Professionalism - Putting The Odds In Your Favor

In the high-stakes profession of pest control, the image you project is every bit as important as the quality of work that you do.

Did you hear about the man who won $4 million playing blackjack at a casino in Las Vegas? When he went home and told his wife, she asked him how he did it. "I just played the odds," he replied. "Pack your clothes."

"Summer clothes or winter clothes?" she asked.

"Both," he answered. "You're outta here!"

Frankly, he probably played one hand too many, but the point is this: Like it or not, the pest control industry is a game of odds. We play the odds every day. When the phone rings, we play the odds on whether we'll be given the chance to go out to see the potential customer. We play the odds on whether we'll be able to sell the job and service it properly. Finally, we play the odds on whether or not we'll keep the account for as long as we want.

Putting the odds in your favor. How do you put the odds in your favor? You do it by concentrating on several items including attitude, appearance, training, and integrity. Combined, they form the structure upon which a successful pest control company can be developed a base upon which it can thrive. They are the framework of a professional company.

Webster defines a professional as "someone engaged in or worthy of the high standards of a profession." He goes on to say, "A professional has much experience and great skill in a specified role." If you ask me, it sounds like Webster is talking about us!

We survive by referrals. In the pest control industry, as in most service industries, we survive by referrals. When we do something right for the customer, they're more likely to recommend us to a friend, relative or neighbor. This is a positive referral. However, when we do something wrong, or something the customer perceives as less than acceptable, they're likely to give us another kind of referral a negative referral.

Whether the experience is positive or negative, if the topic of pest control comes up, the customer will tell others about us how we looked, how knowledgeable we were, how we interacted with them, how effective we were.

Always remember: To the customer, you are the company! Whether you are a one-person operation or backed by a cast of thousands, generally the customer sees and deals primarily with you. Of course he or she may come in contact with other people in your company, but by and large, you are their main contact. As such, you owe it to your co-workers and to your customers to exhibit the most professionalism possible.

Pest control is a noble profession. We serve in what I feel is one of the noblest professions: pest control. Our ultimate responsibility is protection of the lives, livelihoods and property of the public. There is not a single person who is not bothered, troubled, attacked or in some way affected by pests at one time or another. They attack our structures, eat and/or contaminate our food, chew our carpets and clothes, and transmit a variety of diseases.

As members of the pest control/management profession, we provide relief, protection and peace of mind to countless millions of people every day. Then why are we so often viewed as "the bug guy"? Why are we often thought of as a non-professional when our profession is of such great value? Maybe it's our own attitude. There's an old saying that goes, "Others see us as we see ourselves." Simply put, if we don't value our profession how can we expect others to?

Jeans, T-shirt and bug spray. What else do I need? Estimates of the number of pest control companies in the United States range from 12,000 to 20,000. It seems as if every time you turn around someone else has started a company. Why? Because frankly in many states it's too easy to go out on your own. Put on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, grab your sprayer, and off you go! "Hey, I'm gonna get dirty anyway. Why should I wear something good?"

We have seen the enemy and it is us! It is this attitude, this lack of professionalism, that is the greatest threat to our industry. It's not the government regulators, it's not the anti-pesticide groups it's ourselves!

Interestingly, proper initial training doesn't always guarantee that an individual will continue to foster a professional appearance, attitude and/or demeanor. In fact, some of those "less-than-satisfactory," non-professional individuals that we see at meetings got at least a portion of their training at one or more of the large, successful companies that are viewed as "professional."

Proper training by itself does not guarantee success. Often, when we think of representatives of these companies, we think of ties, uniforms, and well-marked, well-stocked, well-maintained vehicles. Such appearances, coupled with a pleasant, knowledgeable manner, instill the impression of professionalism in the customer's mind. In fact, many former employees of these companies have gone on to develop their own successful companies that reflect favorably on the industry.

