tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-35359023603579923002024-03-13T05:42:15.662-07:00SIMA - Snow Matters - Advancing the Snow Removal ProfessionSIMA - Advancing the Snow Removal ProfessionBrian K. Birchhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10107455147573568906noreply@blogger.comBlogger173125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-70829029325720319622018-05-09T08:06:00.001-07:002018-05-09T08:08:22.841-07:00New members’ training courses added <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />SIMA’s membership investment comes with many benefits, including on-demand snow training courses. </span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our commitment to our members is to continuously increase the value of tangible member benefits. That’s why we recently added a new set of five courses to our existing members-only training platform.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our goal is simple: Help members plug in to a ready-made diverse set of training tools so you don’t have to build your snow-specific training from scratch. The SIMA Training Center at <a href="http://www.sima.org/resources">www.sima.org/resources</a> is a SIMA member’s best friend. It not only houses the members-only training but also numerous best practices guides, production documents, and contracts and forms. We take our “Stronger with Support” statement to members seriously.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">New courses include: </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Creating Standard Operating Procedures for Snow Operations </b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Using SOPs as training tools and teachable moments</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Documenting SOPs effectively</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Concrete examples of SOPs</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Salt Purchasing and Inventory Management</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Tools to help manage salt and deicing material inventory more effectively</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Injury Prevention for Snow Professionals</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Areas that may cause danger</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Walking on snow and ice/exiting vehicles in icy conditions</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Identifying site hazards that may lead to injury to an employee or patron</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Safe shoveling and snow blower use</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Tips and techniques to encourage an injury-free workplace</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Disaster Response and Documentation Essentials</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Create an emergency response plan</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Protect your company from risk exposure when an accident or disaster occurs</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Documentation essentials</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Create a must-report culture and build transparency</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Principles for Selling Snow as a Risk Management Service</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Defining risk management and learning to distinguish between risk avoidance, risk reduction, risk retention, risk transfer and risk sharing</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">• Attach greater meaning and value to risk management as a service and learn how to sell it as such</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We are always interested in hearing how we can improve and strengthen our membership support. Please email Brian@sima.org any time with your ideas and suggestions.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-60381905799476066992018-05-02T09:59:00.000-07:002018-05-02T09:59:51.161-07:00Find allies and sounding boards through SIMA peer groups<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RnTJpicOluM/WunuQVmtNMI/AAAAAAAABxk/LIyjv93VRscU-ggP0kWdUsuCW61yHyXbQCLcBGAs/s1600/peergroupheader.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="207" data-original-width="620" height="132" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-RnTJpicOluM/WunuQVmtNMI/AAAAAAAABxk/LIyjv93VRscU-ggP0kWdUsuCW61yHyXbQCLcBGAs/s400/peergroupheader.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br />By Phil Harwood, CSP</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s been said there is strength in numbers. SIMA helps build that strength by harnessing the power of cooperation and engaged learning through its peer group program.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SIMA Member Peer Groups pair six to eight snow and ice management entrepreneurs to discuss snow industry best practices, labor trends, staffing/recruiting, competition, market dynamics, economic trends, technologies and more. All meetings are professionally facilitated.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Groups meet a minimum of four times per year and work together to help each other achieve business success and to learn from one another. Where one company may struggle, another may thrive. Participants come away with action items to help resolve issues affecting their business and report progress in future meetings.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Participants are ensured that their peers will be in non-competing markets and will have similar objectives, business lines, financial profiles and common interests. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We are certain that peer groups deliver outstanding value to those who participate, but don’t just take our word for it. Following are testimonials from three current peer group participants:</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mike Kukol</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Horizon Landscape Company // Wyckoff, NJ<br />Peer Group Member since 2015</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Why a peer group? </b>I wanted to grow my snow business and have been involved in other peer groups that I found to be a great source of information and support.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>What have you learned?</b> It is tough to think of all the little things I have learned along the way. Factory tours have been informational and inspirational. I also have learned that there are many different ways to skin the snow business. Everyone has the same issues to different degrees. Brine — what a great learning experience!</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Jim Hornung Jr., CSP</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Elbers Landscape // Buffalo, NY</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Peer Group Member since 2014</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Why a peer group? </b>I have been a part of a number of peer groups outside of the industry over the last 10 years and have always found them to be very beneficial. When the opportunity came up for an industry-specific group, I jumped on it because it allowed me access to peers all over the country who were keyed in on the challenges of running snow businesses. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>What have you learned?</b> The biggest takeaway that I have gotten from our group was about the structure of our operations team. The group guided me into a more productive structure to coincide with the rapid growth of our business. Being able to get feedback from people who had been there before has been very beneficial. It also is a fantastic sounding board for equipment and technology purchases.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tom Marsan</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Beverly Snow & Ice // Markham, IL</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Peer Group Member since 2016</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Why a peer group?</b> I wanted to create a relationship with other professionals to find solutions to challenges we face and share what we do well to help others overcome their challenges.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>What have you learned? </b>Everyone in the group has their own twist on how they operate, whether it is management structure, equipment utilized or materials/products used. We all have the same goals, and we can each learn from each other to implement ideas and processes that can contribute to becoming more successful. Having peers that you can bounce ideas off of and reach out to when facing challenges is very beneficial.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Learn more about the SIMA Member Peer Groups, including how to join, at <a href="http://www.sima.org/education/sima-peer-groups">www.sima.org/education/sima-peer-groups</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Phil Harwood, CSP, is the facilitator for the SIMA peer groups. Email him at <a href="mailto:phil@mypmcteam.com">phil@mypmcteam.com</a>.</i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-70493379550075671812018-04-25T11:56:00.002-07:002018-04-25T11:59:46.413-07:00Legislative hot spots to watch<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O1seqosaEEY/WuDPV9m5aJI/AAAAAAAABxI/Yt3Pc6E7KBkhJc0tXEJ7D7_mz4kKu_UfACLcBGAs/s1600/capitol.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="281" data-original-width="330" height="170" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-O1seqosaEEY/WuDPV9m5aJI/AAAAAAAABxI/Yt3Pc6E7KBkhJc0tXEJ7D7_mz4kKu_UfACLcBGAs/s200/capitol.png" width="200" /></span></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>SIMA leads charge for impactful reform at the state level.</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>By Martin Tirado, CAE</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Winter was frigid at times, but proposed and pending legislation impacting snow and ice companies has been heating up. Here’s a summary of current activities and the role SIMA is taking on them.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">New York “call-in” pay</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Since our February Snow Business report, the New York Department of Labor issued a regulatory ruling that will impact employee schedule planning for companies, including those performing snow and ice services. Essentially, if someone cancels a scheduled shift with less than 72 hours’ notice, an employer must pay the employee for 4 hours of work that day at minimum wage.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SIMA submitted a letter based on feedback from member service providers highlighting the ways this regulation will hurt their business growth and hiring. Unfortunately, this regulatory change appears to be set to start this spring; although SIMA is supporting a green industry-led legislative coalition that has the support of some New York senators to exempt businesses with 500 or fewer employees from the regulation. The concern for those outside of New York is that this could be a catalyst for equivalent regulatory change in other states and provinces.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Partnerships for progress</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SIMA joined several groups to sponsor the New York State Turfgrass association lobbying day in February.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SIMA is also collaborating with Landscape Ontario and the Minnesota Nursery & Landscape Association to actively pursue legislation that models the New Hampshire legislation passed in 2013. This legislation provides for voluntary salt applicator training with the benefit that those who complete training and continuing education are provided liability protection for themselves and the properties they service. This is markedly different than “pass the baton” legislation where service providers and property owners are battling each other over who is liable for slip and fall injuries.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">New Hampshire’s Green SnowPro training and certification has proven to be a successful method in lowering salt applied to paved surfaces while providing for liability protections that applicators and properties need. Additionally, the value of training is gaining momentum. Recently, the Planning Board of Windham, NH, implemented new construction plans that require winter maintenance to be performed by NH Green SnowPro-certified contractors.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SIMA’s leadership in salt application research is ongoing and led by industry expert Phill Sexton, CSP, of WIT Advisers in conjunction with the technology power of Viaesys. This research provides the essential foundation of knowledge in salt application that can lead to change.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Shaping the future</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SIMA has remained actively engaged in supporting efforts beyond Ontario and Minnesota. Among others, Virginia, Vermont, Maine and local areas of New York are considering models similar to the New Hampshire Green SnowPro training and liability protection. That’s a triple win: Service providers enhance their training and are viewed as professionals with more knowledge; the relationship between service providers and properties is enhanced; and an immediate need is met to better protect the green infrastructure and clean water as a natural resource.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Legislative actions are gaining speed, and the most effective solutions will be those that protect service providers while challenging them to obtain the necessary education to be considered experts in snow and ice management. The industry will put itself at risk if it only seeks to regulate itself with standards or legislative activities. A more comprehensive model that engages the facilities management industry, along with all other stakeholders, is the way forward. We must seek shared liability, trust and reasonable expectations on all sides.</span><br />
