman.
Native Snow: Yeah. I think I'm gonna... I think I'm going to get...
RICK JAMES: Maybe she's on him.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No. No chance.
Native Snow: How could you resist this dad bod?
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I don't know, man. The Al -Qaeda chin strap would be enough for most women.
Mike : that's good say's's The chin strap for me.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
Billy: apple
RICK JAMES: yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, man, this is why we don't do a video. we'd We'd already be on a watch list here. Alright, well let's get going here, boys. So question number one, whoever wants to kick this around. Actually, we'll start with Todd and then we'll go around the room. We'll go Todd, Mike, Sean, then Billy. um Where do you find...
The SnowJobs Podcast: the best quality labor And what do you use to attract them to your company besides the money?
.Todd Dickerson: I just call Fargo and get all my people that's how I do it. oh
RICK JAMES: Ha ha.
.Todd Dickerson: I'll just get it.
RICK JAMES: It's a good choice. Good choice.
.Todd Dickerson: Yeah. No. So what we do a lot is we go to a lot of first responders. I think I've talked about this before. We'll go to the firehouses of whatever city we're at.
.Todd Dickerson: And... you know have like a pizza party for their monthly meeting or whatever and try to recruit some of those guys. um Steve, as you know, fireman. are used to the big equipment.
.Todd Dickerson: They're used to the weird hours. They're used to all that stuff. Same thing with police guys. We'll go to the local FOPs, Fraternal Order of Police.
.Todd Dickerson: lodges. you know, and then. I think. if people heard our our recap on fern You know, it's.
.Todd Dickerson: It's more than money, right? you know treating them right you know, get them hotel rooms. you know. feeding them right. um You know, it's.
.Todd Dickerson: way more than just the money side of it. um You know, and I think. I think we have a... history of doing that so In my opinion, of course it's the money.
.Todd Dickerson: but If you treat them right, feed them. Let them get a hot shower, shave. you know. someplace to put their head while they're not working. you know, it works a lot better.
.Todd Dickerson: in our situation so That's how we do it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, your meal setup is pretty cool. I like how you do that with the the airport chefs.
.Todd Dickerson: Yeah. It works out good for us.
The SnowJobs Podcast: absolutely Mike, what do you guys do?
Mike : on the... previous season operators or the vets that have been with us for three, five. plus years. They always bring in. family friends, neighbors. Sometimes it's just... Somebody random that you bump into at the gas station getting fueled.
Mike : I was there in a plow truck or or there in a machine, and you just get to chatting about where you work. and How do you like it? and that's where a majority of our stuff comes in and we also have a good referral program that Final.
Mike : It changes year to year because we need more people, so we just increase. um the referral amount like some guys Last year, I think there was a guy in New Hampshire that walked away with over a grand. Cause he brought in like. 12 people.
Mike : And they stayed for the entire year. That's kind of ah the key factor to it, is they have to stay for the entire season for you to get the full. Referral. um Can't leave, can't get termed. Gotta be. Full -time seasonal.
Mike : It can't just be a backup. that comes in every now and then But outside that, we've got...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Cool.
Mike : You know what? in the craigslist craigslist still gives us a shit ton of guys still for how outdated that website is. Um... and social media.
Mike : And I was always a big hit. especially when people are sharing your stories around when you do job pairs or you know, any of the the trainings that we put on. guys share it with their friends. and They sign up, I see it on the board, everybody else sees it on the board, we give them a call and they get in.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I got to ask, are you worried at all about the people that you're still getting off Craigslist? Because those are the diehard Craigslist people.
Mike : No. Those guys are usually... Pretty damn solid. I mean, it's a lot of the old timers that are on there that are looking for like...
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. they
Mike : Part -time or, yeah, still full -time seasonal. And they're great.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They haven't. They haven't been charged yet.
Mike : Right.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Very good at hiding their IP address.
Mike : Let's see.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's cool. All right. What about you, Sean? I know you tried something different last year, right?
Native Snow: What did I try?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Didn't you use ah your your wife in a lot of the ladies?
Native Snow: Oh yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: and They worked out great.
Native Snow: Yeah. Yeah, that was good. Um... I do a lot of... Facebook posts Lot of my stuff just comes from people that I know growing up with their family members Obviously my wife was in a machine last year, my sister.
Native Snow: A couple other women. that were great. Um... Yeah, really just word of mouth They get paid well, they get paid fast. I think that's really all they care about they're looking to make a little extra money and uh
The SnowJobs Podcast: Definitely.
Native Snow: And then as far as like laborers go. Like shovels. and, uh, Sidewall Cruise. uh try to use some of our subcontractors or as you fancy people in this room like to call them vendor partners uh
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mm -hmm.
Native Snow: And... Yeah, I mean they bring in some guys and They got some. guys from their landscaping crews and then um Working. actually working hand in hand with other companies in the area also works Um...
Native Snow: They have people that they might not need I could take on my date I have or vice versa, you know. i'm like i don't need i don't need an extra 10 guys this storm you guys need something we just kind of swap around guys which works out well.
Native Snow: Um...
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's cool.
Native Snow: Yeah, absolutely.
Mike : That's pretty slick.
Native Snow: It's a good little... thing to have.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I would have honestly never thought about that
Native Snow: with a cup.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It was pretty cool.
Native Snow: Yeah. You guys say there's like probably three or four people that I work with with that uh especially with the laborers because you know how that those that goes you know guys start shoveling they quit oh you got a site a mile down the road can you hit this i'll hit this stuff for you over here you know shift the crew over You got an extra 10 guys.
Native Snow: So it works out nice
The SnowJobs Podcast: Very good. Billy, what's executive do?
Billy: Zen. Go to local prisons. I'm kidding. ah Might as well, right? Um...
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Billy: Well shit if I can marry about ten more Angela's because she's one hell of a loader operator No. So we use the referral. Uh... First of all, we lean on in -house guys.
Billy: Um, And quite frankly, I've been blessed with with these guys that say, hey, I got a family member. I got a cousin. you know They're moving here, blah, blah, blah.
Billy: So that's worked out well. we've picked up. A lot of guys, seasonal guys from. ah The trades essentially like. The sweeping companies locally, they don't sweep.
Billy: as much in the winter. So their guys need. to perform and you know loaders, shovelers, whatever. ah Tree guys, same thing. um They lay their guys off unless there's like – a lot of trees down or whatever.
Billy: ah So we pick up some of those guys. But a lot of... The best part is the referrals in -house. And it's not about the money. It's, you know, if you treat people the right way.
Billy: You know, these guys that... you know Because I'm out there with them. Hey, my boss, so we need another loader operator. And they actually. do the finding of good, great people. And then they end up staying all year long.
Billy: Watch. That's what I'd rather have is year -round employment. Uh... Guys that want to work in the the grass season, the landscaping. And I always felt that. I just had this conversation yesterday when I was blowing out sprinklers.
Billy: Um, We feel that. If guys are secure. they'll want to stay. And if we can keep them employed year round where they don't have to look for jobs in the winter or vice vice versa jobs in the summer.
Billy: ah then we could scale better because we know that. Jesus is coming back, and Fernando's coming back, and Todd Dickerson's coming back. and you know, all these good things. So that's what we try to attain first. but The secondary resources, the people that are seasonal, asphalt companies, street companies, sweeping companies.
The SnowJobs Podcast: very What about you, Jay?
RICK JAMES: ah Same thing. We've always done words. Mainly ah word of mouth, or you know, guys that work there, like everybody's saying. She's ah where you get the most. or I mean, I get a lot from social media. Obviously, I got a pretty good social media following. so a lot of local guys want to come work here so it's it's It's honestly, it's a.
