Maintaining your company’s infrastructure

Scarlett Nolen

With people in our country still working to get back to a somewhat normal routine after an 18-month disruption, it seems that not enough people have been talking about investment during the pandemic. In fact, conversation has — understandably — been focused on survival, quite literally. However, in the home services world, our industry has been fortunate to have more work than we can often handle.

Regardless of the size of your pest service business, we are all in the growth phase of the sigmoid curve. Often, owners rejoice in the revenue and cash out their margins. But business owners should think about reinvesting. There are two ways to invest: in your people — your training, compensation, and hiring support resources — or in your infrastructure.

My last few Pest Management Professional blog posts have touched on how Truly Nolen Pest Control is investing in our people via training and bonuses. While some might advise to focus on either people or infrastructure, we are doing a bit of both. Over the last few years, we have made considerable investments in technology, for example, that has been serendipitous with the operational work-from-home needs of the pandemic. We have made a significant transition to go paperless, not only with our customers but also with our internal processes. This initiative stemmed from my family’s conservation values, as well as our intent of being a modern company.

Along with the infrastructure investments mentioned above, another investment we have made as a company is our new Fort Myers building. The Southwest Florida market has been a long-time stronghold for our company, as well as my late father’s former residence for nearly 30 years. With that backdrop, we decided to invest and design our Truly Nolen branch of the future. Our new building serves as a center for residential operations, commercial operations, statewide insulation hub, and training facility.

The inspiration for the building? Truly Nolen has a long-standing relationship with Bayer. During a pre-pandemic visit to the Environmental Science headquarters of Bayer in North Carolina, we took note of their open, communal office design — and fondly admired their snack wall! I walked away reflecting on how we use our current office space. Most of our buildings sit empty throughout the day, with sales and service rooms compartmentalized. But that is not how our business functions.

Armed with this new vision, our new Fort Myers building better reflects how our business operates: open floor, modern aesthetic, streamlined technology, and team-oriented, all with efficiency in mind. We thank Stevens Construction for a terrific job with our new design, and we look forward to the Greater Fort Myers Chamber of Commerce’s ribbon-cutting ceremony and building dedication Oct. 14.

In closing, the pandemic has given all of us time to evaluate things in new ways. Hiring new people and retaining your current team members will always be important, but if you do not have the proper infrastructure to manage the guts of your operation, there is no better time than the present to do so.

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Sacramento CA

Pearlman Group Acquires Excel Cleaning and Restoration Supplies

Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Fort Myers, FL, Excel is a distributor of professional cleaning, restoration, pressure washing, and janitorial equipment and supplies in the Southeast.

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K-Tech Charities, Established by K-tech Kleening Systems, Raises Over $40,000 for Community Food Programs

The K-tech management team committed early on in the company’s history to supporting local community organizations through donations and volunteer activity.

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Anticimex continues US expansion, acquires Pestban

Pictured from left to right: Al Forrette, Pestban; Brian Alexson, Anticimex; Kathy Elliot, Pestban; and Jack Elliot, Pestban. PHOTO: ANTICIMEX

Anticimex continues its U.S. expansion with the acquisition of Woodstock, Ga.-based Pestban. Paul Giannamore and Franco Villanueva-Meyer of The Potomac Co. acted as exclusive financial adviser to Pestban.

Pestban is a leading and fast-growing pest management firm that has operations throughout Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina. In 2021, the company is on pace to generate annual revenues of $21 million with 20 percent organic growth. With the acquisition, Anticimex further strengthens its market position across the southeastern U.S.

“Partnering with the team at Pestban, marks another important milestone in our strategy to expand in the U.S. Pestban has a long and proud history as a leading provider of high-quality pest control services and has an impressive track record of growth,” Brian Alexson, regional president of Anticimex North America, said. “Their strong entrepreneurial culture and relentless focus on customer experience is very much aligned with Anticimex’ values of Trust, Innovation, Passion. Together with the local management team we will continue to grow Pestban and accelerate our growth in Georgia and beyond.”

Jack and Kathy Elliot, co-owners of Pestban, added, “We are thrilled to find a company like Anticimex that can take what we have built over the last 25 years to the next level. From the very first meeting, we felt that Anticimex was the right home for our team members and our loyal customers. With the alignment of core values and Anticimex’s available resources, our team members will have unique opportunities to develop professionally through the utilization of the decentralized business model and the organization’s global footprint. This is a partnership that we are very proud of.”

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Sacramento CA

Rentokil acquires Arrow Exterminating

Rentokil North America acquired New York-based Arrow Exterminating Co., which was finalized in June. PCO M&A Specialists (a division of PCO Bookkeepers) acted as exclusive financial advisors to Arrow Exterminating Co., Inc.

“We’re honored to welcome Arrow Exterminating Co. to the Rentokil family,” said John Myers, president and CEO of Rentokil North America. “As one of the largest pest control companies in the New York City area, Arrow Exterminating has a legacy of great customer service, and we look forward to continuing to foster those relationships with the customers and colleagues.”

