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Sacramento CA

The Hiring Challenge and What Must Be Done

As we continue to try everything to overcome the hiring challenges and labor shortage, we must carefully balance our focus and resources on other areas that may help us attract and retain talent. It is equally important to also focus on optimal use and management of existing resources.

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Mold Remediation Baltimore

Experts suggest questions to ask customers

We asked Pest Management Professional‘s columnists and editorial advisory board members to name one overlooked survey question pest management professionals (PMPs) should ask their customers. Here are some of the experts’ responses from our August 2021 print edition.

Please take a minute to answer our latest one-question poll on this topic and let us know what questions you ask clients: Reader poll: Getting feedback from customer surveys

PMP’s Editorial Advisory Board and Regular Contributors

Hamilton Allen:

“Are we easy to work with?”

This is a straightforward question that with proper follow-up questioning can lead to the discovery of failing communication processes at any level of your business.

“Are you pleased with your technician?”

Survey questions should be specific, personal, and focus on critical areas of an operation. The question Are you pleased with our service? is open-ended, so we miss the opportunity to hone in on the customer’s satisfaction with their technician.

Dr. Faith Oi:

“What would cause you to drop our service?”

Doug Foster:

“Did someone recommend us?”

“If you are happy with our service and customer experience, would you please post a positive review on Google so that we might help others like you?”

Michael Broder:

“Does anyone here have any allergies?”

It is so much better for everyone’s protection to know this before any work is done.

“How did you hear about us?”

This is a common question for new customers and is a great way to find out what marketing tools work the best.

Jerry Schappert, ACE:

“We appreciate and wish to thank all of our clients for referrals. Which form of appreciation would you prefer most? Half off your next visit? Free mosquito treatment? Gift card?”

Paul Hardy:

“Is there any part of the home you would prefer us not to go into during inspection and service?”

Foster Brusca:

“Why did you contact me/my company for your pest control needs (and not another company)?

“What do you hope to get out of the pest control service that will be provided?”

Greg Baumann:

“Did you notice that spider webs were removed from around your doors and windows?”

I like this post-service question because it points out a company’s attention to detail. And, if the webs weren’t removed, management can remind the tech to do that. Nothing shows that a service was performed better than a customer coming home and seeing that the webs on the porch light and door were removed. If a company isn’t removing webs, your question might give them the idea to do it. It’s a nice touch.

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Sacramento CA

For best results, ask

Photo: iStock.com/frender

Most pest management professionals (PMPs) possess many skills, but mind reading typically is not one of them. So, when they want to learn whether customers are happy with their services, they need to ask.

Surveys are one way to find out what customers really think, and then make adjustments if needed. After all, why conduct a survey if you are not going to use the results to make improvements and acknowledge outstanding employees and practices?

This month, our regular contributors and Editorial Advisory Board members share survey questions designed to help PMPs offer efficient and satisfactory services. Find out what questions you may want to ask your customers with suggestions from the pros: Experts suggest questions to ask customers

Logo: PMP Staff

In addition, our Problem Solvers columnist Jerry Schappert, ACE, and his Pest Cemetery group members discuss how surveys can be helpful to PMPs. Read his latest here: Survey! Survey! Take our survey here!

Finally, Pest Management Professional is conducting its own survey to learn what 2021 has been like for you, and your projections for 2022. PMP’s annual State of the Industry survey is ready for you now at SurveyMonkey.com/r/BX6JVRM. Watch for the results in our November issue.

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Sacramento CA

iDry Restorations Expands Across New Zealand

The company, which specializes in providing water damage restoration, mold removal and fire restoration services, is now operating from a new office location to accommodate the increase in demand for their services.

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Mold Remediation Baltimore

FP Property Restoration Named to Inc. 5000 List

FP Property Restoration has been named to the Inc. 5000 list of America’s fastest growing companies for a third year in a row.

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US Department of Labor Urges Workers, Employers To Be Aware of Hazards After Hurricane Ida

OSHA maintains a comprehensive webpage on hurricane preparedness and response with safety tips to help employers and workers, including an alert on keeping workers safe during flood cleanup.

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Mold Remediation Baltimore

RestorePro Ranks on Inc. 5000

North Carolina-based disaster reconstruction company, RestorePro Reconstruction, with six offices across the southeast, ranked 2,758 on the 2021 Inc. 5000.

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Washington state eradicates first Asian hornet nest of 2021

Washington State Department of Agriculture staff member poses with the Asian giant hornet’s nest found in Washington. PHOTO: WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

The Washington State Department of Agriculture eradicated the first Asian giant hornet (Vespa mandarinia) nest of the year on Aug. 25 in Olympia, Wash.

The nest was located in the base of a dead alder tree in rural Whatcom County.

It was located about two miles from the nest that the department eradicated last October and about one-quarter mile from where a resident reported a live sighting of an Asian giant hornet on Aug. 11. The sight also was about one-quarter mile from the Canadian border.

Washington State Department of Agriculture staff began the eradication by vacuuming 113 worker hornets from the nest. Once removed, the team began removing the bark and decayed wood near the base of an alder tree at the entrance of the nest. Removing the wood revealed that the hornets had excavated the interior of the tree to make room for the nest, which consisted of nine layers of comb.

