Staying On Course

There’s the saying that “all roads lead to Rome.” But when it comes to increasing production and efficiency, PMPs know that route density can make or break how profitable and successful a pest control company is.

In fact, 72 percent of PMPs said that their current software optimizes routes, with 55 percent attributing increased route density as having a positive impact on their company.

So how can you optimize your routes? Here are a few tips from peers.

• Utilize the tools you have. Wendy Lund, administrative director at Accel Pest & Termite Control, said the company uses its software to build, schedule and find recommended routes. Meredith Shaw Miller, business manager at Pest-X Exterminating, agrees that utilizing software has helped her company as well. “Our visual route manger software plus GPS software keep our routes tight,” said Shaw Miller. “We’re able to make sure people are getting to their stops, that they’re not spending too much time idling.”
• Focus on targeted marketing. Increasing route density is more than having tight, efficient routes. It’s about strategic customer acquisition too. “We’ll do targeted marketing with certain Zip codes to see if that can lead to tighter routes,” said Shaw Miller. Curtis Rand, vice president of operations, also implements this strategy at Rose Pest Solutions by tapping into outside marketing resources like a summer sales program and door-knocking campaigns.
• Follow the data. Another benefit of implementing visual route manager software? It’s easier to track and understand data, which can lead to making smarter business decisions on staffing, marketing and route density, said Erin Richardson, president, All-American Pest Control. In addition to tracking yearly and monthly customer retention rates, the company can see how many stops a technician makes per day, plus how many miles they’ve driven — and then make any necessary adjustments.

Overall, routing software not only can help with route density and fuel savings, but depending on the functionality of your software, it can allow technicians to send reports and information to clients instantly. And at the end of the day, it all adds up to being a reliable, efficient company.

“When it comes to pest control companies, density is key,” said Lloyd Pest Control CEO Jamie Ogle. “If you're driving too much or spending too much time between appointments, you're not making money.”