5 tips to enhance flea and tick control

Tim Husen

Syngenta

Effective flea and tick control can be difficult in some environments. However, with proper preparation and communication, you can greatly enhance your success. Here are five easy steps to follow:

1. Inspect. Interview clients to help identify and inspect all potential flea and tick harborages.

2. Prepare. Maximize treatment areas by clearing the floor inside and picking up debris outside. Clean all floors and bedding indoors while following cleaning product labels. Treat rugs and cloth furniture, and wash pet bedding. Mow the yard to allow treatment penetration and remove outdoor clutter such as pet bowls, firewood and debris piles. If present, inspect and clear out any crawlspace debris and remove animals before treatment.

3. Target. Apply products in common harborage sites, which often include shaded areas, areas where pets rest outside and areas where ecotone changes (such as marshlands between dry and wet ecosystems) occur.

4. Treat. Use both an appropriately labeled adulticide and an IGR for the best results.

5. Communicate. Explain the process to clients before making applications. This should include when they can return to treated areas and when they should expect decreased populations.

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Sacramento CA

J.F. Oakes: VA88 Residulen BOGO Offer

IMAGE: J.F. OAKES

Now through Aug. 30, 2024, J.F. Oakes is offering a buy one, get one free (BOGO) promotion on VA88 Residulen with Leave Behind Kill. This non-repellent, odorless and ready-to-use (RTU) insecticide is exempt from the Federal Insecticide, Fungicide & Rodenticide Act (FIFRA) 25(b), which means it’s a minimum-risk product. Made in the USA, its two-phase formula kills bed bugs on contact and provides six-month residual protection. It won’t flush out cockroaches, which makes it ideal for restaurant accounts, the company says. VA88 Residulen is also labeled for a variety of additional crawling insects, including ants, carpet beetles, fleas and more.

About J.F. Oakes Sales & Marketing

As a salesman of termite and rodent control products for a major chemical manufacturer for 26 years, Jim Oakes worked closely with both industry distributors and pest control companies all over the southeastern U.S. Recognizing a need for product lines specifically designed for the pest control industry, Oakes founded J.F. Oakes Sales & Marketing in May 1989.

With his experience and knowledge of termites and treatments, the first lines Oakes introduced were drill bits and spray hoses. Sheffield Masonry Drill Bits were designed with an emphasis on using quality European steel for durability and a full selection of shanks, diameters and lengths commonly used by pest control companies. Chemtrol, now known as Chemoak, was designed with consideration to chemical resistance, safety factors, working pressures, flexibility and ease of use.

Nearly four decades later, the product lines of J.F.Oakes Sales & Marketing include not only equipment, but encompass a wide range of products, including:

• Advantage Flying Insect and Yellow Jacket Traps
• Pro-Pest Professional Lures for Rodents and Nuisance Wildlife
• XLure Pheromone Monitoring Traps
• Pro-Pest and Safestore brands
• Pro-Pest Pantry & Clothes Moth Traps
• Pro-Pest Crawling Insect Traps
• Pro-Pest Bedbug Monitors

J.F.Oakes Sales & Marketing sells its products through distributors in the U.S., Canada and internationally.

JFOakes.com

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Sacramento CA

Trio of companies on track to success

As I’m typing this article from my desk in “Schoplahoma” — my new home in Oklahoma — it is the end of May and graduation season is upon us. My wife and I have received sooo many graduation invitations this year from nieces, nephews, cousins, children of friends, our accountant, our accountant’s neighbor, the guy I met at the deli last week, etc.

To keep with the spirit of the season, let’s celebrate three companies that have graduated from the Pete Schopen “Start-up Stories” University 101.

Website refresh aids New Jersey PMP

Carlos Lugo

First impressions can make or break a company. Carlos Lugo of Resolve Pest Management learned that hard lesson last year as he was struggling with his website. In 2023, the Bayville, N.J.-based pest management professional (PMP) was only getting 30 website visits per month. In 2024, however, that number has grown to more than 500 monthly visits.

“My website plays a large role in my success,” he told me. “I spent a lot of time last year working on improving it, and now I’m getting calls like crazy!” Lugo receives three to four online submissions per day, and his phones are so busy he decided to hire a secretary.

Because work has been so promising for Lugo, he rehired his seasonal employee from last year and added another part-time position to help with the jobs. While his technicians are servicing the regular clients, he wants to continue networking and building work relationships.

Lugo doesn’t want to step out of the field completely, though; he is still handling most of the company’s wildlife calls. Everything seems to be clicking for this father of five. His growth looks promising:

2022: $141,000
2023: $180,000
2024 goal: $240,000

BHAG (big hairy audacious goal): Lugo would like to hire two full-time techs and pay off his existing loans.