The portion of the tree with the nest was cut and transported to Washington State University Extension in Bellingham for further analysis. In addition to the work hornets vacuumed from the tree, the department staff also caught 67 additional hornets in the area with nets during the eradication. The nest itself had nearly 1,500 hornets in various stages of development

“While we are glad to have found and eradicated this nest so early in the season, this detection proves how important public reporting continues to be,” Sven Spichiger, Washington State Department of Agriculture managing entomologist, said. “We expect there are more nests out there and, like this one, we hope to find them before they can produce new queens. Your report may be the one that leads us to a nest.”

Anne LeBrun, national policy manager for Pollinator Pest Programs with the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal Plant Health Inspection Service, noted that the successful cooperation between state and federal agencies and members of the public is paying off in Washington.

“We are pleased to play a role this collaborative success by sharing technical expertise, providing financial support, and collaborating on survey and research efforts,” LeBrun said. “Public involvement remains an essential part of eradicating this hornet.”

A queen Asian giant hornet in its nest. PHOTO: WASHINGTON STATE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Asian giant hornets, also referred to as “murder hornets,” are the world’s largest hornet and are not native to North America. They prey on honey bees and other insects and can conduct mass attacks on honey bee hives, destroying the hive in a matter of hours. The hornets were first detected in the United States in 2019 when a hornet was reported in Whatcom County.

Since that time, Washington State Department of Agriculture has been working with local, state and federal partners to find and eradicate the hornets and prevent them from establishing in the United States.

Washington State Department of Agriculture will continue to trap for Asian giant hornets through the end of November. People who like to set their own traps can find instructions on the department’s website. Those who suspect they have seen an Asian giant hornet should take a photo if possible and visit the department’s website to report the sighting.

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Sacramento CA

JP McHale acquires Aavon Pest Control

Buchanan, N.Y-based JP McHale Pest Management, an Anticimex company, has acquired Aavon Pest Control, Stamford, Conn. Terms were not disclosed; Paul Giannamore and Franco Villanueva-Meyer of The Potomac Co. represented and acted as Aavon’s exclusive financial advisors.

Founded in 1946, Aavon has provided residential and commercial pest management services to Fairfield County, Conn., and Westchester County, N.Y.

In a news release, President David Curtis noted that “The partnership with JP McHale Pest Management is tremendous news for our clients and employees … We look forward to combining our experienced teams and the opportunities ahead.”

Jim McHale, president of JP McHale Pest Management, said the move bolsters his company’s leadership in Greater New York City.

“We are very excited to add Aavon Pest Control to the JP McHale Pest Management family,” McHale added in the news release. “We are proud to welcome the entire Aavon Pest Control team, and will partner together to continue providing a superior client experience at every point of interaction.”

ABOUT JP MCHALE PEST MANAGEMENT

Since 1971, JP McHale Pest Management, an Anticimex company, has provided science-based solutions to homeowners and businesses throughout the Greater New York City area. From the very beginning, JP McHale Pest Management has made it a priority to focus on client-centric service, striving to provide a superior client experience at every point of interaction. Providing “peace of mind” to the local community for 50 years, the company continues to innovate and utilize scientific expertise with the goal of delivering excellent service. JP McHale Pest Management became part of Anticimex in 2019.

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Sacramento CA

Northwest Exterminating reaches goal of 1,000 good deeds

The Good Deed Team Co-Leaders, Kristen and Greg, serve food for a local school. PHOTO: NORTHWEST EXTERMINATING

Marietta, Ga.-based Northwest Exterminating’s in-house philanthropic team, the Good Deed Team, set and reached its 2021 impact goal for 1,000 small acts of kindness.

Founded in 2011, the Good Deed Team actively pursues opportunities that more than 700 employees can be involved in to create a positive impact in the communities served by Northwest Exterminating.

The team is led by two full-time Northwest Exterminating employees and more than 30 service centers ambassadors. As much as the business is about bugs, it is even more about people, according to a news release.

The Good Deed Team shifted focus in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The team pivoted expectations, looking for resource donation opportunities rather than time donations or events.

So dar this year, the team donated books, toys, clothes, household items and more to local organizations; collected holiday decorations for drop-off at the children’s hospital; and created care baskets for local nursing homes.

“2020 saw challenges for everyone. We were so thankful to have a team of servant hearted people ready to serve in new ways,” Kristen Milligan, The Good Deeds Team co-leader, said. “The COVID-19 pandemic taught us to be flexible, to look for small ways to create an impact. It’s what ignited our goal for 2021: 1,000 Small Acts of Kindness across our 35+ service centers.”

As of Aug. 26, The Good Deed Team is well past this goal once thought tough to reach in a year, surpassing it in June.

Resource donations will continue in 2021, including a focus on Dobbins Air Reserve Base where quarantine care bags are created and delivered monthly to the people quarantining on base before or after deployment. The team is also looking forward to the ongoing, yearly projects and events, such as First Responder Cookouts and Bilingual Family Literacy school events, as time together becomes possible again.

The last 10 years were only the start of the impact that The Good Deed Team is looking to create across communities the Northwest Exterminating serves. To learn more about the Good Deed Team and the organizations it supports, visit the website.

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Sacramento CA

Contents Corner: The 3 Biggest Mistakes Restoration Companies Make When Doing Contents Restoration

When it comes to fire restoration, most companies think the big money is in the reconstruction side of the loss. However, the contents part of the claim has two to three times the net profit margins and can be completed in a fraction of the time. So why is this part of the industry so underserved?

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Mold Remediation Baltimore

Survey! Survey! Take our survey here!