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Martin Tirado, CAE, is chief executive officer of SIMA. Email him at martin@sima.org.</i></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-47991197808506887652018-03-14T12:54:00.002-07:002018-03-14T12:55:50.401-07:00 SIMA members have access to Library exclusives<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The SIMA Library is home to hundreds of articles, including some reserved just for viewing by SIMA members. We recently added 10 articles focusing on operations, human resources and personal development:</span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How to properly stake sites for winter operations</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A seven-part series on personal growth and development</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Best practices for managing spills</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How to get started in liquids without breaking the bank</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Ins and outs of insurance terms</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Best practices for corrosion prevention and maintenance</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Preseason sidewalk training</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Understanding salt brine</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">How to build a bonus/incentive program</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Systems reviews for continuous improvement</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These stories can be viewed by logging in at </span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.sima.org/resource/library/news-list/?tag=Members-only">www.sima.org/library</a></b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. Our goal is to start adding new content, including video, more consistently to help members obtain more from their membership. If there are articles on specific topics you’d like to see developed, please email Editorial Director Cheryl Higley at </span><a href="mailto:cheryl@sima.org" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">cheryl@sima.org</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-73590890723024537192018-02-28T11:30:00.001-08:002018-02-28T11:30:10.732-08:00Raising the bar in snow and ice<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0WdVFDGJGKk/WEnXAwV-TqI/AAAAAAAABPU/GVOBmk6vRQwsG_WPdX-yQlAC5BfyvpA5QCPcBGAYYCw/s1600/SIMA.BP.Timeline_logo.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="496" data-original-width="1600" height="123" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-0WdVFDGJGKk/WEnXAwV-TqI/AAAAAAAABPU/GVOBmk6vRQwsG_WPdX-yQlAC5BfyvpA5QCPcBGAYYCw/s400/SIMA.BP.Timeline_logo.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">SIMA provides free industry best practices and standards</span></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>By Martin Tirado, CAE</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">In October 2017, SIMA mailed 30,000 readers of <i>Snow Business </i>magazine in North America our Purchasing Snow & Ice Management: Quality RFP Creation and Best Practices. It’s the newest publication in our reservoir of resources that will become industry standards. And it’s free (<a href="https://www.sima.org/resource/best-practices/quality-rfp-creation-and-best-practices" target="_blank">download here</a>) for anyone interested in reading and implementing it into their business practices. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The Purchasing Snow & Ice Management document is rich in detail and specificity on the essential components of what should be included in the final agreement that properties have with snow and ice service providers, such as level of service, how to build and define a scope of work, contractual terms and definitions and more. Similar to other SIMA best practice publications, this document was developed with input from a broad and diverse stakeholder group, not just service providers. Property owners and managers can use and adopt the contents to the same extent that service providers can. That’s a win-win business proposition that enables long-term trust and value.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">As this best practice document is used by more professionals every year, it naturally becomes an industry standard. The same can be said of all of SIMA’s best practices, which are free for download at <a href="http://www.sima.org/bestpractices" target="_blank">www.sima.org/bestpractices</a>.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">SIMA creates its best practices for free to serve the needs of the professional snow and ice industry. We will continue to do so and are committed to the following principles of best practices and standards:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Open Access</b>. Guides are available to all industry stakeholders at no cost, regardless of whether they are members of SIMA.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Education</b>. SIMA spearheads educational partnerships and communication programs to help all parties adopt best practices.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Comprehensive</b>. Best practices documents are reviewed by a large group of industry stakeholders representing multiple areas of expertise.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><b>Quality Control & Transparency</b>. The best practices documents are living documents, and suggestions, recommendations or concerns can be submitted online at <a href="http://www.sima.org/" target="_blank">www.sima.org</a>. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">The feedback SIMA has received on our best practices and standards has been positive in many ways. We will continue to lead with professionalism as we expand our inventory of industry best practices and standards. Our next step will be further developed at our 2018 Season Opener event, tentatively scheduled for September in Milwaukee, WI. An announcement on the exact date, hotel location and agenda is coming soon. For now, please download, read and share the snow and ice industry best practices and standards, the glossary of terms, and best practices checklists. More are on the way. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><i>Martin Tirado, CAE, is chief executive officer of SIMA. Email him at <a href="mailto:martin@sima.org">martin@sima.org</a>. </i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-50751689595813960442018-02-20T11:29:00.001-08:002018-02-20T11:30:53.762-08:00Symposium shakeup<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wmvhYwBcnuE/Wox2EIIH43I/AAAAAAAABvg/yuRo4gtqxNMtuuGyO9zzLJ2QjCMmVBlygCLcBGAs/s1600/FB_SymposiumCover820x310%2B%25281%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="310" data-original-width="820" height="150" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-wmvhYwBcnuE/Wox2EIIH43I/AAAAAAAABvg/yuRo4gtqxNMtuuGyO9zzLJ2QjCMmVBlygCLcBGAs/s400/FB_SymposiumCover820x310%2B%25281%2529.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">Education offers more networking, in-depth workshops and roundtables</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">More networking. More peer-to-peer engagement. More in-depth workshops. More team building. Each of these represents a recurring suggestion of what attendees expect from the Best Show in Snow. SIMA is delivering with a revamped educational lineup for the 21st Annual Snow and Ice Symposium.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This year’s planning committee is shaking things up with new offerings that we believe will make this year’s show the best yet.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our goal was to expand the education tracks to appeal to a broader audience so that more people will benefit from attending the Symposium. From people with boots on the ground to in the boardroom, our hope is that the changes we’ve implemented will deliver additional value for your investment.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All of the details can be found at <a href="http://www.sima.org/show"><b>www.sima.org/show</b></a>, but following are a few of the program’s new highlights:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Best Practices Skills Competition</b>. In lieu of a traditional pre-conference event on Tuesday, June 26, we’re encouraging companies to bring their team to take part in a head-to-head competition with other companies. The team-building event will see how well your teams understand industry best practices in safety, operations, calibration and site management.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Workshop Wednesday</b>. Traditionally, the Symposium features one or two deepdive workshops on a targeted topic. This year, we’re dedicating most of Wednesday to eight 2-hour sessions focused on a wider variety of topics. Attendees will be able to choose from two of the eight sessions. Even better? The workshops will be included in your registration fee. This year’s topics:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Snow Operations Audits</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Equipment and Maintenance Management</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Managing Risk and Liability</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Recruiting, Hiring and Retaining Talent</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Job Costing and Estimating</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Applying Enterprise Risk Management Theory</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Time Management and Productivity</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Role-based Roundtables</b>. Following the Wednesday workshops, we’re taking a page from our Season Opener playbook and creating in-depth roundtables focused on specific roles in a snow and ice management company. Attendees will engage with others in similar roles to discuss a variety of topics and trends important to them:</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">CEO to CEO</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Operations Management and Techniques</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Billing, Administration and Service Verification</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sales and Negotiations</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Pro Talks - Life and Leadership in the Snow Industry</b>. Once you achieve a certain level of success in snow and ice, many of the traditional educational sessions may be less pertinent, leaving some attendees to wonder: "What’s in it for me?" Patterned after the popular TED talks, we’ve asked six speakers to share insights and captivating stories that will resonate with attendees at every stage of their career, but especially those CEOs, business owners and upper-level managers who are looking for self-improvement and fresh perspectives.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Tech Talks & New Products Pavilion</b>. One of the biggest draws of the Symposium is our trade show. This year, attendees will be exposed to 140,000 square feet of the newest products and services, all focused on snow and ice management. To complement the trade show, we’re adding a new products pavilion that will allow attendees to see the newest products on the market. In addition, we’re bringing education back to the floor with 12 Tech Talks, presented by a supplier with subject matter expertise (non-product specific):</span><br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Sidewalk Management Optimization</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Route Management Technology</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Weather Forecasting and Documentation</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Plow Technology that Optimizes Production and Salt Use</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spreader Technology that Optimizes Production and Salt Use</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Salt Use Optimization: Implementing Brine & Liquids</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Chloride Alternatives: Solutions to Reduce Reliance on Salt</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Service Verification</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Equipment Maintenance and Repairs</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Small Company Solutions</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Site Engineering Solutions</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Safety & PPE</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">That’s a lot of change for one year, but don’t worry! Our most popular Symposium events remain: Snack & Chats, networking receptions, the closing event and sessions focused on all areas of operations are returning. I encourage you to take a look at the Symposium brochure and start plotting your path to Cleveland. It’s going to be a great show. We can’t wait to see you!</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Visit <a href="http://www.sima.org/show"><b>www.sima.org/show</b></a> for registration, a schedule of events and more.</i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-52313522827470033002017-12-20T09:17:00.000-08:002017-12-20T09:19:22.857-08:00Best Practices course delivers free equipment, operations training<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PT9PLDNdz2U/Wjqa6AomQUI/AAAAAAAABuo/BZiRKc_hEC0nqURcO08wZu8QsLkel7a6QCLcBGAs/s1600/opequip.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="300" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PT9PLDNdz2U/Wjqa6AomQUI/AAAAAAAABuo/BZiRKc_hEC0nqURcO08wZu8QsLkel7a6QCLcBGAs/s1600/opequip.jpg" /></span></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: medium;"><br /><b><br /><span style="font-size: large;"><br />'This growing body of resources currently includes 15 documents available exclusively to SIMA members as part of our commitment to deliver outstanding value.'</span></b></span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Even during the season, it doesn’t hurt to review best practices