By the same token, many highly successful small-to-midsize pest control companies were started by individuals who have never worked for another company. A look at the list of past National Pest Control Association presidents bears testament to this fact. Whether it's a large multi-office company or a small company with only a few employees, they all have something in common: They are successful.

A professional attitude leads to success. What's the secret to success? It's a positive, professional attitude combined with thorough training in pest, product and application knowledge. It's the desire to provide the customer with the best service possible the kind of service we would want for ourselves. When this attitude and desire to provide superior service is coupled with the knowledge that the service being provided actually is of great value, positive things happen. One of the first results is the development of high self-esteem. Confidence and pride soon follow. In a word: Attitude.

Professionalism and its resultant success is determined not by the size of the company but by the quality of its owner and employees. Ownership provides opportunity, but attitude provides success!

What makes one company successful and not another? As indicated previously, it's a commitment to provide the customer with the best service possible. After all, the customer wants to feel he is getting his money's worth. He needs to perceive, in fact, that he is getting MORE than his money's worth. Remember, it's the customer's perception of you that gets you the account and enables you to keep it.

The freedom of ownership doesn't always have positive results. Owning one's own company can bring a sense of accomplishment and pride. It allows us to make a statement. Unfortunately, the freedom of ownership can have a downside to it. The downside is that the "statement" you may be trying to make may be misinterpreted by the customer. For example, those old jeans and the T-shirt that says "Kiss My Canister" may be your way of expressing that you are the boss and can dress any way you wish. The customer, however, looks at you and sees someone who is less than the professional type that they wanted.

Your statement of freedom and independence is interpreted by the customer as one of defiance. When this happens, all you have tried to accomplish can go for naught.

When the above scenario occurs, a vicious circle often begins. When the customer sees you as less than professional, they treat you as such. When you are treated this way you often begin to act the part; that is, non-professional. Why bother to be neat, clean, on time, efficient or effective when the customer thinks you're a lowlife anyway? Such an attitude takes a great toll on customer base, referrals and our own self-esteem.

Give the customer good service not bad excuses. When a customer or potential customer calls, they're not interested in whether your truck is broken down or your technician is sick. They want their service to be uninterrupted and they want it done correctly. In other words, they want their money's worth. Can you blame them? After all, that's exactly what we want when we call for a plumber, or more importantly, when we call the doctor. We want fast, dependable, reliable service and a cure for whatever is causing us concern.

We must always remember that the customer is really no different from us. They want the same things we do reliable, efficient, and effective service.

Like a physician, the PCO is in business to make the customer feel better. Does it seem strange to compare yourself to a medical doctor? It shouldn't. Just as the physician protects our health or makes us better when we are ill, we make the customer's home or place of business better by managing the pests that are present. As a result, we make the customer feel better.

Yes, we truly do work in a noble profession. We should be proud of the service we provide. A survey by a national consumer association of recent home buyers revealed that insects are the number one "hassle." In fact, nearly half of all complaints had to do with insects or rodents in the home. Do we provide a much-needed service? You better believe it!

Insects and rodents transmit dozens of diseases, contaminate tons of food, damage countless structures and household items, and pervade virtually all aspects of the average person's life. To provide relief from such invasion is noble indeed.

We can no longer afford to be unprofessional. More so than ever, we live in an instant-news society. Phenomenal advances in computer technology have been readily accepted and utilized by the communications industry. Want the latest headlines? Turn on CNN. Want to know how your congressman voted today? Turn on CNBC. Want the latest stock quotations? Connect to an on-line service. Want information on virtually anything? Surf the 'Net.

To take it one step further: Want instant nationwide referrals? Make a mistake or a misapplication, or at least appear to. The press will be on you immediately, and they will use the age-old equation: Sloppy Appearance + Sloppy Attitude = Sloppy Application!