Open up your email browser today, and I’ll bet you have at least a couple of offers to: “Take a survey! Rate us! Tell us what you think!”

How many times do you just not click? Hit delete? My guess is almost every time.

But surveys can help businesses take the pulse of their audiences. They are a great tool for figuring out where the most interest lies, and how best to move forward.

The problem with surveys is there are just too many of them. Many are redundant and require too much effort on the folks being asked to participate. Don’t get me wrong, I too want to know who likes my service or which pest bothers customers the most. But if you make taking the survey any less easy than falling off a log backward, I think you’ll be disappointed in the results.
The only caveat is if you have taken the time to build up your social media presence and engaged your audience honestly for long enough, they may be compelled to click “Heck yeah, I want to participate.” Here are two tips from my own trenches:

1. USE THE RIGHT WORDING. If I say in an email to someone I’ve never met, “I’m Jerry from The Bug Doctor and I want to know what you require most in a pest control provider. Click here to tell me!”

I might as well put up a “crickets” emoji. Instead, if the email comes from their longtime technician, Billy, you’re going to up the odds: “This is Billy Jones, your pest prevention specialist from The Bug Doctor since 2018. I’m writing you today to find out: How can I serve you better or more appropriately? Please check your choice(s) below.” A gift card or a prize drawing will help, too. But the bottom line is, you should be able to customize your surveys to your routes and services. By putting a face to the name, you should get better results.

2. USE THE RIGHT TIMING. I am consistently amazed at the response — or lack thereof — to the different subjects that come up in my Facebook group, Pest Cemetery. People post polls and survey questions all the time. Some spark huge responses; others flail in the wind. Then, say, six or eight months later, that same question will come up and wow, it leads to an all-night conversation.
While I haven’t quite cracked the code as to when something definitely will hit harder on our gabby platform — say, Thursday at 7:12 p.m. Eastern time when the moon is full — you may be able to identify trends among your customer base. Internet experts agree that for business-to-consumer surveys, sending on Mondays are best. For customer satisfaction surveys, they say the best time is within 24 hours of providing the service, as customers will still be able to recall their experiences.

So, to survey or not to survey? In my humble opinion, if you build it correctly, they will come.

Tips from the Pest Cemetery crew

“We send one customer survey a year to our top 10 percent of clients.” — Ed Hamilton, Owner, Yellow Rose Pest and Wildlife Management, Missouri City, Texas

“Ask for reviews. It gives you more credibility when other people say you’re the best. It gives you even more credibility when you have more good reviews in a shorter amount of time than anyone else in your area.” — Eden Miché, District Manager, Miché Pest Control, Manassas, Va.

“Best practices include using customer relationship management (CRM) software that automates your review generation process.” — Chad Moreschi, President, Natural Resources Pest Control, Miami, Fla.

“We visit our top customers quarterly. Survey questions we ask are: What can we do better? What are we doing that you feel goes above and beyond? Would you recommend us?” — Keith Romer, Owner, All Pro Pest Control, Layton, Utah

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Sacramento CA

PestWest: flyDetect

IMAGE: PESTWEST

Featuring newly updated software and available for the U.S. market later this year, flyDetect is an insect light trap (ILT) that takes a snapshot of what has been captured on the glue board and alerts you via smartphone when the captured-insect threshold is reached. The unit was recently honored with the prestigious Society of Food Hygiene and Technology award. Its exclusive remote monitoring technology provides facilities with both employee safety and essential real-time flying insect monitoring.

flyDetect.com

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Sacramento CA

Companies should focus more energy on employee retention

Truly Nolen Pest Control shows off its “fun place to work” features in many ways, including its Mouse Limo’s triumphant return to the annual Prescott (Ariz.) Frontier Days Rodeo Parade this summer. PHOTO: TRULY NOLEN PEST CONTROL

Every company is homing in on finding talent — even CIA recruiting ads are popping up on my social media feed! More than ever, recruiting costs are inflated and companies are becoming more desperate. However, companies should focus more of their energy and dollars on retention. Retaining employees is always more effective and less costly than finding new talent.

Turnover costs are often underestimated. Advertising, screening and background checks are just the beginning. Productivity and company culture are the major costs. According to Employee Benefit News, companies spend nearly one third of an employee’s annual salary during the replacement process. To break that down, $12,000 will be spent on an entry-level employee making $36,000 a year, and $20,000 will be spent replacing a manager making $60,000 a year. The cost of turnover adds up fast. These numbers are consistent with our company’s turnover costs.

Our industry, more than others, thrives with tenure. Customers like seeing a familiar face when navigating the intimacy of their pest issues. This is exemplified on routes where the service professional knows their customers over many years and the customers are notably retained at higher rates. Conversely, a route with high technician turnover will often have low customer retention. So how does a company retain its talent? Invest in developing your employees. Give people an opportunity to earn an income to provide for their family. And as trite as it might be to say, have fun.

Promote. Promotion from within is one of the most powerful ways to grow a service organization. Don’t think you can promote? Develop. The employee development philosophy my late father, Truly David Nolen, had, as cited from his book Truly Original, is as follows: “Let each person follow her or his passion. What you know the most about is what will interest you the most and in turn will lead to the happiness in work and success as defined by each person.” These simple, yet profound words have been the guide to a key piece of our company’s success. Showing employees a career path that align with their goals and provide education to further hone their skills is critical. Developing your talent is a win for the employee, win for the customer, and a win for the company.