to keep your minds fresh for the next event. <a href="http://sima.peachnewmedia.com/store/seminar/seminar.php?seminar=87223">SIMA’s Operational Equipment & Safety Best Practices course</a> can help members keep training and safety front and
center.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This growing body of resources currently includes 15 documents
available exclusively to SIMA members as part of our commitment to deliver
outstanding value.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These checklists and quick reference cards can be downloaded,
printed and used as part of a comprehensive training program. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Looking toward 2018, our goal is to continue to add resources to
this course, allowing our member companies access to free training and topics
that will help ensure safer, more efficient operations. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Current resources available for download:</span></b></div>
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<ul>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Checklists</span></b></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pre-trip plow and spreader safety inspections</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Snow site engineering planning</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Snow vehicle hazards</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Pre-storm equipment review</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Preseason risk assessment</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Snow kit contents</span></li>
</ul>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Quick Cards</span></b></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fuel storage for cold weather</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Safe operations of heavy equipment in cold weather</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">PPE for snow and ice management</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Snow shoveling safety</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Snow blower hazards</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Equipment maintenance</span></li>
</ul>
<li><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Resources</b></li>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Salt brine equipment basics</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Incident report template (English and Spanish)</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Safety best practices</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Snow plow pump troubleshooting</span></li>
</ul>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you have a topic for consideration, email Brian Birch at <a href="mailto:brian@sima.org">brian@sima.org</a>. The course is available for </span><a href="http://sima.peachnewmedia.com/store/seminar/seminar.php?seminar=87223">download here</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">.</span></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-71678575808275773352017-12-13T09:14:00.002-08:002017-12-13T09:15:07.305-08:00SIMA adds DVDs to training video series<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dFyzTb66rCs/WjFfxoW0zmI/AAAAAAAABss/zCGGIswn0O07CaRrtU2teq_5U3CzFodogCLcBGAs/s1600/SIMA_TrainingVideo_DVDsV41.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="264" height="200" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-dFyzTb66rCs/WjFfxoW0zmI/AAAAAAAABss/zCGGIswn0O07CaRrtU2teq_5U3CzFodogCLcBGAs/s200/SIMA_TrainingVideo_DVDsV41.png" width="200" /></a></div>
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uQsaJ6OXbYs/WjFfxr6p21I/AAAAAAAABso/kJ0MBPYnOn86KyJ4WRaAF8NoBSOCWCPQQCLcBGAs/s1600/SIMA_TrainingVideo_DVDsV42.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="264" height="200" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uQsaJ6OXbYs/WjFfxr6p21I/AAAAAAAABso/kJ0MBPYnOn86KyJ4WRaAF8NoBSOCWCPQQCLcBGAs/s200/SIMA_TrainingVideo_DVDsV42.png" width="200" /></a><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Remember 2001? It was a year of many exciting things...Harry Potter, the Segway, the iPod, *NSYNC. And don’t forget...SIMA launched its first training video: Basic Snowplowing Techniques. After the initial success of that video, SIMA produced six more, and they became the de facto industry standard for basic and refresher snow training. But the snow industry has grown and changed. Our videos began to have a certain retro feel and needed a revamp. Instead of trying to redo them one by one over a long period of time, SIMA completely redesigned them all at once. The new SIMA Training Video Series, which includes six videos, was launched in late summer 2017, and includes:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Snowplowing Safety & Preparation</b>: This video is designed to
introduce snowplow operators to basic snowplowing principles and general
techniques, including preseason preparations and checks, transporting the plow
and general plowing tips and techniques.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Essential Snowplowing Techniques</b>: This video concentrates on
commercial snow removal operations. It assumes the operator has received basic
training, knows safety issues and has experience in clearing driveways and
other properties. It includes equipment and safety, techniques and obstacles,
and plow scenarios.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>NEW! Snow Site Engineering and Planning</b>: This video walks through
the process of planning and implementing a site engineering strategy; to
increase safety and efficiency; and to identify key obstacles, priorities and
hazards prior to the snow season.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Containment Snow Plows and Pushers</b>: This video provides practical
and strategic operations, including benefits of using a containment plow,
operator safety and troubleshooting on-site issues.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Sidewalk Clearing of Snow and Ice</b>: This video highlights key
safety issues and techniques needed to use shovels and snow blowers. It
includes guidelines for dressing appropriately, health and wellness tips,
shoveling techniques, and snowblower safety and techniques.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Skid Steer Loaders and Compact Equipment</b>: This video covers a
range of topics, including site application, attachments, techniques, safety,
training and preventive maintenance. Other topics include equipment advantages,
common mistakes and tips and bidding help.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Initially, SIMA planned to only offer the videos via streaming in the SIMA Training Center since it is the best, most cost-effective way for us to distribute these training tools. However, after much discussion and feedback from our members, we decided to also provide DVDs. We ran our first press of DVDs (all six videos for one low price) in October, and they are available for purchase now.</span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Training video series at-a-glance</span></b><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Number of training videos 6</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">All new video footage, including use of drones</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Residential and commercial items addressed</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Available streaming in the SIMA Training Center, on DVD or both</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Includes simple quizzes for training documentation</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Most videos are available in Spanish</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Average length of each video 30 minutes </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">To learn more about each video, to see a preview or to purchase, visit </span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sima.org/SnowTraining">www.sima.org/SnowTraining</a></b><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-19683624912707880712017-12-04T10:27:00.003-08:002017-12-04T10:29:22.098-08:00Workforce work to be done<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k8yOnrObhk4/WiWTWAP8FXI/AAAAAAAABr8/-YoAp8v1l2MJN_dy8jhp4jihAPaPDd9VQCLcBGAs/s1600/Workforce.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="264" data-original-width="280" height="188" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-k8yOnrObhk4/WiWTWAP8FXI/AAAAAAAABr8/-YoAp8v1l2MJN_dy8jhp4jihAPaPDd9VQCLcBGAs/s200/Workforce.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />'Our goal is to keep the conversation going and to help our members make progress in the area of workforce development and retention.'</span></b></span><br />
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By Brian Birch, CAE</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Here’s what we know about our industry’s workforce: Finding and retaining good employees remains the No. 1 challenge. That’s the official word based on feedback SIMA was able to collect prior to the September 2017 Season Opener. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Of course, this issue is bigger than just the snow industry; most service-related industries are struggling. As one of thousands of trade associations, SIMA is wrestling with the true impact our association can have on such a widespread issue. We felt the Season Opener, with its focus on recruitment and talent management, was a good place to start.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Prior to the event, SIMA deployed a simple survey designed to solicit feedback in two broad areas:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Labor recruitment</b>. How do you recruit labor for snow, and what technologies/tools are useful in that process?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Careers</b>. What benefits and areas should be considered in an effort to keep long-term employees, and which of these are the most crucial?</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Attendees were also asked to provide any organizational charts, employee pay grades/levels (structure, not compensation) and role descriptions for snow-specific work. After repeated attempts, only one attendee shared that information. This was insightful, since it showed us the challenge is twofold:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Many companies struggle with organizing and keeping updated organizational charts, pay grade standards and even role descriptions; </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our members consider this proprietary information and hence are reluctant to share.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">During the Season Opener event, more than 50 professionals engaged in peer-to-peer roundtables on labor and careers, sharing of real-world scenarios that have worked and brainstorming ideas for improved attraction and retention of employees. We consolidated the data collected into a final report, which was emailed to all attendees in early October. If you were unable to attend and would like a copy, email <a href="mailto:Brian@sima.org">Brian@sima.org</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Potential workforce initiatives</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our goal is to keep the conversation going and to help our members make progress in the area of workforce development and retention. Here are some possible paths SIMA could take. We would love your input. </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Snow Compensation & Benefits Report</b>: Many industries provide data-driven averages of compensation levels (salaried and non-salaried), as well as benefits (health care, retirement, etc.) for various job roles. SIMA could work with a third-party entity that specializes in this research to conduct such a study every two to three years.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Snow Organizational Charts and Roles/Responsibilities Library</b>: Little research has been done on roles and responsibilities in the industry. SIMA could solicit submissions of organizational charts and roles/responsibilities to build a library that more definitively identifies positions essential to the success of a snow and ice management company. All reported information would be analyzed to find common types of structures, and all reported information would be anonymous. This could be compiled into a report or searchable database for SIMA members. The project could also take the form of a written report with a series of examples, coupled with policies/tips and templates for employee reviews and compensation discussions. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Best Practices in Snow Recruitment</b>: SIMA could work with the Best Practices & Standards Committee to select best-in-class snow companies to create a standardized set of recommendations/policies for labor recruitment, including sources, technologies, drug/background check policies/procedures, and employee referral program policies and administration.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Snow Industry Help Wanted/Jobs Board</b>: SIMA could implement an online tool that enables snow professionals to post help wanted/job openings, including connecting contractors to subcontractors. SIMA could partner with industry-related organizations in this area.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We invite you to share your input about which options, if any, would be helpful to you, by emailing </span><a href="mailto:Brian@sima.org" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Brian@sima.org</a><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-6695651233338786262017-11-07T14:11:00.000-08:002017-11-07T14:12:17.279-08:00A year of change and progress<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i4JA17-igxs/WgIveoh-jSI/AAAAAAAABq8/tvWApltOYi4Fn8RehYylbjW6h5xHz83fACLcBGAs/s1600/Member%2BLogo%2BJPEG.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="533" data-original-width="993" height="171" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-i4JA17-igxs/WgIveoh-jSI/AAAAAAAABq8/tvWApltOYi4Fn8RehYylbjW6h5xHz83fACLcBGAs/s320/Member%2BLogo%2BJPEG.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />A year ago, SIMA launched a new vision for membership for