Arrow Exterminating was founded in 1947 by Bernard Stegman, who passed the company to his daughters Jackie Grabin and Debby Tappan. The company provides pest control to commercial and residential customers in the five boroughs of New York City, as well as Long Island.

“When we decided it was time to sell, Rentokil was the only buyer we were interested in,” said Tappan and Grabin, owners and co-presidents of Arrow Exterminating Co. “We wanted a company that was going to be a great fit for employees and will treat our customers well. We are very happy with our decision to join Rentokil.”

In August, Rentokil North America also acquired Hamilton, Ontario-based Aanteater Pest Control and Wildlife Services.

About Rentokil

Rentokil is part of Rentokil North America, which provides commercial and residential pest control to customers in the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico. The comprehensive pest management solutions include general pest control, mosquito, termite and bed bug inspections and service, vegetation management and bird management.

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Sacramento CA

2021 Merger Guide: Selling your company

Photo: utah778/iStock / Getty Images Plus/Getty Images

Whether retiring or resetting, it may be time to make your move.

Pest Management Professional‘s exclusive survey reveals mergers and acquisitions lead to overwhelmingly favorable changes for all.

Pest control company owners who do not have family members or trusted employees to take over their businesses must one day make a decision: To whom will I sell my company?

Owners work hard to build their companies, which may have been in their families for generations. The deal they make with a buyer must reflect the success they achieved over the years. But money isn’t all that matters to most owners. Even if they no longer will be involved in the business, it’s important that their employees are taken care of, too.

A merger or acquisition can be beneficial to employees, according to readers who took Pest Management Professional’s (PMP’s) 2021 Merger Guide survey.

When asked “Can merging with a larger pest management provider help an acquired business improve career opportunities and employee retention?” the majority of respondents said yes. This is an intriguing question, as the coronavirus pandemic has made hiring and retaining employees a challenge for many pest control company owners. Of course, pest control isn’t the only industry with workers finding better opportunities with other companies or taking the leap to make a career change, but a change in ownership may be just what some employees need to stay. In addition, in many cases, the owners actually stay on in a consulting or managerial role — so they can focus on the industry they love, just without the headaches that can come with business ownership.

Even if you believe you’ll never sell your business, it doesn’t hurt to explore your options. You may be surprised at the possibilities that emerge from a merger or acquisition. After all, more than two-thirds of survey respondents agree with the statement “Every business is for sale; the only real question is, for how much?”

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Source: PMP Merger Survey 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

Source: PMP Merger Survey 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

Source: PMP Merger Survey 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

Source: PMP Merger Survey 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

Source: PMP Merger Survey 2017, 2018, 2019, 2020, 2021

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Sacramento CA

McCall Service hosts first annual pest summit

McCall Service hosted its First Annual Commercial Pest Management Summit on Sept. 24 with more than 110 attendees.

Originally scheduled for February 2020, the event was postponed several times due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The event drew 37 vendors to showcase their products and services to the industry. The event was also able to provide a platform for the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, Pest Management University, QualityPro and the National Wildlife Control Operators Association to demonstrate their resources for the pest control industry.The

The event drew pest management and food safety professionals from Florida and Georgia.

This year’s summit was created to showcase “The Facility Assessment.” Many of the speakers directed their presentations to building a true integrated pest management (IPM) program for clients by using a detailed inspection of facility assessment to help build an award-winning program.

Other summit speakers included: Judi Lazaro, of AIB International; Allie Allen, BCE, of QualityPro; Dr. Phil Koehler, professor emeritus at the University of Florida and a Pest Management Professional Hall of Famer, Class of 2015; Dr. Rebecca Baldwin, of the University of Florida; Matt Remmen, Bayer; Cory Goeltzenleuchter, PHE, of McCall Service; Dr. Nina Jenkins, ConidioTec; Mark Ruff, MHR Law; Rolando Calzadilla, Pest Wildlife Pro, LLC.; and Dustin Laursen, McCall Service.

The event also had a raffle prize drawing to raise over $1,200, which will be donated to the Florida Pest Management Association Foundation. The event also raffled off over 25 prizes donated by McCall Service and various vendors.

About McCall Service

McCall Service has been family-operated since 1928, when it started as an ice and coal delivery company. Now, the company delivers pest management solutions to commercial and residential customers throughout the southeastern U.S.

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Sacramento CA

Leading Your Property Restoration Business in a Post-Pandemic World

Now, more than ever, it’s a “buyer’s market” for labor with workers having the power to choose the organization, culture and job opportunity they want to “buy.” Your task is to be sure that your business entices the right employees to want to buy it over others.

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Getting Free Insurance: A Play Out of Insurance Company Playbooks

With a good subcontractor agreement that has solid insurance requirements, many of the most expensive losses in the restoration business can be offloaded on a primary basis onto the subcontractor’s liability insurance policies. The trick is the execution of the play by all the players on the field.

