Metro Snow & Ice Management

Sorry you feel you've had issues. Ive checked your address and the GPS records. You HAVE in fact even visited every single snow fall sir. Not just as 'quick as you demand'. Wjhike the competition may do your street before us, we are in anoither area before the competition.
284 cm? Hardly. If you exaggerate here with the snowfall amount, I'm sure your claims are exaggerated a bit too.

Sorry you had an issue. Either your driveway was missed by oversight or he was there very early into the storm and did not return. Do you have marker stakes in your driveway? No excuses on this one. We did everyone on your street so either he missed it, there were cars in your driveway or on the street preventing him. A little rash cancelling because he missed you once in 5 storms in successsion? But that's your right. If you change your mind, provide at least the street you are on then I can try to access the situation with the drive. Just a first name and last initial doesnt really help me.
Ken Dale
President
Metro

Thanks for the balanced reveiw.
Sorry your're not with us this winter.
To answer your questions...over a 36 hr period 'every' driveway is cleared at least once. Its policy and if you are early in the route you were probably cleared near the beginning of his route and much more snow fell prior to his second visit. City grader dumps are unpredictable at the best times but they do their best to chase them.
Regarding 'working flat out'. I work the drivers between 14-18 hours straight with small breaks. They need rest or they will miss driveways, possibly damage property and....it's the law! I do call in several 'backups' to drive through each zone looking for missed areas while your driver is taking a short 4 hour rest. We actually supply "sleeping bunk trailers' in our yards for 'quick naps'. Many drivers are rural farmers from out of town and to send them all the way back for a 4 hour rest is not practical.
JWith very expensive equipment of course I want it out 'clearing snow' as much and as long as possible. It serves no one (including me) to have tractors sit idle in the yards.
Lastly, TouchPlow is a completely different service and has no effect on our snow clearing. To be frank I can count on one hand in 2 years how many tractor drivers of mine have even accepted a job. These ' TouchPlow jobs' are usually picked up by a 'man with plow' who can drive quickly from job to job. My tractors cant and they are on a 'designated routes & timeline' so they simply cant do those jobs during storms.
Hope this helps
Ken Dale
President

Thank Scott, sorry your are not happy with us thus far...we will improve each storm as every snow company does.
I rebranded Appleseed to Metro not because of bad reviews Scot. (Appleseed has an A+ rating with the BBB)
We 'don't gaurantee' clearing your driveway before 8am...never have, never will. This is a strong misconception amount 'new client' new to using a snow clearing service. If 5-8 cm of snow falls between 5am and 8 am how can any company possible clear everyone out by 8am? Our service contracts clearly state the
Thresholds' we follow for timeline and clearing. People sign up last minute,sign contracts and simply fail to read ( or just ignore) the terms for clearing. They 'assume' it snows, bang, we're there. It depends on where you actuall fall on the drivers routes. We strive to get a clearing done for everyone by either 6am or 6 pm depending on the accumulation, timing and city graders.
With a full name or even a street name I can reveiw where you are on the list and the service levels with the field manager and actual driver.
Thanks
Ken Dale
President

How nice!
Thanks so much Dianne. Nice to here from a long time client who 'gets it' with the timing and service delivery.

Many thanks Ahmed,
Nice to see you receive and appreciate the various alerts we send to help during storms.
Ken Dale
President

No idea who you are...'Patricia in Toronto?'...If you actually 'leave an address' then I can actually 'try to help you'....people seem so quick to 'leave a 0 review, no address, no way to follow up' on Homestars.
This is a site for 'constructive reveiws' not a 'message board. Don't 'hide behind' social media to vent or correct an isssue.....at least leave a 'street'?...every 0 review here wont even mention the 'street' they are on so I can review your file and complaint.
We've stated openly and clearly....'email is the best way to communicate issues with us'...you don't mention emailing once? It leaves a 'paper trail' for us to track.
Hardly seems fair does it? I'm not defensive here just realistic. We're not your small man with truck snow clearing company. We are large, very well organized and equipped snow organization.
We service over 9,000 customers here in Ottawa through 6 different offices, (and very well! I might add) so a few 0 complaints from 'new customers' who 'don't get it' or 'how a snow clearing company operates' while frustrating doesnt imply any sort of 'trend' whatsoever. Ps: 5 times in 2 weeks?.....you were NOT missed! We simply didnt arrive at your home as 'fast as you wanted us there'!
There's a big difference 'Patricia".
BTW...unfair again!...I've responded to EVERY review on here...good OR bad so your opening statement is rather wrong.
Ken