High honors for Georgia pair

Nicole Gorman

Earlier this year, the Georgia Business Journal named Evans Termite & Pest Control as the “Best of Georgia” in the pest control division. Second-generation PMP Nicole Gorman, co-owner of the Locust Grove, Ga.-based company, has been incredibly receptive to some of the changes I recommended to her and her husband, Tim Ivey, last year:

They cut down on their training time to allow their techs to start making money for the company sooner.

They added WhatsApp to all their employees’ phones for better communication.

Gorman is spending more time in the office vs. the field, and she is working very hard at making meetings productive. “I used to go through meetings quickly,” she admitted. “But now I take my time and make sure everyone understands our procedures.”

They hired another worker in 2024, giving them three full-time techs.

They purchased two new trucks.

They landed their first big commercial account, an automotive company.

Tim Ivey

Things have been going so well at Evans Pest that even the bad things turn out good. A big part of their company culture is their award-winning Halloween decorations. Unfortunately, someone stole Tinkerbell, their scarecrow, right before last year’s contest! But the community support and social media coverage looking for Tinkerbell was tremendous.

2022: $347,000
2023: $455,000
2024 goal: $590,000

BHAG: Triple commercial accounts

Brothers accomplish incredible growth

Tyson and Kris Elling

To say that Sasquatch Pest is leaving a “bigfoot”-sized impression in Northwest Washington is an understatement. Thanks to the sales acumen of Tyson Elling and the search engine optimization (SEO) prowess of Kris Elling, company revenues are soaring. After a successful 2023 campaign that saw their company grow by 144 percent, they are on pace for 100 percent growth again in 2024. They hired their first tech this year and are considering adding a second before Labor Day. They are signing up nearly 100 new clients every month!

According to Kris, placing Tyson in the office full-time was a smart move for Sasquatch.

“Tyson is in an area that plays to his strengths,” he reports, pointing to his brother’s friendly nature and knowledge of pest control that made him a natural fit for customer service. The fact that Tyson has had knee replacement surgery and shoulder operations added to the urgency to transition him to working the phones.

Kris would like to get out of the field soon, too, so that he can continue to handle the SEO, work on training, and monitor the quality of the jobs being done by Sasquatch. Kris has become so proficient with SEO work that he is currently teaming up with Zach Bernstein and Kiki Uher of Bugsy Pest — a 2024 “Start-up Stories” participant — to help them with their marketing.

2022: $146,000
2023: $356,000
2024 goal: $700,000

BHAG: $1 million

Congrats to these three great companies. You are all valedictorians of business!

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Sacramento CA

Service Partners: Premium Black Ultra Bag

IMAGE: SERVICE PARTNERS

Service Partners now offers Ultra-Bag’s Premium Black Ultra Bag (UBBK17), billed as “the ultimate solution for insulation vacuum needs.” This high-quality bag is guaranteed not to rip or tear and comes with a Lifetime Warranty. If by any chance the bag gets damaged, it will be replaced free of charge, no questions asked. With a generous capacity of 75 cubic feet, the Black Bag is compatible with all major vacuum brands.

Made of 100 percent polypropylene non-woven fabric, it is the only vacuum bag that has been officially tested using ASTM International standards. The cross-blending design allows for better breathing while holding strength.

At 4.3 ounces, these bags are considered to be the thickest in North America, per the manufacturer. They measure 4 feet by 6 feet, with an 11-inch neck opening.

Ask for the Premium Black Ultra Bag, model UBBK17, at any Service Partners Location and experience the difference for yourself! Find a Service Partners location near you at Service-Partners.com.

About Service Partners

Service Partners is a leading distributor of residential insulation products and related accessories in the United States. It boasts more than 75 distribution centers nationwide that offer a comprehensive array of products, servicing all 50 states. The Daytona Beach, Fla.-based company also carries a variety of other products, including:

• Supreme Plus cellulose
• Cellulose
• Fiberglass Batts and Rolls
• Fiberglass Blown-In
• Rigid Board
• Rain Gutter Protection Supplies
• Gutter Machines & Equipment
• Gun foam, caulks and sealants
• Poly sheathing
• Insulation accessories, such as recessed light covers, Tyvek suits, etc.
• Forward-Looking Infrared (FLIR) cameras
• Crawlspace encapsulation products

Service-Partners.com

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Sacramento CA

Presidential Cockroach Derby set for August 15 at Raritan Valley Community College

This year’s presidential cockroach race will see a battle between two Madagascar hissing cockroaches. (Photo courtesy of NJPMA)

The New Jersey Pest Management Association (NJPMA) will be running the Cockroach Derby on Aug. 15 at Raritan Valley Community College. More than 600 professionals attend the “roach race” each year at NJPMA’s Annual Clinic, Trade Show & Clambake at Raritan Valley Community College in Branchburg.

This year’s race will pit Donald Trump vs. Kamala Harris (in the form of Gromphadorhina portentosa, or
Madagascar hissing cockroaches) against each other. In the past, the event has proven to be 84 percent accurate in determining the presidency.

