LESSON 2

• We are Local

Believe it or not, this is a huge deal to a lot of people. Some people will buy from us simply due to the fact that our company is local to the area. People love to support and take pride in supporting local businesses. Not to mention we are much more convenient to work with, especially when they need something or have a question or issue with billing. They won’t have to press 1-2-3-0-0-0 on their phone six times and wait 120 seconds before they speak to an actual human. We answer on the first or second ring happy to help. We are well known in the community and people love what we do!

• Family Owned and Operated

Because we are all in this together, our customers receive the very best care from honest, hard working people. We care about every customer and we will bend over backwards to take care of them.

• 50 Gallon Power Sprayer

This is easily one of the most recognizable features about our service. We custom build our massive sprayer units. They are so big that they sit in the back of a truck and we have to pull a hose around with a gun on the end to treat the exterior and yards of homes. The results that our customers get makes the extra work well worth it. Using a power sprayer allows us to reach any needed area on the property and deliver the appropriate amount of product. We are able to treat three layers deep on the outside. We cover the surface of every needed plant, the surface of the soil and decomposing plant matter below them, and we are able to soak it into the soil beneath it all for long lasting control that won’t wash away or disappear anytime the lawn is mowed. This is the only way to establish an effective, long lasting barrier around a home or property.

Most companies, not just the ones that we compete against, but industry wide, only use a backpack mister or a handcan to treat the outside of the home. Both of these tools serve a purpose, but neither are able to deliver an adequate amount of product in a reasonable amount of time, nor are they able to reach the areas that must be treated to prevent reinfestation, such as the first, second, or third story eaves. Most claim to either go one foot up and one foot out, others claim three up and three out. Either way, the mist produced from the backpack or handcan units doesn’t typically penetrate below the canopy of the lawn created by the tips of the blades of grass, or other lawn/landscaping plants.

So imagine: In all of the areas where we work, each lawn is mowed every week. When it’s mowed, nearly two thirds of the top length of each blade of grass is cut, bagged, and hauled off. So if the mist from the backpack or handcan only reach the top tip of the grass and doesn’t penetrate to the lower portions of the grass, or the surface of the soil, or beneath the surface of the soil, and all within a week of the service being completed. What will be there to keep bugs away for the next three months? The answer is little to nothing. That is the very reason we use a power sprayer to treat. We reach every level needed for complete control, and we are able to deliver the amount of product needed. A handcan or backpack will, on average, use between a 1/4 to 3/4 of a gallon of product on an exterior treatment of an average sized home. With a power sprayer we use 15-20 gallons. It’s a no-brainer and must-do to actually get the customer what they are signing up for. No placebo effect here. We guarantee our results.

Some companies will only use a granule which requires a lot of moisture, such as rain or irrigation, to begin to break it down and activate the product. Even when activated, the product mostly will go into the soil directly below it (think of a piece of rock salt dissolving) and will not get any treatment above where it sits, nor will it be a uniform treatment covering every square inch. While granules are useful for certain applications at certain times of the year, it alone is not an effective means for establishing a barrier, and it has zero potential for any knock down effect.

After a quick conversation with potential customers I often find myself frustrated inside seeing them not understand that what they have been paying for for years isn’t serving the purpose that they intend it to. For example: A lawn treatment. I often ask, “What concerns you the most about the yard that helped you to make the decision to pay for regular lawn treatments (regarding pests)?” Almost every time the answers are the same, “I am worried about ticks and spiders.” I nod my head and agree with them that I also worry about those two pests the most with my yard (that and snakes!). Each of these pests can have life altering results from a single bit. Any family with kids will share the same concern.

In a scenario such as the one described above I quickly educate the customer on the proper formulation of the product, the amount of product, and the application method required to achieve the desired results: No ticks or spiders. These arachnids required a 3D style treatment: all surfaces of plants needing treated, the surface of the soil, and sub surface. A knock down agent with a long lasting residual HAS TO BE used. The power sprayer is the only application tool that has the psi and and the delivery method to do so. Granules (which 99.999% of companies will use to treat a yard) provide no (zero) knockdown response. Then why do companies use them? They are cheap and fast to apply, although almost completely ineffective. Understanding the biology of these arachnids helps us understand the need for Big 50, Old Trusty, The Big Kahuna, whatever you call it, the 50 gallon power sprayer.

