VIEWPOINT: Ehrlich Means Excellence

I ’m frequently asked, "What’s the best company in the pest control industry?"

That’s a difficult question to answer because the criteria are different
depending on the market served and the particular "mission" of the country’s leading pest control firms. The most effective marketers – those with the deepest understanding of what motivates consumers to buy pest control services – are clearly the industry giants, Terminix and Orkin. To a large degree, these companies have shaped the public’s perception of the industry, providing a positive national identity for this essential service business. Then there are companies that specialize in high-end commercial work – like EcoLab and Steritech – providing sophisticated pest control services to the world’s most demanding and highly regulated customers, a daunting challenge indeed. Highly respected regional firms, like Waltham Services, Cook’s Pest Control, Sprague Pest Solutions, Western Exterminator Co., Massey Services, Presto-X-Company, and Western Pest Services, also come to mind when considering the country’s premier companies. And I know there are one- and two-person operations throughout the U.S. – a significant portion of our readership – that provide some of the finest pest control services in the country, easily the equal of their larger counterparts because of the "personal" attention they provide their clients.

However, when I bounce this question off of people whom I respect – industry consultants, researchers, successful pest management professionals, industry sales representatives – more often than not the name J.C. Ehrlich comes up as the most admired. After hearing such words of praise for so long, we wanted to find out what makes J.C. Ehrlich so special. How is this third-generation company based in rural Pennsylvania able to retain 89 percent of its customers yearly? At a time when technician turnover is at an all-time high, why does the average J.C. Ehrlich serviceperson boast nine years of experience? Why was the company recently voted "one of the best places to work in Pennsylvania?"

After spending time with company President Victor Hammel and his staff, the answer is obvious. J.C. Ehrlich is the country’s premier pest control company because it understands one simple truth about running a successful pest control business – you’re only as good as your weakest employee. That’s why the company spends 62 cents of every dollar on employee benefits and continuing education.

J.C. Ehrlich is not perfect. The company has problems like anyone else, but they’ve created a culture that celebrates the individual, nurturing and developing a staff of 1,100 "co-workers" that consistently perform at the highest levels, while providing extraordinary value to their customers. It’s a philosophy that is captured in the company’s vision statement: "Above all else, we value long-term relationships with co-workers and customers." It’s a philosophy that would serve any company well, which is why we created this "Special Report" that begins on page 26.

We’re indebted to Victor and Bobby Hammel – co-owners of the business – as well as the 1,100 "co-workers" at J.C. Ehrlich for allowing PCT to share its secrets to success with our readers, thereby extending this remarkable company’s legacy beyond the region it serves. We hope you apply the principles learned here and take a moment to write Victor Hammel and his family to thank them for sharing their expertise with you, at no cost or obligation, because of their love and affection for the structural pest control industry.

The author is publisher of PCT magazine.