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PROGRAM OVERVIEW
SNOW & ICE MANAGEMENT Take the worry out of winter with Perficut.
SNOW & ICE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM | 7-26-2016 | V5
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THE PASSION OF PERFICUT
Perficut was founded with a simple commitment to perfection. Now 25 years later, we are more committed than ever.
Perficut clients recognize early on that we are a different kind of company - an enterprise fueled by progressive spirit and managed with a level of passion that is uncommon in our industry. But that’s just one part of the equation. Our roots reflect an approach that is inspired by the generations before us who refused to take shortcuts and knew the value of a job well done. At Perficut, we don’t see our work as a business - we see it as our profession. For more than 25 years, we have utilized a dependable, adaptable, proactive approach that creates greater value for our clients and delivers unexpected results worth remembering.
Watch the Perficut Mantra at YouTube.com/c/Perficut.
When it comes to winter weather, we understand that a lack of planning can cause many risks to your business, including service delays, location closings and costly accidents and slip and fall injuries. Over the last several years, we have developed a comprehensive Snow & Ice Management Program that will benefit your bottom line while taking the worry out of winter. At Perficut, no winter service is too large or too complex. Our team is composed of more than 250 snow management professionals who can make even the most complex tasks appear simple. And after the accreditation of our snow and ice quality management system
under SN9001, our clients understand that we’re ready to perform even the most critical assignments. Please take a moment to review the materials that follow. We hope that you’ll quickly discover the passion of Perficut.
Kory Ballard, President
Matt Boelman, Vice President
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Learn more about our company on our YouTube channel by visiting YouTube.com/c/Perficut.
ABOUT PERFICUT Perficut is an industry-leading site management company dedicated to serving critical commercial sites such as hospitals and clinics, high traffic retail and corporate locations, and shipping and manufacturing centers.
We provide our clients with customized winter site management plans that feature our comprehensive, SN9001 accredited, eight-step snow and ice management program. The central focus of every one of our snow and ice management plans is risk mitigation and safety. Perficut leads the industry in this area because we understand that the safety and accessibility of your site can have a dramatic impact on your profitability. We also know that the best way to avoid weatherrelated incidents is to plan, and the best way to avoid weatherrelated claims is to document. Accordingly, our site management plans involve advanced planning and ongoing documentation. Finally, we know that even the best plans won’t work unless they are followed, so our program includes four levels of review, including an audit by an independent outside auditor. For more than twenty-five years, Perficut has been working to redefine the site management industry. Our snow and ice management program is just one more example of how we’re “living the details.”
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FACTS & FIGURES WE ALWAYS VIEW OUR CLIENTS AND SERVICES AS MORE THAN FACTS AND FIGURES, BUT SOME NUMBERS TELL A STORY.
INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP & RECOGNITION
SN9001
SNOW 100
SNOW PROS
First and only company in Iowa and Nebraska, and the third in the world, to have a “Quality Management System” certified through SN9001 (the ISO standard for Snow & Ice Management).
First company in Iowa and Nebraska to be recognized with Snow Magazine’s “Top 100” which recognizes the top snow management companies in the United States.
Perficut employs 35 “Accredited Snow Professionals” - more than any other company in the world.
LEADERSHIP
TOP 100
LM150
Perficut team members serve on the board of directors of the Accredited Snow Contractors Association (ASCA) and co-chair the ASCA eduction committee, setting standards for the industry.
First company in Iowa and Nebraska to be recognized with Lawn and Landscape’s “Top 100” which recognizes the top landscape management companies in the United States.
First and only company in Iowa and Nebraska to be recognized with Landscape Management’s “LM150” award which recognizes the top site management companies in North America.
SERVICE SCOPE
240
Sites managed under our industry-leading Snow & Ice Management Program.
250+
Individuals involved in performing services during a snow event.
3000
Tons of deicing product used during the winter season.
Keep up with Perficut at Facebook.com/Perficut
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PERFICUT’S STANDARD OF QUALITY In 2014, Perficut became the first company in Iowa and Nebraska and the third in the world to have its “Quality Management System” (QMS) certified under SN9001, a new quality standard based on the principles of ISO 9000 and 9001.
ISO WHAT IT DOES The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) develops and promotes industrial and commercial standards including quality management standards.
SN9001 WHAT IT MEANS SN9001 is a quality standard based on the principals of ISO 9000 and 9001 but developed specifically for the snow and ice management industry.
