SALT LAKE CITY, Utah (ABC4) — A big winter storm is headed to Utah, and that means messy commutes, snowy driveways and slick sidewalks. While the Utah Department Of Transportation works on clearing the roads, many Utahns will be shoveling their driveways.
For those who are looking to have someone do the shoveling for them, there is an app that will connect them with 150 businesses in the Salt Lake area.
It’s called GreenPal. The app is a Nashville-based company that expanded into Salt Lake City in 2019. At the time, the company offered lawn care services during the warmer months.
“GreenPal has been described as the Uber of lawn care and the Uber of snow removal,” said Co-Founder Gene Caballero.
This winter, the app began offering snow removal in the area as well. However, the company itself isn’t the one doing the heavy lifting.
Caballero told ABC4 that GreenPal acts as a mediator between companies and clients. The companies set their own prices for their services, and the app collects five percent of the sale.
“We do have a vetting process for vendors,” Caballero said. “They have 18 years of age, they have to have professional-grade equipment, they have to have a valid driver’s license, they have to have a valid social security number and they have to have a valid bank account.”
Caballero said around 150 local businesses are using the app right now, and they have about 5,000 customers, including lawn customers, around the Salt Lake area.
“Any homeowner can download the app, or just jump on our website,” Caballero explained. “They enter the address of the property that they want serviced and the day that they want it done. That basically alerts all the prescreened vendors in the area.”
The businesses will use Google satellite and street images to get a better idea of how big the property is, what may make it easy or difficult to service, and consider how many inches of snow have fallen in the area to write up a quote or bid.
“All the bids go directly to the homeowner for approval the homeowner can then see the vendor’s ratings, reviews, and price and then decide who they want to work with based on those criteria, Caballero said.