our customers. We worked hard to listen to the market and to provide more
tangible value members joining and renewing their membership each year.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As we approach the one-year anniversary of the revamped
membership structure, it’s a good time to update our progress and outline where
we hope to go in the future.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We’ve made good inroads toward building resources that add
to the value of your SIMA membership, and we remain focused on continuing to do
so in 2017-18. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Adding membership value with tools and savings</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Training Commitment</b>: $200 annual training commitment for each member organization for use toward ASM
or CSP training. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Results</b>: As of 9/1/2017, over 40 member companies have used this commitment.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Business Operations Tools</b>: SIMA added the Advanced Contract Clauses, created and vetted by a task force of
industry stakeholders, as a downloadable document. Along with the template
contract, these clauses can help insulate companies from unique situations that
snow and ice industry professionals face.<br /><b>
Results</b>: Over 700 people have downloaded contracts/forms since the new launch.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Training</b>: Five members-only courses were created to help your business with key
challenges and annual individualized safety training.<br /><b>
Results</b>: By the end of the year, we estimate over 500 people will have completed
one or more of these courses. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Looking ahead to 2018</b><br />
We are looking to invest in technologies to help empower members and suppliers
to connect. We will seek to build a more direct connection between our members
and their benefits. We will continue to deliver resources, training, and
marketing opportunities for snow professionals. We value your input on how we
can make SIMA membership a game-changing investment for you.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>If you have suggestions on how we can deliver additional value,
please email Brian Birch at <a href="mailto:brian@sima.org">brian@sima.org</a>. </i></span><o:p></o:p></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-4946884147348905522017-10-31T11:00:00.001-07:002017-10-31T11:01:37.596-07:00Snow Safety Week 2017 Review<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rSp-tFNxGuI/Wfi6LZ3rSlI/AAAAAAAABqg/QhBdf2tt0rYwLN-wvZrjhmuM8mN7faFfACLcBGAs/s1600/SSW_EmailHeader2017.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="200" data-original-width="824" height="95" src="https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rSp-tFNxGuI/Wfi6LZ3rSlI/AAAAAAAABqg/QhBdf2tt0rYwLN-wvZrjhmuM8mN7faFfACLcBGAs/s400/SSW_EmailHeader2017.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Last week, SIMA and sponsors Caterpillar, BOSS Snowplow, and RAM Trucks produced the sixth annual Snow Safety Week. With 2 webinars, numerous articles, and several Facebook live videos, Snow Safety Week was successful in providing quality, helpful information on a variety of safety-related topics.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As we move into the winter season, safety information is timely and very important for all snow professionals to remember. View some of the highlights from Snow Safety Week below:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Webinars</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Did you miss a webinar? View the recordings for free! </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Dear Snow Contractor: You are more at risk for slipping and falling than anyone else! <a href="https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/6822799889489879555">View now</a></b><br />SIMA recently surveyed the industry to understand what the most common types of accidents that result in injuries, lost work time, and ultimately workman’s comp claims are. Over 50% of injuries reported were the result of slipping and falling, the very thing the industry is out there trying to help reduce! Walk through the survey results and a job safety analysis of several hazardous scenarios.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Managing the threat of workplace conflict<br /><a href="https://register.gotowebinar.com/register/2277988367289009666">View now</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">What happens when two employees don’t get along, and things escalate toward emotional or physical violence? Taking proactive steps in policy, and coaching yourself in dealing with conflict in general, can go a long way to keeping all your employees safe.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Articles</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Check out some of the highlights from our Snow Safety Week articles: </span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.sima.org/resource/library/newsdetails/2017/10/23/free-fallin-identifying-areas-of-pedestrian-peril">Identifying areas of pedestrian peril</a></b>: Learn areas where pedestrians are most likely to slip & fall during winter weather.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.sima.org/resource/library/newsdetails/2017/10/23/safety-doesn-t-have-to-come-at-a-price">Safety doesn’t have to come at a price</a></b>: Learn 5 easy and affordable ways to implement training in your snow company.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.sima.org/resource/library/newsdetails/2017/10/23/managing-conflict-in-the-workplace">Managing conflict in the workplace</a></b>: Review steps to help you start building a workplace safety program.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.sima.org/resource/library/newsdetails/2017/10/24/coming-clean-drug-testing-policies-in-snow-and-ice">Drug testing policies in snow & ice</a></b>: Does your company have drug testing programs and policies in place?</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.sima.org/resource/library/newsdetails/2017/10/24/combatting-the-safety-is-for-wimps-mindset">Combatting “safety is for wimps” mindset</a></b>: Start investing in a people-first safety culture.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.sima.org/resource/library/newsdetails/2017/10/25/eliminate-distracted-driving">Eliminate distracted driving</a></b>: Implement a safe driving program to ensure the safety of your employees.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.sima.org/resource/library/newsdetails/2017/10/25/sleep-debt-and-its-impact-on-your-body">Sleep debt and its impact on your body</a></b>: Recognize the impacts of sleep deprivation and tips on how to recoup lost time.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.sima.org/resource/library/newsdetails/2017/10/26/employee-safety-best-practices">Employee safety best practices</a></b>: Download a training sheet to reinforce personal safety in the field.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.sima.org/resource/library/newsdetails/2017/10/26/to-go-or-not-to-go">To go, or not to go</a></b>: Long hours without a break can cause health problems you may have not considered.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.sima.org/resource/library/newsdetails/2017/10/26/professionalism-and-hygiene-during-heinous-storms">Hygiene during heinous storms</a></b>: Set your team up for success in the field by giving them space and time to recharge.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.sima.org/resource/library/newsdetails/2017/10/27/using-lockout-tagout-concepts-for-snow-safety">Using lockout/tagout concepts</a></b>: The principles of lockout/tagout offer solid footing for you to train your team on potentially dangerous situations.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Check out <b><a href="https://www.facebook.com/events/282859335515074">SIMA's Facebook event page</a></b> to see video interviews with SIMA members as they discuss safety at their companies.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><a href="http://www.sima.org/snowsafetyweek">Visit here</a> </b>to see all the articles from last week, and thank you to everyone who participated and helped create another successful Snow Safety Week!</span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-15630943486235835852017-10-19T12:20:00.002-07:002017-10-19T12:21:37.711-07:00 Ready to rock this winter!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />New SIMA board chair shares vision for the coming year</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>By Doug Knott, CSP</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Snow season is nearly upon us! I’m Doug Knott, and I am your board chair until October 2018. I have been a SIMA member since 2009, a membership that has helped my professional growth significantly. I’ve also made several good friends along the way. I encourage everyone to get active — at least out of self-interest — so you, too, can grow professionally, make some lasting friendships and help make a positive impact upon our industry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">My wife Michelle and I own and run Knott’s Land Care, LLC in Amherst, NH. Our children have grown up with our company and can probably tell you more about it than me since they have always had to listen to business talk at the dinner table. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I believe in giving back to and being an active participant in my local community. I am an active Rotarian and a member of my local planning board. My family is most important to me, but I also enjoy attempting to golf (I even played in a 100 Holes of Golf in One Day charity event held by my Rotary Club) and playing electric bass in a loose definition of a band. Maybe they will let me play at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame during next summer’s Snow & Ice Symposium in Cleveland!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Goals for 2017-18</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As with most of you, my experience in the snow industry has been rewarding and challenging. The industry is always going to have challenges, but together, we can make it a better place to live and work. Here’s what we will do at SIMA headquarters to move the needle in the next year:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Building a workforce</b>: Our members consistently report that finding and retaining good employees is challenging. We are hot off the heels of our first Season Opener event that focused on this topic. Watch for a new set of recommendations and best practices for recruiting and retaining key snow employees soon. We are also continuously helping more professionals earn their Advanced Snow Manager and Certified Snow Professional designations, a key step in professionalism and achievement for anyone serious about the snow industry.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Rocking in the Free World</b>: I’m an avid music fan, and I can’t wait to go to the 21st annual Snow & Ice Symposium in Cleveland in June 2018. It’s a chance to meet great friends, take advantage of the best education the industry has to offer and experience a championship city! Look for some new educational ideas and workshops from SIMA this year.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Best Practices blueprint</b>: SIMA stakeholders have spent hours developing our Glossary of Terms and best practices guidelines. The association is focused on helping all parties, from contractors to facilities managers, adopt and use these guides to build that next layer of quality into the industry. We really do take our mission seriously: Empowering snow and ice management professionals for success. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Giving thanks</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I would also like to mention Immediate Past Board Chair Justin Gamester, CSP. Justin and I have served together on the board for six years. I always look forward to traveling to SIMA events and in-person meetings with Justin. Though he is almost 15 years younger than me (I look younger, though) he has been a great sounding board and confidant. Justin, thank you for your service and friendship.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To my wife Michelle, I want to thank you for your support in our business and giving me the time to serve in an even greater capacity on the SIMA Board of Directors. To our children, thank you as well for allowing us to build our company; you have pitched in since we started and continue to as I write.