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Growth Leaders: Running like clockwork

Brain Schoonmaker is the president of Capitol Pest. PHOTO: BRIAN SCHOONMAKER

Brian Schoonmaker juggles a lot of responsibilities within the professional pest management industry. A former president of the Maryland State Pest Control Association, today he is its legislative chair and its state policy affairs representative (SPAR) for the National Pest Management Association. And of course, he’s also involved in the day-to-day responsibilities of Capitol Pest. He started with the company in 2011 as VP, and has served as president since 2015.

Schoonmaker encourages colleagues to “stop sitting on the sidelines and start getting involved” by doing things like attending local association board meetings and seeing where they can use their time and talents to help out on committees, event planning, and more.

Schoonmaker makes it sound easy enough, but how does he manage to balance it all? In a word, he says: Delegate.

“Don’t make the mistake I made by trying to do it all myself for far too long,” he recalls. “Hire the right managers. Train them, trust them, and watch the engine turn without you as quickly as you can so you do not burn yourself out. As long as you set up your standard operating procedures in every way possible to streamline your processes, and teach others to manage them, you will be both successful and happy. One does not have to be at the cost of the other.”

He attributes what he has learned not only to experience, but by studying entrepreneurial experts. “The book Clockwork, by Mike Michalowicz, changed my life the most,” he says. “It’s about designing your business to run itself. Read it if you haven’t already; it will change your life if you are struggling to let go.”

With his leadership team ensuring the firm runs smoothly overall, Schoonmaker can focus on other matters, such as what it takes to attract and retain employees.

”We try our best to get people home to their families at a reasonable hour and try not to have anyone working on Saturdays, even during the busy season,” he offers as an example. “Does this practice hurt our bottom line? Sure it does, but I decided long ago that we could make it up somewhere else. It has proven to be the right decision.”

Schoonmaker says events that are fun and easy to put together go a long way in keeping company morale high, such as “throwing a company party in the middle of the summer to release some tension and come together as a team, a bowling event or some other activity, and giving a turkey or ham for Thanksgiving to every employee. Pre-pandemic, I was taking every employee out for a one-on-one breakfast twice per year in an effort to check in on them as individuals, and to support them in their growth and challenges as a mentor to young people.”

There are the big things, too, he adds, like “great benefits, a track for people to grow and earn more money, as we are growing fast and need leaders, and a lot of love and support.”

But alongside that love and support is a focus on growth, he says, advising colleagues to “set up your culture around selling and maintaining a high-retention rate of recurring revenue services. Not only will that help you build quickly, but you’ll also be extremely profitable due to route density, and be more attractive to possible buyers when you are ready to retire. Think of routing as the firewood for the fire.”

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Sacramento CA

ISSA Show North America Moving Forward In-Person

The show is confirmed to take place in-person November 15–18, at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Robust protocols have been put into place to ensure a safe and responsible event.

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Industry foundation offers grants, scholarships

The Pest Management Foundation, affiliated with the National Pest Management Association, is offering student scholarships and grants for pest management industry-related research.

The foundation’s scholarship program will award up to five $2,000 scholarships to outstanding students at accredited entomology programs at U.S. colleges or universities. In return, scholarship recipients will be asked to provide a letter explaining how the scholarship has helped the in their academic and research endeavors.

Currently enrolled undergraduate (junior or senior year) or graduate students majoring in entomology and focused on urban pest management are eligible. Students must have completed at least two semesters of study with at least one year remaining before graduation. Applicants must be full-time students in good academic standing (3.0 GPA or better on 4.0 scale). Only one scholarship will be awarded per college or university each year.

Application process:

• Submit resume or curriculum vitae.
• Submit current academic transcript.
• Submit a one-page (minimum) essay describing applicant’s professional goals and aspirations and how he/she plans to use their studies to contribute to a field in urban pest management.
• A letter of recommendation from student’s faculty advisor addressing the applicant’s progress in students and/or research, its potential contribution to urban pest management, and his or her work ethic.
• Other supporting documents (research papers and proposals, faculty research participation, related industry internship participation, fellowship projects, industry work experience, etc.) can also be submitted.
• The deadline for the application is Nov. 1, 2021.

For more information and to submit application materials, contact Jim Fredericks via email at jfredericks@pestworld.org.

Research proposal grants

The Pest Management Foundation also plans to award up to $30,000 for pest management industry-related research.

The foundation may choose to fund one or more projects. However, the foundation reserves the right to decline to fund any of the propose submissions.

Each submission should include a one- to two-page preliminary written proposal. Applicability to professional pest control and specific benefits to the pest management industry should be clearly articulated in the proposal. Formatting of the submission is flexible, except that the submissions should not exceed two pages.

Each preliminary proposal must include:

• Name and affiliation of principal investigator.
• An executive summary, succinctly explaining the proposed project.
• A brief explanation of the problem, hypotheses and description of methods and materials.
• A statement of the objectives/goals of the research.
• A brief timetable outlining project milestones. Proposed projects must reach completion within 18 months of being awarded the grants, although no-cost extensions may be available on a case-by-case basis.
• Total grant award requested. Note: 75 percent of the grant total wll be dispersed at the onset of the project; the remaining 25 percent will be paid upon completion of the final research report to the foundation.
• Note: Funds will be distributed by the foundation will be allocated specifically for direct costs associated with conducting, analyzing and reporting data and conclusions. Administrative fees proposed shall be used for direct administrative support on the project. Funding allocated for indirect costs, such as non-project administrative fees or general university fees shall not exceed five percent. All funding shall be subject to audit by the foundation or assigned third parties.

