Don't Allow Cracks to Turn into Canyons in your Parking Lot and Drives

All of us in the delaware valley know that our local parking lots take a beating day-in and day-out. And, in our region, just the temperature swings alone are enough to cause deterioration - and fast. Constant freeze / thaw cycles, of course, cause constant expansion and contraction (cracks) - increasing the risk of water infiltration. Then the water freezes, expands the cracks further, and compounds the problem even more.

Parking Lot maintenance consists of protecting asphalt by employing the following methods (asphalt seal coating, crack repair and asphalt repair) to prevent damage to the existing asphalt.

So why should you have your Parking Lot seal coated?

The asphalt is diminished when the binder that holds all of the aggregate (stone) together begins to oxide from sun light, water and other external conditions. Through the seal coating process, the asphaltic binder is now protected from the aforementioned external conditions. An additional benefit from asphalt seal coating is that the asphalt is now protected from the damaging effects from gasoline, oil, and de-icing salts. The most obvious benefit from asphalt seal coating is the restoration of the original color of the asphalt. The asphalt regains that new appearance for a fraction of the original cost.

All parking lot and property managers should incorporate an effective parking lot maintenance strategy into their overall preventative maintenance strategy. The benefits of asphalt seal coating, crack repair and asphalt replacement will pay dividends in the future through the avoidance of costly new asphalt.
Parking Lot Repair Services Include:

• Crack Filling
• Sealing Coating
• Sun Block
• Weatherproofs

If you're looking for a sealing contractor, then give me a call today at 215-245-8940. Mention this blog and get 10% off your service.

Branding a Business starts in Your Parking Lot

I was reading a post online today on "Branding a Business" and wanted to share the #1 tip of five for achieving this goal. The blog post I read walks you step by step through the eyes of your customer. But stop now to read Tip #1.

"Parking Lot: When your customer drives into your parking lot what does he or she see? Is there litter and debris leftover from lawn mowing or spring or fall foliage from trees? Do you have dead or near dead plants that need replaced? Is your grass green? Is the concrete clean? Is the sidewalk full of cracks with weeds in the cracks? Do you have a trash can or cigarette butt can that is overflowing? Is there a dead bird in the parking lot? I had a client tell me she would not go to a restaurant because there was a dead bird lying in the parking lot and when she mentioned it to the restaurant owner the owner shrugged and commented 'they didn’t pick that up?' It is imperative that the first view of your business is favorable and invites the customer to stop and get out of his or her vehicle."

And this is only tip #1. If any of the above questions created a knot in your stomach, then your lot is not being maintained as it should be. The good news is - that it is not too late. Now is the time to focus on curb appeal. Many of the tips outlined in the blog at http://coachjaynine.com/blog/?p=590 are very low cost to implement. Painting, pressure washing and replacing furnishings may require being added to your budget, but well worth it.

Curb appeal is the first and most important step in branding your business. If your business does not look inviting people will not stop. When people do not stop you do not have customers. When you do not have customers you do not have a business.

Let us help you brand your business.

Call us today at 215-245-8940.

Potholes are no replacement for Speed Bumps

I read recently that an area in Essex UK was thinking about not repairing potholes as a way to "slow down passing motorists."

Are you kidding me? Try speed bumps!

Potholes can have serious implications for the safety of all road users, not just to motorists but also as a tripping hazard for pedestrians. Let's think about the increased risk of suffering a personal injury either as a result of a road traffic accident or by tripping over in a pothole. By seeking not to repair the potholes, the UK council may be leaving themselves open to many more accident claims made by people injured in some way by the potholes. And the costs to fill these holes will escalate when they are not repaired on their onset.

No one wants to deal with injured pedestrians caused by a poorly maintained parking lot or pavement. Not to mention dealing with the magnified costs of repairing these potholes well after they have become ditches in the lot or roadway.

Getting Ready for Spring

By now you must have noticed the crocus, tulips, and lilies peeking out from the ground seeing if its safe to emerge. The answer is YES!