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">I hope everyone has a profitable season financially and in professional growth. If you have questions or if I may be of service, feel free to contact me at doug@knottlandcare.com.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Doug Knott, CSP, owns Knott’s Land Care in Amherst, NH. </i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-10390142111181071422017-10-16T09:57:00.003-07:002017-10-16T10:01:55.710-07:00CSP testing moves online<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qJdIHB7U37E/WeTkxKH5I3I/AAAAAAAABpc/sgdDrmIa7704a8OdZEc86TpS1NXpSuMYwCLcBGAs/s1600/CSP_email_600_Header.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="144" data-original-width="600" height="95" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-qJdIHB7U37E/WeTkxKH5I3I/AAAAAAAABpc/sgdDrmIa7704a8OdZEc86TpS1NXpSuMYwCLcBGAs/s400/CSP_email_600_Header.png" width="400" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b>'Becoming a CSP is now more accessible than ever - what are you waiting for?'</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">These days, nearly everything can be done from the comfort of your home or office computer, from shopping to online classes and meetings and more. You can now add SIMA's Certified Snow Professional exam to that list. Online testing is now available for the first time in the program's history.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SIMA's CSP program has been the standard for excellence in business for the past 10 years. We have 199 CSPs today, but we believe a key reason limiting the industry's uptake of the CSP is testing delivery. To adhere to above-average standards, we previously required candidates to take the exam at a physical testing center. In response to feedback regarding exam delivery, a program review and our successful rollout of online testing for the Advanced Snow Management program, we moved forward with online delivery of the CSP exam in June 2017.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the new process, exams are offered online once per month. Once a candidate successfully submits and application, they sign up for an exam date. On that day, the exam is placed into their online SIMA Training Center account at <a href="http://www.sima.org/resources">www.sima.org/resources</a>. Candidates then have two days to complete the six sections of the exam: Business, Human Resources, Marketing, Sub-Contractors, Snow & Ice Science, and Snow & Ice Operations and Techniques. Candidates have two opportunities in the exam time period to pass each section. If any sections are not passed, they can be retake during a future test date.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In addition to the ease of online testing, you can also save $100 on the Certified Snow Professional application fee, courtesy of sponsor BOSS Snowplow, when you submit a completed application now through October 31, 2017. <a href="http://www.sima.org/blogdetails/sima-blog/2017/10/11/save-$100-on-your-csp-application-fee">Learn more here</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">By improving access to the CSP program, we hope that more owners, salespeople, operations managers and financial and administrative leaders will take the leap to become certified. Becoming a CSP is now more accessible than ever - what are you waiting for?</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>For more information on the CSP program and online testing, visit <a href="http://www.sima.org/CSP">www.sima.org/CSP</a> or email Ellen@sima.org.</i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-22228069100714156872017-10-05T12:33:00.003-07:002017-10-05T12:34:30.445-07:00New SIMA Training Videos Available Now<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NlbFEb52j1c/WdaI4Ao_xtI/AAAAAAAABo8/ZxwxEH__vqQ5RPlL46V7Sn3Acdn_e3_CwCLcBGAs/s1600/videopreview_edited.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="387" data-original-width="699" height="177" src="https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NlbFEb52j1c/WdaI4Ao_xtI/AAAAAAAABo8/ZxwxEH__vqQ5RPlL46V7Sn3Acdn_e3_CwCLcBGAs/s320/videopreview_edited.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-size: medium;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Snow management is tough. Annual training doesn’t </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">have to be.</span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">A core resource that SIMA has provided to the industry over the past 20 years is its training video series, consisting of seven videos focused on different aspects of snow and ice management. SIMA videos have helped thousands of industry workers be safer and more efficient. As with everything, training videos get old and need an update; so SIMA has been working with several partners to create a new snow-specific series of training videos. We recently launched six new videos as part of the Snow Management Video Training Series from SIMA:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Snowplowing Safety & Preparation</b>: This video is designed to introduce snowplow operators to basic snowplowing principles and general techniques, including pre-season preparations and checks, transporting the plow, and general plowing tips and techniques.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Essential Snowplowing Techniques</b>: This video concentrates on commercial snow removal operations. It assumes the operator has received basic training, knows safety issues and has experience in clearing driveways and other properties. It includes equipment and safety, techniques & obstacles, and plow scenarios.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Snow Site Engineering and Planning</b>: This video walks through the process of planning and implementing a site engineering strategy, to increase safety and efficiency, and to identify key obstacles, priorities, and hazards prior to the snow season.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Containment Snow Plows and Pushers</b>: This video provides a comprehensive look at the recommended use of containment plows. It covers practical and strategic operations, including benefits of using a containment plow, operator safety, and troubleshooting on-site issues.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Sidewalk clearing of snow and ice</b>: This video highlights key safety issues and techniques needed to use shovels and snow blowers in clearing snow and ice from walkways. It includes guidelines for dressing appropriately, health and wellness tips, shoveling techniques, and snowblower safety and techniques.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Skid Steer loaders and compact equipment</b>: This video covers a wide range of topics on skid steer loaders and compact equipment, including site application, attachments, techniques, safety, training and preventive maintenance. Other topics include equipment advantages, common mistakes, and tips and bidding help.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Videos are available in both English and Spanish, and can be purchased a la carte or as a package. Visit </span><a href="http://www.sima.org/snowtraining" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">www.sima.org/snowtraining</a><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"> for more information and to see a preview of one of the new videos, or purchase them streaming online at </span><a href="http://www.sima.org/resources" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">www.sima.org/resources</a><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">. DVD versions of the new videos are coming soon.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-68130226471941438602017-09-24T19:43:00.000-07:002017-09-24T19:44:35.363-07:00Training primer<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-feQF2Gttx7I/WchtRG6AjzI/AAAAAAAABlg/WWsSKCs2Z5khvVf4srt79RbHDgZ04hmnQCLcBGAs/s1600/QT_BOSS_300x250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="179" data-original-width="215" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-feQF2Gttx7I/WchtRG6AjzI/AAAAAAAABlg/WWsSKCs2Z5khvVf4srt79RbHDgZ04hmnQCLcBGAs/s1600/QT_BOSS_300x250.jpg" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br />SIMA offers options to educate and prepare your teams</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Training your snow teams can be overwhelming; which is why SIMA has made it easy to access safety and training resources as part of its commitment to membership. Snow Safety Week. New training videos. ASM University. Online CSP testing. Snow Safety Bootcamp. All of these and more are just a click away. Here are some tips on how to integrate SIMA’s available resources into your day-to-day operations:</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Retaining key employees</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Consider staggering training over time. Investing in your administrative and operational teams through Advanced Snow Manager and Certified Snow Professional training will show that you value them and will increase the skill and knowledge of your organization. Talk with your team and set up a two- to three-year plan to increase the number of ASMs and CSPs you have on staff.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Members can leverage the SIMA Training Commitment ($200 discount) to get one person in your organization started with ASM or CSP training. ASM University is another easy way to sign up more than one person for ASM and save money on each registration.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Preseason basic training</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For basic training of operational personnel, leverage the members-only Snow Safety Boot Camp by downloading the PowerPoint and integrating the information into your existing preseason training. To ramp up your preseason training, invest in SIMA’s six new training videos available at <a href="http://www.sima.org/snowtraining">www.sima.org/snowtraining</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Training champion</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Identify the person in your organization who is passionate and committed to snow safety training and designate them as your training champion. Recognize them and encourage them to visit <a href="http://www.sima.org/resources">www.sima.org/resources</a> for training-specific materials available to SIMA members. Connect them to <a href="http://www.sima.org/library">www.sima.org/library</a> and <a href="http://www.sima.org/quicktips">www.sima.org/quicktips</a> to receive access to free, quality stories that can be easily turned into tailgate talks and other training opportunities.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Enhance the value</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Communicate your formal training strategy, including use of these SIMA resources, to your customers, prospects and insurance providers. Each of these audiences will see value in professional safety and skills-based training and will help you continue to differentiate yourself in your market. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Building training with quick tips</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Since the launch of the SIMA Library at <a href="http://www.sima.org/">www.sima.org</a> about two years ago, we’ve been creating content that is relevant, high quality and easy to access.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our Quick Tips section is a tangible example of this strategy. Since 2015, we’ve provided a monthly focused topic that can be read quickly. The Quick Tips library includes:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Conduct A Job Hazard Analysis</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Spotters for Snow Removal Services</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Establishing A Tailgate Training Program</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Tying Up Postseason Loose Ends</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Fuel Storage for Cold Weather</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Light It Up, Legally</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Using Video for Training, Documentation</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Throw A Snow Rodeo</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Staking Best Practices</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Preseason Prep</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Certificate of Insurance Protocols</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Equipment Purchasing: What to Know Before You Buy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Backup Cameras & Safety</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Create Better Customer Surveys</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Cutting Edge and Plow Shoe Maintenance</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Get A Jump on Rust</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Combating Driver Fatigue</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Walking Safely in Snow and Ice</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Planning for Equipment Breakdowns </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Prepare for Snow Removal Site Damage Now</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Storing Plows in The Off-Season</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To access all of the Quick Tips, visit <a href="http://www.sima.org/quicktips">www.sima.org/quicktips</a>. Special thanks to BOSS Snowplow for their support as our Quick Tips sponsor. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-72706300643168651852017-09-11T12:42:00.001-07:002017-09-11T12:43:28.765-07:00Snow Safety Week is back<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1siTYfUBzDg/Wbbm8pYT_fI/AAAAAAAABlA/wVU7IQeYmdE5_97gG0iq8Ejr3CwEaqcyACLcBGAs/s1600/SSW_revised_%2528original%2529.