At Perficut, we’re working hard to become the leading site management company in America. As part of that goal, Perficut has developed a quality management system that has been accredited under a new international quality standard called SN9001. Because this initiative is so important to our clients, we wanted to take a moment to provide you with a bit more information about this program. The International Organization for Standardization, also called “ISO”, is an international standard-setting body that was established in 1947 to develop and promote industrial and commercial standards. Any photographer will remember the days before digital cameras when film was certified with an “ISO” rating. The film rating was based on an ISO standard that assured customers that a specific film would perform in a certain manner, no matter the brand of film or the type of camera. ISO established standards through many different manufacturing industries in the same way they did with film, although most of the others wouldn’t
be as easily recognized by consumers. Then about thirty years ago, the organization began establishing standards based on the same principals for the service sector. In 1987, the organization published ISO 9000 and ISO 9001, establishing a set of standards for quality known in industry as “quality management standards” or “QMS.” These quality standards were designed to help companies ensure that they meet the needs of customers and other stakeholders while meeting statutory and regulatory requirements related to the delivery of a service. ISO 9000 deals with the fundamentals of quality management systems in general terms, and includes information about the eight management principles upon which the family of standards is based. ISO 9001 deals with the requirements that organizations wishing to meet the standard must fulfill. Stated simply, ISO 9000 provides general standards for providing quality services, and ISO 9001 provides actual requirements that companies must follow if they want to satisfy those standards. In the early years of ISO 9001, the
Becoming accreditted under SN9001 was an obvious next step for Perficut. These standards require that companies provide high-quality services and engage in a process of continuous improvement - which were two commitments we made 25 years ago when we founded the company. Matt Boelman, Vice President, Perficut Companies
SNOW & ICE PROGRAM
standards were adopted primarily by industries where quality performance was essential - such as hospitals and clinics. But as companies began to understand the benefits of continuous improvement, new industries began to apply the standards to their work. In the last few years the snow and ice management industry began to see increasing value in the benefits provided by ISO 9001 and sought to develop an industry-specific standard based on these guidelines. This effort was led by the Accredited Snow Contractors Association (ASCA) over a period of two years, beginning in 2010. In December of 2012, the ANSI-ASQ National Accreditation Board announced the accreditation of the ASCA’s SN9001 program. SN9001 is based on the fundamentals and principals of ISO 9001, but tailored for the commercial snow and ice management industry. These standards ensure that customers receive services that are high quality, carefully documented and delivered on time. The standards also ensure that management systems are evaluated and improved on a continuing basis. Perficut has always been committed to quality services and continuous improvement, so it was a natural step for us to pursue accreditation through SN9001. In 2014, Perficut became the first company in Iowa and Nebraska (and third company in the world) to become certified under SN9001. We’ve made a huge investment in becoming accredited under SN9001 and we believe that the benefits created by the standards will positively impact our clients’ bottom-line by improving the quality of every service performed, by enhancing communication during service delivery and by reducing personal injury risk on every client site. While the new standard is just emerging, industry experts expect that SN9001 will reduce the incidence of slipand-fall injuries, reduce waste involved with slip-and-fall litigation, increase end-user safety and satisfaction, enhance customer satisfaction and reduce insurance premiums.
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BENEFITS SN9001
QUALITY SN9001 services aren’t necessary for every client. However, they are essential for clients in the health care, shipping or manufacturing sectors, and to those who have high-traffic sites or properties that are located in major metropolitan areas.
RISK MITIGATION SN9001 has been designed to mitigate risk through improved quality controls, reduced response times, real-time event documentation, increased client communication and enhanced safety protocols.
SAFETY SN9001 ensures protection for your most valuable assets: your property, your clients and your employees.
COMMUNICATION Winter weather can strike at any time, which is why Perficut has a help desk that is open 24 hours-a-day, seven days-a-week. Our communications team will provide you with a pre-event notice and post-event follow-up so that you always know the status of your property.
DOCUMENTATION SN9001 requires that the condition of your property be documented before, during and after each snow event. All of our drivers and operators are equipped with a smart phone or tablet that allows them to document the services performed and record photographs of your property in real time.
AUDIT SN9001 provides for four levels of site review: real-time documentation by each operator, post-event inspections by our account managers, seasonal reviews by our internal auditor and bi-annual independent audits performed by a national third-party auditor.