The deadline for submitting preliminary proposals is Nov. 1, 2021. Proposals should be submitted to Jim Fredricks via email at jfredericks@pestworld.org.

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Sacramento CA

2021 Wildfire Report Identifies States at Highest Economic Risk for Wildfire

The 2021 Wildfire Report by CoreLogic examines property-related wildfire risk alongside reconstruction resource availability, temporary housing capacity for displaced individuals, and community economic recovery potential among fire-prone regions.

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Steve Willis Named President of AdvantaClean

As president of AdvantaClean, Willis will guide the growth of the franchise through the expansion of the company footprint, as well as developing relationships with key national accounts.

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PestRoutes and Lobster Marketing expand as FieldRoutes

PestRoutes and Lobster Marketing, providers of pest control software-as-a-service (SaaS), have rebranded as FieldRoutes to deliver modern technology to field service companies looking to grow.

This will enable expansion into new verticals and also development of new solutions for pest control and lawn care service providers.

“As two brands and sister companies, PestRoutes and Lobster Marketing shared like-minded values,” William Chaney, chief executive officer of FieldRoutes, said. “Together, under one united brand, our mission and values remain, and we are committed to fueling our customers’ growth.” Chaney continued, “Over the years, we’ve seen an increasing trend with the pest control customers we serve adding residential lawn care as part of their service offerings. Aligning PestRoutes and Lobster Marketing under one brand allows us to expand, and as such, it was a natural progression for us to expand our capabilities and officially enter the lawn care market.”

Over the years, the company has served customers that are in lawn care, either because they are also in pest control and are loyal PestRoutes customers or because they actively sought out PestRoutes to solve their software needs after dissatisfaction with other lawn care solutions.

Law care customers using FieldRoutes’ operations suite, on average, report growing their customer base by up to 44 percent within the first year using the software. Lawn care customers using fieldRoutes’ sales and marking suite have seen year-over-year returns on their marketing investment ranging from two-and-a-half to 11 times.

FieldRoutes Chief Product Officer Piyum Samaraweera added, “We learned that to truly serve the lawn care market, we needed to add additional capabilities, which we’ve completed. We expect continued high growth for both existing and new customers thanks to the newly launched functionality built to suit the lawn care market.”

The product line-up now includes FieldRoutes’ operations suite (formerly PestRoutes), FieldRoutes’ sales and marketing suite (formerly Lobster Marketing) and FieldRoutes Payments, the integrated payment solution that delivers enhanced payment functionality, such as the account updater which automatically updates lost, stolen, expired, or closed customer payment card information.

The software now includes service plan functionality, which allows clients to bundle multiple services into discount packages, and the ability to charge customers by measurement. It also now includes property estimations and updated routing functionality to take technician skills and certifications into consideration when scheduling service.

Another enhancement is the ability to route by chemical capacity, which allows clients to optimize routes by the amount of chemicals that can be carried by each vehicle. Rounding out enhancements is the addition of pre-payment discounts as well as consolidated invoicing, which allows clients to create a single master invoice for individual services completed during a specific period. This new invoice type allows clients to process payments for these services together as their workflows may require.

“PestRoutes and Lobster Marketing have a long history of helping clients grow quickly and scale their operations. We’re excited to bring that same energy to the lawn care industry and field services as a whole,” continued Chaney. “These exciting new features are just the tip of the iceberg as our team continues to craft innovative solutions to meet the needs of field service organizations looking to grow their business and do it more efficiently.”

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Sacramento CA

Go-Forth named a recipient of Triad Business Journal‘s Fast 50 Award

Go-Forth Pest Control announced itself as one of the 50 recipients of the Triad Business Journal’s Fast 50 Award in 2021.

The event aims to honor the 50 most rapidly growing, privately held companies in the Triad area that have been positively impacting the growing, local economy.

To be eligible for the awards program, companies must be private, for-profit companies within the United States, headquartered in the Triad. They also must have completed three full fiscal years with at least $2 million in revenue in 2020.

“It’s really a great honor to be celebrated for our team’s hard work and dedication to growth, which is one of our company’s core values. Growth is our purpose: Growing as people and growing our business,” said Chase Hazelwood, CEO and owner of Go-Forth Pest Control.

Go-Forth Pest Control is a family-owned pest control business with locations spread across North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.

In the September issues of Pest Management Professional magazine, Go-Forth Pest Control owners discusses its 60-year-plus history, and how it attuned to today’s trends for continued success.

The honorees will be celebrated at a networking event taking place Thursday, Oct. 7, at 5:30 p.m. at the Nido and Mariana Qubein Arena and Conference Center at High Point (N.C.) University.