Unfortunately, our society has become one in which frivolous lawsuits are commonplace. If someone can get a few million dollars for spilling coffee on themselves, imagine what they could get by suing "that clearly unprofessional, unqualified pest control company" for a perceived misapplication. Why, the mere "mental anguish and stress" caused by the fear of harm from those "deadly chemicals" must certainly be worth several thousand dollars at the very least! If they want to pursue it or more properly, if their attorneys want to pursue it they can.

For most pest control companies, a major lawsuit has the potential to be devastating. We can see our company, our livelihood, and even our retirement wiped out. Being right isn't always a guarantee that we will walk away unscathed. Punitive damages for "mental anguish" can still cost us plenty!

Can we ever assure ourselves we won't be sued? Absolutely not! We can, however, put the odds in our favor that the likelihood is remote and, if we are sued, we can reduce the likelihood that it will be a successful lawsuit for the plaintiff.

Yes, this industry is a game of odds. But we can do much to put the odds in our favor. As stated earlier, a positive, professional attitude coupled with thorough training of all employees is the most effective way to succeed.

The need for a professional approach is more important now than ever. Over the past several years the public has become increasingly bombarded with media hyperbole regarding the alleged danger of pesticides. Hardly a month goes by without some "magazine" style TV program doing an exposé about the dangers of pesticide use. Without fail, they focus their attention on the alleged wrongdoings of a company. Often, they will mix professional companies with less professional types, which leads to guilt by association. As a result, the entire industry gets a black eye.

The pest control industry is perceived as no better than the worst company out there. When the above scenario occurs, the general public is rarely shown the other side of the industry. They aren't presented with the fact that literally thousands of treatments are performed each day without mishap or complaint. They fail to share the fact that we as an industry are providing an important service by addressing the No. 1 "hassle" of the average homeowner insects and rodents. Like it or not, the pest control industry as a whole is perceived by much of the public to be not better than the worst company out there. Just as the ancient Romans were apt to "kill the messenger," the general public tends to associate the pest control operator with the pests they control. As was suggested in an article of a few years ago, the public thinks of insects and rodents as "lowlifes," and if we fail to exhibit a professional appearance and attitude, they will think of us as little better than the pests we control. That's a pretty strong statement, but there is a good deal of truth to it. After all, would a "normal" person really want to spend their life killing bugs? They say you are what you eat. In our case, the public's perception is that we are what we treat.

TURNING THE TIDE. How do we convince the public that we are in fact not what we control? In a word: professionalism. The following steps will ensure that we put our best foot forward at all times, and will also ensure that we will be successful.

1) Be committed to giving the customer the very best service possible.

When we have a service performed in our own home, whether a plumber, electrician, or other type of service or repair, we expect the very best service or repair we can get. Our customers deserve the same from us. This must be a commitment that pervades every job.

2) Ensure that all your employees are thoroughly trained in all aspects of their job responsibilities.

This includes the person or persons who answer the phone. Do they know how to respond to curious "price shoppers," angry customers, emergency calls, simple inquiries? Do they make the caller feel important? Do they sound competent? Are they courteous?

Do your sales personnel know enough about the pests to properly evaluate the situation and then be able to come up with an honest price for the job? Are they dressed neatly? Are they courteous?

Are your technicians knowledgeable about the chemicals they use? Do they know how to apply them, what pests they are labeled for, how to clean them up in the event of a spill or accident? Do they know the biology of the pests they encounter? Can they develop successful management programs for these pests? Are they trained in safe driving techniques? Do they know how to maintain their vehicle, and what to keep in it and what not to keep in it? Do they know how to store and transport their chemicals and how to clean them up in the event of an accident or spill?

Unless you can answer "yes" to each of the above questions, you have some training to do.

3) Ensure that your vehicles are properly maintained and stocked with all necessary application and safety equipment.

You wouldn't put much faith in someone who showed up at your home in a run-down, rusty, dirty vehicle and had only half the tools he needed to do the job. Our customers shouldn't be expected to take that leap of faith with us either. Ensure that regular, frequent vehicle inspections are part of your overall management program. Use a vehicle inspection form noting all deficiencies. Follow up to ensure compliance. Sign and date the form and place it in a separate vehicle inspection file.

