JUNE BACKTALK

HAND-OUT THANK YOU
I just received April PCT! I love the delusions of parasitosis hand-out sheet (www.pctonline.com/articles/images/delusion_tearout.pdf). I copied it and am getting it out. Great job!

Jerry Gahlhoff
Entomologist/Technical Director
Wilson Pest Control/Unified Services
Winston-Salem, N.C.

TECHNOLOGY SOLUTIONS
I enjoyed the article about the rising use of digital cameras (April PCT) but I wanted to pass along another idea for which technology has just caught up to our needs. As a pest management professional I am always trying to raise the image and credibility of my inspectors and the industry. We all need sales but we don’t want to seem pushy, so we need to involve the customer as much as we can.

My WDO inspectors have used digital cameras but sometimes the owner still has doubts about the origin of the photo, so we have been testing transmitting video cameras to turn complaints into sales. In the past, the cameras were either bulky and expensive ($2,500 to $3,000) or cheap black-and-white 900 megahertz units that couldn’t transmit 30 feet clearly. While the larger unit has turned worried/frustrated clients with $17,000 in termite damages into believers and buyers, it could not be used on every job because it was just too big.

Technology marches on and I recently found what may be the perfect unit. The complete unit (camera/transmitter/battery pack) is only 3 inches by ½ inch by ½ inch. That is the size of two packs of gum taped together, and it weighs about the same. It transmits for up to two hours per charge, at 2.4 gig, color video with sound, up to 100 feet. The homeowner can sit in the comfort of his or her living room and "ride along" with the termite inspector. If only one party is home for the appointment he or she can videotape the inspection so others can watch it later. Seeing is believing and when they have seen the infestation first-hand, they are unlikely to call for a second opinion.

Our company has just started to experiment with the newest cameras and we are looking for the best way to mount them, either attached to the inspector’s flashlight or using an elastic headband. I saved the best part for last: the complete camera/transmitter/battery unit, with receiver, costs only $300 (www.x10.com/products/x10_vk45a.htm). Add a $150 LCD TV or $200 for TV/VCR combo and you don’t even need to rewire the customer’s entertainment center.

Will our sales people have 30 percent higher sales? Only time will tell. For the price, I can’t think of anything that could help more.

Terry Clark
Vice President
Clark Pest Control
Lodi, Calif.

Readers with comments are invited to write to PCT Letters, 4012 Bridge Ave., Cleveland OH 44113. Letters also can be faxed to 216/961-0364, or e-mailed to jdorsch@pctonline.com. Letters may be edited for space or clarity.