There is no denying that spring is on it's way. Have you also noticed any sand & salt left over in your parking lot? Broken traffic signs, stained sidewalks, pot holes... You may need help!

Now is a great time to schedule a walk through of your property. Our trained professionals will be on the lookout for ways to help brighten up the appearance of your property. With the use of heated pressure washers, broom sweepers, and service trailers, your property and parking lots can show as fresh as the flowers that are greeting us each new day.

Our state-of-the art equipment is tuned up and ready to run with the crew.
Give us a call. 215-245-8940. Mention this blog entry and save 10%.

Save salt, Save money... save the environment.

Funny thing about winter ... just when you think it is past you, mother nature returns for another bout. And as we began to clear parking lots covered in snow, and spread salt this morning, I remembered something I had read recently.

I know it stopped me enough to want to research it a bit, and consider this and other "green" options in our business and our lives. So I thought I would share it...

Save salt, Save money... save the environment.

We are all looking for ways to be a little more "green" in our day-to-day lives. So, as I look out my window to several drifts of snow covering a nearby parking lot, I thought I’d share this "green" approach to snow removal.

A new liquid solution just hit the market that will save snow removal companies, cities, counties and municipalities thousands of dollars in salt costs, and is less harmful to the environment. Salt Saver http://greenicemelt.com/products-saltsaver.htm is a unique solution that is used as a rock salt stockpile treatment. It will make the standard rock salt much more effective, significantly reducing the amount of salt required to effectively de-ice your location. It makes the salt work faster, longer, and to colder temperatures. You use less salt, saving you money, and reducing the harmful effects on the environment.

By applying a small amount of Salt Saver liquid , only 7 gallons per ton of salt, you will be able to spread up to 50% less salt, cutting your salt expense in half. Depending on how big of an operation it is, this can add up to thousands of dollars! Salt Saver can also be added to salt in tailgate spreaders and effectively hand-mixed in seconds. With a small 23 oz application, it can even be added and mixed in with general consumer sized 50 lb bags of rock salt.

Available exclusively at GreenIceMelt.com http://greenicemelt.com/products-saltsaver.htm - Save salt, save money, and help save the environment.

Best Practices for Winter Maintenance for your Parking Lot

You should use best practices to keep parking lots and sidewalks safe and also reduce environmental impacts. You don't have to worry about educating yourself on the proper methods of snow removal and ice control if you have the right maintenance company.

Everyone wants reliable service. Utilizing a well-planned and executed winter maintenance program is key. Make sure your management company uses the latest technologies, to ensure reliability. By providing a higher level of service, we are likely to reduce slip and fall exposures. Use someone who is educated on parking lot maintenance.

• Using the right amount of material at the right time,
you will save time and money.

• Pre-treating your parking lot before a snow/ice storm will
increase safety and reduce incidence.

Parking lot owners and the public want safe parking lots and sidewalks. By understanding the materials, weather and application rates, we have a head start on controlling icy, slippery parking lots and sidewalks.

You want clean and neat parking lots and sidewalks. By using less material and increased winter sweeping, pedestrians will track less material into buildings, and there will be less damage to flooring. Proper snow storage makes debris removal in the spring easier, too.

If you'd like to discuss how we can help your organization stay on top of the best practices for your parking lot, feel free to call me at 215.245.8940 or email me at sweepbsi@aol.com.

Bramble Sweeping Marries Service, Caring and Hard Work

Check out a recent article which was written about Bramble Sweeping.

As seen in North American Sweeper Magazine, September 2010
Jodi and Paul Bramble’s twenty-year marriage has been defined, in many ways, by their sweeping business. If it weren’t so corny, you might even say they swept each other off their feet. Together they’ve been building their parking lot sweeping and maintenance business in the Philadelphia area since 1984—that’s twenty-six years ago, if you’re doing the math.

“We bought our first sweeping truck before we got married,” Jodi remembers. Today, they have thirty employees and about twenty-eight vehicles for sweeping, pressure-washing, landscaping and snowplowing. But at its core, Bramble Sweeping owes its success and steady growth to the same values that keep a marriage strong and vital: earnest, caring people who work at their relationships.