RICK JAMES: A lot of word of mouth. and you know, my My main crew always finds me people. The college, ah I usually you send my email out to the college here, like I've said before.
RICK JAMES: And. fail. if If I talk to him right, they'll sound like a... massive email out to like the ag department which eight kids are always good. Lisa, I always prefer. like that because they know how to run equipment and all that stuff so And obviously money is...
RICK JAMES: always plays a role in it but You know, we can we can only offer him so much, but, you know, once they're here, we can treat them well and, you know. give them as much. extra stuff as we can if they need.
RICK JAMES: anything we were using there to help them in whatever way they need. i mean they I mean, I have a guy that... ah run Run a loader home, clean out their stuff. That's fine. i mean Go for it. You're helping me, we can help you, stuff like that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sounds good. all right Question number two. Do you guys pay your employees for standby time? or do you guarantee them a minimum amount of hours before on a call out
The SnowJobs Podcast: Todd?
.Todd Dickerson: So we pay our guys from the time that they show up until the time they leave, whether they're. actively working or in the hotel, taking a shower, nap, whatever the case may be.
.Todd Dickerson: um once they sign in they'll take a buck They don't sign out until we cut them loose. So yes, they get paid. Full rate the entire time.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Nice. Hard to beat that. Definitely hard to beat that. What about you, Mikey?
Mike : So we do a mixture of both. We will do. Stand by time if we absolutely just need someone there to babysit. weather it metastasizes. It happens or not is irrelevant.
Mike : um We will do a four -hour minimum for guys, so if it's they're there for two hours and nothing happens, we'll... Cut them loose and they'll start yet you know. enough of their uh Enough of their time compensated for driving there sitting there We'll leave some guys to hang back. as well and they'll stay on the clock for a little bit if we need them to, but.
Mike : If they're on site, we want to make sure they get paid.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What about you, Sean?
Native Snow: Yeah, we... Pay the guys as soon as they show up on site whether it's snowing or not. So we tell them to get there at 2 a .m and they push the snow back for another hour or so they're getting paid full rate Um...
Native Snow: and we guarantee everybody at least four hours.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. It's pretty standard. Cool. What about you, Bill?
Billy: Me and Sean, we try to guarantee and make it worth your while. I mean, again, I look at the bigger picture. These guys got to make money. We have to make money. they're not going to show up if they're going to get paid an hour I wouldn't show up.
Billy: Right. So. um Even when it's not snowing, you know there's always stuff to do. Clean the shop. We'll we'll find things to do. Recall time soon as they come in they start getting paid until they go home Um,
Billy: And we try to make it as fair as possible. Obviously, there's only so much money in the pot. But. Again. We want. They have families. They have to survive. We have to give them something.
Billy: I need something. Everybody needs something, right? so Um, i'm with sean on that like minimum four hours usually our runs are a lot longer than that so it's It's worthwhile. the Start to finish.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep, yep. What about you, Jake?
RICK JAMES: ah We do not. Pay them... ah i've been I've been trying to get this for years. give them a minimum for ours, but um honestly, my guy if I call my guys in, they're Easy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, they're in for 24 hours anyway.
RICK JAMES: and Isn't it? Yeah, it's never less than six hours at least, it seems like.
The SnowJobs Podcast: laughter
RICK JAMES: so But I would like to get something where they're guaranteed something for sure. and just ah like Billy said, you know. Make it worth their while. and I'm not saying it's not worth it. them coming because we're always going to make it worth it but Um,
RICK JAMES: That's pretty much. standard around here there's a couple of companies that are paying whether it snows or not, like a monthly retainer, which we've talked about that as well. but Okay. quite pulled the trigger on that. so um Yeah, that would that be another thing I'd like to get done for the guys just because, you know, they're...
RICK JAMES: They're therefore For us, we like to... make sure there's something for them as well. So. We'll see.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: get something done
The SnowJobs Podcast: What else you got Todd?
.Todd Dickerson: So I think the one other thing that kind of adds into the last two questions for us is. We ACH everybody the following Friday after the storm. right They immediately get paid.
.Todd Dickerson: you know they're paid well They're treated well. so As Billy and everybody has said, the network kind of feeds itself. And all of a sudden, if you get one or two new guys that are.
.Todd Dickerson: quality guys. They're going to bring three or four or five, six new guys because. They're getting paid well. They're getting treated right. They're getting some swag. It all kind of feeds on each other.
.Todd Dickerson: So. I think you got to come up with. a complete package not just oh we pay good oh we do this you know it's it's the whole thing it's it's the whole package
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely. Definitely helps, that's for sure, as far as you know attracting and retention. Definitely helps to have the whole package. Let's see.
.Todd Dickerson: Absolutely.
The SnowJobs Podcast: but what not Anybody else?
Billy: I'll say something too. is when you know i'm
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good.
Billy: I can't. I can't step away. Like it's just... some sick addiction. So like a lot I guess when the guys see me out there as well. You know, they tell their, you know, this guy, he cares. It's not just like I'm calling the shots from him an office or a manager's calling the shots. from I'm in the mix. Like if shit's hitting the fan.
Billy: I'm in the mix with you guys. and you know i think they see that and they spread that word like i'm above nobody i plow snow with these guys i run loaders i'll do a sidewalk if i fucking have to i don't give a shit It's team effort.
Billy: It's a collective effort. There's no hierarchy. when i When it comes to the job has to get done. according to the specifications. regardless of how we get there if i got to do if angela does it orlando does it It doesn't matter and i think that's what it keeps the my guys they say okay this guy really cares And maybe I'm too hands -on. I don't know. Like I said, I'm... I'm i am in i'm in the mix. I love it.
Billy: As much as I hate it. Right, you know, so I hate selling I hate doing this shit but once it's in the mix and you see these loaders rolling out and you see shit that has to get done And the perfectionist side of me comes out. These guys.
Billy: I think they would take a bullet for me and I'd probably take a bullet for them. There's nothing I wouldn't do for my guys because they are loyal and they'll find me people. If we're shorthanded, we get them. There's nothing that will stop us during a storm.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No. i think And I think that's important. I mean, we're we're roughly... you know probably close to being the same size company. And I'm the same way. Like, my guys need to see me out there. I'm the first one out. I'm the last one to go home.
The SnowJobs Podcast: and whatever needs to get done, we're doing it. And if you're... If you're just leading from the back and saying, go out and do this, go out and do that. you're only going to be able to ride that pony for so long. Those guys are going to be like, well, fuck this. You know, I'm exhausted right now. He's sitting there in his office getting a nap or whatever. He's home. He's not even out with us.
The SnowJobs Podcast: that's That's going to... Like I always talk about that. that customer relationship you have. If it's not fair for both parties and it's not good for both parties, it's going to erode that relationship.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And it's the same way with your people. Like, I think they need to see you leading from the front. I completely agree.
Native Snow: Yeah, I would uh I also agree with that. For instance, this last winter. the guys were beat it's like they're 26 27 hours in there shoveling i'm in there cleaning up a parking lot.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh yeah.
Native Snow: and uh I'm like, you know what you could tell there were just there was like ten guys there and they were just dragging ass and i got out of the truck i was like come on guys let's go and i just started i started breaking a sweat i was going i felt like i was gonna have a heart attack honestly i was shoveling but i was trying to get them going and they all started falling in line they started going you know they We were like, oh.
Native Snow: They're like, oh, Hefe's working. We got to work.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Absolutely. wow
Mike : true man. You got to lead from the front.