“This is a tremendous event that gives pest management professionals attending our annual seminars a light-hearted break,” said Leonard Douglen, NJPMA’s executive director. “It’s all about fun – we’ve had runaway victories and we’ve had controversies like when the Bush cockroach was disqualified against Clinton since it took flight during the race. The race draws media from all over and hopefully the trend will continue by helping to predict our next president!”

The event doesn’t only feature the race, though, as following its conclusion there will be a variety of informational and training courses presented by industry experts.

Topics will include:

• Bed bugs
• Ants
• Mosquitoes
• Rodents
• Beetles
• Cockroaches
• Termites
• Business health, safety and management

Presenters include Pest Management Professional Hall of Famers Drs. Bobby Corrigan and Phil Koehler (Class of 2008 and 2015, respectively), as well Drs. Changlu Wang, Fred Whitford, Stanton Cope, Chad Gore and more.

There are expected to be at least 50 exhibitor booths manned by distributors and manufacturers. Continuing education unit (CEU) credits from the state of New Jersey (valid in New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania and Delaware) will be available to licensed professionals.

Learn more about the event and how to register here.

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Sacramento CA

Avoid conducive conditions for fleas and ticks

Dr. Cisse Spragins

Rockwell Labs

Fleas most commonly become a problem in and around structures from infested pets. Ticks, meanwhile, are most common in yards that are adjacent to wooded areas.

Eliminate conducive conditions outdoors by mowing the lawn and trimming foliage to create a low-humidity environment that pests will avoid. In areas with high tick pressure and Lyme disease, a wood chip or gravel border at least 3 feet wide can be installed between wooded areas and the yard. Spray heavy vegetation and the edges of wooded areas for ticks.

Broadcast yard spray for fleas. For flea infestations indoors, customers should wash, steam treat or throw away infested pet bedding, toys and blankets. Infested furniture should be vacuumed or steam treated.

Just before applying carpet spray treatment, vacuum all areas to remove as many adults, eggs, pupae and larvae as possible, and to stimulate pupal emergence. Apply silica dust in the creases and under pet beds and rest areas for long-term protection. Do not treat pets, but do instruct residents to treat with a product labeled for on-animal use.

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Sacramento CA

Anti-Israel protesters unleash maggots, crickets at Washington D.C. hotel

PHOTO: ISTOCK.COM/FIULO

Thousands of anti-Israel protesters in Washington, D.C, unleashed maggots, crickets and other pests at a hotel where some of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s delegation stayed ahead of his Wednesday speech to Congress, the New York Post reports.

A video posted to X by the Palestinian Youth Movement showed moving critters scattered across a table flanked by Israeli and American flags.

The Watergate Hotel confirmed the insect intrusion. in a statement to The Post.

In a statement provided to The Post, the hotel commented, “Our top priority is the safety and well-being of our guests and staff. We took the necessary steps to ensure the property has been sanitized and is now operating as normal. We are cooperating fully with authorities, who are handling the situation. As this is an open case, we are unable to provide any further details at this time.”

A law enforcement source told The Post that even though the conference room appeared to be set up for official business, it was “not part of our agreed-upon security plan with the Israeli security services and our local partners.”

The protesters gathered on Capitol Hill to decry President Biden and Netanyahu’s handling of the Israel-Hamas war. The crowd was so large that outside law enforcement agencies — including the New York Police Department — were on hand to help with security.

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Sacramento CA

Nixalite of America: IGEBA EVO 35 ACT Thermal Fog Generator

IMAGE: NIXALITE

Nixalite of America Inc., master distributor and service hub for IGEBA in the U.S. and Canada, introduces the EVO 35 ACT thermal fog generator, which features the revolutionary IGEBA Advanced Carburetor Technology (ACT).

The EVO 35 ACT is the first thermal fogger in Nixalite’s product line to be equipped with the new ACT. This technology, a result of precision German engineering, enhances the efficiency and performance of the engine. The ACT carburetor’s meticulously machined parts ensure tighter tolerances, offering superior air and fuel flow control. This leads to more efficient combustion and improved engine performance.

The 25.4-horsepower EVO 35 ACT is a versatile thermal fogger engineered to atomize select pesticides and disinfectants formulated for indoor or outdoor thermal fogging applications. Weighing just 17.4 pounds, its features include:

• Solution tank made of high-density polyethylene
• Application of water- or oil-based fogging solutions
• Extremely small and narrow droplet spectrum
• For pest control and disinfection
• Fuel tank, fog tube, and air pump made of stainless steel
• Maintenance-friendly carburetor made of anodized aluminum

Unit specifications include:

• Dimensions: 52.5 x 10.6 x 13.3 inches
• Solution tank capacity: 1.7 gallons
• Unleaded gas fuel tank capacity: 0.3 gallons
• Fuel consumption: 0.5 gallon per hour
• Max flow rate (oil base): 11 gallons per hour
• Max horizontal reach (oil base): 300 feet plus
• Max horizontal reach (water): 130 feet
• Ignition battery requirements: four  1.5-volt “D Size” Batteries

IGEBA is world-renowned for its high-quality foggers manufactured in Germany. Nixalite provides access to the entire IGEBA product line in the U.S. and Canada, and can deliver any IGEBA equipment currently available in the U.S. market.