To learn more about the International Organization for Standardization visit ISO.org. To learn more about ASCA and SN9001 visit ASCAOnline.org
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OUR PROGRAM PERFICUT’S INDUSTRY-LEADING 8-STEP SNOW & ICE MAINTENANCE PROGRAM HAS REVOLUTIONIZED THE WAY WINTER SERVICES ARE PERFORMED FOR CRITICAL SITES.
240
Sites managed under our industry-leading Snow & Ice Management Program.
250+
Individuals involved in performing services during a single snow event.
3000
Tons of deicing product used during the winter season.
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To learn more about Perficut visit us online at Facebook.com/Perficut, Perficut.com or YouTube. com/c/Perficut
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ABOVE Our Snow & Ice Management Program was built in partnership with Des Moines Area Community College’s Business Resource department and is the most comprehensive training program in the industry.
STEP ONE: TRAINING To be the best, we know that you have to recruit and train the best. With our new Perficut University, we are writing the book on snow and ice management.
View a sample of our training program on our YouTube channel by visiting YouTube.com/c/Perficut.
At Perficut, we believe that our snow and ice program is supported by a team of professionals that is second to none. Perficut has more ASCA-certified snow professionals than any other site management company in the world. But because we wanted our team to be even better, we developed a new comprehensive training program for all of our employees and service partners. Perficut University is a revolutionary new training platform that provides our team with the latest industry information and best practices through hands-on exercises and web-based lectures and tests. The program includes a core curriculum with training on 38 topics, with frequent updates that address emerging issues and site-specific topics when required. The curriculum is presented through a proprietary online training system that can be accessed from smart phones, tablets or desktop computers, which means that Perficut University goes wherever our team members go! After the program is completed, our employees and service partners travel to one of our three regional operations centers for final testing and certification. The platform was developed in partnership with Des Moines Area Community College’s (DMACC’s) Business Resources department, which is now utilizing the platform as a model for training in other industries.
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TOPICS SAMPLE TRAINING CURRICULUM
ORIENTATION Training tools The Perficut Mantra Snow & Ice Program Overview Introduction to SN9001
SAFETY Safety Objectives Preparing for Extreme Weather Property Emergency Response Incident Reporting
EVENT PREPARATION Performing a pre-season site inspection Staking a property Reading site maps and snow plans
EQUIPMENT OPERATION Snow shovel and snow thrower Snow truck with plow Sidewalk machine End loader and skid steer Tractor Basic remote equipment repair
SNOW TECHNIQUES
THE TOOLS When your employees and service providers are spread throughout a region, you have to approach training in new and creative ways. That’s why we created Perficut University - a comprehensive, proprietary training system that provides our employees and service partners with the latest industry information and best practices.
Winter driving techniques Transporting equipment Sidewalk and plaza techniques Plowing techniques Loading and hauling techniques.
DEICING Ice management basics Ice melt applicator Snow melting equipment Salt truck
COMMUNICATION & DOCUMENTATION Managing email communications Pre-event notice and event start Event documentation Billing and payments Site audits
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STEP TWO: PRESEASON INSPECTION The best way to prevent issues during the winter season is to anticipate them. That’s why Perficut performs a detailed site inspection of each property before the season begins.
Each engagement begins with a detailed pre-season site evaluation. During this review, our snow and ice professionals will inspect your property to identify areas where there may be a higher risk for incidents, slip-and-fall injuries or any other type of damage. We will identify all areas of primary concern and define any unusual risks that may be specific to your property. We’ll also identify any areas that may create an attractive nuisance or be impacted by local ordinances or laws. After addressing issues of risk mitigation, our team will map and stake important emergency systems that may be covered by snow (such as hydrants, emergency exits and fire lanes) and landscaping features that may not be visible after heavy snowfall. We’ll determine how and where to store snow, and evaluate any issues with surface runoff and refreeze. The complete preseason site inspection is documented in our proprietary software as it is performed. The complete report is then sent to you before any services are performed.
RIGHT FROM TOP DOWN Every engagement begins with a detailed preseason inspection. During the inspection, emergency systems such as hydrants are identified. If snow maintenance equipment is to be stored on site, the location is determined. Emergency systems and other objects that could be burried with snow are marked with stakes. The preseason inspection is documented in our proprietary software.
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ABOVE Perficut’s snow maps provide a clear and well articulated service plan so that you never wonder what will happen during a snow event or when.
STEP THREE: SNOW PLANNING We hate surprises and we know that you do too. That’s why every site we manage has a detailed snow map that tells you exactly what services will be performed and when.