4) Strongly consider the use of uniforms for your company.

In an article published in PCT a few year ago ("The Benefits of Dressing for Success," April 1992) the author made the valid point that "uniforms are one of the most effective means of boosting employee pride, increasing productivity and conveying professionalism." Studies have shown that both customers and prospects view a uniformed employee as being "recognizable, professional, alert, proud, trained, courteous, efficient, dependable and trustworthy." If your technician looks professional, the customer's mind is put at ease regarding service quality.

Company uniforms should include, at a minimum, a logo or patch on the front of the shirt clearly identifying your company. Ensure that whatever clothes you choose to wear are clean and reflect a professional appearance. There are several uniform supply companies that make uniforms available for rent or purchase.

These "walking billboards" are excellent advertising for your company as well. Remember, if the customer is favorably impressed by your technician's appearance, they are more likely to form a positive, professional opinion of your company. No torn jeans and T-shirts!

5) Don't give your service away.

If you had three electricians come to your home and two of them gave estimates within $50 to $100 of one another and the third one was $400 cheaper, who would you hire? Probably one of the two who were close in price. Why? Because you would assume the "lowballer" was going to cut corners.

The same is true with pest control. Figure your costs honestly and accurately, add your profit, and go with that price. If the customer accepts it, great; if not, look for another customer.

When you underprice solely to get the job you are faced with several options:

• Do the job exactly as the label calls for, applying the legal rate and spending the necessary time to make a complete application and probably lose money.

• Do the minimum amount of work necessary to get by and still make a minimum profit.

• Treat with less than label rates, make less than complete applications in order to keep a profit in the picture. Be aware that this type of service greatly increases the chance of minimal pest control, callbacks, disgruntled customers, and possibly lawsuits.

Frankly, none of the above should be acceptable to you. If the job can't be done legally, morally, and ethically and still leave you with a profit, you need to walk away from it.

The final downside of underpricing a job is that if you go in too low you will end up resenting the customer for demanding so much of you for so little. Likewise, they will tend to look at you as someone who has little sense of self-worth and therefore charges only what you think you're worth. When this occurs, not only does the customer hold us in low esteem, we have low self-esteem as well. One promotes the other.

6) Make continuing education a regular part of your program.

Ensure that your employees have the opportunity to keep up with the latest information available on new equipment, chemicals, pest biology, management techniques, and so on. Help them to become certified and hang their certificates in the office for all to see. Keep them current through recertification schools, in-house training, industry magazines and any other means available. Consider NPCA's new credentialing program, Purdue University's correspondence courses, or any other means available.

Note: In a recent article by Potter and Bessin (PCT, June 1995), 70% of randomly surveyed individuals felt that a technician should have at least six months of training and on-the-job experience before being allowed into their homes. Of these, 33% said one year or longer should be required!

The fear has always been that if we spend the time and money to get our technicians properly trained and certified, they will leave us for another company. In truth, if they are made to feel that they are a viable part of the company and if we pay them a fair wage, they will most likely stay with us.

CONCLUSION. Attitude, appearance, training and integrity. All are important components of a professional approach to pest control. Together they form a recipe for success:

SUCCESS Add equal parts of the following: • Attitude • Appearance • Training • Integrity • Mix in generous amounts of sincerity and keep constant watch over the results. • Serve to customers and monitor for specific customer preferences. • Remember: Use only legal, moral and ethical ingredients! • Note that each ingredient is necessary for the recipe to work properly.

Though we cannot guarantee that following the above recipe will assure a perfect future, we can guarantee that it will "put the odds in our favor." It will help us to be successful in our careers and at the same time put forth a professional image of the pest control industry. PCT

Dr. Mark S. Lacey is eastern technical services manager for Paragon Professional Products.