• The Products that We Use Are Natural Based & Clinic Grade 

More and more, people are more aware and concerned about the chemicals they allow in their lives, especially those used in and around their homes. This fact is just one of the reasons why we are growing as fast as we are. Something unique about our company is that we use natural based and clinic grade products on both our residential accounts, and our commercial accounts. This puts any chemi-phobe or caring parent’s mind at ease. Our product selection allows us to treat any type of home, with any family members, especially those who are super asmatic, hypoallergenic, or have extreme reactions to odors or chemicals. The products are odorless and we only use water based solutions, so staining a surface or ruining fabric is never a possibility. Even dark, hardwood floors are safe! Any treatment on the inside should dry within 10-15 minutes, and there is no need for kids, pets, or other household members to leave. Once dry, normal activity may be resumed.

• We remove webs and wasp nests from under and around the eaves, windows, doors, porches, and the rest of the home.

If I had a dollar for every door that told me, “We are good! We already have a company!” while standing directly below a massive tangle or webs and wasp nests. We dock our technicians pay if we show up to a random quality check and they missed a web or wasp nest. A pest company that doesn’t take time to remove and prevent the obvious will never go above and beyond to take care of the remaining, less visible needs. People love that not only will we remove the pests and prevent them from coming back, but we will remove the garbage the pests leave behind. We can reach up to three stories high to sweep the eaves or remove and webs or wasp nests. There is a company or two around that will occasionally sweep eaves. Most don’t and some charge to do it. It is a requirement, we definitely don’t charge extra for it, and it is standard procedure for our company each time we are there.

• Break Down the Egg Cycle 

One of the most important steps of the process that is most often missed by other companies is the service specifically designed to break down the egg cycle. This is by far the most important part of the entire removal and prevention process. Eggs are similar to seeds. To help understand the importance of the egg cycle removal and struggles in doing so, let’s talk more about seeds: In almost any given patch of dirt, there are multiple generations of seeds on the surface of the soil or buried and varying depths. This is referred to as the seed bank. Plants have evolved to not have all of their seeds germinate and emerge at once in order to insure the success of that plant species. That way, if there is a drought or fire the plants will not all be wiped off the face of the earth. They typically emerge in stages, some being years apart. So if a homeowner is trying to remove annoying weeds from their yard, they first need to remove the plants dropping the seeds there. Even if the seed bearing plants are removed, the weeds will most likely spring back up due to the seeds in the soil. Until all of those seeds are removed, the problem will forever subsist. This is the same with bugs.

A great example is with ants. Let’s say that a colony invades the bathroom of a home and establishes a colony within the wall next to the shower. Each set of eggs that a queen lays will emerge in stages. Let’s say hypothetically that those stages are one week apart from each other, and that she has four weeks worth within that wall at the time of the first treatment. During the first treatment, all the active adults will be removed. But we still have eggs, larvae, and pupae within the wall. Eggs will hatch into larvae, and most larvae need adults to care for them. Not all, however. So some larvae may indeed mature in the pupal stage. Out of the four weeks worth of offspring in the wall at the time of the first treatment, two may already be in pupal form and will soon emerge from the wall as fully functioning adults. So there is the chance that they may emerge in two to four different waves, potentially being weeks apart. This means that the likelihood of reinfestation is guaranteed. 

With the example of the ants in mind, with the proper treatment schedule and the correct products in place, the egg cycle can be effectively broken down and removed. This is the importance behind our egg cycle service that we perform roughly 30 days after the initial service. For most pests we are able to get enough lifespan out of the products used on the inside of the home to accomplish the removal of the egg cycle. However, for pests like ants, cockroaches, and fleas, we will for sure need to treat the inside again during the 30 day egg cycle removal visit. With any flea infestation, due to a much shorter incubation period, we will return just 14 days after the initial treatment.

• We treat up the walls, under the first and second story eaves, and at least 7-10 feet out.