About Go-Forth Pest Control

Founded in 1959, Go-Forth Pest Control has branches in Lake Norman, Charlotte and Raleigh, N.C.; Columbia, S.C.; and Richmond, Va. It is a third-generation, family-owned business. The company’s mission is to be people-focused in all they do and to hold themselves accountable in the highest standards of services to help the growth of its team and business. Go-Forth is committed to being a modern, innovative industry leader with the personal touch of a local, family-owned company.

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Sacramento CA

Roll it Uphill: A Lesson in Leadership and Accountability

Rolling it uphill requires that before we blame the team for being careless or sloppy, we as leaders look in the mirror and ask ourselves if we truly set our teams up for success.

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Fighting Pathogens on the Front Lines of a Pandemic: Microbial Warriors Program Proves a Timely Solution

A solid team can accomplish more together than they would individually. This is why so many success stories come from companies who find business partners to help them reach their goals and provide the best training.

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Back on track: Cockroach management survey

Illustration: Denys/iStock / Getty Images Plus/ Getty Images (map)

What a difference a year makes. Pest Management Professional’s (PMP’s) 2021 Cockroach Management Survey shows customers are getting back on track when it comes to cockroach control.

Although pest control was deemed an essential service at the outset of last year’s coronavirus pandemic, many residential customers preferred no contact with technicians and most commercial establishments closed. The data this year show that’s no longer the case.

When asked “Have any customers told you directly they are canceling or delaying cockroach control service because of the economy’s downturn or other impacts of COVID-19?” 57 percent of respondents said customers did not cancel or delay their cockroach management services. When asked last year, that figure was a low 33 percent.

This year, only 16 percent of those asked said customers delayed their cockroach management services; last year, 31 percent of the pest management professionals (PMPs) asked said so.

In addition, PMPs are optimistic their cockroach control business will continue to climb this year, as 85 percent of survey respondents expect their 2021 revenue to be higher than revenue collected in 2020. Last year, 72 percent of respondents believed that to be true.

As for the most profitable accounts PMPs service, single-family homes rank highest, the same as last year. Restaurants dropped one spot to third, however, with apartments and multi-family housing taking over the second spot. Perhaps this change is a result of pandemic-related restaurant closures — both temporary and permanent.

Of the control methods PMPs prefer, our survey this year shows the use of glue boards, sanitation and exclusion increased. Baits, liquid pesticides and insect growth regulators (IGRs) topped the list once again.

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Most-requested Cockroach Management Service Frequency

1. Monthly
2. Quarterly
3. Weekly

Top 3 Cockroach Management Drivers

1. Repeat business and referrals.
2. Control solutions are more effective today.
3. Increased awareness of public-health risks.

Top 3 Cockroach Management Obstacles

1. Do-it-yourself (DIY) products.
2. Fierce pricing competition.
3. Educating home and business owners and municipalities on related public-health risks.

Profitability by Account Type

1. Single-family homes
2. Apartments & multi-family housing
3. Restaurants
4. Food processing plants & warehouses
5. Resorts & hotels
6. Schools & daycare centers
7. Healthcare facilities
8. Planes, trains & buses

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ILLUSTRATIONS: browndogstudios/iStock / Getty Images Plus

 

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Sacramento CA

How to retain revenue when clients relocate

I was surprised to find out that the average time people in the U.S. stay in their homes is 13 years — at least, according to personal finance analysis firm ValuePenguin. I never would have guessed that, because I have clients who move all the time.

Retaining revenue when clients move hardly seems like it would be a problem. However, in my company alone, this happens at least once or twice per month. It’s not Earth-shattering, but if you can’t retain that revenue, that’s a couple hundred bucks that gets packed up in a moving van and drives away, never to be seen again.

Fortunately for me, many of my clients who move are just going across town or to another county that my company also services. No harm, no foul. That said, for the folks who truly are getting out of Dodge, it’s “Thanks for the great service, but we don’t need you anymore.”

ACT FAST

To retain revenue when your clients move, there are several steps you can, and should take. After all, it’s likely you have a vested interest in that home/structure, and know it better than the owners did themselves. It would be great all the way around to just keep rolling with your services, wouldn’t it?

In my experience, the key is that whatever you do, do it quickly. People tend to “spruce up” their new homes, and waste no time hiring providers for services they believe they’ll need right away. Companies that offer pest control, lawn care, tree removal, cleaning, painting, and gutter replacement services tend to be popular with new homeowners. If you wait a month — or even a week — sometimes you’re already too late.

5 IDEAS TO TRY

There is no silver bullet, but I’ve had success when I’ve used the following five tactics:

1. Enlist the help of your client who is moving. If you have brochures or business cards, ask your current client to leave one in the kitchen drawer.
2. Leave something tangible and not easily removable in the home being sold. Stickers work well, but put them in places where the new owner will see them on the first day and again as they settle in to their new home. Use good quality stickers that do not look cheap or have letters/numbers that will fade.
3. Send the new homeowners a welcome gift, such as a gift basket, and use the opportunity to share the history of the pest control services you provided in their new home. Timing is everything, however, so do it quickly.
4. Send the new homeowners a letter or card. This works well, but if it’s not personal or compelling, it will just blend in with the rest of the junk mail that fills their new mailbox.
5. Knock on their door. This tactic can work, but people tend to get overwhelmed when they first move in, and you may be seen as an unwelcome interruption. If you’re going to take this step, it’s best to bring a peace offering as well (see No. 3).