Native Snow: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's funny.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'm just laughing at Sean's background. Came in. She was doing a little dance back there. All right, so number three then.
The SnowJobs Podcast: When you guys are hiring people. Do you prefer to hire inexperienced operators that you can train your way? or experienced operators that you know, maybe you're going to. do it how they think they... know how to do it.
.Todd Dickerson: So we do it both ways. um and we kind of air side we we really want. experienced guys for the most part. Not to say we wouldn't take and a newbie, but...
.Todd Dickerson: for the most part we're going to put experienced guys on the air side. And then we'll take the newer guys and put them on land side. in like a wide open parking lot. where they can you know cut their teeth a little bit, so to speak, and and kind of gain some confidence. because I'd rather hit a car than hit a...
.Todd Dickerson: Triple seven in my opinion. So.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Uh, yeah. Yeah, I think so. that's ah That's kind of a different whole different level of problem.
.Todd Dickerson: Exactly. And believe me, we Last year during Fern, we hit a few cars. Yeah, it happens.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No planes, though?
.Todd Dickerson: i don't We don't, we don't. Talk about that.
Billy: a
.Todd Dickerson: I will say no, and I will never talk about it because I... That's just bad juju.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So you need experienced guys for the J lines.
Mike : never
The SnowJobs Podcast: Got to have experience on the J -lines.
.Todd Dickerson: Yeah. yeah Absolutely.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What about you guys, Mike?
Mike : Yeah. I'm the same way. I like having a mixture of both. If I... can swing it. Usually we can find good loader operators, right? all As long as I got my... my muscle. together.
Mike : to bulk out a lot of the snow. im I like training the guys to do the work. I like training the walkway guys and the shovelers the best because that's all the detail work that clients point out. no matter what i mean if they see the loader or the plow out in the in the parking lot scraping and treating.
Mike : They don't care. that They see that as work being done. But they'll always say that the walkways you know are never done fast enough, never treated fast enough. so that's where i like to spend a lot of my time next to the skid steers because that those guys usually work in tandem for final cleanup with the shuttle and walkway team pushing stuff out for him so You know, if I get some inexperienced guys in walkway equipment or in skids.
Mike : I can usually train them faster than I can a loader operator for some reason. I don't know why it is. i think Guys get intimidated if they don't have a lot of seat time with a loader, so they're a little bit hesitant. And then I was fast or.
Mike : Nimble around cars or light poles you know, pulling low and docks out. so It's a mix ah if I can have both on the same site, great. If not... I'm happy to train guys our way to do it. you know, kind of get some of the bad. the bad habits. kicked out of the way quick. So you can teach them the way that you want to do it, the best way, fastest way, safest way. number one possible.
Mike : um Yeah, if you can swing it That's the way I like to do it.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, cool. What about you, Sean?
Native Snow: both I love a good loader operator that. Runs equipment all the time There's nothing better, like a like a union operator. They come in. They don't need to be told what to do there.
Native Snow: they're doing They're doing what they do all the time during their equipment thousands of hours a year That's great. And then I prefer... A guy that...
Native Snow: Has no experience over a guy that like maybe work for a township and ran a bucket and a yard. because those guys are usually
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, hell yes.
Native Snow: the worst. They usually have like a giant ego that they ran equipment.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yes.
Native Snow: They're great at it and they are absolutely terrible and they don't listen. And they make your site look a mess. I've had it both ways.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And they break everything.
Native Snow: Yeah.
Mike : mm -hmm
Native Snow: Yeah. they don't they don't care so um i prefer an experienced operator over that but then i also prefer a guy that actually moves dirt and works on job sites every single day.
Native Snow: because they're really good so A mixture of balls is great.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Billy?
Billy: Guess I didn't think about it that way either way um If it's a good fit for the culture, it's a good fit for the team. Um, I guess it doesn't matter. because you're I mean, there's only one way to do things. It's the right way, right?
Billy: So. saul Uh... I would say that. 99 .9 actually i would say every single person and part of my team my crew my snow crew that stays on board for the snow is adverse into every Operational standpoint.
Billy: of the company they can run loaders If we need to run Snow Raiders. We need them run trucks. Salters brine. Everybody is. Basically... trained on everything.
Billy: So I guess the answer to that question would be. Um, I prefer inexperience. I guess. But experience is cool too. But at the end of the day, they're going to see site maps. They're going to see how we do things.
Billy: the way that needs to be done the right way. efficiently. Safely. On time. Everybody's important. That's the way it's going to go. So I guess it really doesn't matter to me either way.
Billy: But I guess inexperience would be better because then we just train them our way. Like. i always i think i brought it up a few times my niece She started out as a shoveler. She runs a Snow Raider.
Billy: She now can run a loader. She can load things. She can run a brine truck. Same with Angela. Because you never know when that shortfall is going to come, right? So if they're inexperienced.
Billy: Then they have no knowledge. And we put that knowledge in them and they're.
Billy: superstars in everything that they can do. Whether it's a loader tonight, it could be a shoveler tomorrow
The SnowJobs Podcast: Amen. What about you, Jack?
RICK JAMES: Same deal. I'll take both. You always like experienced guys that, you know, know how to run equipment. You always feel a little bit safer with them. Um, At least I do, personally.
RICK JAMES: But some of my best operators have been guys that – are green as can be. They don't know how to run equipment. Mm -hmm. Like you say, you can mold them into however you want. They don't have any of their own bad habits and stuff.
RICK JAMES: It works both ways, you know. uh great operators are great operators and green ones you can turn turn them into great operators i mean it's a matter of if you're going to put the time into it and luckily i have a good crew that Bring a lot of new guys in every year. and You know, we probably don't do it.
RICK JAMES: most kosher way but We get them trained up. by fire you know throw them right in the mix and let them let them learn and We let them do their thing for a while, and they're doing it wrong. The guys point it out. Easy, they either get it or they don't, but I would say.
RICK JAMES: 99 % of them get it. It's kind of how we do it here. What? We're a little rural.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay.
RICK JAMES: compared to you guys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: yeah we're We're more like Billy. um we don't We're very fortunate we don't have a lot of turnover. With operators, we have the same guys year in, year out. Um... But... what I... I would prefer a guy to know how to operate the machine.
The SnowJobs Podcast: already. and i have some experience with that. but I would prefer that he'd never pushed no before. Because I've found that teaching a guy how to properly use an Arctic. when he's already used some other rigid box to push snow.
The SnowJobs Podcast: is uh Sometimes they're tough. It's a tough call. you'll ah You'll try and tell them, you know, listen. You just drop it on the ground. Don't put any down pressure on. And then two seconds later, you see the front tires off the ground.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know, so I...
RICK JAMES: I love that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I'd really like them to know the machine. but to have never pushed snow before. with a pusher. because then trying to train them on the Arctic can be a little tough. A guy that's never run a machine or never run an Arctic.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It couldn't be easier. 10 minutes and the guy's operating you know the arctic like a pro Um... We're the same way. Every one of our guys can operate every one of our machines, trucks.
The SnowJobs Podcast: jump in on a sidewalk machine if necessary and they all have done that at different times so We're pretty much the same way as Billy with that stuff. Let's see. What else, boys?
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, here's a good one. And you're going to, you know, you got some different size companies here. So this is a good mix of of answers we should get. How do you handle equipment breakdowns during a storm?
.Todd Dickerson: So... We have... in -house mechanics that obviously cover a lot of our stuff. oh but we also John Deere our our deer dealerships across different states. uh We contract there one of their mechanics to be on site at all times.