Treating the hard to reach areas is even more important than just removing webs and wasp nests. This prevents them from returning, but more importantly, it prevents all the other pests you don’t necessarily see on the outside from getting inside. Studies have shown that as high much as 60% of household pests enter the home from above ground floor level. 

So you might be asking, “If most companies refuse to treat under the eaves and around windows, or not nearly as far away from the home as we do, how do they prevent reinfestation?” Frankly, you never will and a company will always be chasing pests inside. Our goal is to remove the pests and then prevent any and all from reentry. Our philosophy is that it is better to prevent than to repeatedly fix a problem. This is why we put so much emphasis on where we treat, what we treat with, how much we use, and with what. It is definitely worth the extra cost. 

• We use on average 15-20 GALLONS of product on the outside alone. Most companies use a few ounces to maybe a ¾ of a gallon at most.

Remember, other companies treat 1-3 feet up and out with a much smaller particle and flow rate (delivering far less product), while we treat under the eaves, up the wall, and at least 7-10 feet out. It is 15-20 gallons of product that we use versus less than 1 gallon of our competitors. Our cost is far greater than our competitors, but so is our customer satisfaction and retention. Happy customers will gladly stay with their provider. Results produce happy customers. They are definitely worth the expense!

• The attic isn’t just included, it’s a requirement during the clean out service.

Remember that 60% of pests invade from above ground level? The attic is one of the key areas of concern as it’s a harborage area and point of entry from the outside world to the rest of the home. We constantly find massive wasp infestations, spiders, wood destroying beetles, mice, rats, honey bees, and even termite tubes and damage; all found while inspecting/treating the attic. We will inspect, treat, and place preventative on every initial service. This is one gateway to the home that we want to purge of pests, and close off the open entry to the home.

The attic is a favorite place for mice. With a lot of homes having blown in insulation, it can take a little training to recognize the signs of even a heavy mouse infestation. Our technicians are heavily trained and do an excellent job at prescribing the solution to control and prevention of further infestations.

No other company includes the attic as part of their regular service, nor will they do it for no additional charge. It is standard for Pros of Pest. 

• If there is a crawlspace, consider it done.

As a kid, I was always terrified of our crawlspace under the house. Something about small, tight, dark areas in close proximity with unknown lurking bugs, it made me uneasy. I still hate crawlspaces. Customers feel the same way! I’ve seen spiders the size of my large palms as well as snakes under homes while treating, and in one case, both!

If the customer has one they will typically ask to have it treated because they know it can be an easy entry point and an area of concern. We have the equipment and all other means necessary to treat it and it is no additional charge! I’ve made a lot of sales by addressing this fact alone.

• No extra charge for fleas, ticks, wasps, spiders, ants, roaches, aphids, centipedes, millipedes, crickets, beetles, silverfish, earwigs, snakes, rats, mice, black widows, and even brown recluse.

Most every company will nickel and dime a customer for each and every pest that they are asked to treat, and even more money for the scary ones! Maybe we would make a lot more money if we did too. However, it’s our philosophy that once we are hired to get rid of and prevent pests, we keep their business by including all things pest related in or on the home (with the exception of bed bugs and termites although we do have specialized services for those guys…). Our service is all inclusive.

• We treat for snakes and have an amazing repellent.

Due to the fact that we can effectively remove their food source from any property, we can definitely keep these guys away from the home, and at no additional charge. Once removing the food source, we then lay out a special granule that they avoid. This method works great in preventing snakes from hanging out close to where families walk and play.

 We will even guarantee snake prevention in the entire yard when customers upgrade from the Home Pest Package to the Property Pest Package. It is an easy way for sales reps to up their contract values and solve a huge need for every single customer. It is a no brainer! Especially since no other companies treat for or guarantee snakes.

• The products that we use are odorless and dry clear.

This allows us to treat any type of flooring or needed space without any worry of causing damage or discomfort. A lot of products on the market stain, cause colors in fabrics and carpet to bleed, and can have overpowering and even long lasting, bad odors.

• The products we use allow us to treat in homes with people that have severe asthma or that are hypoallergenic.

This is a pretty frequent concern we get from potential customers. Thankfully, due to the high quality of the products that we carry, there is no need to fear. People with extreme conditions don’t even need to leave their home. This allows us to help so many more customers that previously thought they had to go without real pest management.