---

TIPS FROM THE PEST CEMETERY CREW

“Talk to Realtors. Pay a visit to the new owners. Be proactive.”
— Bryan Baird, Owner, Baird’s Pest Control, Valdosta, Ga.

“I ask my customer to give my info to the new owner, and do a drive-by shortly after if I haven’t heard from them. I have some houses for which
I am on the third and fourth owner.”
— Bob McCluskey, Route Technician, Florida Pest Control, Panama City, Fla.

“[Being retained] is the best referral out there. Not only do you transfer service to the new owner, but if the move is local, you gain a service at the new address.”
— Rodney Ranney, Owner, All American Termite and Pest Control, Waynesville, Ohio

“If you build a good relationship with your customers, you will be moving with them to their new homes, and they will be referring you to the new buyers.”
— Phil Tubbs, Owner, Tornado Alley Pest Control, Tulsa, Okla.

The post How to retain revenue when clients relocate appeared first on Pest Management Professional.

from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/09/29/how-to-retain-revenue-when-clients-relocate/
Sacramento CA

Neighborly Launches New Mobile App

The app is designed to quickly and easily connect homeowners with top local service professionals to address their home maintenance and enhancement needs.

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Mold Remediation Baltimore

Sasser Restoration Appoints Chris Mitchell Senior Vice President - DFW

Mitchell has worked in the construction, restoration, and facilities management industries for 15 years and brings a valuable perspective in the mitigation process.

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Three in Four Recent Homebuyers Report Concern Over Natural Disasters Impacts Their Housing Decisions

Natural disasters that are most concerning to homeowners include: tornadoes (39%), severe cold or winter storms (38%), floods (35%), hurricanes (29%), earthquakes (21%), wildfires (17%), droughts (11%) and sinkholes (8%).

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Mold Remediation Baltimore

ABC Shares Concerns Around OSHA Emergency Temporary Standard on COVID-19 Vaccination and Testing

"The COVID-19 pandemic has already created and accelerated a host of challenges for the construction industry, including a skilled workforce shortage, rising material costs, supply chain disruptions, jobsite shut-downs, additional health and safety protocols and new government regulations. The forthcoming ETS only adds to this long list of concerns," the statement read.

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Annual Business Planning 101 for Property Restoration Contractors

The value of strategic business planning, who should be involved, when it should happen, how to ensure it fuels action, why bother in a world of extreme uncertainty and more common questions answered by Jeff Jones of Violand Management Associates.

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IN MEMORIAM: Millard Oldham, Butch Cauthen

Millard Oldham

Millard Oldham, who with his wife, Ada, co-founded Oldham Chemical Co. in 1966, died Sept. 26 at age 95. Both he and Ada are members of the Pest Management Professional Hall of Fame (Class of 2007). He also leaves behind daughter and son-in-law Marsha and Tommy Reeves, granddaughter and grandson-in-law Stephanie and Blake O’Briant, and three great-grandchildren. Per his obituary, memorial donations can be made to to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, and the Collierville First Baptist Church. As the Hall of Fame profile notes:

After [Millard and Ada] graduated from college in 1951, Millard began his career as a formulation chemist for a chemical company in Memphis, which is where he first encountered PMPs. He admired their dedication and commitment to making life better for the public at large, so when he and Ada decided to launch their own company after moving twice with other chemical companies and being unable to break into sales as they wanted to do, it was a natural choice for them to serve the pest management industry.

Founding a company can be a scary proposition, however, so Millard and Ada Oldham wanted to know what they were getting into before launching this bold venture. So Millard wrote to the pest management firms he’d served with the other company and asked them if they would back a new distribution company. The positive response surprised both of them.

“We received letters in return, and 60 percent of them said they would back us,” Millard Oldham says. “So we said, “What the heck? Let’s go home.’”

“I figured I could get most of them — maybe 70 percent of them — back as customers by the end of the year, so that’s when we moved back to Memphis…”

Millard Oldham believes that remaining focused on customers and their ever-changing needs will keep Oldham Chemicals successful long into the future.

“I truly believe this is the best industry in the world, and it’s all because of the people,” Millard Oldham says. “Customers were — and still are — the main thing,” Millard says. “Whatever they wanted, they would get — and we still operate that way today.”

Butch Cauthen

In addition, William “Butch” Cauthen Jr. died Sept. 21 at age 74. He was a 39-year employee of Oldham Chemical Co. Per his obituary, Cauthen leaves behind his wife of 39 years, Carol; three children and five grandchildren. Memorial donations can be made to the Dawson Memorial Baptist Church Children’s Ministry.