Example: Schedule a lunch meeting with each employee and go over their professional and personal goals quarterly. Ask them what support they believe they need to reach those goals.

Compensation. Compensation can be complicated. While pay is not a good motivator, it can certainly be a de-motivator. Some people prefer the ability to control their income based on efforts via commission pay, while others favor the consistency of a salary. When you add in benefits packages, market demand and government requirements — it becomes complicated to satisfy everyone. Regardless, an organization’s responsibility is to provide a transparent path to meet the financial goals of the employee. We recently provided a $300 pandemic bonus to our frontline branch employees for their hard work and dedication throughout the current climate because I wanted them to understand how much we appreciate them. Beyond pay, people need to feel appreciated and recognized if you want them to stick around.

Example: Sit down with your employees and ensure they understand their full compensation package and ways to increase it. Don’t be shy to ask them questions such as “Does your compensation package match your expectations?”

Fun. People must have fun at work, alluded to in my father’s quote I mentioned above. He always used to say, “Have fun with what you do and everything else will follow.” Our instinct as managers is to create processes, invest in tracking software, and let the numbers guide us to our success. While employment retention tools can be helpful for managing and staying organized, they do not help you lead, nor do they help you actually retain employees. Leaders need to find a way to have fun every day. If you are having fun, then you are doing something right.

Example: Play good-hearted pranks. Crack a joke.

Therefore, don’t lose sight of the importance of employee retention; retaining employees ultimately helps your overall bottom line and makes your company somewhere new people want to join!

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Sacramento CA

Giving back helps everyone

Just like “ABCs of Growth” co-columnist Dennis Jenkins notes in this issue, “by looking into how your company can give back to local groups and populations, you show real commitment to your community, and that is not something that very many other companies do.” If community outreach has set your company apart from the rest — and raised your reputation among employees and customers as a result — please drop us a line at pmpeditor@northcoastmedia.net and let’s continue the conversation.

Last fall, Gecko Pest Control teamed with Sign Solutions of Marshall, Texas, to sponsor new graphics on the vehicle for The Pet Place, Harrison County Humane Society. The vehicle, which is a part of many community events as it educates the public about the concept of “adopt, don’t shop” for pets, sports the Gecko Pest Control logo on its rear fender. Gecko Pest Control Owner Daren Horton, ACE, is pictured, center.

 

Nashville, Tenn.-based All-American Pest Control named Brandi Nunnery, a literacy coach at Crieve Hall Elementary School, as its 2021 Hometown Hero award recipient. Back row from left are All-American’s Erin Richardson, Blake Matthews, Bert Dinkins, Brian Sheppard, Adrian Zavala and Andre Cannon. In the front row, Nunnery is flanked by All-American’s Kayla Bodnovich and Hayli Burgess. She received a certificate for 10 years of free pest control, including ant, spider, tick and termite protection, mosquito reduction and yard treatment services.

 

Before the July Fourth weekend, Hoffman’s Exterminating mascot Bugsbee, along with members of the company’s Malvern, Pa., branch, visited the Malvern Police Department. The team brought a sandwich tray from a local favorite, Primo Hoagies, to thank department members for their hard work and dedication.

 

 

Columbia, S.C.-based Terminix Service recently gave a $1 million gift to launch the Urban Entomology Initiative at Clemson University. The endowment is in partnership with the South Carolina Urban Entomology Charitable Alliance and the South Carolina Pest Control Association, of which Terminix Service is a founding member. Pictured from left are Terminix Service’s Rion Cobb, VP Human Services; Susan Douglas, VP Finance; Lex Knox, chairman and CEO; Scott Fortson, president; and Trevor Knox, VP Sales and Marketing.

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Sacramento CA

WorkWave announces partnership with Certus

Certus will partner with WorkWave to create a single, consolidated software platform for all of its sales and operations company-wide.

Certus is a pest control company focused on rapid expansion through acquisitions. WorkWave is a provider of SaaS software solutions that support every stage of a service business’s life cycle.

With 42 acquisitions in just two years, Certus has quickly become one of the fastest-growing pest control providers in the industry. Certus sought to select a software partner that would enable a unified focus on performance improvement, consolidation of technology and efficiency of operations across the company to further facilitate growth.

Mike Givlin, CEO and co-founder of Certus, said the company has found immense value in selecting PestPac at the software partner across the sales and service operations “because we can onboard our new companies quickly and effectively, with the knowledge that they now have access to the most powerful pest control solution on the market.”

“Our teams complement each other well and constantly learn from one another,” Givlin said. “We’re working on a comprehensive view of all of our company data, better reporting, and more efficient routing capabilities. We would not be able to achieve that comprehensive view of our business without WorkWave by our side.”

Certus selected PestPac by WorkWave in 2020 due to the need for deep pest control functionality, the ability to scale across a large operation while maintain speed and performance, a breadth of offerings that covered both residential and commercial operations, and the ability to accommodate a complex mix of service offerings found among the diverse pest control providers.

Certus then undertook a standard process to efficiently consolidate each new acquisition into one North American instance of the software, bring them up to speed as quickly as possible.

The process was especially important as the technology experience level varied greatly across its newly acquired companies. Some companies were already familiar with using a software solution to run its business, and, for others, PestPac was the first software solution.

David F. Giannetto, CEO of WorkWave, said the company is honored to be partnering with such a “forward-looking and innovative company.”