Im sorry you've received a slow start. Again, without a name or address I cant address your particular issue. Supply and I certainly will do whatever I can to try to fix any problems.
I have in fact added 2 new drivers in to the westend areas (if that's where you live). They are learning their routes, the Managers are following up after and each storm they get faster and miss less. Jeff may have been you driver for 15 years. Jeff called the night before the storm and 'retired himself' as his body just couldnt take the stress anymore of long hours clearing. Tough loss, but the new driver is experienced and he just needs to learn Jeffs route. Again, without an address I can only guess here. Regarding email alerts....supply your name or address and we can get you up to speed on them . Tractor alerts and email notifications are the fasted way to 'keep abreast' of how and what we are doing during storms.
I'm sure we will work the bugs out on the timing of clearing your driverway.
Thanks for the feedback.
Ken Dale
President
Metro Snow and Ice Management

LET ME EXPLAIN HOW SNOW CONTRACTORS GENERALLY WORK:
I've been clearing snow for over 25 years and basically I love it!
I'm rather frustrated by this review and and a others I feel are somewhat unfairly low and I would like to finally respond candidly to these '0' reviews that people are so easily to throw out. We treasure our rating on Homestars and when a review is fair and valid...we accept the criticism and improve from it. When it's constructive and 'informed'.
I don't want to come across as 'defensive here' but after perfect 10's and 9' last winter I have had a few 'unfair' 0 reviews today in particular. The first big storm. Your's I will use to explain the basics of snow service with us in particular. It may avoid other future poor reviews with unrealistic expectations for snow companies in general.
(All low reviews are usually from new 1st time Customers unfamiliar with snow clearing services)
Its frustrating and concerning when new clients with 'expectations higher then the industry standards' writes a poor review through lack of understanding of the service.
Of the over 10,000 customers we service we've had 3 poor Homestars reviews today...all from new clients who have just started to use our service. Not bad in relative numbers. Perfect 10's would be preferred and we will continue to work towards that for everyone.
Let me 'unpackage' your claims and review and maybe after understanding you may (or not) consider changing your reveiw more fairly after the next storm or so. I'd like that.
You state "You've had to call 3 times'. Very rarely does someone HAVE to call our office. We ALWAYS get the snow cleared out. Period.
Based on my system:
* You should have received an email last night regarding our timing plans
* We then sent out 2 more "Email Updates' stating current and ongoing progress.
* The Tractor should have sent you at least 3 'Tractor Alerts' of it being near your area.
WE are the ONLY snow company out there that does all this during each storm to keep you updated "so you 'don't' have to call!
The fact is, we are not (in your opinion) there fast enough to your liking so you call. I review every tractor report. We clear well within the times outlined in our contracts both during the storm and when the City Plows go by.
Case in point today.
1) Your drive was cleared by 4 am this morning according to GPS reports on tractors.
2) 4-5cm then fell from 4am to 6am after he had cleared leaving snow in the driveways at the beginning of his route.Yes, there was 5 cm instead of 10! But it was cleared down before you left for work. Give us fair credit please.
3) Driver returned and cleared again and then catched the 'City Grader dumps' again after that....all within the contracted times.
4) Driver will 'automatically'' go by tommorow between 10am and 1pm "without you calling' to reclear any left over debris. Our standard practice.
So many new customers call 'very late in the season' to sign up, usually during snowstorms, are not staked and the odd time a driver will miss the drive until it is staked. Last to signup, first to complain. This may or may not be your particular case but it is in 99% nor the poor reviews we get.
I put you to proof we have 'failed to meet the terms of the contract"......it's clear, we met it easily.
Hope we can better serve you next storm but I think it best you 're-read' the timing terms outlined. I have clear reports stating otherwise.
Not condemning, not defending, explaining.

If you havent received all the various alerts and email bulletins during this past storm then please contact me and I will look in to this for you. They help greatly in avoiding frustrations and anxiety about 'what's going on with my driveway".

Thanks
Ken Dale
President