Both men were members of Pi Chi Omega: Oldham joined the industry fraternity in 1983; Cauthen in 1977. Oldham and his wife also received legacy membership in 2018 for their stewardship of the organization, especially its scholarship program.

The Pest Management Professional magazine staff sends its condolences to the Oldham and Cauthen families, their friends and their colleagues.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/09/28/in-memoriam-millard-oldham-butch-cauthen/
Sacramento CA

Registration open for 2022 Wildlife Expo

Registration is now open for the 2022 National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA) and the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) Wildlife Expo on Feb. 1-3.

Registration is now open for the 2022 National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA) and the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) Wildlife Expo on Feb. 1-3 in Orlando, Fla.

The Wildlife Expo educational program will provide both technical and business-related information to professionals who are involved in wildlife management or are considering offering this valuable add-on service. The program also features a variety of networking opportunities and the chance to check out the latest technology services in the Exhibit Hall.

The expo is open to all company sizes, from a large company to one-person shop, and will use this opportunity to grow your business.

To make your reservations at the Caribe Royal hotel, click here or call 407-238-8000 and mention “NWCOA” by Jan. 14, 2022, to receive the group rate of $199 per night.

More information on the full program will be released soon.

About NPMA

The National Pest Management Association, a non-profit organization with nearly 5,000 members from around the world, was established in 1933 to support the pest management industry’s commitment to the protection of public health, food and property. This commitment is reflected both in the continuing education of pest management professionals and the dissemination of timely information to homeowners and businesses.

About NWCOA

National Wildlife Control Operators Association is a national trade association representing the wildlife control industry. As a membership-based, non-profit organization, NWCOA is dedicated to supporting businesses and providers of wildlife control services by providing training and education, and promoting competence, service and integrity within the wildlife damage management industry.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/09/28/registration-open-for-2022-wildlife-expo/
Sacramento CA

NPMA seeks SPARs with a calling to serve

What can pest management professionals (PMPs) do to help ensure legislators maintain their mission of protecting public health and property? Become a State Policy Affairs Representative (SPAR) who will advocate for the structural pest management industry.

The SPAR program is an important part of the National Pest Management Association’s (NPMA’s) Public Policy efforts. SPARs maintain relationships with local and state legislators to ensure proposed policies will continue to protect the people in their communities.

The National Pest Management Association recognized, at PestWorld 2019, the State Policy Affairs Representatives (SPARs) who work hard each year on legislative and regulatory issues. PHOTO: PMP STAFF

The NPMA says if it weren’t for this program, there would have been countless products banned, more taxes and burdensome regulations eating away at your bottom line, and more Americans vulnerable to dangerous and deadly pests.

SPARs represent their states for a two-year term. The NPMA asks each state’s pest control association board of directors to nominate a SPAR and a vice SPAR to serve a two-year term that will run 2022-2023. SPARs are required to be a member of the NPMA and may serve consecutive terms. The deadline for nominations is Oct. 1.

Recently, SPARs helped:

• Ensure technicians could obtain or renew pest control licenses during the pandemic.
• Crack down on illegal pest control operators.
• Defeat sales tax requirements on pest control services.
• Advocate for science-based bed bug policies that require landlords to hire PMPs for bed bug inspections and treatments.

Each year at PestWorld, the NPMA recognizes SPARs at a reception sponsored by Bayer-Crop Science. At last year’s virtual meeting, NPMA Director of Public Policy Jake Plevelich praised their dedication to the industry, saying, “The SPAR program represents a culture of hard work, service to the industry, and ultimately earning successful outcomes for the structural pest management industry so that we can continue to protect public health and property.”

If you are a member of the NPMA and want to learn more about the SPAR and vice SPAR positions, additional details are here.

For questions about the NPMA’s SPAR program, or to nominate a SPAR and vice SPAR, contact Plevelich.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/09/28/npma-seeks-spars-with-a-calling-to-serve/
Sacramento CA

CDS Services ranks on top federal government contractors list

CDS Services Inc., Murrieta, Calif., was ranked No. 2 on a list of the Top 100 Federal Government Pest Control Prime Contractors for fiscal year 2021.

David Poplin

The ranking of the company, which is a certified service-disabled veteran-owned small business (SDVOSB), was based on the value of contracts awarded in 2021. During this time, CDS Services was awarded more than $2.8M in federal contracts throughout the United States.

David Poplin, CDS Services CEO and a Marine veteran, said he is grateful for this achievement and honored to provide pest control services to the Department of Veterans Affairs and fellow veterans, one of the company’s biggest federal customers.

Poplin said his company’s government business model seeks federal government pest control opportunities using its SDVOSB set-aside certification, which is offered through the U.S. Small Business Administration. He is the president, owner and qualifying military veteran for this certification, which is designed to help the federal government meet its goal of awarding at least three percent of all federal contracting dollars to SDVOSB.

“We have a team that focuses on seeking out and managing these government opportunities,” he said. “Our contracts are throughout the United States, so we work with many different partners to perform pest control services. It’s a win-win because it brings long-term stability to both our partners and CDS Services.”