• There is no need to leave your home or move anything when we are coming.

A lot of people are used to the archaic, 100+ year old methods used in pest control. The image they may have is of harmful, scary chemicals that they aren’t safe around. Not on our watch! Safety and convenience go hand in hand and there is no need for any member of the family to have to leave, including kids and pets. We are as non invasive as we are thorough!

• Safe to be used around kids and pets or both.

Not only do we protect kids and pets from disease vectoring organisms, we protect them by choosing the clinic grade (products we are required to use in hospitals & clinics) products.

• We can do inside and outside.

Believe it or not, a lot of companies will only treat the inside, or only the outside, or charge extra for either one. It is so convenient for our customers and gives them peace of mind that our service is as thorough as an xray. We treat inside, between the walls, and the exterior. All pests are guaranteed inside and out. 

• Our service is so thorough that after the initial “clean out” treatment we typically don’t have to do the inside every time, with as much as we do to the outside.

This is a HUGE positive for a few reasons. First, convenience. How annoying would it be for the customer if we had to ask them to take time away from their busy lives to be home to let us in every time we came? Second, we are only able to because we literally have removed and taken care of all pests on the inside, sealed it off, and treated the outside in such a thorough manner that nothing new is back in the home. THAT is the ultimate goal of our integrated pest management program. People are getting what they hope and pay for with the Pros of Pest.

• We GUARANTEE our service. If customers see anything between the regular treatments we will come back and reservice for FREE.

This statement has some very powerful points and shows a lot about our service:

1. Confidence. As expensive as each of our services are, we would be bankrupt if we had to come back for free often.
2. We take pride in our work. Our technicians take it upon themselves to make sure the job is done to the fullest extent each time. No corners are cut and I have loved hearing compliments from happy customers calling in to sing our technicians praises for a job well done.
3. We are fair. If a customer hired us to handle their pest control needs, then pests should be controlled. If not, then why did they hire us? We will carry out the job we were hired for, for the original agreed upon price. Many companies will charge an additional fee for reservices. Some for any reservice, and some allow one free reservice per year.

• We can come out the same day, or next day. Guaranteed.

Have you ever complained at a restaurant that your food came out too fast? Or that the oil change guys saved you too much time? Me neither. This goes back to the positive that we are a local business. We will bend over backwards to take care of anyone as soon as humanly possible. We guarantee same day or next day services, as well as reservices.

• We have an on call entomologist.

This is something that has helped the Pros of Pest stand out from almost any other pest control company out there. Most got started in one of two ways: they worked for a company and a technician and branched off on their own, or they worked for a sales company and learned a few basic ideas and principles of pest control.

Our company was formed with the owner having a firm, scientific background and degree involving entomology. This helps us understand the WHY behind each problem, practice, and solution. This has been the mechanism that caused us to be differentiated from every other pest control company that is still performing pest services the same way that they have been done for the last 100+ years. 

Customers are always grateful that they can text or email pictures to our office of a bug or pest that a friend needs identified. Or of an unidentified mound that popped up in the yard. We love them all and have some stories to tell, for sure!

• We are environmentally conscious.

As it sounds in the names of our companies: PureNature, NaturePro, Green Team, etc., we love nature. We aren’t here to nuke the environment. We love the environment. Because we aren’t just pest control and are actually integrated pest management, we are safer and better for the environment. From the products we use, to the equipment we use them with, all have safety and the environment in mind.

• Our referral program is next level. Customers receive $20 off their next bill for EACH person that they refer that gets on our service. After only 5, they get an entire YEAR for free. Yup. It’s huge.

Pro Tip: Find hairdressers, nice grandmas, pastors, realtors and presidents of the homeowners association. These people know EVERYBODY. Seriously. My personal favorite are the hairdressers that are grandmas (true story). They know everyone and once they like and trust me, they quickly get enough referrals to earn free pest management for the remaining years of their life for both their home and hair salon. This positive has a TON of value. Ask every door and every sale. I tell every sale I make once I’ve finished signing them up that my goal is that they never have to pay for their service. I then walk them through a series of steps to help them think of who they know. One sale quickly multiplies into many. 