“We strive to connect personally with our clients,” says Jodi, who runs the office and serves the company as Vice President (Paul is President). “It’s something that sets Bramble Sweeping apart from other companies. This way, we learn how we can help them achieve their goals.

“Instead of just coming in to sweep, for example, we will notice areas that could use pressure-washing, signage that needs to be cleaned or replaced. We are the eyes for the property managers and owners, since we are on the property regularly, as well as when management typically is not. We develop a partnership with them that benefits us both.”

For Jodi—who was running an ice cream shop when she met Paul—and for Paul—who started out with a janitorial business—the “partnership” feature also makes the job far more satisfying overall.

Give me a challenge
Jodi takes pleasure in the fact that something comes up every day to make her job different from the day before. “I like to handle a challenge. If there’s an issue that comes up, I enjoy finding a way to make my client happy or to bring harmony to my crew. It could be an oil spill that needs to be handled or an issue with line-striping or power-washing. My goal with my employees is to make them feel part of our team, because what they bring adds value to the whole business and to all of us.”

There was one challenge the Brambles faced that went far beyond solving a minor equipment issue or correcting a mistake with a client. Eight years ago, Paul broke his femur—the thigh bone— and has spent literally years dealing with the repercussions of the injury.

“It was the height of winter, and he was out of commission for nine months. Prior to that, Paul had always been on top of it all, especially snowplowing jobs.” He eventually had four surgeries, the last one just a few years ago. “Our mechanic, supervisor, drivers, our nephew—they all pulled together,” Jodi recalls with deep appreciation. “They kept everything clean and running, with no slack in the line.”

Retaining employees and clients
Bramble’s experienced, alert, committed personnel are cross-trained on all the clients’ routes and—not coincidentally—treated with respect and high regard by management. The result, as Jodi and Paul have observed, is minimal turnover and a more stable company. “We take care of each other; there’s a sense of community all around.”

That community approach naturally extends to the clients. As Jodi explains, “I always follow up. It’s my way to make sure the job is done properly. It goes both ways, really, to clients and to employees.”

A checklist—which employees turn in with their daily reports—helps ensure that every step is completed and that problems or potential issues are noted so the property manager or owner can be notified. In addition to a full-time mechanic in the shop, Bramble’s Sweeping maintains two back-up sweepers—virtually eliminating the risk of missing scheduled sweeps.

Advancements at home
“We deal with a lot of corporate chains, but also a lot of smaller companies and business owners with whom we have a personal relationship,” Jodi says. “We resolve our issues immediately, so we make their customers happy and we make our clients happy, too.” However, with the difficult economic situation so widespread, Jodi has found a lot of clients who are trying to cut costs. “A lot of them tell us, ‘We’ll keep you on but for twenty percent less,’ which is common.”

Meanwhile, in the midst of these challenges and changes, the Brambles are planning—make that hoping—for a late fall groundbreaking for their new shop in Bensalem Township, outside of Philadelphia. It’s slated to include mechanic and garage bays and the office for employee check-in. Since it’s on the same site as the current operations, Jodi will find herself in an office trailer for the duration of the renovation.

Bramble Sweeping recently began a major website overhaul as well. The new site, www.BrambleSweeping.com, is gradually shaping up, with a new logo, new images and new copy.

Advancements in the industry
In addition to focusing upon the company’s offices and website, Jodi also recognizes the huge value in two industry-wide technologies: the growth of GPS and of low-noise, more environmentally friendly sweeping equipment. “GPS [global positioning systems] allows us to stay on top, to save on payroll and to make sure everyone is doing what they’re supposed to be doing.”

However, for all the benefits of new technologies, it’s really the values that the owners have made central to the business that make the real difference. “When it comes down to it, people are still people, and relationship is still important.” Sort of like a marriage.

For more information on Bramble Sweeping, visit www.BrambleSweeping.com, or call 215.245.8940.

By Anne Biggs