“Certus is representative of the new way of thinking among pest control operators — thinking beyond service, as we call it — focusing on a great customer experience combined with higher growth and profitability,” Giannetto said in a news release. “Certus knows that they can rely on WorkWave to provide the software necessary to help them achieve their objectives, creating synergies in an increasingly complex operation and giving them the confidence to focus on growth and providing the best service possible. That’s what success means to us.”

Based on the success of this program, Certus is accelerating implementation so that all of its companies will be in one single, integrated platform within the next 12 months.

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Sacramento CA

Your 2021/2022 Insurance Picture as a Restorer

David Dybdahl discusses the insurance picture for restorers’ business insurance over the next 12 months and suggest some adaptations to address impending changes in that risk picture.

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Bug Busters CEO awarded Vistage 2021 Leadership Award

Owner and CEO of Bug Busters, Inc. Court Parker awarded 2021 Vistage Leadership Award. PHOTO: BUG BUSTERS, INC.

Vistage announced Court Parker, Bug Busters, Inc. owner and CEO, as the recipient of the Vistage Leadership Award.

Vistage is a coaching and peer advisory organization for small and midsize businesses. The Leadership Award celebrates a member’s enduring excellence in leadership and recognizes the discernible impact they’ve had on their business, Vistage group and community.

“I am both humbled and honored to receive the 2021 Leadership Award from Vistage — the organization that introduced me to key tools like Traction and the Entrepreneurial Operating System,” Parker said. “Being introduced to these tools, along with the help and incredible hard work of everyone at Bug Busters, has made my winning of this award possible.”

Parker is the second-generation owner and CEO of the Woodstock, Ga.-based company, which has served the Southeastern U.S. since October 1984.

Since Parker became the leader of Bug Busters, Inc. over 10 years ago, the company has seen substantial growth.

During the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, Bug Busters, Inc. grew 19.78%.

Parker and his family decided to take advantage of the 2020 pandemic shutdowns and their newfound downtime by going on a 135-day road trip out west. During the trip, Park conducted interviews with 15 different pest management professionals.

Vistage Master Chair Wade Bradley said in the era of COVID-19, leadership is often defined by the ability to “’make lemonade from lemons — to succeed in the face of great adversity.” Parker, who has been a member of Vestige for over three years, is the perfect example of those leadership traits, Bradley said.

“In the face of an unprecedented global pandemic, he decided to do something different,” Bradley said. “While many merely maintained, Court defied the odds and refused to stagnate, taking what he learned in his tenure with Vistage and leveraging it to grow as a father, husband, executive, and leader.”

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Sacramento CA

Pest Spotlight: American Crow

Photo: courtesy of, and copyrighted by, Gene White, pmimages@earthlink.net

Also known as the common or eastern crow, Corvus brachyrhynchos is intelligent, opportunistic and plentiful.

At 17 to 21 inches, the American crow is a relatively large bird. It typically produces one brood each spring, although two broods per year occurs in some southern areas. Clutches contain four to six eggs, which incubate for about 18 days. The young are fledged at about one month of age, and learn their local territory and how to forage by remaining with and mimicking the parents all summer. 

The wily birds can survive more than six years in the wild, and more than 20 years in captivity. 

In the fall, crows may join together to form large urban flocks. Winter flocks roost together at night and disperse over large areas to feed during the day. Their feeding range typically is within six to 12 miles from their roost. This is around the time you’ll likely get calls from annoyed homeowners and businesses.

Control success varies. If crows aren’t entrenched in a space, they can react quickly and evacuate because of a minor control effort, such as a visual repellent. Once they know an area will provide them with food, loafing and roosting resources on a dependable basis, however — and if they become used to the people, city noises and disturbances in the environment — crows may lose their wariness and become difficult to disperse. It may take multiple attempts, employing different techniques. 

Source: Truman’s Scientific Guide to Pest Management Operations, Seventh Edition, available for purchase at MyPMP.net/shop.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/08/27/pest-spotlight-american-crow/
Sacramento CA

ABC Economist Talks Key Trends in Restoration, Remediation

Dr. Anirban Basu, chief economist with Associated Builders and Contractors, shares the latest construction confidence index and backlog indicator results, plus what they mean. He also covers a big area of opportunity for restoration and remediation contractors: adaptive reuse of existing structures.

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Mold Remediation Baltimore

Consider UV light for fly control

Jim Reinders, Vice President, Paraclipse Systems

Flies and other insects are attracted to ultraviolet (UV) light. This we know. We also know that customers are looking for natural and non-invasive products and systems that are considered green, sustainable and not harmful to the environment.

UV lighting systems have become more advanced, and are even available for outdoor use to address mosquitoes and other insects as more people spend time outside their homes and offices.

If you haven’t explored UV light systems for both commercial and residential applications, now is a good time. Your customers are more aware of diseases and viruses than ever before, and insect control UV light systems can provide your technicians with another incremental sales opportunity that is easy to place and service during their regular visits.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/08/30/consider-uv-light-for-fly-control/
Sacramento CA

Control Solutions Inc.: Fuse

IMAGE: CONTROL SOLUTIONS INC.