Nixalite.com/product/igeba-evo-35

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Sacramento CA

Tips for before and after service to ensure a flea-free environment

Mike Shields

Ensystex

Ensuring a flea-free environment requires cooperation from customers to ensure the best results. Educating customers about the crucial role they play will ensure the service is successful.

Establish a customer checklist to help facilitate a clear understanding and compliance, such as

Before service

Vacuum all floors
Remove vacuum bag to outdoor trash
Mow yard completely and remove clippings to outdoor trash
Remove pets to be professionally treated for fleas

After service (once dry)

Return pets
Vacuum daily and sweep all floors
Remove vacuum and trash bags to outdoor trash for the next seven to 10 days

For those leaving their property, arranging for daily vacuuming and sweeping is vital, as dormant fleas become active upon sensing vibrations. Failure to maintain these precautions risks a resurgence of fleas, undermining the effectiveness of the treatment.

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Sacramento CA

8 technician training tips from experts

We asked Pest Management Professional’s columnists and editorial advisory board members to offer up their favorite tip for technicians taking training. Here are some of the experts’ responses from our July 2024 print edition.

Please take a minute to answer our latest one-question poll on this topic: What is your favorite tip for technician training?

PMP’s Editorial Advisory Board and Regular Contributors

Greg Baumann: “It starts before training. Recruit inquisitive techs who thrive on learning and sharing. Feed them the info they need to be the experts.”

Foster Bruscaz: “Focus on understanding the underlying biology and behavior of pests, as well as the basics of performing pest control services. This foundational knowledge will enable technicians to choose the most effective control methods and perform services in a way that is not only environmentally correct, but also ensures the safety of their customers.”

Judy Black, BCE

Doug Foster: “Treat a training session like a buffet. Don’t try to ‘eat it all in one trip.’ Take two or three ideas from the session and implement those ASAP, then refer to your notes for other things to implement down the line.”

Jerry Schappert: “Hands-on training is a great way to get techs familiar with tools and applications. We have used wall mockups to teach dusting, etc. My office kitchen is a perfect scenario to accomplish this as well.”

Dan Baldwin: “Use a multi-modal approach to allow for different types of learners. This means creating training and education paths to allow for widely varied learning paces, from people familiar with the work to people with no knowledge of it at all.”

Dr. Faith Oi

Judy Black: “Be patient. There is a lot to take in. You don’t have to have the knowledge of a 20-year veteran in the first 60 days. Mix up the training methods; use office-based training to complement field training and vice versa.”

Paul Hardy: “Establish a structured system of training rewards for employees: Upon completion of any certification, reward employees with a base pay increase. In my experience, this improves recruiting, training and most importantly, employee retention.”

Dr. Faith Oi: “Turn off your phone. Focus. Your professional development is important. Multitasking negatively impacts productivity — in this case, learning.”

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Sacramento CA

WorkWave: Communication Center

IMAGE: WORKWAVE

Gain and retain more customers with one hub for all of your customer communications. Communication Center lets you see the whole conversation — across chat, text and email — in one place, so nothing ever slips through the cracks and you can address customers’ needs faster.

With Quick Actions to complete tasks like sending ePay links in fewer clicks, your customer service representatives (CSRs) can spend more time helping customers and less time on busywork. They also gain visibility into each customer’s service and communication histories while communicating, saving time and allowing your team to tailor each interaction.

Growing your business relies on strengthening your customer relationships, and those relationships are built on communication. To communicate more effectively and better satisfy your customers, get started with Communication Center today!

About WorkWave

Founded in 1984, WorkWave empowers professional pest management and other field service businesses of all sizes with forward-looking technology and services so they can focus on reaching their full potential. There are many steps to the business journey for field services – from signing new customers, delivering service in the field, to invoicing and everything in between. Gaining new customers requires even more: brand awareness, digital marketing and lead generation. WorkWave brings together multiple organizations — including RealGreen, Coalmarch, Slingshot, TEAM Software and TaskEasy — top talent, and a leading product portfolio under one roof to become a strong partner to its customers, powering their growth at every stage.

For the professional pest management industry, WorkWave’s flagship product is PestPac. This powerful, scalable and integrated solution combines marketing, sales, office and field operations, customer experience, and payments functionality to empower residential and commercial pest control businesses to grow business, efficiently service customers and maximize cash flow.

