Hitting a Home Run with Customers

It only takes about 10 minutes’ worth of conversation with anyone working at Western Exterminator’s unassuming corporate headquarters in Irvine, Calif., before you get the impression these folks are serious about eliminating pests from homes and businesses.

What they’re most serious about, however, is the manner in which they deliver those services and, ultimately, how their customers view what they do. The interest they show in their customers’ opinions is not a case of paranoia about doing something wrong, it is a rock-solid commitment about doing things right.

With 30 service centers spread across California, Arizona and Nevada and more than 800 employees, Western has the opportunity to put its “We Care Attitude” to the test for 85,000 residential and commercial customers on a daily basis.

“It has been our company’s goal since 1921 to meet or exceed our customers’ expectations when it comes to service,” said Michael Katz, vice president and general manager of Western. “We focus on how to solve our customers’ pest problems and make sure we deliver the goods.”

The company’s reputation with consumers as well as with other pest control companies in the competitive California pest services market is solid and is built upon the company’s long-standing commitment to satisfying the customer.

“Even though customer perceptions and expectations have changed through the years, our philosophy has not,” said Katz, who started as a sales representative with the company in 1979. “We’ve worked hard at focusing our efforts at keeping the customer as our first priority.”

A COMMERCIAL COMMITMENT. While the company has built its business around the residential pest control market, its commercial division is turning heads. Founded in 1985, Western’s Commercial Division has experienced an annual growth rate of 18% and the division’s gross profit margin has increased 21% per year in that time frame. This impressive growth rate has allowed the company to establish a niche for itself in the competitive commercial pest control market.

“Our entry into the commercial market was based in part on the vulnerability of the market due to the inconsistent service quality that was being offered,” said Mike Lawton, vice president of sales and marketing for Western. “We offer service that is tailored to the needs of the account and that is personalized. No matter what time of night, you can always talk to a human being if you have a problem.”

In a market where traditionally price has been the determining factor in making a sale, Western has developed a high-quality reputation by sticking to its philosophy that service sells. “We are definitely not the lowest price out there but we feel we offer the lowest total cost to the customer because they pay nothing unless they’re satisfied with the work,” said Lawton.

By not cutting prices Western has lost accounts, but the majority return after their contract with a competitor has expired. “We’ve had accounts underbid up to 50% by competitors, but once they discover what they’re missing in terms of service and stewardship from Western they usually return and we’re glad they do,” said Lawton.

With virtually all of its business growth in the commercial division being internal and not through acquisition of other companies, Western has been able to fine-tune its service philosophy with employees much like a master carpenter handles a hammer.

With the odd hours and strict service requirements inherent of commercial work, training and internal support are vital. Applicants for Western’s commercial division, both new to the company and internally, are required to undergo extensive screening procedures, including drug and psychological testing and a complete physical before they are considered for a position.

Prospective employees are also informed that the job requires nighttime hours, typically from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m., with afternoon phone work of confirming appointments to be done from home.

If they cut the mustard in the screening process and are hired, employees then go through an extensive internal training program. New employees are required to obtain their license from the state of California within 12 months.

“We might be called over-picky in our hiring practices, but we feel we owe it to the customer to provide the best service personnel possible,” said Anfora. “We have less than 3% turnover in the commercial division and when an opening does come up we have no shortage of interested applicants, both internally and from other pest control companies.”

Anfora also pointed out the work requirements for commercial, night technicians are more intense, and technicians also use different equipment: Actisol machines, power dusters, and plenty of glue and spring rodent traps are par for the course. Nighttime commercial work also requires that the customer do an extensive amount of preparation beforehand, Anfora said. “It’s a totally different job,” he said. “Much of the success depends upon the customer.”

Residential and commercial technicians are also compensated at different levels, although when all is said and done, the pay difference is not substantial. Commercial techncians have a slightly higher base pay but both receive a 25% commission on any service work done over the required minimum.

The nature of the commercial work also requires that sanitation reports be created for each account, to provide documentation of all work done and to note any deficiencies or problem areas that need to be corrected by the account manager. A total of close to 1,500 sanitation reports are created monthly by techicians in Western’s Commercial Division, Anfora said.

A COMPETITIVE MARKET. The commercial pest control market for pest control operators in California, as well as across the country, has proven to be very lucrative. As a result, the competition is stiff when it comes to selling or keeping key accounts. But Western’s business philosophy has made it a rival to be reckoned with in the markets it serves.

“We actually do what we say we’re going to do,” said Anfora. “We provide total pest eradication, our people are well-trained, and we have registered sanitarians on staff to help customers get through certain situations.” The company is organized so that supervisors and technicians work as a team to ensure high standards of service.

In addition, Anfora said, a quality assurance manager within the commercial division makes sure the company’s service meets these standards. Any “second requests for service,” or callbacks, are sent not only to the technician, but also through a supervisor, to ensure that problems are not overlooked, but are dealt with.