.Todd Dickerson: It's not technically. you know. have to be in the yard but have to be in a hotel close enough that you know, they can respond as needed. um And that's just part of our service agreement with every.
.Todd Dickerson: dealership that we deal with is you know We need 24 -hour coverage. firm. X amount of days you know. figure out a cost in that and apply it to contract so Um...
.Todd Dickerson: And then we have some road mechanics also that we use in different states like Texas. Um... You know, there's a ton of oil field guys down there. you know, those mechanics are.
.Todd Dickerson: literally can fix anything so we've hired a couple of them. but Generally, that's how we cover all of our... all of our stuff
The SnowJobs Podcast: What do you guys do for the like the multifunctionals? Aren't those European or are they not?
.Todd Dickerson: They are European, but I mean... you know. I mean you can pop a transmission out of those in five minutes and put a new one in.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Okay.
.Todd Dickerson: Um,
The SnowJobs Podcast: so you don't necessarily need a multifunctional mechanic.
.Todd Dickerson: No, we have enough parts and stuff like that. you know. My guys that work on them all summer can talk to the guy down in Texas or whoever the case may be.
.Todd Dickerson: and talk through it. And generally. i'm not saying we always have a quick fix but generally we they can they can quick fix them through it. or at least get them up and
The SnowJobs Podcast: So when Jeremy drops the tranny out, you're good to go?
RICK JAMES: Heh.
.Todd Dickerson: Well, that might've been why I brought that up, but you know.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
.Todd Dickerson: Oh. Actually, we just had to swap his out. He burnt that one up so bad, we had to swap it out and bring another one in.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Really?
.Todd Dickerson: and stuff.
RICK JAMES: Heh.
.Todd Dickerson: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: See, European standards are not up to Jeremy Lindstrom yet.
.Todd Dickerson: stuff Yeah.
.Todd Dickerson: Well, you know, it's like it's like the the pucks on the arctic's right when guys don't know how to use them You know, they just get.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Very true.
.Todd Dickerson: They get they get too rough.
RICK JAMES: Oh.
.Todd Dickerson: so
The SnowJobs Podcast: Very true.
.Todd Dickerson: you know
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, what about...
.Todd Dickerson: I'm sure the combine ran just fine today with no issues.
Mike : Oh I'm sure.
Native Snow: So this is...
.Todd Dickerson: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: They did.
The SnowJobs Podcast: There's...
.Todd Dickerson: Yep.
Native Snow: So this is the instance where you don't want an experience, huh, Todd?
RICK JAMES: i
.Todd Dickerson: Yeah.
.Todd Dickerson: Yeah, exactly. I'd rather... ah I'd rather experienced on that. so
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right.
.Todd Dickerson: But I was right. If you remember back in the day, I said everybody fights and wants to get in those. Mercedes cabs and Jeremy couldn't run to that thing fast enough that night, so. He beat everybody there.
.Todd Dickerson: I think it was because he had his joggers and tennis shoes on and everybody else is wearing boots and jeans or whatever.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah That's his battle dress uniform.
RICK JAMES: Yeah, I'm not worried.
.Todd Dickerson: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: I'm definitely not wearing boots.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh yeah.
RICK JAMES: I'm i'm wearing joggers.
.Todd Dickerson: Yeah, yeah
RICK JAMES: And... and Comfy shoes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That is the end.
RICK JAMES: I'm about to throw one hole.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That is the Lindstrom Army Infantry Battle Dress uniform right there. The joggers and tennis shoes.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
.Todd Dickerson: okay
RICK JAMES: If you want me, that's how I come, bud.
.Todd Dickerson: The Viore.
The SnowJobs Podcast: oh Yeah, you know it Gucci.
RICK JAMES: Yes.
Mike : Definitely doesn't run sidewalk crews.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mikey, what are you guys doing for breakdowns during storms?
RICK JAMES: What's that?
Mike : I mean, I feel like we triage. like Everybody else, it's it's situational, but we've got... The same thing, 24 hour roadside service from Bobcat, New Hampshire. We've got the same with the Anderson Kamasu equipment.
Mike : dealership that we have. with them. Every site. lead that we have, or most of them anyways, and all of our operations team and even myself included. I remember the load out of tools 87 the backseat my f -350 back in the day We're all super mechanically inclined. We can all do hoses. We can all...
Mike : bolt on cutting edges that have smoked a bolt or two or if something goes down the field and needs to get an edge swapped out. We're all good with that. We send guys in our shop. for full -time.
Mike : uh shop team members They all go through. various trainings for the Fisher stuff or Metal Plus, Ventrac. Bobcat you name it so that they're pretty familiar with any of the error codes that comes up Amen.
Mike : involves something that needs the technician to come out with the computer to flash it or to read it then yeah we'll have to wait until they get there but We can usually band -aid. together just enough to get by for the storm or if we have to we'll we'll park it and just Hope that there's something else we can put that guy or girl in if not then we're just going to move them to a different site where they can into a machine that's got an empty seat.
Mike : Have them do some work somebody else
The SnowJobs Podcast: right cool So now we've heard from the tens of millions companies. And now we'll we'll hear from the rest of us on how the the normal folk live. Sean, what are you doing for in -storm breakups?
Native Snow: we start We start praying.
The SnowJobs Podcast: breakdowns yeah ha ah do you like If it goes down, are you out or you you know you have a backup plan or something?
Native Snow: Yeah um
The SnowJobs Podcast: Because, like, we're calling Tex and we're waiting, if we're lucky.
Native Snow: Cut.
Native Snow: Yeah, that's... pretty much it. so same thing with like The laborers I was telling you about, there's a couple companies I work with that have an in -house mechanic.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Native Snow: So if they're not totally swamped over there, they'll send a guy over. My number two and my company is really mechanical and he can pretty much Band -aid anything to make it work As long as it's running Um...
Native Snow: and then that same shop that i was telling you about has like a hose uh hose making machine for hydraulic so i could pull the hose off Go make a hose real quick and have it slapped on, as long as it's nothing serious.
Native Snow: We're usually pretty good with breakdowns. Um... Yeah, we don't have no crazy mechanics and honestly like This. If we call up.
Native Snow: One of the companies like case or whatever They're so swamped with all the big clients they have around here.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sure.
Native Snow: They're not. they're never going to make it to us if they're going to be busy as well so
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, they're they're going to Mike and Todd.
Native Snow: Yeah. Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What about you, Bill?
Billy: Unfortunately... I've been blessed. I got two good operators that are also. mechanics, which are... It's... phenomenal, to be honest with you. Jesus and Fidel are phenomenal guys that...
Billy: can fix things on the fly. We keep a lot of backup. I don't want to say I'm a junk collector. But I used to have a... in -house mechanic that's all he did was in -house mechanic stuff until he had a heart attack but point of the story is saved everything.
Billy: We save parts. We have backup trucks. They may not look pretty, but we save them. plows, pushers. And we're... We keep all equipment consistent. Snow Raiders are consistent.
Billy: multi -forces are consistent metal pluses caterpillar blah blah blah So that works out because we keep parts on the shelf. Two.
Billy: As much, I treat people very well. So when it comes to like... the technician at caterpillar. If there's something at two in the morning, this guy. For. uh it cost me some very expensive whiskey every year but that's drop in the bucket phenomenal guy Hey, Melt, we got an issue.
Billy: Can you help me troubleshoot in the field? He's that brilliant that he could talk to you on the phone. Or he'll come by. So Caterpillar has been a blessing. Not all storms are like that. Things that break.
Billy: Sometimes you got to down it. And we'll just have to grab something else as a backup. I'll be honest, last year I ran. a backup dump truck. And it had no plate on it, but it was up the street.