WorkWave.com

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Sacramento CA

Upcoming webinar from EcoVenger will tackle residential ant control

IMAGE: ECOVENGER

The next installment of EcoVenger’s Continuing Education Unit (CEU) Virtual Academy program, “Residential Ant Control Workshop,” is set for Aug. 13 at 3 p.m. Eastern.

Dr. Lucy Li, an entomologist from the University of Arizona, will present this latest webinar. Dr. Li is currently an associate in the Extension of Public Health Integrated Pest Management (IPM), Department of Entomology for the University of Arizona. She earned her doctorate from Purdue University in insect molecular biology, but most of her work has been in the area of IPM extension and outreach. Dr. Li is currently involved in translational research on public health pests and IPM in the built environment, and in American Indian communities to reduce health threats from disease vectors and pests of public health concern.

During this webinar, Dr. Li will discuss one of the most important pests in and around homes: ants. First, attendees will learn about the importance of ants and their biology. Then the webinar will dive into the diversity of ants and identification of common species. Lastly, Dr. Li will share an integrated approach for managing ants, including proper ant identification, monitoring and inspecting, exclusion, sanitation and pesticide applications.

Participation in the webinar will be limited to 300 attendees. Learn more and register for the event here.

About EcoVenger Professional

EcoVenger Professional, formerly EcoRaider Insect Killer and developed, manufactured and marketed by Reneotech Inc., is a leading brand name for botanical-based green pest control products for the professional pest management industry. Since the product line’s debut in 2008, EcoVenger products are built on solid science and sound research.

EcoRaider Professional is self-described as “an evolving product line that is committed above all to efficacy in the treatment of insect pests, and to green, environmentally friendly products. It is built upon the ongoing efforts of top tier entomologists, phytochemists, molecular biochemists and pest control professionals with more than 30 years of experience in the industry.”

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Sacramento CA

Study: New way of warding off ticks

American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) Photo: ©Gene White

University of Massachusetts researchers believe that they have identified a new way of warding off ticks, creating a chemical “force field,” which works in ways insect repellents have proved ineffective.

Using a device funded by the U.S. Army that can be attached to soldiers’ boots, the research team said it could be on the way to limiting tick bites, which can transmit dangerous diseases, according to Mass Live.

As the climate warms, ticks are increasingly spreading into newer territory further north. But the traditional defenses against creatures of their ilk — such as bug sprays — do little to sway a tick from crawling up one’s leg and latching on for a meal.

Using two different types of repellents, the UMass researchers said they made ticks less likely to climb vertically — as they would up a soldier or a hiker’s leg in tall grass, for example — and more likely to detach from whatever surface they might be scaling.

“Repellents probably won’t stop ticks from getting on us,” Dr. Stephen Rich, the UMass microbiology professor leading the research, told Mass Live. “We hope the repellents will help keep them from staying on us, and that’s where the battle lines really should be drawn.”

Most insect repellants were developed more than 75 years ago with mosquitos in mind, Dr. Rich said. DEET, the principal active chemical in most bug spray, was made to keep quick-moving mosquitos from landing on humans. But ticks don’t hover, land, feast and fly away in a matter of seconds. They wait for a human or animal to pass by, latch on and climb slowly up their host until they can bite and eat.

To test an experimental repellent, researchers in Dr. Rich’s Laboratory of Medical Zoology in Amherst, Mass., placed ticks in a small, transparent chamber. The chamber is also home to three vertical climbing sticks — stand-ins for the human limbs they might scale in the real world. They examined how ticks reacted to the controlled release of certain chemicals, and whether the substances deterred them from climbing.

To release the chemicals, the researchers used a small device developed with the U.S. Department of Defense funding to be placed on soldiers’ boots.

The research team found that two specific pyrethroids — transfluthrin and metofluthrin — generated a “force field” that slowed or dissuaded the ticks’ upward progress. The experiment focused on the three species of tick most responsible for biting humans in the U.S.: the black-legged, or deer tick (Ixodes scapularis), the American dog tick (Dermacentor variabilis) and the lone star tick (Amblyomma americanum). The trio are among several tick species that are responsible for the spread of Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever and ehrlichiosis.

The results were published in the journal PLOS ONE, the university announced in a news release.

In a statement from the university, Dr. Rich said the findings showed that “spatial repellents” could change tick behaviors in a way that could lead to fewer tick bites. His paper described the ticks as entering a “drunken-like” state after being exposed to the chemicals.

In this specific study, transfluthrin deterred 75 percent of dog ticks, 67 percent of lone star ticks and 50 percent of deer ticks. The other pyrethroid, metofluthrin, was even more effective, warding off 81% of dog ticks, 73% of lone star ticks and 72% of deer ticks.