To maintain its competitive edge, Western has adopted the practice of developing tailor-made pest management programs and providing unequalled customer service. Price-cutting, on the other hand, is not part of the strategy. Each account, whether one of a chain of fast-food restaurants, or a four-star hotel, is serviced according to its individual needs. This means, for example, being aware of delivery times to the accounts, so that inspections and treatments can be scheduled accordingly.

“Our sales representatives are trained to learn from the customer and this helps us design and maintain service programs that meet the needs of the customer,” said Lawton. “One of our best advertising tools is referrals from current customers.”

Lawton also pointed out that the human element plays a key role in the success of Western’s commercial division, which now includes the lucrative Las Vegas market. “Our managers, technical staff and service technicians are readily available to our commercial customers no matter what time of day or night it is,” said Lawton. “This leaves a very positive impression on the customer and reinforces that we are committed to providing first-rate service and support.”

The author is senior editor of PCT.

Sidebar: WESTERN STAFF GOES "HOLLYWOOD" OVER MOUSE

If mice could dream, the following situation might very well be a mouse nightmare. Put several hundred exterminators and their families in one room all waiting for you, the mouse, to show up.

However, that situation quickly turns from a nightmare to a miracle dream when you’re the starring mouse in a major motion picture. Such was the case with Jenny the Mouse, star of the recently released Mouse Hunt, who arrived at the movie’s Dec. 16th premiere on a red velvet pillow to the applause of a group of employees of Western Exterminator Company of Irvine, Calif.

Nearly 700 staff, friends and family from Western Exterminator Company attended the Hollywood premiere at the invitation of Jenny’s employer, the newly formed film studio of DreamWorks SKG.

DreamWorks first approached Western about the idea of incorporating an exterminating company into the film’s premiere and asked if the company would be interested in filling a theater with its employees, said Nancy Ringman, executive assistant with Western. Ringman said the studio wanted Western employees to come to the premiere in full uniform and arrive in their service vehicles. Guests of the Western staffers dressed up as mice or as Western’s famous “Little Man” mascot.

In addition to Jenny the Mouse, two of the film’s other stars, Nathan Lane (The Birdcage) and Vicki Lewis (News Radio), also attended the event, delighting Western’s employees who felt like Hollywood insiders for an evening, soaking in all the glamour of a Hollywood premiere. Ringman said the premiere featured all the trimmings of a glitzy Hollywood event — red carpets, flashbulbs popping, and a pre-party catered by Planet Hollywood. Of course, Ringman said, the cuisine included many cheese dishes to please the party’s most honored mouse guest.

“All of our employees were on a real high afterward; everyone was just thrilled,” Ringman said. “The event was a real morale builder.” Western granted its employees allowances to drive their vehicles to the premiere. The allowances also allowed staffers’ families to ride in the trucks to the premiere. This was extra special for the employees’ children, Ringman said, because it would have been the first time they were allowed to ride in daddy’s or mommy’s work truck. When the premiere party ended, the swarm of Western trucks leaving the theater on Wilshire Boulevard in Los Angeles drew the attention of everyone in the area. Ringman said it looked like passersby thought the world’s largest cockroach infestation was occurring right within their sites.

In addition to filling Western employees with pride, Ringman said the event resulted in tremendous, positive press for the company. “We have received a wonderful amount of attention from it.” The premiere was covered by CNN, E! Entertainment and by all of Los Angeles’ network news programs. Furthermore, Ringman said, DreamWorks sent press kits and video clips of the premiere to television news programs across the country.

To promote the film, DreamWorks also placed a giant wedge of cheese with the words “Mouse Hunt” atop Western’s landmark building in Irvine, Calif.

Sidebar: THE LITTLE MAN WITH THE HAMMER

In 1931, a representative of the Vaughn Kaufman Telephone Company approached the owners of Western Exterminator with a proposal to increase customer sales through advertising in the Yellow Pages. The telephone company also suggested that a logo or trademark might enhance customer recognition of Western’s name and volunteered to have their art department develop one. Thus, the creation of “The Little Man With The Hammer” came about and the rest, as they say, is history.

Western’s “Little Man” was an immediate success and was first known as “Kernel Kleenup.” In 1964, the company held a television contest to rename the Kernel, with the winning entry being “Inspector Holmes.” Neither of the names really caught on with employees or the public for that matter and he is still affectionately known as “The Little Man.” Aside from appearing on all company vehicles, billboard advertising and literature, “The Little Man” has also made his appearance on the Silver Screen, being used in such films as Lethal Weapon II and Earth Girls Are Easy. Customers cruising the freeways of California can also see a “larger-than-life” version of “The Little Man” as they pass by Western’s service centers in Long Beach and Burlingame, Calif.

Sidebar: QUALITIES TO LOOK FOR IN COMMERCIAL TECHNICIANS