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="315" data-original-width="309" height="200" src="https://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1siTYfUBzDg/Wbbm8pYT_fI/AAAAAAAABlA/wVU7IQeYmdE5_97gG0iq8Ejr3CwEaqcyACLcBGAs/s200/SSW_revised_%2528original%2529.png" width="195" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />'In early 2017, SIMA conducted a survey related to injuries in the industry, and the results reinforced the need for us to continue to provide safety training and information for those fighting winter weather each season.'</span></b><br /><br />Since 2013, the SIMA Education Committee has made safety a primary focus for educating the industry. SIMA’s Snow Safety Week, an annual week-long event with articles, videos, webinars and more, has played a significant role in bringing that safety focus to the forefront. The amount of snow management-specific safety information we have generated in these past five years has been beneficial - but there’s always room for more! This year, we proudly celebrate the fifth anniversary of Snow Safety Week, October 23-27, 2017. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Why safety training?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In early 2017, SIMA conducted a survey related to injuries in the industry, and the results reinforced the need for us to continue to provide safety training and information for those fighting winter weather each season. Let’s recap a few key stats:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">23% of companies had one or more injuries in the past season resulting in lost work time.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over 50% of injuries/lost time occurred due to an employee slipping and falling.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">58% of respondents indicated that sleep deprivation was the root cause of most injuries to their workforce, followed by 35% relating it to employee attitudes toward safety.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As we planned this year’s Snow Safety Week, we kept these stats in mind and will begin chipping away at these challenges: making workers less prone to injuries from slip and falls, along with reducing the impact of sleep deprivation and examining its effects on safety in the industry. This year’s lineup includes:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Webinars focusing on employee slip and falls and workplace conflict.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">New articles covering a variety of topics on personal health and safety.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">10-minute Facebook Live events to talk safety with Safety Week sponsors. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In addition, past Snow Safety Week resources are in the SIMA Library at <a href="http://www.sima.org/library">www.sima.org/library</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Learn more about Snow Safety Week at <a href="http://www.sima.org/SnowSafetyWeek">www.sima.org/SnowSafetyWeek</a>. Special thanks to our 2017 Snow Safety Week sponsors: BOSS Snowplow, FCA Commercial and Caterpillar Inc. for their commitment to industry safety. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Commit to safety</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SIMA is constantly looking at safety resources that we can build for the benefit of the snow and ice management industry. We urge you to commit to safety as well. Here are five ways to help you elevate safety within your company:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Access SIMA’s members-only Snow Safety Boot Camp course at <a href="http://www.sima.org/resources">www.sima.org/resources</a> for basic training on nutrition, sleep management, stress management and walking safely on snow and ice.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Challenge your snow teams to actively participate in Snow Safety Week by viewing the webinars and by reading and sharing the tips provided in the articles and Facebook Live events.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Review your snow-specific safety training and seek to align it with the entire season vs. simply conducting preseason training.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Commit to safety at the top and consider instituting annual safety awards or a recognition program for your team.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Audit your managers/crew leaders and identify safety champions vs. those who might cut corners. Attitudes toward safety internally can be the difference between a safe winter season and a catastrophic injury.</span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">As always, SIMA wants to hear from you. If there is a major safety-related area of interest to you, please email Cheryl@sima.org. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-87263964414702030012017-08-30T12:15:00.002-07:002017-08-30T12:15:46.526-07:00 SIMA launches procurement RFP best practices<br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;">'This document is the most comprehensive shared vision of how snow and ice should be procured in commercial and retail settings...'</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>By Brian Birch</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In the fall of 2016, SIMA worked with the Professional Retail Store Maintenance Association (PRSM) on a shared event called the Snow Industry Think Tank. We brought facilities/property managers and snow contractors together to discuss shared challenges related to successful procurement and delivery of snow and ice management services.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From that diverse meeting, our next big best practices project was born - <a href="http://www.sima.org/resource/best-practices/quality-rfp-creation-and-best-practices">Purchasing Snow & Ice Management: Quality RFP Creation and Best Practices</a>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This project was a mammoth undertaking. It started with the results we gleaned from the Think Tank, where our core audience helped identify the RFP process as a critical component that drives the relationship between buyer and service provider. Both parties also identified what is most important related to service verification/documentation, critical site criteria and more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From there, we created a rough draft of an RFP guideline. At this stage, we could have published it based off the preliminary Think Tank results; but we took it a step further and completed a thorough review and validation using a diverse set of industry experts and stakeholders.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Over the next several months, 18 stakeholders representing buyers, service providers, subject matter experts and suppliers (insurance, equipment, etc.) reviewed the guideline and submitted over 100 comments and insights. SIMA, led by our snow expert Phill Sexton, CSP, reviewed each comment, and we started the revision process.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In July, SIMA gave the stakeholders a last look and finalized the guideline, which addresses site assessment, service verification, contractual liability, communication and more.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This document is the most comprehensive shared vision of how snow and ice should be procured in commercial and retail settings, and contains appendixes that should serve as standardized best practices for service verification and general site assessment. SIMA will provide this guide to the facility management industry, and we encourage all industry professionals to review it in depth.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Best practices principles</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SIMA governs its best practices with the following principles:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Open Access</b>: Guides are available to all industry stakeholders at no cost, regardless of whether they are members of SIMA.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Education</b>: SIMA spearheads educational partnerships and communication programs to help all parties adopt best practices.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Comprehensive</b>: Best practices documents are reviewed by a large group of industry stakeholders representing multiple areas of expertise.</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Quality Control & Transparency</b>: The best practices documents are living documents, and suggestions, recommendations or concerns can be submitted online at <a href="http://www.sima.org/">www.sima.org</a>. </span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Download the guidelines at <b><a href="http://www.sima.org/BestPractices">www.sima.org/BestPractices</a></b> and provide feedback to Brian@sima.org. </span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-70079496691849215642017-08-15T06:43:00.000-07:002017-08-15T06:46:20.225-07:00Culture: If you build it, they will come<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b style="color: #212121; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;">'Creating the kind of culture that shapes careers starts with a decision to make employees one of the top priorities in your company’s mission.'</span></b></div>
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<span style="color: #212121; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The August issue of </span><i style="color: #212121; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Snow Business</i><span style="color: #212121; font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> is focused on Culture: If you build it, they will
come. And, as an association, SIMA is focused on professionalism and success
for organizations of all sizes and for individuals who may be looking at our
industry as a possibility for their future. A positive and nurturing company
culture can provide the right environment to grow roles typically thought of as
temporary or seasonal jobs into careers that can last for years or even a
lifetime. </span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s human nature to feel good about being
able to contribute as part of a team that’s working toward a common
goal. When people feel like they are an important part of a productive
team, loyalty builds; and as a result, they want to stay where they feel that
they have a future they can count on. Belonging and the stability that comes
from teamwork are important elements to help your organization become a
workplace of choice, one that attracts, trains, and retains the talent that’s
needed for sustainable success<i> and</i> helps you overcome the
constant battle to build or rebuild your team.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="color: #212121;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Creating the kind of culture that shapes
careers starts with a decision to make employees one of the top priorities in
your company’s mission. Every owner, every company will take a slightly
different path to success but there are some essentials that will help to form
the foundation you need to continue to build. The resources you need are at
your fingertips, starting with SIMA and <i>Snow Business</i>. We have the
experts, professionals and networking opportunities to help you connect with
others who have found the way and are willing to share what they’ve learned to
help you build it, so they will come.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="color: #212121;">For more on building culture and a stronger
workforce, visit </span><a href="http://www.snowbusiness-digital.com/">www.snowbusiness-digital.com</a><span style="color: #212121;"> to view the online issue of <i>Snow Business</i>. If
you’re ready to take the next step, join us for the Season Opener: Build Your
Dream Team in Baltimore on September 19-20. Learn more and register at </span><a href="http://www.sima.org/dreamteam">www.sima.org/dreamteam</a><span style="color: #212121;">.</span></span></div>
Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-26909520628048644762017-08-14T07:00:00.000-07:002017-08-16T11:46:47.487-07:00FCA US LLC Summer Clearance Time<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<b><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Good Deals Come to Those Who Know Where to Look – It’s Summer Clearance Time!</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"> </span></span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Whether it’s for work or otherwise, buyers like to get the best deal possible on their sedans, vans, SUVs and pickup trucks.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Armed with that knowledge, FCA US LLC is careful to keep great offers available for customers, the goal of which, in part, is to reward repeat business and bring first-time buyers into the FCA family.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If you’re a small-business owner, for instance, and one loyal to Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram or FIAT® Brand vehicles, you might be familiar already with <a href="https://www.fcausfleet.com/shopping-tools/incentives-and-deals.html">On The Job incentives</a>. For those not yet in the know, these allowances help offset the cost of vehicle upfits, custom graphics, service plans and so on for qualifying individuals. Allowances in some cases can reach as high as $1,000 and – best of all – they can be used in conjunction with other offers and deals, further increasing your chances to save.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">It’s also important to note that not all incentives are ongoing. Many offers, like those tied to Commercial Truck Season or the Summer Clearance Event (going on now!), are limited to specific times of year, in this case, fall and summer, respectively. Savvy shoppers should therefore make it a point to visit the vehicle brand websites to see the list of current incentives. After all, a simple click is worth it when there is money to be saved!</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For your convenience, here are direct links to the “Incentives & Offers” webpages for all five FCA US brands and also to the FCA Fleet website, where you’ll find more information on these great incentives. Happy shopping!</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.fcausfleet.com/shopping-tools/incentives-and-deals.html">On The Job incentives</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.chrysler.com/en/lineup/?app=incentives&">Chrysler Brand offers & incentives</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.dodge.com/en/lineup/?app=incentives">Dodge Brand offers & incentives</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.jeep.com/en/lineup/?app=incentives">Jeep Brand offers & incentives</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.ramtrucks.com/en/lineup/?app=incentives">Ram Brand offers & incentives</a></span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><a href="https://www.fiatusa.com/en/lineup/?app=incentives&">FIAT Brand offers & incentives</a></span></li>