After the site evaluation has been performed, one of our account managers will review their findings with you in detail. During this review, they will discuss any additional concerns that you have about the site that may not be apparent from our inspection, such as unusual traffic patterns, irregular pedestrian flow, or seasonal abnormalities. When our team has a complete understanding of the risks presented by your property, our snow and ice professionals will draft a comprehensive site management plan to mitigate the identified risks. The site management plan will include a summary of the plowing, deicing, and sidewalk services that will be performed, and detailed information about the equipment, materials, and personnel that will be utilized in the performance of those services. If excess snow is to be stored onsite, the plan will also include a map that will identify areas that have been designated for that purpose. If excess snow is to be removed from the property, the plan will include details on when and how that will occur.
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STEP FOUR: MONITORING & COMMUNICATIONS Anticipating winter weather is essential to providing the highest quality snow and ice services. That’s why Perficut has a team of independent meteorologists and a communications team that will keep you advised of the status of your site no matter the time of day (or night).
In Iowa, snow events never seem to occur during business hours and rarely occur when predicted by the local media. Accordingly, Perficut has a team of dedicated, trained professionals that monitor conditions 24-7 throughout the winter months so that you are never left out in the cold. In order to make the best even better, the team is supported by a team of independent meteorologists that ensure we know what’s happening regardless of the news cycle. The meteorolgy department runs multiple models and forecasts during each whether event to make sure that we have the best data available. Furthermore, because we know that you want to know the condition of your property no matter the time of day or night, when winter weather strikes, you’ll hear about it from us first. You’ll also be notified via email when our crews are mobilized, when they are performing services and when they have completed their work.
TOP AND LEFT Our team of independent meteorologists will keep an eye on the weather no matter the time of day. Then our client communications system will update you as services are performed.
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STEP FIVE: SNOW REMOVAL After months of preparation and planning, we’re ready to perform services when winter weather strikes. With a fleet of more than 100 vehicles, no job is too large or too complex for Perficut.
SNOW PLOWING
SNOW HAULING
The central service of nearly all of our snow and ice management plans is plowing and removal. Perficut has one of the largest fleets of snow maintenance equipment in the midwest and there is no job that is too large or too complex for our team. With our system of regional dispatch centers you can be assured that our team will always be close-at-hand when winter weather strikes. For critical sites where every second of response time must be considered, we have the capacity to store snow removal equipment directly on site. Our plow operators perform services according to the site management plan, prioritizing ambulance and fire lanes, handicap parking spaces, delivery docks, and building entrances and exits. They also document their work in realtime, with photos, time logs, and notes on every service that they perform. All of Perficut’s site managers are accredited and certified by the Accredited Snow Contractors Association (ASCA) and each and every one of our snow professionals undergo continuing education to maintain and improve their skills, and stay up-to-date on the latest technologies and techniques.
Many urban commercial sites, such as parking decks and high volume commercial lots, have no snow storage area. Even where snow storage is available, many midwest winters include at least one snow event that results in accumulations significant enough that stockpiling plowed snow at your commercial site is no longer feasible, or ongoing accumulation throughout the season results in the intended storage areas reaching their safe capacity. In these instances, snow hauling is required. Snow hauling can be an exceedingly complex operation which requires the coordination of multiple heavy equipment crews, who are working late at night in inclement weather, while experiencing poor driving conditions and a-typical traffic patterns. In order to mitigate the risk that is associated with unusually heavy snow events, Perficut creates contingency plans for our commercial clients that identify alternative dump sites, and designate crews and equipment capable of efficiently relocating large snowfalls to these dump sites. Our fleet personnel are on-call 24 hours-per-day, seven days-a-week, and have been specifically trained in the operation of heavy duty vehicles during snow storm conditions.
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ICE MANAGEMENT
SIDEWALK MANAGEMENT
Our commercial ice management programs are a critical component of designing a site plan that will maximize the safety of your employees, customers, and visitors. Our ice management programs feature products produced from natural ingredients that are safe to handle, won’t damage or stain shoes, carpet, or asphalt, and won’t harm plants or vegetation. When designing your ice management program for a specific snow event, our snow professionals will evaluate the surface involved, the temperature range anticipated, the rate at which snow is falling, and the volume of traffic at the location. After analyzing conditions, our team will select one of our liquid, solid, or blended deicing agents, and then schedule application before, during, and/or after a snow event. Our program is designed to reduce icy conditions at your commercial site by applying the optimal product, in the optimal amount, at the optimal time. After each snow event, your designated account manager will inspect your lots, sidewalks, landscaping, and surrounding areas to ensure that there is no runoff from any liquid deicing agent, and that there is no corrosive impact from any salt that was applied.