Billy: Don't call law enforcement. But we keep these things. And some things I don't plate because they are old.
.Todd Dickerson: so
Billy: But we needed it. We needed her for that night. And it works out. Um, But there's been times that shit's just got to go down.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Billy: But that's why we have backup equipment as well. You know?
The SnowJobs Podcast: What about you, Jack?
RICK JAMES: Uh, same thing. We always try to carry, um, lot of I'm always big on having extra parts for stuff. and a lot of my guys like i said a lot of guys are from the egg industry so They're used to fixing stuff, so if something goes wrong, most of my guys can...
RICK JAMES: troubleshooter I can I'm no mechanic by any means but I can maybe get something going if I need to. or I know somebody or something. I don't know if guys around.
Billy: I got some shit.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. Yeah, we can make it work. for what we got to get done or. I'll call favor and or something, but. Yeah. And so. We have some mechanics on staff, but...
RICK JAMES: They usually don't. work at night or during a storm unless we need them. Then I'll call them in. but They just come in the morning and fix shit that's broke. but If it's something we really need and...
RICK JAMES: Okay. get one of my other guys out of equipment. I'll ah call him and... Because I'm in the... For the most part. Nothing major. We've been lucky. And if it is major, we just.
RICK JAMES: letterbox and just Park it to the side and... Worry about it when the storm's over. I mean, what you do.
The SnowJobs Podcast: i loved ah I loved when Jackie and those guys were on the show. and they were They're saying, like...
RICK JAMES: Oh.
The SnowJobs Podcast: At the time, Jeremy never even knows what's broken because if we break something that we're like.
RICK JAMES: I know where you're going.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you know not supposed to break or is not normal We'll just send somebody in, grab the parts real quick. We'll hide behind a building for an hour. We'll fix it ourselves.
Mike : ah
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I'll never even tell him about it. Oh, that's classic. Yeah, we're pretty fortunate with, like... you know like jeremy And Billy said, like a lot of our guys have mechanical knowledge.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Ed's kind of a jack -of -all -trades. Mark is probably one of the best mechanics, period, like you know you but you'll ever meet. And that's what his occupation actually is. Amen.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They can... we've We've had stuff break. We've been pretty lucky. Nothing major. But ah we've had stuff go down during storms and and Mark, you you know, we call it Mark Ivering, you know, Hill MacGyver something and keep us up and going.
The SnowJobs Podcast: as much as we can And the fleet standardization again helps. you know all case machines and you know all the same brand of stuff the vent tracks are the same so we have those belts we have those fittings we have you know we got everything we could need and uh most of the guys can can fix 90 of the stuff that you know you're gonna have go wrong during a storm Another pretty...
The SnowJobs Podcast: pretty handy like that so it's good to have and then Hopefully one of the younger kids will be around and can watch. Pick up some knowledge. they They have a lot. I don't have.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I can run the machine. when it blows i can't tell you yeah something blew over there Tell me what tell me what I broke. i am not I am not the guy to go troubleshooting and fixing it.
Mike : yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know?
.Todd Dickerson: I knew right away that the transmission was blown, so that wasn't even with a question.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Bye now.
Billy: um
The SnowJobs Podcast: Amen.
RICK JAMES: Oh, I knew that too.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, it was laying on the ground. It was laying on the ground.
RICK JAMES: I was not laying on the ground with it. and She was hot.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It was a trail of parts.
.Todd Dickerson: i've never I've never seen that color red before.
Native Snow: Wait, so you blew a hot tranny?
RICK JAMES: Oh God, you're so close.
.Todd Dickerson: I've never seen.
RICK JAMES: There is nothing on the ground.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah god Who knew those things were not expected to operate at 54 miles an hour down the runways?
RICK JAMES: There's nothing on me
RICK JAMES: Sounds like they didn't service it good enough before I got in.
.Todd Dickerson: With a 40 -inch windrow of...
The SnowJobs Podcast: you
.Todd Dickerson: Yeah. Concrete.
RICK JAMES: What happened to Jeremy? Follow that guy in front of you. Okay. that's That's what I did.
The SnowJobs Podcast: They're not used to Jeremy Hammerdown.
.Todd Dickerson: I didn't mean for like 12 hours straight. I meant like.
RICK JAMES: Is it?
.Todd Dickerson: until you get a win route.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: help
RICK JAMES: Oh, we would never work 12 hours without eight smacks.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, you know what?
.Todd Dickerson: I agree.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Let's... ah Let's hit some commercials real quick.
Billy: One thing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, go ahead, Bill.
Billy: I'll say this too. Another thing is other than wearing tear parts and things that actually, you know, shit does happen. I understand. But what we've... from 25 years ago to the last 10 years is that we've really bred that.
Billy: Our equipment. takes care of us makes our jobs easier and i'm willing to invest hundreds of thousands, millions of dollars in these pieces of equipment to have. the top of the line stuff.
Billy: What I'm very most proud of is that these guys that work for me. and myself and everybody involved. is that they take care of the equipment like they own it. If they hear something, they are freaking on it like I've never seen.
Billy: like our weeding girls. uh for instance just a couple weeks ago oh there's a squeaky break they are f freaking on it before it becomes a major problem. you know whether it's a brake issue before it becomes brakes pads rotors and calipers It's just a pad issue, right? so what we've the culture of what we've brought is that this equipment takes care of us.
Billy: Bill is willing to spend. To take, you know, get the best of whatever. to make our jobs easier and make our lives easier, whether it's green season or white season.
Billy: And what I. most proud of is that these guys treat it like it's their own and when they treat it like it's their own We have less breakdowns than we've ever had before. Yes, belts break on mowers. Yes, hoses break on plows and salters. No big deal.
Billy: we can We keep those on the shelf. We can replace those in the middle of the night. I guess. the the Back to the original questions is that we train people to care about the things that they're using. Because it's not theirs.
Billy: In this expansive shit. But it makes our jobs a lot easier, especially nowadays compared to before. So. I just wanted to add that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Amen. Absolutely. very if you can get your guys to take care of the stuff it definitely helps And that goes back to what Sean said, don't hire town highway guys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: When they're not paying the repair bills, they're usually extremely hard on machines. You know who you are Dan. But now let's hit some commercials. We'll be back in two minutes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Let's go ah Thanks Luke.
Mike : Let's go.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Let's go. Oh, Sean. We have another guest on the show.
RICK JAMES: Shiny.
The SnowJobs Podcast: See? See them. Poor thing already has the DiVincenzo afro going. Wow, that's a lot of hair on a baby.
RICK JAMES: yeah Jesus.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Wow Did she get a haircut already?
Native Snow: Yep.
Mike : yeah
RICK JAMES: Uh, Look at her.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Wow, she's sound asleep.
Mike : Cutie.
The SnowJobs Podcast: She's bored solid with the show.
Native Snow: She said, this show sucks. slus
RICK JAMES: Ha! Can I call it to her or does she get to decide?
Native Snow: It's gender X.
RICK JAMES: Alright.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh. my god what's not let's just not ah
RICK JAMES: ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, well, let's keep going. We got the gang all back. and Thanks. I'll have the salt flap commercial in my head for the next two hours. That's catchy, right?
RICK JAMES: Yeah, it's awesome.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh. Holy shit. Um, All right, let's see. We got phone calls at 2 a .m. What separates pros from Joes?
.Todd Dickerson: So we really don't get that.
Billy: Who's calling at 2 a .m.?
Native Snow: who's Who's called?
