Syracuse regularly lands near the top of the list of snowiest cities in the United States, and lake-effect bands off Lake Ontario can drop a foot of snow on one neighborhood while the next town over sees flurries. The time to plan for that is in the fall, not at 6 AM on the first storm day.
Start by deciding between seasonal service and per-storm service. Seasonal service puts your driveway on a route, so you are cleared automatically every time snowfall passes a set depth. Per-storm service costs nothing in a mild winter but depends on availability when everyone is calling at once.
Walk your property with the provider before the season. Point out where snow can be piled without blocking sightlines at the end of the driveway, where the walkways and steps are, and anything buried under snow that a plow could hit, like curbs, landscape lights, or edging stones.
Finally, ask how they handle the plow-back, the wall of heavy snow the city plow leaves across the end of your driveway. It often comes after your driveway has been cleared, and a good provider will come back for it.