Commercial sidewalk snow management is a surprisingly complex service that requires a team of skilled operators with a wide variety of specialized equipment. Perficut has a team of more than 250 snow professionals who have been trained in the operation of blowers, sweepers, pushers, skids, plows, and good old fashioned shovels. Whether there is a half-inch of snow, or a foot or more, our team will be ready to make sure your pedestrian areas are ready for business.
Connect with Perficut on social media at Facebook.com/Perficut.
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STEP SIX: DOCUMENTATION Risk mitigation is the heart of our Snow & Ice Management Program and we know that the key to managing risk is documentation. At Perficut, we record the condition of your site throughout each snow event and document the performance of services in real time. Plaintiff’s lawyers hate it, which is exactly why we do it.
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The filing of lawsuits alleging injuries from slip-and-fall accidents is inversly correlated with the strength of the economy. Since 2011, questionable cases have risen at a rate of up to 20%. In 2014, more than 3,000 claimants were found guilty of criminal fraud for filing meritless claims. When a snow event occurs, our team will document the condition of your site in real-time, at the start of the event, throughout the event, and after the services are performed. Our experience has shown that real-time documentation is an extremely effective way to eliminate false or exaggerated weather-related claims such as slip-and-falls. Accordingly, we have invested in technology that allows all of our operators to document their work with field notes and photographs as services are performed. It’s just one more example of how Perficut is investing in your bottom line.
Learn more about our documentation system at our website at Perficut.com.
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STEP SEVEN: EQUIPMENT MAINTENANCE With a mobile repair vehicle and a fleet services department that works 24-7, you can rest assured that equipment breakdown will never interfere with the delivery of any winter service.
Difficult working conditions, cold temperatures, slick surfaces and poor visibility are some of the factors that make snow management so hard on equipment. When winter weather strikes, you don’t have time to call a mechanic or trailer equipment across town to a shop that won’t open until Monday morning. That’s why a strong snow program requires a maintenance department that is seamlessly woven in to the service delivery plan. Our fleet services team contains a group of industry experts that are able to repair and maintain all the equipment required by your snow program from the most complex end loader to the simplest snow thrower. We also know that there are times when it won’t be feasable, due to time constraints or poor weather conditions, to return equipment to our 30,000 squarefoot shop. So we built our own mobile repair vehicle that’s dispatched with a few clicks in our Mobile Repair Request app. It’s like an ambulance for a sidewalk machine. During the winter season, our technicians are working 24-7-365 and are always ready to get essential equipment back on the road without delay.
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP Welding is an essential part of the maintenance program of any snow management fleet. The Perficut shop is open 24-7-365 and fueled primarily by coffee and computers. Chuck White is Perficut’s Fleet Services Manager.
Follow our Fleet Services Team on Perficut’s Instagram Channel at Instagram.com/Perficut
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STEP EIGHT: AUDIT Four-levels of internal and external audits ensure that every service is performed as designed and documented.
Snow and ice maintenance is an exceedingly complex and dangerous business. During a single snow event, Perficut may activate several hundred snow and ice crews who will collectively travel thousands of miles in in-climate weather, often in the middle of night. Because of the nature of our client list, we believe that every service that we perform must be completed quickly and meticulously. Any business that requires a large team to perform numerous critical functions at
locations that are spread across a region, may run the risk of errors or irregularities occurring in their business. At Perficut, we strive to identify any irregularities before our clients do. In furtherance of this goal, we have developed a four-level audit process that ensures that each one of our site management plans is performed as written. Our audit program allows us to identify any weaknesses in our snow and ice management process so that we can make continuous improvements
throughout the season, and from one client’s site to another. It also provides our clients with confidence that they will receive the same high quality and timely service at each and every corporate location for which services have been contracted. Finally, in the event that a weatherrelated accident or claim is made, loss adjusters will have confidence that services were performed as designed and documented.
AUDIT PROCESS
OPERATOR Each operator logs their performance in real-time as services are performed.
ACCOUNT MANAGERS
INTERNAL AUDITOR
Account Managers review each site to make sure that services were performed as planned.
Perficut’s internal auditor reviews in-event documentation after each snow event.
THIRD-PARTY AUDITOR An independent third party auditor reviews the quality management system for compliance.
