Seven Steps to Set Your Pest Control Company
Apart From Your Competitors
By: Scott
J. Richardson, Esq.
Presentation matters. There is no doubt that how
something or someone looks impacts customers and their experience
with your company. Study after study shows that consumers
purchase with their eyes. When dealing with homeowners,
business owners and commercial accounts, the appearance of your
pest control technician matters.
1. Many companies mandate
uniforms, even if it is just a shirt. Beyond requiring
the uniform, what are your company policies? Must the
uniforms or shirts be kept clean, pressed and neat? Does
facial hair need to be trimmed and neat? Are caps or hats
part of the uniform? Consider how a technician in a
soiled or torn shirt, bearing your company name or logo, looks when
he enters a restaurant, an office or a home to treat. People are
purchasing a total package and appearance is a critical piece of
the package.
2. Having a clean uniform is
not the end, it is just the beginning. There are small service
improvements that will set you apart from your competitors.
Recently, we had an HVAC problem and the service technician needed
to come into the interior of our home to repair our air
conditioner. Before he came into our home, he slipped disposable
booties over his shoes. We were so impressed that not only do we
remember his company, but we also will use his company again and
have recommended them to others. Are the hands of your
technicians clean? Frequently, someone will want to shake
hands. Clean hands - devoid of dirt and most importantly
chemicals-are imperative.
3. Are your service vehicles
washed and clean? Are the equipment and chemicals neatly
arranged, secured and stored in the bed of the truck? Trucks
should be serviced frequently. Leaking oil or other
fluids on the street or driveway will not only create a mess that
you will be responsible for cleaning up, but you will also likely
lose your customer's business. Also, leaks from a pest
control vehicle that carries chemicals may be presumed by the
customer to be toxic and possibly to be an environmental hazard as
well as a violation of state pest control laws and
regulations.
4. Professionally appearing
paperwork and service tickets are another area where you can make a
great impression. Presenting a customer with a soiled service
ticket is disrespectful. An illegible handwritten ticket is
worthless. At a minimum, train your technicians on how to
complete service tickets and require that service tickets are
neatly printed versus scrawled cursive writing on service tickets.
If your budget allows, our recommendation is computer generated
service tickets.
5. Talking to your customers
on a regular basis is also very important. Some pest control
companies have a supervisor run the route for each technician every
few months. This gives the company direct access to the customer
and the opportunity to ask how the company is performing. Are
there any complaints or improvements in service needed or
required? This methodology also counts as a form of
supervision under the law and rules which helps to exonerate you
and your company from joint responsibility under ARS
32-2308.
6. Clean up the work
area. This is essential. If items were moved,
make sure they are placed back where they originally were. Make
sure that your technician has the necessary equipment to vacuum,
sweep, wash or wipe areas, if needed. Ask the customer to
inspect your work. It gives your company an opportunity to
showcase the work they did and have the customer see the extra
steps that your company takes.
7. Sending bills regularly and
timely is important. When a bill is unpaid, ask the
customer why. Was it service related? Is the customer in a cash
crunch or is it some other reason? Many times a customer is upset
with something about a service call and because they are
non-confrontational they pay your invoice and then hire another
company. Don't miss the opportunity to improve your company.
Consider sending e-mails (or phone calls) with a short survey to
ask your customers about their service experience with your
company. The survey could be left by the technician with the
service ticket or sent with invoices.
I will leave you with a true story from my home. Over many
years, we have purchased several different appliances ranging from
refrigerators to televisions. We go to one store and one store
only. Why do we have loyalty to this store? It's
simple. When the appliance is delivered the delivery people
are dressed in clean khaki pants and a white shirt with the company
logo. We are comfortable having them in our home as they are
respectful, neat and make sure everything is installed properly, is
working, and the area is cleaned up before they leave. The
level of service we receive is worth the price of loyalty to this
particular store. Image matters and a great image will create loyal
customers.
Having had the distinct pleasure of representing over 180 pest
control and landscape companies during my legal career, I am struck
by the differences among them and the way they "present" to their
customers. Taking care of your company's brand and image will
result in more customer loyalty for your pest control company.
About the author: Scott
J. Richardson is a partner at the Phoenix law firm of Jaburg Wilk. He has
represented pest
control companies in regulatory matters, general business and
licensure. Scott can be reached at 602.248.1012 or sjr@jaburgwilk.com
This article is not intended to provide legal advice and
only relates to Arizona law. It does not consider the scope of laws
in states other than Arizona. Always consult an attorney for
legal advice for your particular situation.
3200 North Central Avenue
. Phoenix . Arizona