</ul>
<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sima.org/resource/sima-savings/FCA">Visit here</a> for more information on the SIMA Savings program $500 vehicle allowance good toward the purchase or lease of select Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep®, Ram and FIAT® Brand Vehicles. Connect with a dealer who understands your business <a href="https://www.fcausfleet.com/programs/business-link-dealers.html">here</a>. </i><br />
<br />Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-72292117142298055732017-08-07T12:22:00.002-07:002017-08-07T12:27:57.862-07:00Build your snow dream team<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_wJVFkZR5Y/WYi8UeonfWI/AAAAAAAABgA/gQNrr3SklPci69NqvqDYEPNjjCaoZS2rQCLcBGAs/s1600/SIMA_Email_Header.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="176" data-original-width="590" height="118" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Y_wJVFkZR5Y/WYi8UeonfWI/AAAAAAAABgA/gQNrr3SklPci69NqvqDYEPNjjCaoZS2rQCLcBGAs/s400/SIMA_Email_Header.png" width="400" /></span></a></div>
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<b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><br /><a href="http://www.sima.org/dreamteam" target="_blank">SIMA Season Opener</a>: Building Your Snow Dream Team<br />September 19-20 in Baltimore, MD</span></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>By Justin Gamester, CSP</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">After much discussion and research, SIMA is launching a new Season Opener series that will take place each fall to help the industry kick off the season with passion and purpose. Each event will focus on real-world solutions, high-level peer engagement and expert insight. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our first event, focused on </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">talent acquisition and retention, </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">will take place </span><b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Sept. 19-20 at the Hyatt Regency Inner Harbor Hotel in Baltimore, MD</b><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Recruiting and retaining quality seasonal and long-term team members has become the number 1 challenge in our industry. </span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We are confident SIMA’s Season Opener: Building Your Snow Dream Team will deliver tangible takeaways for attendees to start overcoming the talent challenge.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>An all-star lineup</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">To create a dream team, you need all-stars - and we’re excited about our lineup:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Mark Eaton, former NBA Utah Jazz All-Star turned team-building expert, will kick off the event. Eaton will share stories and lessons learned through his experiences in team dynamics at the highest levels, and he’ll walk attendees through a facilitated discussion on recruiting methods and techniques being used by some of the most successful companies in our industry. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Industry peers will lead an Employee Growth Round table, sharing experiences, examples and tips for building snow careers within your organization. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Leslie Boomer, a Gallup-Certified strengths coach (and publisher of <i>Snow Business</i> magazine) will provide takeaways on how to develop talent within your organization. As an added bonus, registered attendees will receive a free StrengthsFinder assessment, a highly useful tool used by business leaders across the globe to develop balanced teams.</span></li>
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<b style="font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;">Lasting impact</b><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The benefits of attending will not end when folks go home. Using information learned at the event, SIMA will develop two best practices guides tied to recruiting and developing careers in snow and ice management. In addition, attendees can attend a follow-up webinar on how to apply StrengthsFinder to identify talent in their organizations and how to nurture those talents for greater success.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Make plans to join us and share your insight by registering today at <b><a href="http://www.sima.org/dreamteam">www.sima.org/dreamteam</a></b>. Bring yourself and key leadership staff! Each additional registration from your company receives a significant discount. If you have questions on the event, contact Brian Birch at brian@sima.org. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Justin Gamester, CSP, is president of Piscataqua Landscaping and current SIMA board chair. Contact him at jgamester@piscataqualandscaping.com.</i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-38304322992101385742017-07-05T13:46:00.000-07:002017-07-05T13:47:07.052-07:00SIMA wants to give you $200<div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 12px;">
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;">Annual training commitment offsets ASM, CSP program costs</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Have you ever pulled out your winter jacket from its back-of-the-closet summer hibernation, put your hands in the pockets for the first time in a year and found money? Well, SIMA members, sign into your account because you just found $200. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This bonus money isn’t just for anything — it’s the training commitment credit, a new benefit created last year when SIMA revamped its membership structure.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The training commitment is one way SIMA can help offset the cost a company incurs when it commits to training its employees to provide the best service to its clients. </span></span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Once a year, companies can use the $200 credit toward one employee’s purchase of the following:</span></span></div>
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">One of four courses in the Advanced Snow Manager (ASM) program</span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"> </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">$200 off registration for ASM University</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">$200 discount on the Certified Snow Professional (CSP) study materials for a supervisor or manager who has achieved the prerequisites.</span></li>
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<b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">What’s holding you back?</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The training commitment offers a great opportunity for business owners and managers to set their company and employees apart from the competition. Yet, only 18% of our members have taken advantage of this benefit. You’ve already paid to be a member, why not reward someone at your company with the chance to start on a path toward increased knowledge and a professional designation?</span></div>
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<span style="font-kerning: none;"><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>How does it work?</b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">You do not have to be a new member or renew your membership to request the credit. As long as you’re a current member, that $200 is yours — put it to work. The commitment also renews each year that you renew but does not accrue. Use it or lose it!</span></div>
<span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">To request the $200 training commitment, visit </span><a href="http://www.sima.org/train" style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">www.sima.org/train</a><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;">. The credit will be applied to the designated contact’s training account upon purchase of an ASM training course or CSP study materials.</span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-39361688833932149952017-06-14T11:49:00.000-07:002017-06-14T12:16:17.918-07:00Work in progress: Training and certification<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif; font-size: large;"><b><br /><br /><br /><br />'SIMA is working on multiple fronts to improve the employment conditions in the industry. Our approach includes solutions that require dedication, skill and a bit of grit.'</b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>By Martin Tirado, CAE</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The last few years have seen major changes and challenges in the snow and ice management industry. But one issue remains constant and pervasive, and it has nothing to do with weather. It’s the difficulty in finding dedicated, hard-working people willing to commit to the work required to safely and professionally deliver service. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SIMA is working on multiple fronts to improve the employment conditions in the industry. Our approach includes solutions that require dedication, skill and a bit of grit.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Sales and Management</b>: Our Certified Snow Professional program has been the standard for excellence in business for the last 10 years. We have 180 CSPs today, but we believe a key reason limiting the industry’s uptake of the CSP is testing delivery. To adhere to above average standards, we have required testing at a qualified testing center approved by SIMA. In response to feedback regarding test delivery, a program review, and our successful rollout of online testing for the Advanced Snow Management program, we have moved forward with online delivery of the CSP exam. We anticipate a heavy increase in the interest and use of the CSP program as we pilot online testing. Learn more at <a href="http://www.sima.org/CSP" target="_blank">www.sima.org/CSP</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Changing the testing delivery is only one part of changes you’ll see for the CSP. As our signature certification program, we are revamping the entire CSP program. You will hear more over the next 8 to 12 months as we progress through the review process. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Our vision is that more owners, salespeople, operations managers, and financial and administrative leaders will become certified. Together we can present a united, professional face to the consumers in the marketplace. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Operations Management and Leadership</b>: The Advanced Snow Management certificate program is our No. 1 priority for growing the skill and competency of snow operations management professionals. We have awarded over 1,000 certificates for the program’s four courses. We recently passed our annual ANSI audit, which guarantees the courses are relevant, fair, and effectively verify knowledge and skill. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">We piloted ASM University this spring and had a great class of individuals earn their full Advanced Snow Manager credential. The next ASM University will take place this fall. Enroll at <a href="http://www.sima.org/asmU" target="_blank">www.sima.org/asmU</a>. In April, we also launched the Advanced Snow Management Handbook, an interactive training tool provided to ASMs to help them become training champions for their organizations.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Administration</b>: This area of the business is essential, and we are developing a new training initiative related to service verification and documentation. Our goal is to deliver quality best practices, tips and real-world policy examples to professionals charged with organizing billing, data collection, production management and office infrastructure - all key elements in quality verification of snow services.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SIMA is employing these strategies to help build a workforce in the industry, but we can’t do it alone. The Board of Directors has directed SIMA to work on collaborative partnerships to make service industries like snow and ice more visible. SIMA will share current approaches to that strategy soon, but we value your input and encourage you to reach out to share your thoughts.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Beefed-up training for your team</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">In addition to SIMA’s credentialed programs, we have amped up our offerings to help you effectively, efficiently and affordably train your team:</span><br />