Perficut has always been committed to providing quality services through a process of continuous improvement. Our new audit process is simply a continuation of that commitment. Cassie Cimaglia, Director of Process Improvement, Perficut
S N O WS N&OIW C E&P IRCOEGPRRAOMG R A M
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OUR PACKAGES PERFICUT’S SNOW & ICE PROGRAM IS AVAILABLE WITH TWO FLEXIBLE PAYMENT OPTIONS: AN ANNUAL CONTRACT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN BUDGET SECURITY AND A GUARANTEED RATE PLAN FOR THOSE WHO PREFER TO PAY ON A PER-EVENT BASIS.
GUARANTEED RATE
ANNUAL CONTRACT Our Annual Service Contract is designed for companies that value budget security and convenience. This package includes all labor and materials for the onsite removal of snow up to 40” annually, with a discounted rate above 40” and rebates for annual snowfall below 30”.
Our Guaranteed Rate Contract is designed for companies that prefer to pay for snow services on a perevent basis. We offer a tiered pricing program that maximizes customer value with fixed service fees set in three-inch increments up to 12” per event.
Includes:
Includes:
»» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»
Site management plan Snow removal (up to 40”/year) Clean-up, drifting, and refreeze Specialty salt application (lots) De-Icer application (walks) Designated Account Manager 24-7 Help Desk support Pre-event snow alerts Post-event survey Post-event internal site audits Random third-party site audits Total peace of mind
»» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »» »»
Site management plan Guaranteed pricing up to 12” Discounted sanding (lots) Discounted Ice Melt (walks) Designated Account Manager 24-7 Quality Help Desk support Pre-event snow alerts Post-event survey Post-event internal site audits Random third-party site audits
These examples are for illustrative purpose only. Please see the Perficut Pledge and our Terms of Service at Perficut.com for complete program details and exemptions.
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TIMELINE WE SPEND THE ENTIRE YEAR THINKING ABOUT SNOW SO THAT YOU DON’T HAVE TO. HERE IS A QUICK OVERVIEW OF OUR ANNUAL PROCESS.
July
August
September
October
November
January
February
March
April
EVENT PREPARATION
PRESEASON SITE PLANNING
EQUIPMENT PREPARATION TRAINING
December
EVENT PERFORMANCE PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
PRESEASON SITE PLANNING
EQUIPMENT PREPARATION
TRAINING
Renewal contracts due from clients, snow maps and site plans are updated, route sheets are drafted, and site assignments are made by operations.
Fleet and equipment is reviewed, maintenance plan is updated, site-specific equipment is evaluated, new assets are aquired and updated as needed.
Team members complete ASCA recertification, SN9001 training, equipment and safety training, hazard communications planning, site-specific training, and salt and hazardous materials training.
EVENT PREPARATION
EVENT PERFORMANCE
PERFORMANCE REVIEWS
Equipment is staged, meteorological reports are reviewed and analyzed, client notices are sent, and Help Desk team is activated.
Account Managers activate operations team to provide event services, touchups and refreeze service. Help Desk manages communications system with operations team and responds to inbound service requests.
Management reviews client surveys, Account Manager reports, and external audit results. Improvements to snow plans and site maps are made as required.
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TALENT & TEAM JEREMY BOKA Development Director Jeremy oversees Perficut’s client solutions team, where he works to understand clients’ needs and provide innovative solutions with bottom-line results.
OMAHA In January 2016, Josh Hyde drove west with a company flag, opened a new Omaha/Council Bluffs office for Perficut.
CASSIE CIMAGLIA Director of Process Improvement
Josh Hyde joined Perficut in 2013 as an Account Manager in the company’s Des Moines office. Josh spent three years expanding the company’s services in central Iowa while developing relationships with organizations including Principal Financial, John Deere, Delta Dental, Tones and Toro. Then in January, Josh was selected from a crowded pool of applicants to lead the expansion west. “Omaha is a new market. The city isn’t yet blanketed with our blue trucks. As a result, the big commercial clients don’t know us yet, and the first step is obviously to build trust.” Josh said. “Unfortunately, we operate in an industry that is usually represented by service providers who miss deadlines, provide poor service and break promises. So we have to come in and rebuild that trust in the community. We have to demonstrate how we’ve elevated the professionalism of our industry while gaining an understanding of what commercial clients need.”