Fuse is a proprietary, Combination Chemistry product containing two industry-trusted active ingredients, fipronil and imidacloprid. Fuse offers multiple modes of action to fight resistance and provide a powerful tool for termite and perimeter pest control applications. Fuse has very flexible application zones, approved by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. The Fuse perimeter application zones allow for pest management professionals to treat many pest entry points. In the video link below, Brent Agee, general manager of Action Termite & Pest Control in Phoenix, Ariz., shares how Fuse has helped his team win the battle against termites.

Youtu.be/dZp7hKzqR5E

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/08/30/control-solutions-inc-fuse/
Sacramento CA

National Small Business Week 2021 Virtual Summit Announced September 13-15

The U.S. Small Business Administration will host a three-day, live summit of learning and online education sessions for small businesses.

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Mold Remediation Baltimore

Innolytics: OvoControl P

IMAGE: INNOLYTICS

Featuring an active ingredient of 0.5 percent nicarbazin, OvoControl P controls the population of pigeons and other pest birds through a natural cycle of attrition — with no dead or dying birds to worry customers. OvoControl is now approved as a general-use pesticide in all 50 states.

OvoControl.com

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/08/28/innolytics-ovocontrol-p/
Sacramento CA

J.C. Restoration Earns Spot on Inc. 5000

Inc. magazine revealed that J.C. Restoration, Inc. is No. 4703 on its annual Inc. 5000 list, a prestigious ranking of the nation’s fastest-growing private companies.

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Mold Remediation Baltimore

Winning Through Change

When small business performs poorly at making changes, mistakes are expensive and cost thousands of dollars, if not hundreds of thousands, in lost resources, time and good will.

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Mold Remediation Baltimore

The evils of weevils

Photo: Saccobent/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

QUESTION: Dan, I’ve had experience with stored product pests (SPP), but not specifically grain weevils. Now one of my clients says they have them. What next?
— Deliver us from weevils 

ANSWER: DUFW, I consulted with my colleague, Anna Berry, and we agree: The very first step you should take is to confirm that they are, in fact, weevils. Flour beetles (Tribolium castaneum), for example, are commonly mistaken for them.

Weevils (Curculionidae) are a specific group of SPP made up of several different species. They share common morphological characteristics, such as an easily distinguished “snout.” Unlike other common SPP, weevils develop inside a kernel of grain (corn, rice, wheat, bean or sorghum) or complex pasta, making monitoring and controlling for them a challenge.

Because weevils develop in the kernel, we don’t see them for quite a while. The egg, larval and pupal stages all are hidden within that kernel. With other SPP, we often see the damage caused by the larval stage, which lets us know there’s a problem. We’re not so lucky with weevils, and that means at least a generation has taken hold before we start to see the adults.

Adult weevils are unlikely to travel far if there’s plenty of food, so a bag of pasta (or rice, or bird seed, or any other susceptible product) can be infested by many generations, destroying the food within, before the adults finally leave the container to find new food.

Placing monitoring traps will not control a weevil population, but it will help to focus your inspection. Particularly in a large warehouse, where the number of potential sources can be daunting, this will help direct your efforts. In a retail environment, we often can see the source of infestation by inspecting the product and shelving for live insects; food that has been destroyed from the inside to the outside; and holes in the packaging.

As with all SPP, the absolute best control method for weevils is to remove the food source. Most life stages are physically in the food itself, and adults will be on top of the food (unless they are moving to find the next food source). Discarding infested products typically is the best solution.

Sanitation is essential, particularly in retail environments where weevils may thrive on forgotten debris under or in shelving. Vacuums can physically remove the infestation and clean the debris, an effective tool in small infestations.

Depending on the food’s intended use, further processing, and level of infestation, it may be possible to salvage infested products by freezing, heating or fumigation. Even if food cannot be recovered, these tend to be our best control techniques outside of sanitation. Particularly for large warehouse infestations, fumigation often is the only recourse.

Residual insecticides can play a role in controlling large infestations, because we can treat cracks and crevices to prevent adults from moving in these areas to infest other products.

Take a systematic approach through identification, monitoring, inspection and control. It may take patience, time and multiple solutions, but grain weevils can be controlled.

Email your questions about insect identification and pest management technologies to pmpeditor@northcoastmedia.net. Your questions most likely will be printed and answered in one of Pest Management Professional’s upcoming columns.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/08/27/the-evils-of-weevils/
Sacramento CA

PPMA Rodent Awareness Week will be Oct. 17-23

Rodent Awareness Week, an event to promote public knowledge of rodents and the dangers they present to home and health, will take place Oct. 17-23.

Rodent Awareness Week is an annual designation established by Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA) and recognized by Chase’s Calendar of Events. This week also encourages homeowners to work with qualified pest control professionals to address rodent issues.

PPMA recently conducts over 1,000 online interviews with homeowners to understand the similarities and differences across Millennials, Gen X and Baby Boomers related to pest control needs and perceptions.

The study shows that when aided, homeowners quickly make the connection between pest control professionals and protecting both public and family health. However, less than 40% of homeowners across all generations will call a professional if they find several rodents in their home.

PPMA wants to move that needle.

“Rodent Awareness Week presents a unique opportunity for pest control companies to unite behind a timely and pertinent campaign” Cindy Mannes, executive director of PPMA, said. “It is imperative that we continually educate the public about the property and health risks associated with rodents when they invade people’s homes and businesses and that we urge them to call a professional instead of attempting to handle a mouse or rat problem on their own.”

Rodents are top of mind for consumers during the fall months. According to PPMA’s Living Survey using its artificial intelligence research, there was over 1.2 million online engagements on the topic of rodents in November 2020. This was a 27.9% increase from October 2020.

