# Does anyone plow for Wal-Mart?



## Plow Babe (Feb 4, 2003)

We are negotiating with a Wal-Mart right now, and the manager is telling us that Wal-Mart absolutely does not do contracts. He just wants a verbal agreement of what we are doing for how much. Of course, there is no way we are going to do this. I just wondered if anyone else had run into this? Also, if you do plow for Wal-Mart and have a contract, was it your contract or did they supply the form? We are meeting with him on Friday and I would just like to be armed with information on this so we can press for a written contract. I can't believe WM would allow plowing to be done without one. Thanks!


----------



## PINEISLAND1 (Dec 21, 1999)

We have been asked two different times when bidding Walmarts for contracts, and we supplied them, they didn't. The managers were not entirely "up" on snow removal, and treated it as a necessary evil. They didnt even have preferences on seasonal or per push, but rather wanted to see both prices, and probably go with what "looked" cheapest to them.

edit to say

We didn't get the jobs, so I never closed the deal to see if they actually would have signed on the dotted line.


----------



## John DiMartino (Jan 22, 2000)

Karen,no way would i ever do a verbal on something that size,and with that much traffic.


----------



## cat320 (Aug 25, 2000)

I would have to agree no contract than no snow removal.with a co. that big they have move layers that works on payroll for them.If anything happened you would be held responsiable.


----------



## digger242j (Nov 22, 2001)

Suggest that you'll do it with no contract if they pay you with cash from the register. That seems about equally businesslike...


----------



## wyldman (Jan 18, 2001)

We used to do a lot of Wal-Marts.They were handled by the property management co that took care of the whole complex.

Either way,you HAVE to have a contract in place for a property like that.


----------



## Lawn Lad (Feb 4, 2002)

Other than store locations that are handled within another complex managed by a prooperty management company, how do stand alone Wal Mart sites manage their snow accounts? Locally or through regional managers?


----------



## PINEISLAND1 (Dec 21, 1999)

Doug, the one here is a "regional manager" I believe, since many times when you try to reach him I get the answer..."Hes at this store or that store ".


----------



## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

A friend of mine does the local Wal-Mart, and they supplied the contract, in fact it came up in a discussion I had with my insurance agent yesterday, the agent has both our accounts, he discribed it as a US contract, with some clauses that couldn't apply under Canadian law. I know my friend reports directly to the store manager. Anyways as the others have said if they don't have one get one, it's in your best interest as well as that of the store.

Bill


----------



## Santo (Sep 3, 2003)

4 hours of their intake could take care of a years supply of snow removal. Their figuring they got enough shovels for each customer to clean their own space.


----------



## AGMG (Mar 18, 2002)

we plow wal marts and they always sign our contract. we deal with the store mngrs. reginal mngrs prefer it this way.


----------



## jbutch83 (Sep 30, 2002)

The company that plows our local Wal Mart is on a three year contract, and Wal Mart did not supply the contract.

John


----------



## nsmilligan (Dec 21, 1999)

> _Originally posted by digger242j _
> *Suggest that you'll do it with no contract if they pay you with cash from the register. That seems about equally businesslike... *


You wouldn't suggesting getting around Uncle Sam's revenuer's would ya?payup


----------



## Manny Inc. (Oct 6, 2003)

*contract for wal-mart*

I have plowed Wal-Mart stores for about 8-years and i have never
heard of this,it sounds foolish.These contracts can vary from per 
trip, or contract price.When you deal with a co. this big you have to be carefull. It sounds like (1) this manager does not know what he or she is doing or (2)this manager does not take you seriously and is busting your chops(3)you didnt talk to the manager instead you talked to the person that locked him in the bathroom

In any case, a co. this big and the lawyers it pays trust me you have to have a contract. Iam sure bentonville wouldnt be very impressed to find out they have JD 644 with a 20' viking cives blade chained to it, rolling across there parking lot with no contract stating that the prospective snow-removal co. has to obtain and maintain liability insurance for there property and customers, or just the thought of something happening and there is no contract stating your existance in this lot! They would throw you under the bus in a heartbeat. I know iam a little late but i had to respond to this thank you for reading this.


----------



## Lawn Lad (Feb 4, 2002)

Interestingly, apparently Walgreens managers are instructed to not sign contracts with service providers, or specifically snow contracts. They may choose to use the general one provided to them on their intranet though. 

After discussing this with my attorney, his thought was that from a liability point Walgreens would have a tougher time defending themselves without the contract since there is no "scope of services". "You asked me to plow the snow, so I did." How can you be negligent of something that is not defined. The bigger problem with no contract is an issue of collections if they don't pay you. In Ohio that means you're only going to be entitled to direct costs, no markups, when you collect on this debt, should it got that far. If you can get more great, but otherwise, they could argue you're only entitled to about 35% of what you billed (assuming direct costs of 35%). 

Either way, it's a business decision to plow with or without a contract. I'd rather plow with a contract.


----------