“We were impressed with not just the repellency, but the behavioral changes in the tick,” said Dr. Noel Elman, founder of Cambridge, Mass.-based GearJump Technologies, which designed the device that releases the chemicals in a controlled manner.

The researchers intend to continue probing, eventually testing how the chemicals defend humans themselves. Eventually, a device like the Army-funded unit tested at UMass could become commercially available, the researchers said.

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Sacramento CA

Fix small issues before they spread

For any growing business, identifying issues quickly is crucial for fostering a culture of continuous improvement. It helps to ensure operational efficiency, maintain customer satisfaction and ultimately, secure long-term success.

Even efficiently run businesses, of course, inevitably encounter challenges. The key is not the absence of issues, but the ability to manage and resolve them efficiently. When businesses address issues swiftly and effectively, it often appears as though they have fewer problems.

Case in point

Failing to identify issues as they occur can significantly hinder your business, preventing you from achieving your goals. This was evident in the experience of one of my clients. Let’s call the owner of this mid-sized pest control firm Dave.

Before the busy season, Dave and his team met weekly to train, discuss issues and improve processes. However, once the busy season began, they stopped these meetings, halted training and ignored issues.

Overwhelmed with workload, employee turnover and customer demands, Dave found himself working countless hours with no end in sight. Chaos ensued.

After the busy season ended, Dave sought help with me to avoid repeating the same mistakes. Through data review, we identified several symptoms pointing to the core issue: Over the previous year, Dave’s company changed its service frequency and acquired many new clients. However, Dave failed to retrain his technicians to handle the new service frequency effectively. This oversight led to a 25 percent increase in callbacks, adding an extra 400 stops per month. Managing these callbacks required adding (and training) two full-time technicians.

The increased callback workload delayed preventive treatments, further escalating callback rates. This vicious cycle resulted in chaos, dissatisfied customers, increased cancellations, frustrated employees and high turnover. Consequently, Dave failed to meet his goals for his company last year.

Learn from your mistakes

If Dave had continued his structured process for identifying issues, he and his team could have addressed these problems as they arose, discussed and implemented solutions, and focused better on achieving their goals.

Without a system to identify issues, businesses end up “drinking from the fire hose,” constantly extinguishing one fire after another, leading to frustration, exhaustion and burnout. In this case, all it would have taken was for Dave to insist upon continuing the weekly meetings — no matter how busy the season became — so that training and communication did not fall by the wayside. I’m happy to report he has taken that advice to heart in 2024.

The Game Plan

Keep in mind that identifying issues within your business early on offers numerous benefits, including:

Staying ahead of potential problems keeps your business nimble and competitive.
Prompt issue resolution enhances customer satisfaction.
Streamlined processes improve overall efficiency.
Early identification allows for proactive, not reactive solutions.
Adherence to industry regulations and standards is ensured — and your company liability risk decreases accordingly.
A structured approach boosts employee morale and productivity.
Staying on top of burgeoning issues prevents any financial losses associated with unresolved or growing problems.
Improved strategic planning and goal setting is easier to create — and achieve.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/07/25/fix-small-issues-before-they-spread/
Sacramento CA

Technicide: New Locking System for Techni-Baiter

IMAGE: TECHNICIDE

The Techni-Baiter rodent bait and trap station cuts technician time, labor and physical strain by attaching its key to an extension pole or broomstick to open for service. The newest model features an updated locking system with four baiting compartments: One exposed to the rodent and three airtight compartments for easy bait storage and replacement. Use the pole to unlock, lift, rotate and relock the bait station to expose fresh bait.

This innovative solution is ideal for universities, warehouses, manufacturing plants, farms and other facilities where maintaining numerous rodent bait stations is traditionally time-consuming and labor-intensive. Other key features include:

• 15-20 seconds routine service time per station
• Easy access with key attachment for extension poles or broomsticks
• Four bait compartments: one exposed, three airtight for easy storage and replacement
• Serviceable from a standing position, reducing physical strain
• Compatible with snap traps for non-baiting strategies
• Cuts labor costs by an estimated 75 percent
• Enhances technician morale by simplifying routine tasks

About Technicide

With its manufacturing facilities based in Heber City, Utah, Technicide was founded in 1989 by Jim Harper, a third-generation pest management professional (PMP). Harper grew up in the pest control industry, riding along with his dad at a very young age. At 15, Harper’s responsibility in the family business was to maintain and repair the equipment. His inventive spirit led him to build a truck-mounted power rig that could slide out of the truck. In 1985, the family business expanded to new heights, offering its services into the restaurant pest elimination market. Harper began designing and building more sophisticated equipment — the Injecticide and the Techniduster — to meet the service needs.