Rodents were also a top concern as a health and home issue in November 2020 with over 266,000 engagements on the topic, according to research conducted by Advanced Symbolics Inc.

During Rodent Awareness Week, PPMA will devoted all Pest World social media pages to address persistent pests, highlighting its Rodents Revealed microsite and its consumer site.

The group is also working on a new consumer campaign featuring rodents that will be reveal in October.

PPMA is asking all pest control companies join in this awareness initiative by focusing their social media content on rodents throughout the week and to us the hashtag #RodentAwareness is all posts.

PPMA created an exclusive Rodent Awareness Week toolkit available for Mainframe subscribers to download.

The toolkit includes a customizable press release, suggested social media content, Rodent Awareness Week logos, high-resolution photography, media training documents as well as a list of video content that can be directly embedded on a company’s website.

For more information about PPMA, its marketing programs or how to get involved in supporting these important consumer education programs, visit the PPMA website.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/08/27/ppma-rodent-awareness-week-will-be-oct-17-23/
Sacramento CA

Terminix acquires 855Bugs

Memphis, Tenn.-based Terminix has acquired 855Bugs, based in Waco, Texas. Terms were not disclosed; Paul Giannamore and Franco Villanueva-Meyer of Potomac represented and acted as exclusive financial advisors to 855Bugs in this transaction.

The deal was actually filmed as part of the industry video podcast “The Boardroom Buzz.” Patrick Baldwin, an 855Bugs partner, co-hosts the podcast with Giannamore.

“From the closing call to meetings with Terminix, to the employee dinner and announcement day, it’s all on film,” a Terminx news release explains. It is the opening episode (No. 59) for Season 2 of the podcast, and can be viewed online at ProjectBlackBear.com.

“We are thrilled to have this company and this team join our organization,” Terminix CEO Brett Ponton said in the news release. “It goes without saying, but some of the things we’re very attracted to are a great geographic footprint, great local leadership teams, and great businesses that have built great brands and reputations in the communities they serve. The 855Bugs team has done an exceptional job with this in and around Waco, and we’re thrilled to have the brand and team as part of our organization.”

855Bugs President Bob Howard noted in the news release, “I wanted a company and leadership that said, ‘Hey, we want your brand to continue. We like everything about what is in place now, and we want all those things in the future. And as a matter of fact, we not only want that, but we want to provide the resources for the 855Bugs brand to grow.’ That was critical for me, and at the end of the day, all the stars aligned. And for me personally — wow — I’ve come full circle and arrived right where I began my own career in pest management: with Terminix.”

 

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/08/27/terminix-acquires-855bugs/
Sacramento CA

NPMA to host Aug. 31 webinar about vaccination challenges

IMAGE: NPMA

On Aug. 31, at 2:30 p.m. Eastern, the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) will host a free, one-hour webinar titled “Navigating the Challenges of Employee Vaccinations.” Panelists include:

• Bobby Jenkins, President, ABC Home and Commercial Services (and a Pest Management Professional magazine columnist)
• Kylie Luff, Senior Vice President and Managing Partner, Seay Management Consultants
• John Myers, President and CEO, Rentokil NA
• Ross Treleven, President, Sprague Pest Solutions

As the NPMA notes, “Challenging times call for creative solutions. Commercial customers are demanding that only vaccinated employees can enter their facilities. You cannot operate your routes when unvaccinated employees are out sick due to COVID-19. NPMA has assembled a panel of industry leaders and HR experts to provide some insights on what measures are being taken to navigate these unique issues. Hear candid feedback from pest control company owners on what is working to encourage a vaccinated workplace and what is not. And, engage with panelists during an interactive Q&A portion of the discussion. During these challenging times we need to work together to help our industry continue to succeed and prosper.”

Register for the webinar here.

ABOUT THE NPMA

Founded in 1933 as the National Association of Exterminators and Fumigators (NAEF), then the National Pest Control Association (NPCA), the National Pest Management Association is a non-profit organization with nearly 5,000 members from around the world to support the pest management industry’s commitment to the protection of public health, food and property. It works every day to elevate the pest management profession in numerous ways including:

• Offering world-class education and certification programs designed to create a well-trained workforce.
• Developing best practices and offering timely, informative technical resources.
• Providing a unified voice for the pest management industry to promote a positive regulatory and legislative climate.
• Connecting members to networking opportunities.
• Promoting a positive public image and building awareness of the pest management industry.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/08/27/npma-to-host-aug-31-webinar-about-vaccination-challenges/
Sacramento CA

Prevent fly reoccurrence with regular cleaning

Noel McCarthy, Staff Writer, Sterifab

If residential customers called you because they have a fly problem, then it’s probably a pretty serious infestation. And they may well have to have you back more than once. Let your customers know they can help prevent a reoccurrence by sticking to a regular cleaning regimen.

Excess moisture — as well as household debris — are a big draw for flies. Remind them to inspect and thoroughly clean floors, drains (in sinks, tubs, showers and outdoors), garbage containers and underneath appliances. Flies can come in from outside, but they can breed indoors, especially if a home has a trash compactor or indoor trash storage area.