CDS Services Inc., dba Legion Pest Management, was launched in 2013. The company is a member of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), Pest Control Operators of California (PCOC), and PestVets, the NPMA’s military veteran-focused group.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/09/28/cds-services-ranks-on-top-federal-government-contractors-list/
Sacramento CA

Face It and Embrace It: Two Powerful Principles for Leading Your Restoration Business Into the Future

While some of today’s issues are unique, there will always be major obstacles restoration contractors must solve, resolve or absolve to find success. It has always been this way, and it always will be.

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XOi Technologies announces partnership with ServiceTitan

XOi Technologies, which offers a complete system of record and enablement for field service data collection and indexing, announces a strategic partnership with ServiceTitan, parent company of ServicePro.

The collaboration is an expansion of the existing integration between the two essential field service technologies, and delivers ServiceTitan customers a complete end-to-end technology solution.

Xoi’s software empowers field service providers and their technicians to safely capture crucial jobsite information, map their customers’ asset universe, inform and drive sales and training strategies, enable on-the-job remote virtual support and provide customers and offices with visual documentation to verify recommended and completed work.

ServiceTitan offers software solutions to help home and commercial service providers grow their businesses and improve customer service. ServiceTitan’s end-to-end software suite includes customer relationship management (CRM), intelligent dispatching, custom reporting, marketing automation, a mobile solution for field techs, financing technology and more.

“In today’s economic climate, contractors are looking for a single, all-inclusive technology solution that streamlines the collection and management of invaluable jobsite data,” Aaron Salow, XOi founder and CEO, said. “Because of its outstanding products and commitment to truly serving the industry, ServiceTitan has built a network of contractors around the world, and we’re proud they’ve selected us to be part of their community.”

“We’re excited to partner with XOi to equip our collective customers with even more actionable data and insights, collected seamlessly from the field,” Vahe Kuzoyan, co-founder and president of ServiceTitan, said. “We expect these insights to power better business outcomes for ServiceTitan customers and, as a result, power an even higher quality experience for business owners and home owners.”

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/09/28/xoi-technologies-announces-partnership-with-servicetitan/
Sacramento CA

Bird control: Understanding bird habits

Erick Wolf, CEO, Innolytics

While there are many different pest birds, pigeons are by far the most prevalent. Understanding their behaviors and biology are vital to having a successful control program.

For example, pigeons are considered “resident birds” as opposed to “migratory birds.” This means that once they nest successfully, they are not going anywhere else, and the customer has them for the life of the bird. Therefore, part of the control program is to determine whether the birds are nesting at your customer’s location, loafing for the afternoon, foraging, or just passing through. Any recommendation for an abatement strategy should be based on what you observe.

Under some circumstances, it can be relatively easy to give birds an incentive to depart and find other places to spend their time. Even a simple harassment strategy often will work to move loafing birds. The challenge escalates if you have birds nesting on your customer’s property.

Resolving nesting birds, often referred to as a bird “roost” or “roosting” birds, almost always represents a more challenging job. Physical exclusion is the gold standard, but is not always practical or cost-effective. Before recommending any solution, make sure you have completely evaluated the nature of the problem. Touch base with your suppliers if your job is more complex, as their representatives have had years of experience and often can point you in the right direction.

There are many different bird control options, but the selection of the appropriate tools requires an understanding of the bird’s behavior and habits. Without a basic understanding, your plan is prone to failure. Ensure a successful outcome by taking the time to properly evaluate the nature and scope of the problem.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/09/28/bird-control-understanding-bird-habits/
Sacramento CA

Liphatech: NoTox Product Line

IMAGE: LIPHATECH

Liphatech’s NoTox brand is now a family of products featuring NoTox Soft Bait Attractant, formerly known as Liphatech Rat & Mouse Attractant. Along with NoTox Monitoring Blocks, non-toxic NoTox Soft Bait Attractant is highly attractive to rodents, nuisance animals and pests, even when competing food is available, the company says. NoTox Soft Bait Attractant can be used with or without the paper wrapper on snap traps and glue boards, and in bait stations and live-catch traps. Targeted pests include, but are not limited to, house mice, Norway rats, roof rats, raccoons, chipmunks and squirrels. NoTox Soft Bait Attractant is available in new packaging from distributors in cases containing eight 1-pound labeled bags of 10-gram pouches, labeled for sale by the case or 1-pound bag.

Liphatech.com

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/09/28/liphatech-notox-product-line/
Sacramento CA

LIPCA: Owned by pest and lawn pros

Since 1985, LIPCA Insurance has been 100 percent owned by pest and lawn professionals and their families. Its sole insurance program is completely focused on pest and lawn businesses and their exposures. LIPCA specializes with GL, Property, IM, BPP, CYBER and Excess/Umbrella coverages. It has access to Workers Compensation (W/C) and Auto coverages in most states. The firm will also work with any agent you choose. In addition, LIPCA has free pest, termite, bed bug and other contract templates available for its insureds.

LIPCA.com

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2021/09/26/lipca-owned-by-pest-and-lawn-pros/
Sacramento CA