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<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Training Commitment</b>: The SIMA Training Commitment offers a $200 discount toward one person earning their CSP or ASM designation. Each year of renewal triggers a new $200 training commitment, enabling members to build their employee’s skills and marketability over time. Learn more at <a href="http://www.sima.org/train" target="_blank">www.sima.org/train</a>. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Online Training</b>: SIMA’s vision is to help make the snow industry more visible and a place where people can earn a good wage and do work that matters. That is a long-term strategy, but in the short term we have worked to make it as easy as possible to onboard and train new operations personnel. SIMA members can access training courses, guidelines and best practices to help. Learn more about available courses at <a href="http://www.sima.org/resources" target="_blank">www.sima.org/resources</a>. </span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>New Videos</b>: SIMA is unveiling our new safety and training video program in mid-summer. Visit <a href="http://www.sima.org/snowtraining" target="_blank">www.sima.org/snowtraining</a> to learn more. </span></li>
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<i style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">Martin Tirado is SIMA’s chief executive officer. Contact him at martin@sima.org.</i>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-23937455100782328512017-04-26T10:52:00.001-07:002017-04-26T11:00:32.032-07:00Building your network<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><b><br />SIMA peer groups build relationships in non-competitive environment</b></span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>By Phil Harwood, CSP</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Imagine you are trying to solve a dilemma or are facing a difficult decision in your business. You have been agonizing over this for days and have been losing sleep over it. Wouldn’t it be great if you were able to reach out to a group of trusted friends in the industry who completely understood your situation and who could give you sound advice? That’s the value of building your network. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Perhaps you are trying to decide whether to add another key person to your team or how to compensate them. Maybe you are unsure about how best to set up a new truck. Or you may be working on a budget or updating your pricing matrix and you aren’t sure what gross margin you should be trying to achieve. Ask your network. They probably have the answer or at least can provide guidance. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Networking events</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">There are many ways to build your network within the snow and ice management industry. If you plan to attend the 20th Annual Snow & Ice Symposium in Montreal, you will find a variety of networking opportunities. The Symposium schedule shows nine distinct networking events - receptions, snack and chats, and others - designed to bring together snow pros and build your network. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">For some people, the thought of attending a networking event brings hesitation or even fear. It can be intimidating for some to walk into a reception, for example, without knowing anyone, while it appears that everyone else has known each other for years. The good news is that there are other opportunities to build your network. One of these is to join a SIMA Peer Group.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Shared goals and support</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Joining a peer group is probably the most effective form of networking available today. This is because peer groups are comprised of members having the same goals and desires as you do - one of which is to be part of a closed and confidential group of snow pros who are dedicated to supporting each other, giving and receiving ideas, gaining new perspectives, learning from each other and challenging each other at times to reach higher. This is where deep relationships are formed over time.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SIMA Peer Groups are formed with SIMA members from noncompeting markets. They meet in person and by conference call or GoToMeeting on a regular basis throughout the year. An overview of the SIMA Peer Group program and an interest form is available at <b><a href="http://www.sima.org/education/sima-peer-groups">www.sima.org/education/sima-peer-groups</a></b>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">New groups are being formed this spring for a June 1 kickoff. In addition, current groups are seeking new members to expand their groups, which range from six to eight companies. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Is this a good fit for you?</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Is a SIMA Peer Group right for you? If this article has piqued your interest, you likely are a good candidate for a peer group. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Building your network is a key part of becoming a professional in your industry. It is my hope that you take advantage of the many networking opportunities afforded by SIMA, whether by attending the 20th Annual Snow & Ice Symposium, serving on a SIMA committee and/or by joining a SIMA Peer Group. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Phil Harwood, CSP, is a managing partner of Pro-Motion Consulting Inc. and the SIMA Peer Group facilitator. Email him at <a href="mailto:phil@mypmcteam.com">phil@mypmcteam.com</a>.</i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-68004332194595059322017-04-20T07:16:00.000-07:002017-04-20T07:17:07.641-07:00Wanted: Policy standards that enable practice standards<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lQTj0wbIl1o/WAZTPYkA3NI/AAAAAAAABNM/-9A-q_O8-HQ033Cdmqyte3xiRX1heM_4ACPcB/s1600/BP_SustainableSalt__PRINT.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-lQTj0wbIl1o/WAZTPYkA3NI/AAAAAAAABNM/-9A-q_O8-HQ033Cdmqyte3xiRX1heM_4ACPcB/s1600/BP_SustainableSalt__PRINT.png" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><br /></b></span><span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /><br />'While progress is being made, if salt reduction is really going to be a priority, snow contractors cannot do it alone.'</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>By Phill Sexton</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The past several years have seen increased finger-pointing at the private snow and ice management industry for the environmental woes resulting from the over-application and misuse of deicers. While snow removal contractors play a role, my research over the past year has led me to realize that faulty practice is only part of the problem. As complicit in this trend, and perhaps more so, are forces that are beyond snow contractors’ control.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The bottom line is the lack of comprehensive understanding about our services is hampering the evolution of standards of practice. Those who have taken the time to educate themselves on this topic know reducing salt use is better for the environment and can reduce costs while delivering the same level of service if properly managed. However, trends driving the snow industry are counterproductive to this concept. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Policy cracks</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Snow contractors are bound by policies at the client and legislative levels that drive an overly cautious approach to ice management. Slip and fall liability is a major factor that drives how clients define the level of service. In addition, a growing litigious society has moved slip and falls to the forefront. No one wants to be sued, and given that current contracts require snow contractors to shoulder the majority of the liability, the “more salt is safer” mentality is understandable.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While liability plays a role in salt use, according to my research and industry surveys, contract structure-related LOS and revenue/profit are actually the most heavily weighted drivers in salt use. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">From the client side, LOS tied to quality perceptions (more salt = better service) and budgetary pressures (salting is more efficient that plowing) drive salt use. From the contractor side, four of the five most common contract types incentivize the use of more salt. Snow companies whose business models focus on salt as a profit center have no financial incentive to use less salt.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Building on sound practice</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Snow and ice management professionals are taking steps to reduce salt use by implementing better standards of practice (calibration rates, tracking, better equipment, adherence to best practices). </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">SIMA and several members have spent the past five years funding and/or participating in research that led to the formation of our Sustainable Salt Initiative program and Salt Use Best Practices, both of which are designed to educate snow contractors on successful salt reduction. We have partnered with and engaged in conversations with groups in Minnesota, New York, New Hampshire and Ontario (to name a few) to see who we can work together to move the needle.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">While progress is being made, if salt reduction is really going to be a priority, snow contractors cannot do it alone. All stakeholders – service providers, clients, suppliers and manufacturers, insurance, trade associations, environmental agencies and governmental bodies – need to work together to facilitate change.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">If we are truly serious about this issue, it will require members of every stakeholder group commit to self-regulated standards of policy that enable standards of practice. Creating easily understood, accessible and affordable guidelines with all stakeholders’ input will have a better chance for broad adoption and successful implementation. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>Success starts with us</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">The first stage of sustainable salt use is measuring. Visit </span><b style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;"><a href="http://www.sima.org/sustainablesalt">www.sima.org/sustainablesalt</a> </b><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">to le</span><span style="font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif;">arn how you can properly estimate the right amount of salt to use, automate tracking of your salt output and benchmark your improvements with other companies participating in the Sustainable Salt Initiative. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Do your part to reduce salt use by following the Best Practices Guidelines for Sustainable Salt Use. Download now at <a href="http://www.sima.org/bestpractices" style="font-weight: bold;">www.sima.org/bestpractices</a>. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Phill Sexton is Director of Outreach for SIMA. Contact him at Phill@sima.org.</i></span>Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3535902360357992300.post-53438234579317063092017-04-12T10:01:00.000-07:002017-04-12T10:01:31.981-07:00Site Engineering Sell Sheet <div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br />'This marketing piece visualizes the critical importance of site engineering in a way that is easy to understand for prospective and current customers.'</span></b></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><b>By Brian Birch, CAE</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Since SIMA revamped what it means to be a member of the association last fall, the staff has been hard at work creating new and better resources for our members. With that in mind, SIMA recently released the Site Engineering Sell Sheet that members can download and reproduce as an educational and planning tool. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">This marketing piece visualizes the critical importance of site engineering in a way that is easy to understand for prospective and current customers. It can also serve as a quick training reminder for your field employees. The Site Engineering Sell Sheet features high-quality graphics and consumer-friendly language to help your customers understand the important, often overlooked details on their sites. It also offers best practices for hiring professional snow and ice management service providers. </span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;">Areas of consideration include building entrances, curbs, drainage, snow pile storage, steps and ramps, and potential for damage. The information used was compiled from SIMA’s vast well of training and best practices information and reviewed by the Best Practices and Education Committees. SIMA members can download this free sell sheet online at <b><a href="http://www.sima.org/SitePlan">www.sima.org/SitePlan</a></b>.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><i>Brian Birch is SIMA’s Chief Operating Officer. Contact him at brian@sima.org.</i></span><br />
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Anonymoushttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10276155338711110492noreply@blogger.com0