[Online Extra] Florida PCO Discusses Recovery Process

Editor’s note: In August 2004, Jeff Ahrens, owner of Ant-Ser Termite and Pest Control, kept a journal detailing his company’s recovery efforts in the wake of Hurricane Charley. Ahrens shared this journal with PCT readers in a series of articles. PCT checked back in with Ahrens to get an update on him and his company one year after Charley.

In the first quarter of 2005 our company had rebounded to the growth rates we were trending until Hurricane Charley hit on 8/13/04. During this time, we invested in new software and hardware for our company and then went to work on rebuilding our infrastructure so we could better serve our customer base. This growth lasted until about the end of May, when we began experiencing a flat growth rate. We could not figure out why this was happening.

In June we experienced a huge drop off in business. I think the problem was that people were too worried about the new hurricane season and too busy getting themselves prepared for potential multiple storms. In July we were hit by some storms and had hit our annual rainfall of 53 inches by midmonth. The excessive rainfall prevented us from performing our regular services. Rain in Florida eventually benefits us in terms of increasing pest populations, but we just need to be able to treat them weather permitting.

As august approached the unexpected happened and our customer base reflected the original 30% loss we were impacted by in august of 2004. We have not recovered and I feel that we have lost a lot of momentum.
There are several reasons I think we have struggled. Many of the homeowners that moved out of our area following last year’s hurricanes have been replaced with investors, who have purchased homes and are renting them out. Or the houses are currently empty.

Insurance companies have been slow with payouts. Also many people were underinsured. Many people having put other needs ahead of pest control in importance.

But I am also optimistic that new people moving in will need and want pest control services. I have other reasons for optimism. One thing I have noticed is that the insects are more aggressive and new species have been moved from isolated pockets to as far as 200 miles by the hurricanes.

If I could give advice to PCOs affected by natural disasters it is to align yourselves with government agencies, many of whom will need your services. Work to get exposure in the community. Let the radio and print media know your good stories. If you do not have any, get involved and create some publicity. Help the elderly first. Give some free services. This will come back to you ten fold. Contact other companies who will be out of business and inquire about purchasing their accounts. They may not have fared as well as you. Be opportunistic.