[State of the Industry 2007] By The Numbers

Pest Management Industry’s Service Revenue Expected to Grow 1.75% in 2007

According to Gary Curl, Specialty Products Consultants LLC, Mendham, N.J., there were an estimated 19,200 pest management firms operating in the United States in 2006.

The pest management industry generated an estimated $6.73 billion in service revenue in 2006 according to Curl. Of that number, 47.3 percent was from residential general pest control work, 29.3 percent was from commercial GPC work and 23.5 percent was from termite control, including pre-construction revenue, post-construction revenue and renewal contract revenue. The industry’s 100 largest firms (see PCT’s Top 100, May 2007) generated about 59 percent of the industry’s total revenue.

Curl forecasts that total service industry revenue will grow about 1.75 percent in 2007. From 2008 to 2017, the industry is forecast to grow about 3 percent annually. If accurate, that means the industry will generate nearly $9.2 billion in total revenue in 2017.

Moms Search to Shop

DoubleClick Performics recently released data resulting from a usage study targeting “moms” (and completed in cooperation with Microsoft and ROI Research) which showed that of the nearly 1,000 moms surveyed, 89 percent use the Internet at least twice a day, and 90 percent have been using it for more than seven years. Eighty-six percent of respondents said search engines are the most efficient way to find information.
The data illustrates heavy search engine usage in support of online purchases, offline purchases, coordinating travel and many other planning activities among moms.

More Than a Fourth of Retirees Have Incomes More than $50,000

A recent report from The Media Audit show that the number of retirees in 87 metropolitan markets with household incomes of $50,000 or more increased from 23.2 percent to 27.6 percent from 2003 to 2006.

8 Uncommon Employee Benefits

Source: About.com (Small Business Information)

Employee benefits have different levels of value depending on staff age, sex and other factors. PCOs should talk to their staff to determine which benefits are most rewarding to their firm’s employees.

1. Direct Deposit: Provide your staff with the option of having their checks directly deposited into their bank account at any bank or credit union that is a member of the Automated Clearing House (ACH). Direct deposit will save time and clear the funds faster.

2. Wellness Program: With the rising costs of health care, both employers and employees can take responsibility for the health system by participating in a wellness plan. Any form of fitness programs, smoking cessation and stress reduction can improve employee absenteeism and overall productivity.

3. Company Discounts: An overlooked employee benefit to staff is the chance to buy company products or services at discount. Even if it’s only one major item or an “employee purchase day,” your staff will appreciate this benefit.

4. Parking Privileges: Depending on employee commuting needs, parking privileges can cover payment of a monthly city transit pass or paying an amount of pre-tax payroll dollars for vehicle parking.

5. Business Cards & Title: Business cards with an employee’s name and title will offer an emotional appeal to staff. It may seem trivial, but your staff will enjoy the level of professionalism and pride that comes from having a business card.

6. Computer Loan Interest Free: Many employees will value the ability to buy a computer interest-free. Determine a limit of the dollar value of the computer on the plan. Set up an automatic payroll deduction. Make sure a formal agreement is signed in case the employee leaves the company.

7. Community Hours: Offer your employees a limit of regular pay hours in community service time. If a staff member wants to be involved in a volunteer event, have the company pick up the tab. You will win the hearts of the staff and community.

8. Education Plan: There is no doubt today’s workforce requires lifelong learning to keep pace with the changing demands of employment. Your small company may not be able to pay the tuition costs of an MBA program but some community college course reimbursement is affordable.

In developing your pest management firm’s employee benefits program, compare your benefits package to competitors and solicit staff feedback.

Direct Mail More Likely to be Opened Than Unsolicited E-Mail

A recent survey by International Communications Research commissioned by Pitney Bowes found that 73 percent of consumers prefer mail for receiving new product announcements or offers from companies they do business with, compared to 18 percent for e-mail. Mail also was preferred by 70 percent of respondents for receiving unsolicited information on products and services from companies with which they are not currently doing business.