Technicide, with its first product introduced in 1989, has been serving the pest control industry for over 35 years. The current flagship product, Exacticide, was introduced in 2001. The Exacticide, a multi-faceted pest eradication tool, is so versatile that you literally can do the majority of your jobs from start to finish with it, the company says. Although the name “Exacticide” has stayed the same, Harper has continued to improve it and implement greater features over the years. He has also created the Tech-Reach Bait Pro and Techni-Baiter rodent bait station, among other products.

Technicide.com

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/07/25/technicide-new-locking-system-for-techni-baiter/
Sacramento CA

3 treatment places to prevent fleas and ticks

Christy Jones, BCE

MGK

Fleas and ticks are blood feeders. They have the potential to spread diseases to the animals they feed on, putting your customers and their pets in danger of getting sick. Fortunately, with a little help from your customers, fleas and ticks can be relatively easy to prevent and treat. In addition to treating their yard with an insecticide that provides a quick kill and residual protection of current and further flea and tick infestations, share the following three directives with your residential customers:

1. Treat and maintain the yard. Explain that by mowing the yard and collecting the clippings, they can reduce areas where fleas and ticks like to hang out.

2. Treat pets. Reinforce that treating their pets with products approved by their veterinarian will help prevent these pests from establishing a population in their yards or homes.

3. Treat the home. Share how vacuuming can be a tool they can use to help prevent these pests from gaining a foothold in their homes. Encourage them to use a heavy-duty vacuum and ensure they vacuum the carpets, floors and upholstery. This will remove a large amount of flea eggs and larvae. Emptying the vacuum outside will ensure any pests vacuumed up stay out of the home.

Sharing these steps with customers can not only help kill and prevent fleas and ticks, but it also can boost your customers’ trust and satisfaction.

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/07/24/3-treatment-places-to-prevent-fleas-and-ticks/
Sacramento CA

Eliminating distractions ensures safe driving

Ensuring safe driving practices is extremely important for pest control companies because driving is a big part our businesses. Let’s consider what is at stake.

Vehicles today are made to protect drivers as much as possible. Crumple zones and autobody parts are designed to “take a hit” and keep the driver safe. This is important, but costly. If your vehicle is involved in the smallest accident — like in your company’s parking lot between your company’s own vehicles — the cost of repairs has skyrocketed.

In the “old days,” vehicles were more solid, which means the force of the impact was transferred to the people inside the vehicles. The use of safer materials and configurations in vehicles has been critical in reducing injuries but has also made vehicle repairs more costly and frequent.

The author’s company car is a 1967 Chevy Suburban. His dad, Pest Management Professional Hall of Famer Bob Jenkins Sr. (Class of 2005), was also a fan of the three-door models. (Photo: ABC Home & Commercial Services)

Seeking solutions

In addition, distractions to drivers are at an all-time high. We have always had technicians driving who have had to contend with a distracting array of invoices and printed schedules all over the front seat — and, of course, also had to share the road responsibly with other drivers.

Running a route back then was accomplished by using maps, which not that long ago were bound books with hundreds of pages. Getting from one stop to another meant we were reading more than one page. Today’s route maps are typically in your smartphone, a distraction unto itself.

Being a safe driver in today’s world, when such a high percentage of drivers are inexperienced and distracted, is one of the biggest issues currently facing the pest management industry.

The solution is both simple and complex. The simple part is for your whole company to put down the phone. Having a smartphone in your hand or taking your eyes off the road to look at your phone is the problem.

But the complexities of practicality creep in: Bluetooth allows the phone to be hands-free, but the distraction is still there. How often are you in a hands-free conversation and yet you look at your phone or talk adamantly to your phone? This is distracted driving!

The problem worsens when you are texting. Even when you try the “voice to text” feature you are distracted. More distraction — and irritation — stems from when the phone does not quite understand what you are trying to say, and you look directly at your phone to correct the mistake.

Avoiding accidents

We have devices in our vehicles that track driving habits, and we have cameras that face both directions: the driver and the road. They are very useful in case of an accident; if it was not your driver’s fault, you have proof. These cameras have saved us from liability many times in accidents involving our vehicles because they were able to prove we were not at fault.

But it is still not enough. Our insurance carrier is pushing for us to install devices that basically block a phone and lock it down while the vehicle is in motion. They want this for one reason: to prevent distracted driving and the accidents that happen from distracted driving.

Honestly, I am considering these devices, even though I still have some questions. The biggest one is: Can we still give our drivers the agency to change a route on a dime? Can we still get hold of them quickly if new information — like a cancellation —needs to be conveyed? We must find middle ground on this issue.

As long as we drive, we will have distractions. But we should eliminate the ones that we can. Safe driving is possible!

