[PCO PR] Image is Everything

The industry’s national image is on the upswing thanks to the public’s growing awareness of pest-related health issues and publicity campaigns by the Professional Pest Management Alliance (PPMA). Now, professionals are fighting to shift public perceptions on their home turf.

“Image is everything,” said Craig Thomas, president, Craig Thomas Pest Control, Hyde Park, N.Y.

A professional image begets professional prices, reminds Mike Davis, chief operating officer, Black Pest Control, Charlotte, N.C. If you’re perceived as the “bug man” you’ll get “bug man” prices. Industry image, he said, has “come a long way in the last few years, but still has a way to go.”

BACK TO BASICS. Making a good first impression remains the key to a professional image, said industry leaders. Keith Baricovich, Up North Services, Milwaukee, stresses doing the basics and doing them well. Courtesy, timeliness, a clean, late-model vehicle, fresh uniforms and professional forms are “common sense but can be overlooked in our business.”

“Appearance is No. 1,” said Chuck Stevens, Annual Advantage Pest Control, Alabaster, Ala. Despite knowledge and ability, how you look carries weight. United Parcel Service sets an excellent example, he says. “(UPS) drivers always look professional, even with summer shorts.”

Black Pest Control technicians wear a business-level “uniform” of long-sleeve oxford shirts and navy slacks. Thomas brands uniforms and trucks with a “Protecting Health and Property” logo.

First impressions also occur on the road, reminds Randy Eshom, Upstate Pest Management, Redding, Calif. “Be courteous on the road. That’s where you’re most visible.” Professionals who service parks, recreational facilities and other accounts open to the public face even tougher scrutiny.

How professionals meet the needs of evolving consumers greatly affects image, said PPMA Executive Director Cindy Mannes. Today, women make most household decisions and purchases, retiring baby boomers have major spending power, dual-income families have less time for home maintenance and many consumers rely on the Internet for information. All have changed the pest management professional-customer dynamic and may require new business approaches, she said.

To reach female decision makers, Thomas uses ads with photos featuring his sister, wife and college-age daughter, all who work in the family business. Results have been great, he said.

And, with many consumers surfing the Web prior to making a service appointment, good training and knowledge remain essential, said Peter Karanikis, Bluesway/Valley Pest Control, Yonkers, N.Y.

Keith Sterling, HomeTeam Pest Defense, Pawleys Island, S.C., agrees. “We walk into a house and the customer’s asking questions off the Internet. You have to be really careful and convey the truth,” he said. The Internet can help pest management professionals educate customers while building the “trust factor,” said Sterling. For example, if you tell a customer to cut bushes near the house because they have ant-attracting aphids, a quick-Internet search validates your recommendation, he said.

Customers are beginning to realize no “magic stuff” exists to control pests, said Senior Technician Derek Masterson, Action Pest Control, Evansville, Ind. It’s understood they’re “paying for professional knowledge.” Quality inspections and employee rewards for quality service show customers their satisfaction is top priority, said Bulwark Exterminating Branch Manager Russel Shoffner, Austin, Texas.

Just don’t “sell the fluff” or “make inflated promises you can’t keep,” cautioned Joe Azzarello, B.C.E., Dial One Franklynn Pest Control, Metairie, La.

CUSTOMERS AND COMMUNITY. Many pest management professionals support local charities to connect with customers and communities. In Charlotte, Black Pest Control is flagship sponsor of the American Cancer Society’s “Making Strides Against Breast Cancer” walk, donating thousands of dollars annually. It’s important to “give back to the community, which helps the industry,” said Davis. The affiliation also helps target women decision makers, he added.

Upstate Pest Management participates in the Make-A-Wish Foundation fund drive each year, challenging other pest control companies to up the ante. HomeTeam Pest Defense is active in Habitat for Humanity and supports various camps for children with serious illnesses.  

Don’t overlook technology as an image booster, Davis said. Online accounts allow customers to schedule services, make payments and view histories, and say a lot about your company. Black Pest Control keeps customer credit cards on file, can draw on checking accounts, and is looking at the online payment service PayPal as another convenient payment method. To ensure all branch customers have the same quality experience, the firm uses voice-over-Internet protocol (VoIP), working from one central customer service center, Davis said.

Collaborating with peers can help identify ways to raise perceptions, said pest management professionals. Karanikis suggests participating in local and state associations, which provides access to successful business strategies. Baricovich said. “I think every business can add a positive element to their image by doing this.”

Public outreach at home improvement shows is another way to reach consumers, said Karanikis. It’s an opportunity for intelligent, professional interaction with potential customers, he explained.

Some pest management professionals would like to see manufacturers more publicly support their products. Eshom said manufacturers “need to be more self-promoting” and support the “good products we use” with positive public relations to fight environmental groups’ anti-pesticide campaigns. This, in turn, will bolster the industry’s image, he said.

RECRUITING A NEW IMAGE. Recruiting new employees is a perennial trouble spot for the industry, and image may have something to do with it.
Unfortunately, industry professionals still sometimes face the stereotype of “exterminators,” said Thomas. To combat this, he emphasizes the industry’s role in “protecting health and property” when addressing high school students, potential employees at career fairs and in advertising.

Annual Advantage’s Stevens says industry image is less a deterrent to recruiting than the dreaded crawlspace. “There are not many people who want to crawl up under a house.” Fear of snakes, spiders and other myths and misconceptions scare people off, he says, and programs like Dirty Jobs that feature made-for-TV pest infestations don’t help.

According to Shoffner, current employees can help dispel the industry’s sometimes-unsavory image.

“There has not been any difficulty in recruiting because most of our employees know someone who would like a better job.” Yet, training new employees to be professional can be a challenge, Karanikis said.

PPMA has a “20-year plan” to educate future customers and employees while still in elementary school. It features Radio Disney promotions with Archibald Ant and in-school presentations by local pest management professionals. “Public relations at the local level will improve recruitment,” said Mannes.
Matt Remmen, technical services manager, Western Pest Services, Parsippany, N.J., says he would like to see pest management professionals viewed as solution providers. National and local efforts are helping shift perceptions in this direction. “We might be leading (awareness efforts),” said Mannes of PPMA’s national publicity campaigns, “but the industry is doing it.”

The author is a frequent contributor to PCT magazine.

NPMA’s Site Offers Career Feature

The National Pest Management Association (NPMA)’s Web site, www.pestworld.org, features a career section that is available to the public. The section educates visitors about career opportunities in the pest management industry.

“The professional pest management industry offers many career paths, which may be unknown to the general public. Opportunities abound for solution providers for difficult pests and in many other positions that involve interacting with the public face-to-face on a daily basis. Traditional jobs also exist in fields like accounting, marketing, office administration and more,” said Cindy Mannes, vice president of NPMA. “The increasing concern about pests as public health threats make this industry ideal for career seekers. It is virtually recession proof and continues to grow year after year.”

The section offers an educational overview of the professional pest management industry; a guide to the many careers available in the industry and provides answers to the most frequently asked questions. “As today’s potential employee has more career choices available we want to answer their questions and highlight the many exciting and rewarding career paths in professional pest management that many job-seekers may not be aware of,” Mannes said.