Remind customers to also:

• Remove standing water from birdbaths, gutters, flower pots, etc.
• Repair cracks and gaps in doors, and window or door screens.
• Keep pet litter scooped and yard pet waste dealt with on a regular basis.
• Ensure trash can (and adjacent area) hygiene.
• Clear decaying fruit in the yard, such as from apple trees, blackberry bushes, etc.
• Methodically clean kitchen and bathroom surfaces.
• Last but not least, check for leaking pipes.

Remember, water is a fly’s best friend.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/08/27/prevent-fly-reoccurrence-with-regular-cleaning/
Sacramento CA

Zoëcon Professional Products: Lava-Lor Granular Bait

IMAGE: ZOËCON PROFESSONAL PRODUCTS

Now available in a 5-pound bottle as well as a 25-pound pail, Lava-Lor Granular Bait is a ready-to-use formulation for effective control of cockroaches, crickets, ants and other labeled pests. Featuring dual active ingredients, the bait achieves effective knockdown through multiple modes of action. It can be used in a bait station, as well as in a shaker or spreader to reach hard-to-treat cracks and crevices. This formulation is approved for sensitive areas such as food-handling and -processing facilities.

Zoecon.com

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/08/27/zoecon-professional-products-lava-lor-granular-bait/
Sacramento CA

Illiana Wildlife & Pest Control sell to Plunkett’s Pest Control

The map shows the service territory across 22 states at Plunkett’s Pest Control. IMAGE: PLUNKETT’S PEST CONTROL, INC.

Minneapolis, Minn.-based Plunkett’s Pest Control, Inc. acquired Illiana Wildlife & Pest Control, based in Valparaiso, Ind.

Illiana Wildlife & Pest Control provides more than 1,200 residential and commercial clients with wildlife and pest services throughout northwest Indiana and Eastern Illinois.

Plunkett’s Pest Control was founded in Minneapolis, Minn. in 1915 and services over 74,000 residential and commercial clients in 22 states.

The acquisition will bolster business in one of Plunkett’s Pest Control’s areas of interest.

“This opportunity to strengthen our team in northwest Indiana and expand into the Chicagoland area is key,” Jared Miller, director of Varment Guard in Plunkett’s wildlife division, said. “Plus, we added three wildlife techs and one pest tech that are well-trained, knowledgeable, and experienced. We’re glad they chose to come with us.”

Bob Jansma, owner of Illiana Wildlife & Pest Control, said the main reason for selling the company is to take better care of employees.

“As a small company owner, I tried hard to find ways to increase their wages and provide health insurance, but it just wasn’t feasible,” Jansma said. “We have great people who work hard for us; they deserve those things, and, with Plunkett’s, they’ll get it. I’ve communicated to my team that Plunkett’s can be trusted and will treat them right, and Jared has been more than willing to spend time with each of them.”

Jansma thought about selling Illiana Wildlife & Pest Control for a little while and talked to both large and small interested parties, according to a news release.

He ended up choosing Plunkett’s Pest Control, Inc. because “it’s all about the trust. They were the only company that asked what they needed to do to take care of my customers and documented what my customers expect. It wasn’t just about the business assets they were gaining,” Jansma said in a news release.

Jansma said he, his wife Brittany, who also works at the company, and their kids will do some extensive traveling before Jansma will decide what to do next.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/08/26/illiana-wildlife-pest-control-sell-to-plunketts-pest-control/
Sacramento CA

Planning to Win: Combating Complacency in Your Restoration Business

Too often, cleaning and restoration entrepreneurs wear the label of “one-trick-pony” as they prance around the metaphorical “ring” with a poorly choreographed sales pitch, outdated equipment, a disgruntled workforce, simply in hopes of being seen and heard by prospective customers, insurance agents, adjusters, property managers and plumbers, while anxiously awaiting a referral reward.

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Mold Remediation Baltimore

Truly Nolen gives $1 million to employees for pandemic bonuses

LOGO: TRULY NOLEN

Tuscon, Ariz.-based Truly Nolen announced bonuses for front-line team members for their hard work and dedication during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The $300 bonuses will be given to team members by the end of August. The bonuses are coming from $1 million that was set aside by the company through the end of 2021. During the last four months of the year, additional team members will be provided bonuses.

“Our industry is essential in the effort to promote public health, and our team members have worked hard throughout the pandemic to make sure our customers have one less thing to worry about,” Truly Nolen President Scarlett Nolen said. “I believe it is so important to appreciate and recognize the team, especially during this time in history.”

In addition to recognizing the importance of employee retention, Truly Nolen is also hiring for positions throughout the country. All current job listings can be found on the Truly Nolen careers website. Available positions include call center customer representatives, sales support and service technicians.

“Like many companies this year, we have placed a renewed focus on ways to attract potential candidates to visit our website and apply,” Nolen, who is an online columnist for Pest Management Professional, said. “One of those ways has been a video campaign highlighting different team members across the country.”

The videos feature two themes: a group of team members from one area discuss everything from company culture to benefits, and a series of unscripted “A Day in the Life” videos have team members explain their average work day and why they enjoy working for the company in 60 seconds.

The videos can be found on Truly Nolen’s Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, LinkedIn and YouTube pages.

“One unexpected and unsolicited benefit is many of our team members are sharing the videos on their own LinkedIn pages to help the message reach even more people,” Nolen said. “While our Human Resources Department will always continue to recruit in traditional ways, we are happy the digital age affords us new opportunities to connect with people who may be interested in applying to join our team.”

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/08/26/truly-nolen-gives-1-million-to-employees-for-pandemic-bonuses/
Sacramento CA