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/07/24/eliminating-distractions-ensures-safe-driving/
Sacramento CA

Mattress Safe: 10SKUs Program

IMAGE: MATTRESS SAFE

Mattress Safe has simplified the bed bug protection process by launching the 10SKUs program. The key to Mattress Safe’s proven program is the Plus+ Advantage encasement, which stretches to fit various depths and lengths, allowing distributors to stock products in multiple sizes without sacrificing valuable warehouse space. Mattress Safe’s line of mattress and box spring encasements are certified to protect against bed bugs, giving peace of mind during a treatment program by providing immediate protection for your customers. Mattress Safe’s patented “Zipper with the Hook,” with a sewn-in loop and zip-tie, ensures tamper-proof encasements. The luxurious fabric is soft to the touch, and offers a bite-proof and waterproof barrier, preventing direct replacement costs.

About Mattress Safe

Mattress Safe is a dynamic, family-owned business dedicated to giving a product with quality service.

In 2004, Andrea Poston Hancock, VP of Mattress Safe, wanted the right mattress protector to protect memory foam mattresses that did not require professional cleaning. After researching fabrics to protect memory foam and other mattress types, Hancock and her parents decided to create the company to sell the mattress protectors.

Mattress Safe has now grown from a small company, stocking product in a home garage, to a multi-million dollar corporation with over 27,000 sq. ft. office/warehouse space. The company offers solutions for the control of bed bugs, dust mites, bacteria, incontinence and bed wetting.

MattressSafe.com/10skus

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/07/24/mattress-safe-10skus-program/
Sacramento CA

Rentokil Terminix hosts ribbon cutting ceremony for Innovation Center

In Pest Management Professional’s May 2023 issue (p. 70), I talked about how Rentokil Initial’s global research and development center, The Power Centre, has been open in Crawley, United Kingdom, since September 2017. Still very much in use today, it provides technical consulting and product testing, and is focused on the future with product development, regulatory analysis and planning.

On June 6, Rentokil Terminix hosted both a ribbon-cutting ceremony and open house for its Rentokil Terminix Innovation Center in Irving, Texas. (Photo: Rentokil Terminix)

Josiah Ritchey, a senior vector entomologist for Rentokil Terminix, conducted demonstrations in the Rentokil Terminix Innovation Center’s Vector Lab during the June 6 open house. (Photo: Rentokil Terminix)

I also announced that, in my role as head of science and innovation for North America at Rentokil Initial, I would be setting up and leading the North American center for innovation, based in Dallas, Texas, using The Power Centre as our inspiration. Thanks to construction delays, we weren’t able to move in until March 2024. Finally, on June 6, 2024, we had an official ribbon-cutting ceremony and celebration of the Rentokil Terminix Innovation Center. It is located in Irving, Texas, just northwest of Dallas. Features include:

A built-in insectary for indigenous and global insects, curated by entomologists and available not only for research, but for community and civic groups to tour and learn from

Three independent laboratories for preparation and implementation of investigative, in-vivo experiments

An early innovation screening and product efficacy claims development team

Temperature-controlled environmental chambers

A showroom and conference room for both training and educational events

A 50,000-square-foot warehouse

A wall outside a Rentokil Terminix Innovation Center training room showcases the company’s regional offices worldwide. (Photo: Rentokil Terminix)

The Rentokil Terminix Innovation Center devotes a hallway to a company timeline, for visitors to learn about the company’s history and growth. (Photo: Rentokil Terminix) 

Right now, five north Texas Rentokil Terminix branches work in this facility, along with our Dallas Ambius branch. We offer sales training for employees all over the country and different managerial training, and we welcome about 400 people a month for various meetings. In addition, the Center hopes to soon welcome community members from children to seniors and develop internship programs with local educators.

Ultimately, the goal is to encourage budding entomologists and have conversations with them about what kind of career options are available in professional pest management and support those who are interested in using our resources for studying and learning.

We also welcome community members, from children to seniors. We hope to get an internship program going soon with Texas A&M University. We want to encourage budding entomologists — have conversations with them about what kind of career options are available and let those who are interested use our resources for studying and learning.

Specimens and a microscope were at the ready for attendees of the Rentokil Terminix Innovation Center’s open house event June 6. (Photo: Rentokil Terminix)

I’m often asked what innovation means to a service-based company like Rentokil Terminix, as opposed to a manufacturing facility or a university campus, for example. My answer is that innovation is more than a device or product you hold in your hand; it’s about making pest control technician jobs safer, more efficient and more effective. It’s also about how they’re moving through their jobs, growing their careers and helping those who can look to them as mentors. For us, that will drive our organic growth.

I look forward to working with my team to be stewards of this new facility, making it a place where education and innovation continue to make great strides in professional pest management every day.

The Power Centre in Crawley, United Kingdom, features research laboratories, five product test rooms, three training rooms, and seven simulated on-site locations — including a supermarket, a hotel, a restaurant kitchen and more. (Photo: Rentokil Terminix)

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from Pest Management Professional https://www.mypmp.net/2024/07/23/rentokil-terminix-hosts-ribbon-cutting-ceremony-for-innovation-center/
Sacramento CA