The SnowJobs Podcast: a Customer calling at 2 a .m.
Mike : fucking loaded question.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What separates them?
Billy: Bookers?
The SnowJobs Podcast: a customer Calling at 2 AM.
Billy: How customers.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What separates the pros from the the regular guys?
RICK JAMES: Yeah. Heh.
.Todd Dickerson: So we really don't get those. We get what we call the oh shit phone calls where. you know. We're supposed to get two inches and we were getting. nine all of a sudden, right? um So.
.Todd Dickerson: Ah. and And I really don't. you know we have a report time and that's the report time and it doesn't change so i really don't get that but 2 a .m. Call we get the oh shit phone call so So that's about as much as I can put into that.
.Todd Dickerson: Generally, we're always overstaffed and ready with backup guys anyway.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No problem.
.Todd Dickerson: They might be in the hotel. We've got to get them out. But. I don't deal with the 2am. phone call so
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, Mike, I know you get angry phone calls.
RICK JAMES: Hmm.
Mike : Yeah, I know. We don't get the 2am.
.Todd Dickerson: Oh you didn't say angry.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
.Todd Dickerson: I get the angry calls.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I think it's in blah.
Mike : The anger calls are during the day.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I think it's implied.
.Todd Dickerson: I thought you meant...
Mike : Those ones come during working hours.
.Todd Dickerson: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
.Todd Dickerson: Yeah, that
RICK JAMES: Those are working hour ones.
.Todd Dickerson: We all get those.
Mike : Yeah. No. If it's got a 24 -hour security team on site. then yeah, we'll we'll get... An occasional phone call here, they're just asking for a re -treatment or a re -scrape or something like that. but you know it's level -headed, cool, calm, professional, explain the situation, whatever it is, or if it's just, hey, looking for an update, is my site accessible? Can I open? Should I shut the place down?
Mike : I'll just... give them bare facts don't over promise them to deliver just Tell them what you're up against or tell them where you're currently at. and tell them how long it's going to take for you to get to ah perfection.
Mike : And that... You can only move snow so fast, guys. like Safety is the number one priority for the site, for your guys, your equipment. You can only push these guys so hard when they're on hour 24.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good. Sean?
Native Snow: Oh, yeah, we don't really get too many 2 a .m. phone calls. We'll get like 6 or 7 a .m. phone calls, usually unhappy customers. but um For now for the most part we don't really get too many customer phone calls ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: Alright. Billy, what about you?
Billy: ah We have a voicemail that says, he not here. in a year.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
Billy: a Wrong number. No, we don't get 2 a .m. phone calls either. but ah No, we do have a... a person that answered the phone if it were to be 24 hours a day which 2 a .m is not going to happen unless somebody's getting arrested That might be something so outside of snow. But 6, 7 a .m., if there's this.
Billy: We service it. We handle the call very professionally. We address their concerns as quickly as possible. It's like Mikey said. Safety is priority. Traffic's a bitch at 7 in the morning.
Billy: We will address the concern, a missed parking spot, whatever. I mean, we all get them. We're not perfect, but. Um, We don't get as many as you know I did when I started out, but at the same token, we do have somebody that does answer the phone.
Billy: So.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Jay, you and I...
Billy: But you know here is the main line
The SnowJobs Podcast: You have anything to do with answering the 2 a .m.
RICK JAMES: yeah
The SnowJobs Podcast: calls, Jay?
RICK JAMES: 2 a .m. calls and what my 2 a .m. calls would be is same be like something isn't working something broke or you know and you just you know, he just handled as it comes. I mean, usually or if they.
RICK JAMES: you know. hit something or it was an accident, you know, That happens too. If it happens, I mean... You can't be mad about it. You just gotta... Deal with it. I mean it's over and done with he's got to deal with it how it comes and you know, make a plan. and Get through it.
RICK JAMES: Let's see. which pretty much we we do or I do. so And if it's a 2 a .m. call, it's usually me making it. the Around the guys out there, hey. unexpected snowfall came through or something so Let's get rolling, boys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: And so.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, there's there's only... three instances for us where we would get a 2 a .m phone call It's either we do plow the police stations, we plow the firehouses. So it's either the the fire the fire chiefs.
The SnowJobs Podcast: uh the cops that, you know, they have a condition somewhere that they they need our help with. uh or one of the complexes. they They all have our emergency numbers, so if an ambulance gets dispatched or a fire gets dispatched at one of the complexes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um They're plowed anyway. But we can we can be called to tell us that, hey, listen, we're sending. We have an ambulance or fire. going to this address. and we'll plow them up or or salt them up just to make sure it's as safe as possible but i think the bottom line For phone calls at 2 a .m., what separates you from a pro? uh to a regular guy I can't believe.
The SnowJobs Podcast: In the age we live in right now. that the one thing I'm hearing the most of from... customers, other people's customers this year is. I can't get a hold of my fucking snow guy.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Like they just don't answer the goddamn phone. like So I think the bottom line is answer your fucking phone at 2 a .m. We're 6 a .m. We're 7 a .m. Like I think guys are.
RICK JAMES: Can we...
The SnowJobs Podcast: They're scared to answer the phone or something.
RICK JAMES: Get a new snow guy if that's happening.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, that's your fucking job to answer the goddamn phone. So answer your phone.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Whatever is coming, take it. Be professional about it. and solve their problem. I mean, not answering, you're already putting yourself in the Joe category.
The SnowJobs Podcast: in the chunk category. Answer the fucking phone if you're not awake.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Take yourself for two seconds and get away quick. and don't sound like you, you know. Don't sound like you're fucking sleeping. All right. Um, But, yeah, I mean, that's that's the best thing you can do. right there just answer the phone because i'm hearing so many instances Word. people.
The SnowJobs Podcast: are saying they can't get a hold of their snow guy. Do you guys answer the phone? My snow guy doesn't answer the phone. Like... Our customers have our number one, our number two, and our number three guys' cell phones.
The SnowJobs Podcast: at all times Call anytime. 24 -7. I have one customer that will call. once a year. Just to say hi. And during a small event at three in the morning, just to say, I wanted to make sure you guys were really up. like That's good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I like it. But, you know, that's that's we have fun relationships with customers. That's what you can expect. Yeah, just do that shit. Answer the fucking phone. No. what What is it that Randy Strait always said?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Show up on time. Do what you say you're going to do.
RICK JAMES: Yep.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's 90 % of the battle. Answering the fucking phone is is the other 10%. Like, literally. You know. All right, what else we got? Okay, so we got a couple good ones here on the tech thing.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So, in your opinions... These guys want to know. What tech is the best value for your dollar right now? They give you the choices of routing software.
The SnowJobs Podcast: GPS trackers for your machines and your vehicles. Site cameras. or geofencing salt spreaders. with salt tracking.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Todd, I don don't know if any of that pertains to you.
.Todd Dickerson: So... No, but if yeah if anybody were to ask my opinion...
The SnowJobs Podcast: No, I'm serious so
.Todd Dickerson: If I was doing like.
The SnowJobs Podcast: That's what they're asking.
.Todd Dickerson: click come Yeah, the commercial stuff. work.
Native Snow: ah
.Todd Dickerson: i Thanks Steve. I appreciate that.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, I'm serious. That's that's exactly what they said in your guy's opinion.
Native Snow: o
.Todd Dickerson: Okay. So if I were to do anything. Not in my setting, but I think I would use the sight cameras. Um, mainly to Be as transparent with the customer as possible Number one, because all it's doing is covering your ass.