“Many of our clients operate critical sites, such as hospitals and clinics, shipping and manufacturing centers, or high-traffic retail or corporate locations. For these clients, site management can have a huge impact on the bottom line, particularly during winter months where slip-and-fall injuries are common.” “Perficut is the only company in Iowa and Nebraska with a snow and ice management program that is accredited under the international quality standard, SN9001. We have the best client communication system in the industry and carefully document every service in real time as it’s performed. Through this system, we can provide real value to our clients.” “When it comes to summer services, many of our largest commercial clients don’t know what they need. We can evaluate their current program and make recommendations that save money and reduce the environmental impact.”.”
Cassie oversees Perficut’s quality management system, ensuring that each and every service provided to a client exceeds the quality standards provided by SN9001.
JULIE VAN DIKE Reporting Manager Julie manages the Perficut Help Desk and supervises a team that monitors weather conditions and responds to client needs 24-hours a day, seven-days a week.
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LEADERSHIP With nearly a century of combined experience, our senior management team is continuing to lead the way in the site management industry no matter the service or the season.
KORY BALLARD
MATT BOELMAN
President, Head of Operations
Vice President, Strategic Growth & Sales
Kory founded Perficut 25 years ago at the age of 14 while studying at Ankeny High School. Because he wasn’t yet old enough to drive a car, he moved from site to site on a moped with a mower in tow. In the decades that followed, Perficut’s fleet has grown from a single moped and mower to a fleet that includes more than 100 vehicles and 200 pieces of site maintenance equipment. As the Head of Operations, Kory oversees a team of more than 250 snow management professionals who are dedicated to making Perficut the very best that it can be.
Matt started with Perficut 20 years ago as the leader of a small mowing crew. When the crew was laid off during his first fall, he went to work obtaining new clients so that his team would never become a seasonal lay off again. Today he oversees the strategic growth plan, marketing, and sales of a company that has grown total revenue to eight figures. He is obsessed with innovation and is constantly working to push the envelope of the site management industry. Matt’s leadership has been recognized with a variety of industry awards including the “Snow Leadership Award” by the ASCA; an organization where Matt also serves as a co-chair to the educational committee.
(515) 202-0368
(515) 202-0370
KBallard@Perficut.com
MBoelman@Perficut.com
BY THE NUMBERS We always view our clients and our business as more than numbers but some numbers tell a story.
240
3rd
250+
3000
Sites managed through our Snow & Ice Program
Company to be certified for quality under SN9001
People involved in our Snow & Ice Program
Tons of salt used annually
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THE LAST WORST CUSTOMER
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The story on how Perficut decided to become its own worst customer so that an actual client never would.
IT’S 4:15 IN THE MORNING and Kory Ballard is behind the wheel, tracking his route across central Iowa. With his usual modesty, Ballard describes the conditions as “full” - which is a nice way of saying terrible. The temperature has dropped below zero and snow is falling at a rate of more than an inch per hour. The city streets haven’t been plowed but he doesn’t seem to notice. He has a hunter’s focus and hunters don’t waste time taking note of the shortcomings of others. A smartphone has been set in the console next to him. It’s a simple device, but the key to what’s unfolding. The phone has been loaded with site maps and snow plans, and is linked together
with 250 other Perficut employees and service providers who are entering data, recording photographs, and reporting on their progress in real-time as the storm is unfolding. The system was designed by Matt Boelman, Kory’s long-time business partner and friend, and links together weather forecasts, pre-season snow plans, in-event operations and post-event audits. It provides operators with maps, instructions and checklists, and allows workers to include notes and photos from every service as it is performed. It’s a custom application that is cutting edge in the industry, but something that both men shrug off as
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nothing more than a necessity. With more than 240 sites being serviced during every storm, Matt realized that the only thing more important than accountability was creativity. This morning, Kory hasn’t touched his phone. He doesn’t need to. He has all the information memorized. He makes a few turns through a maze of residential streets, adjusts the radio and then turns in to a commercial site. The lot has already been cleared and Kory takes a quick spin through the property to check the perimeter. On the north end of the lot snow has been piled into a massive mountain. The pile of snow is a monument to Iowa winters and is nearly sufficient to become its own ski resort. Kory hops out of the truck, walks around the pile and then gets down on his knee to look across the terrain like a golfer sizing up a putt. As he takes two or three looks from different angles, you start to get a sense for what the Perficut tagline, “Living the Details” really means. When he gets back in the truck, he offers an explanation. “When they poured the