.Todd Dickerson: regardless of the situation. And. It also allows you to keep your finger on the pulse so to speak in my opinion. Right. I mean. the gps tracking and all that
The SnowJobs Podcast: Completely.
.Todd Dickerson: Okay, great. I mean, we have we have all that John Deere link stuff. We can't use it, but we have it. We have it in our melters. We can't use it. but Like. I personally think if I had to use any of that stuff.
.Todd Dickerson: it would be the site cameras in my opinion.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep, I agree. What about you Mike?
.Todd Dickerson: So.
Mike : Top three. that have been a big help for us. is the front and rear facing cameras that also have the gps capability on especially just with the amount of snow we had last winter.
Mike : you know you you get clients that complain about the multiple treatments that you did give. Did you really do it? Yes, I will spend 15 -30 minutes going through the GPS, pull the video.
Mike : show the squiggly lines all over the map.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Hmm.
Mike : here Here we are. We're we're doing it. Um, Routing software second, especially if you do a lot of ah Travel in between sites the route dense stuff. It doesn't really help too much with that. You're already close anyways, but if you're gonna go to go a little bit more than Oh. 20 minutes down the road.
Mike : It's definitely nice to know what your best. What your best route is to get to your next site the quickest ah to be the most efficient. And then the third is that for us. for documentation, like any whether you use side photos or...
Mike : or any of these other web -based systems to kind of help document things as you go for the client just for verification purposes.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right, cool. Johnny?
Native Snow: ah sight cameras Site cameras definitely a game -changer Uh, even if it's not one of those expensive weather ones if you just put up like a 200 real link with a $5 Munson card.
Native Snow: That thing saved us more times than not. even even with sites that are like 15 minutes away from like our core area that we do There's times where... The sights up on a hill. or it's on that one cutoff line where it's raining 10 minutes away, but there's two inches of snow on the parking lot at the other end.
Native Snow: And if you're not out there... He never even knows there. because the weather service is saying that it's going to be raining and it's not. so um Yeah, the sight cameras definitely saved us a couple times
The SnowJobs Podcast: Cool. Bill?
Billy: Pray Polaroid. Sight cameras
The SnowJobs Podcast: Polaroid.
Billy: Uh...
The SnowJobs Podcast: um
Billy: Routing, we don't. You know, we're old school. ah so basically site photos taken in photo documentation or photo cameras Polaroids whatever As long as I don't get prosecuted against it, I'm good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Jay?
The SnowJobs Podcast: You're muted.
The SnowJobs Podcast: you're muted there we go
RICK JAMES: Sorry, I like our I like our view I like our view cameras those things work really good I like all the information they can give and you know your own temperature and all that fun stuff So I really. have embraced them the last couple of years.
RICK JAMES: added a few more. And those things have been... Those things make gold. you know between them and i i check a lot of dot cameras around here too so those have been great We don't really do much of routing.
RICK JAMES: We have, you know. the gps and i don't mind a gps i can look up where guys are at and stuff like that that's kind of nice but I'd say sight cameras being my number one.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. Um. yeah i mean in my opinion i can only speak for a company my size which is nice on the small side. um I think it changes as your company develops and as you get bigger.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I think different softwares. can make you more efficient over time, depending on how big you get. for my purposes. Software is not going to do a fucking thing for me. um GPS tracking for my machines and vehicles again Not going to do a fucking thing. We're all within a one square mile, two square mile circle.
The SnowJobs Podcast: so i mean if i needed to find every machine and piece of equipment i have I could drive around in a 15 minute circle and find every one of them. So that doesn't help me at all either. geofencing salt spreaders.
The SnowJobs Podcast: uh no need again we know how much material we're putting out of basic tornado spreaders. We just know from doing it time after time after time and what settings and what speed we're going. You know, my guys can roll through a one acre lot and tell you within 50, 60 pounds how much exactly they put out.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Um... so side cameras And something I didn't think about, but I'm starting to think about it more and more in this day and age. that Mike just said, the rear and front facing cameras, the dash cams.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Um. With so many people now Not just slipping and falling bullshit. claims Uh, You've seen everybody watches social media. There's real shit. A lot of them are in New York and New Jersey where you're driving on a highway.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Somebody slams on the fucking brakes in front of you. and then backs into you. if you manage to avoid slamming into them. They back up India. Amen. You have no recourse if you don't have a dash camera.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So, I mean, I'm really i' rethinking that of... you know maybe there is some value having a front and rear facing you know camera in the vehicles but um The side cameras, I agree with Sean. I agree with Billy. I agree with Todd. ah The sight cameras are going to... You'll save your ass.
The SnowJobs Podcast: um They give you real -time feedback. So if you're going to spend your money. on anything. for a company my size. the best bang for my buck by far is going to be the sight camera.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It's boom.
Billy: That's what we're looking at. We're looking at the front facing cameras that. video records or whatever caption through Viasis or whatever, just because of the fact that we use brine a lot more than we use rock salt.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
RICK JAMES: to
The SnowJobs Podcast: There you go.
Billy: So what happens when... You know, obviously we're Michigan, we're salt dependent on. Detroit. ah When people. I think I've mentioned it a few times that when you brine, people say, oh, we didn't do shit.
Billy: But yeah, we have no ice or snow. So what did you do? Why are you charging me?
The SnowJobs Podcast: magic
Billy: Right? So it's not so much as the liability aspect but the fact of i saw a truck here
The SnowJobs Podcast: it's magic.
Billy: We don't know what the fuck he did. But you did something.
The SnowJobs Podcast: a
Billy: So I want to be able to, that we're actually entertaining that as well. But as Jeremy said to the MDOT cameras or whatever, ODOT, MDOT, whatever, municipality.
Billy: Those come in clutch, actually. It's free. You look at them. You can see what's happening 10 miles because it could be. you know especially in our area two miles makes a big difference
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. 100%. Yeah, we don't we don't have so many of those cameras in New York. Like, we have them in some spots. but there's there's long distances with uh with no cameras but But, yeah, if you've got a good coverage area in your zone there for for the DOT cams, those are a huge help.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Let's do one more. um So this stays on the tech track. So in everybody's opinion. Is technology helping or hurting the snow industry? What do you think, Todd?
.Todd Dickerson: Um... I think it's both, actually. I think it's it's driving costs. i think It's as We kind of had a prelim talk about this. since I think Mikey said it like it's not helping our insurance. So why?
.Todd Dickerson: you know. What's it really helping us? um but I also think... It's kind of...
.Todd Dickerson: hurting the operators. with like social media and stuff because they see some of the cool stuff that all of us on here are putting out. And these new guys that come in. think that they're going to jump right in and and i'll i'll just say like go tip to tip like We've all done.
.Todd Dickerson: in certain videos and stuff and So. kill I don't know. I think it's 50 -50 really. Bye.
.Todd Dickerson: I.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
.Todd Dickerson: i
The SnowJobs Podcast: i think that's a good answer
.Todd Dickerson: I can't lead one way or another.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Mike.
Mike : ye Same. I mean, it's certainly increased efficiency. For some guys it's... Taught a lot of guys how to be tighter with their numbers or just get to their actual number.
Mike : but it's also slowed guys down in the field. Um... The guys have to punch into these sites that aren't really... Phone savvy computer savvy, you know, they got kind of learn it on the fly usually in the middle of a storm when we can't afford to be wrong.
Mike : on what we're punching into but
The SnowJobs Podcast: No Wi -Fi
Mike : Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No Wi -Fi, no cell service.
Mike : Yep. yep Yep. And like I was saying with you guys earlier, like it's it's really not helping us save costs on our... overhead, which is what it was really. not mostly designed to do but it At least.