concrete for this lot they didn’t get the grade right. If you look closely, you can see that there is a two-inch drop into a little pool over there. If you put the snow in the wrong place and it warms up, and then you get a refreeze, you’re going to have an ice skating rink that covers a quarter-acre.” “You can pile the first six-inches of snow over there,” he says as he points to the monument. “Twelve inches requires some creativity. Anything over twelve you have to haul out.” He snaps a photo of the monument and then punches a few buttons on the phone. “We’re okay now. We’ve got room for a few more inches.” Back at the office, Julie Van Dike is staffing the Perficut Help Desk. Kory and Matt established the Help Desk a few years ago so that clients would have someone on call twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. As a practical matter, the only people on the phone at 4:15 in the morning are Kory and Matt, and at times Julie and her team look a bit like the Maytag lonely repair man. Matt explains the service relatively simply. “Our clients are manufacturing companies, hospitals, busy retail outlets and shipping companies. Many of them work around the clock. If a water main breaks at 3:00 a.m. and
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it’s ten degrees outside, we need to have a crew there to deal with the ice before the shift changes or an ambulance needs to use the driveway. If our clients are working, we have to be available.” Across the street from the Help Desk, Matt is monitoring the data that is now pouring in from across the state. He can see when each crew arrives and leaves, what equipment was needed, where salt and snow melt was applied and learn about any concerns that the crews have as they arise. He checks a few weather reports that were sent over from Perficut’s dedicated meteorologist, and then scrolls through some site reports and opens a few photos. Not finding what he wants, he picks up the phone to call Josh Hyde, one of Perficut’s many Account Managers. Every site that is managed by Perficut has a designated account manager that is responsible for pre-season planning and post-even inspections. “Have you been by 4256 yet?” Matt asks Josh. “Can you run back by there and double-check the back lot? Meteorology is showing that the wind is moving to the northwest and I’m concerned there may be drifting.” Josh smiles as he hangs up the phone. He’s already checked the lot, but he’s been around long enough to know that double-checks are good and triple-checks are better. He embraces the Perficut concept that meeting customer expectations is only a starting point. He also understands that most of what he does is under the radar. His work is rarely appreciated by his clients, but always expected by his company. Josh is the kind of guy who will buy a cup of coffee for the guy in line behind him and doesn’t mind when a good deed goes unnoticed. When Josh arrives back at his location he can see that the work is perfect. The lot and walks have been cleared, and salt and ice melt have been applied. He drives around to the back of the property to check for drifting and as he makes the turn, he sees that Kory is already there. New hires are sometimes surprised to arrive at a location and find that one of the owners of such a large company is still working on the front lines, but after twenty-five years in business some habits seem to be hard to break.
Kory has a bag of salt under one arm and is spreading handfuls of the stuff all around the back entrance. The price of salt has increased by more than 400% in the last couple of years, but Kory uses it like he owns the salt mine. Perficut buys so much salt each year that people joke that they actually own most of Egypt. Kory sees Josh pull up and points to the drifts that are beginning to inch their way toward the sanctity of the lot. Josh nods, takes a few photos of the drifts, and then punches a few notes into his phone to request that a clean-up crew come back in an hour. Back at the office, Matt sees the update come through and then heads downstairs to get another cup of coffee. When he reaches the bottom of the stairs he bumps into Cassie Cimaglia. Cassie is the independent internal auditor for Perficut’s Snow & Ice Program and is responsible for evaluating whether Perficut has maintained certain quality standards that have been established by the International Standards Organization. Stated simply, when the work is done, her job is to check it. Everybody knows that cops are rarely loved by the people they serve, and Cassie’s job is no different. She lives for details and her responsibility at Perficut is locating any detail that has been overlooked. At the end of each snow event, she reviews the in-event documentation for consistency and completeness. She also coordinates an independent third-party audit and Account Manager site inspections. It is a thankless job that is appreciated only by Kory and Matt, and represents a significant investment in their quest for perfection. The two exchange cordial greetings, but Matt is careful not to give away any clues about what has been happening throughout the storm. After all, that’s what makes the process so valuable you never know exactly where Cassie will strike next. As Cassie sits down in her office, the sun is starting to peak across the horizon. Another day is beginning and Perficut’s clients are heading to work.
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PERFICUT SNOW & ICE MANAGEMENT PROGRAM WINTER SITE MANAGEMENT FOR CRITICAL SITES INCLUDING HOSPITALS AND CLINICS, CORPORATE CAMPUSES AND HIGH-TRAFFIC RETAIL LOCATIONS, AND SHIPPING AND MANUFACTURING CENTERS
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