Mike : partially was. So I... I'd love to see a return on investment there, but I don't think that's ever going to happen.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Sean.
Native Snow: Yeah, same I don't really have anything to add to that Okay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yep. No.
Billy: My thing is technology is a gift and a curse, right? so
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
Billy: It's a tool. Cellular phones was a tool. In -photo documentation was a tool. Again, I go back 25 years doing this. I didn't require any of this shit to go plow fucking snow. Right. So when we went out and plowed snow, we watched the weather, the local news. We looked outside the fucking window. We didn't rely on true weather and apps and things like that. I'm ah not bad mouthing them, but like, you know, I talked to Mark a lot. People criticize them all. Your your forecast was wrong because your technology shit.
Billy: At the end of the day. you can't look out the window and see for yourself if it's time to salt plow do nothing not do nothing
The SnowJobs Podcast: Amen.
Billy: Like are you fucking kidding me? Like how are you blaming? the app for this. So it's become a gift and a curse. But on the customer standpoint, even in the green season. You know, people Google shit. I need a plan.
Billy: And either this or that, well, it grows in Florida. It doesn't grow in Michigan. Like, what the F are you talking about? same with snow people like oh it never snows in michigan so why should i pay you all this money It's a gift and a curse. It's tools to help us get through the job.
Billy: And photo documentation is great. The technology with how much salt's coming out, this and that and the other. Helps hone us in on our financials. and and great things of it, but it also is is the curse as well.
Billy: Mike. it It's crazy what AI does. It's crazy what... customers will in straveing their head of misconception of why we're charging what we're charging. like it's I guess it's 50 -50 like everybody's saying. like it is It's a gift and a curse. That's all I can say.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah. 100%. Jay?
RICK JAMES: Yeah, I mean I'm Agreed with everybody here. but It's a gift and a curse. i mean it's It's been... It's been good for some things, like everybody said. I mean, I'm just going to keep saying what they said. so don't need to waste time. But it's... a Yeah.
RICK JAMES: I like the technology. I'm big on technology. but It does slow you down at some point.
The SnowJobs Podcast: We had to shut down the group.
RICK JAMES: That's all I got. there
The SnowJobs Podcast: chat.
RICK JAMES: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, my God.
RICK JAMES: So.
The SnowJobs Podcast: i I just lost my whole train of thought. No.
RICK JAMES: Of course he did.
The SnowJobs Podcast: ah
Mike : yeah
RICK JAMES: Uh...
The SnowJobs Podcast: No.
RICK JAMES: Yeah. So yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I did have some articulate response ready.
.Todd Dickerson: What sight cameras do you guys recommend?
The SnowJobs Podcast: and
.Todd Dickerson: Is there one that everybody likes?
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I think view.
RICK JAMES: You robotics.
The SnowJobs Podcast: By far, I think Vue right now is the way to go. I think that's got the most the most guys out there that we know using them. and liking them.
RICK JAMES: Those guys. They got some big updates coming too, so it's going to be good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah.
.Todd Dickerson: Love you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, I mean you guys all hit it Right on the head. it's It's a blessing and a curse. It's 50 -50. I think it's good and bad. um It's bad in the way that, like Billy said, 25 years ago.
The SnowJobs Podcast: I didn't need any of this shit to push now. And 25 years ago. One droplet of moisture in my fuel tank. would not shut my $200 ,000 machine down.
The SnowJobs Podcast: It would keep running it would burn that moisture up and we'd keep running But now, because of technology... We have all these sensors, all these all this tech in these machines.
RICK JAMES: government juice
The SnowJobs Podcast: that are driving prices up to what 200 more than they were 25 years ago
RICK JAMES: Oh yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: You know. You're looking at... Case 321 and Cat 908. whatever compact loader you want to see with tech in it And you now look at a...
The SnowJobs Podcast: uh a wolf And that's the real price of what it would cost with no technology. with just the engine and the stuff that you need to do the job. without all the bullshit.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And it's you know double the price. which is driving our price up which is driving our customers price up um but on the other hand There's a lot of tech out there. that will help you be more efficient it'll help you make more money it'll help you document easier because we are in an age of documentation as necessary.
The SnowJobs Podcast: So you have to cover your ass and... You know, we always argue the insurance companies are never going to use them anyway. They're always going to settle. They're never going to challenge. But. Listen, when push comes to shove and you got to prove.
The SnowJobs Podcast: An accident versus negligence. you're going to be glad you have all that documentation. So, you know, those those programs, that tech helps you. The salt tracking stuff, that's all great. I mean, it's all great tech. Is it necessary for most companies? I don't think so.
The SnowJobs Podcast: But... I'm a responsible salt guy. We sought responsibly. We do things the right way. i I have others in my area that that they need that fucking tech. I wish I could put a lock on them.
The SnowJobs Podcast: because I'm seeing what they're doing to the infrastructure. So... Like I said, it's ah it's a blessing and a curse. But it's definitely driven our costs up and it's definitely driven our prices up.
The SnowJobs Podcast: What else, boys? is Anything else? Because we covered it all.
Mike : That was a solid list.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Nice job.
.Todd Dickerson: Yeah, it was good.
RICK JAMES: Sounds good.
.Todd Dickerson: Good. Good. Covered a bunch of good topics for sure.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Todd, when are we going fishing? I'm not an offshore fisherman, but I'm coming.
.Todd Dickerson: You're retired. You can go whenever you want.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Too funny. Oh. Well I apologize to everybody for my voice. i'm glad we got through that though we'll get this out for everybody tomorrow and uh And thanks, boys, for the time. wrap it up
RICK JAMES: Sounds good.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Everybody good?
Mike : Sounds good.
RICK JAMES: Night, guys.
.Todd Dickerson: Good job.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Good to see you're still alive, Sean.
.Todd Dickerson: Good job boys.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Congratulations on the fourth baby now.
Native Snow: Thank you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Are you done?
Native Snow: Yeah, I think I'm gonna get my balls snipped maybe Maybe I don't know
The SnowJobs Podcast: cool Or just pull out.
Native Snow: i still I still got seeds I gotta spread.
The SnowJobs Podcast: No.
Native Snow: i gotta I gotta spread my seed everywhere.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Oh, you kill me. Oh, my God.
RICK JAMES: It's okay.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right. We're going to. We're going to wrap it on that.
RICK JAMES: We're going to wrap it on this.
Billy: No.
Mike : everywhere
Native Snow: Yeah.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well...
RICK JAMES: Jesus.
The SnowJobs Podcast: thank you boys. We appreciate the time as always. And sorry, this wasn't our normal type episode, but. We had to get it done, so. That's going to do it for Episode 192 of the Snow Jobs Podcast.
The SnowJobs Podcast: 192, almost 200.
Native Snow: I want to be on episode 200.
The SnowJobs Podcast: Yeah, you got no shot.
.Todd Dickerson: ah
Native Snow: That's...
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right.
Native Snow: No.
The SnowJobs Podcast: All right. yeah
Mike : ah
The SnowJobs Podcast: Well, that's it, gang. Thanks to the boys, as always, for coming on, bailing us out, and giving us the benefit of... ah of their experience and their knowledge. Like I said, if you couldn't get it in this room, no matter what size company you are.
The SnowJobs Podcast: If you couldn't get it in this room tonight, you you probably can't get it out there. But we'll see everybody next week. Everybody have a great week. All right. Be safe. get your uh get your bids done i mean if you're not done yet I know there's still some sites out there without. awarded bids which is crazy But good luck to you.
The SnowJobs Podcast: And duck. Keep pushing.