• We give a multi home discount.

Realtors. Property Management Companies. Air BnB Owners. We do it all the time. We lock all their accounts in at a great rate for getting all of their properties on with us. Some customers have well over 10 properties with us. I recently signed a deal with a nice woman who owns 37 properties. That doesn’t suck.

• We do residential and commercial.

This is a big one. Commercial deals will pay you BANK. Huge contracts and they are always very solid accounts. Customers love that they can also include their homes cost in their business cost and write the whole thing off year after year. It’s automated and very convenient for them. 

A lot of companies (especially door knocking companies) aren’t licensed to treat commercial accounts or the liability associated with it is too intimidating for them, and rightfully so. Big business has a lot of requisites and challenging needs. Imagine treating a massive hospital or old folks home. The laws and red tape are incredibly complex! Now stop imagining. We treat both hospitals and old folks homes right now. Not just that, but we also treat restaurants, day cares, clinics, animal shelters, hemp/vape distribution centers, and all kinds of other commercial facilities. They are interesting and we love the unique needs they present.

• We are licensed and experts in termites.

Not every pest company carries termite licensing, or holds the bonds and insurance required to provide termite coverage and services for customers. We specialize in it and it’s one of our fastest growing services.

• We can bundle services and save customers’ BANK.

It only makes sense. If we are coming out already to perform one service type, why not consolidate all the customers’ services under one company and for one better price? Not only is it a better deal for them financially, but it is so much more convenient. Oftentimes, just bundling termite with household pest saves them $200 per year.

• We have a guaranteed mosquito service that is hands down a favorite service.

Okay, I can rant on this one. I specialize in deep understanding of the science behind the products we use and how they work. It frustrates me seeing how much people are charged for mosquito services, and then seeing what and how much product was used. I can talk your ear off about mosquito biology and all of the requirements needed for control of each stage of their life cycle, but I’ll keep this point short. People get ripped off for low grade product and an ineffective method of application for short lived, under delivered mosquito control.

We use a ULV (ultra low volume) backpack unit that emits a product in very, very fine particle size, similar to the same particle size as smoke. THIS IS IMPORTANT. Imagine two leaves of the exact same size. If you were to place marbles on the one and sand on the other, you can fit thousands of more individual particles of sand on the one leaf versus the few marbles that could fit on the other. This is one of the key concepts behind effective and long term mosquito control. 

The particles coming from the ULV unit are so small that they remain in the air longer, float higher reaching every side of every leaf and surface up to the very top of every bush and tall tree. Mosquitoes harbor in the cool shade provided by trees and other plants. Not only that, but they have a higher requirement for the amount of active ingredients required to take care of them. Think back to the marbles and sand. Imagine that each unit would have the same strength of effect on the mosquito. If the mosquito requires 10 units to kill it, but the leaf only fits 8 (think of the marbles) it is insufficient to take care of that mosquito. This is not the case with the leaf with the particles the size of the sand. It is covered with hundreds or thousands of particles and easily and efficiently removes that mosquito from the biting population. 

We don’t use basic products. We use a combination of very expensive ones for mosquitoes so that we can neutralize all life cycles, including the eggs and larvae tucked away. One is a residual base that will last 30 days. The other is an IGR (insect growth regulator) which prevents any form of metamorphosis or instar from occurring (eggs from hatching into larvae, larval stage 1 to larval stage 2, Larva to pupa, pupa to adult). Science. It’s pretty cool!

• We have a mole service.

You bet we do. Again, not every company does. Moles are mammals and vertebrates so that creates all kinds of needs and difficulties. They are notorious for creating ankle braking and costly channels just beneath the surface of the lawn. The damage is ugly, annoying, costly, and downright frustrating for homeowners.

We remove any attractive food sources such as worms, nematodes, larvae/“grubs”, and other arthropods from the lawn and surrounding property. We then find any active tunneling and carefully insert a solid product beneath the soil where they will find it, eat it, and no longer create those annoying, costly, ankle breaking holes! Because these occur in the lawn and have a much higher service cost, we do charge the cost for treating them out in the yard.

• We do have a service for bed bugs. (This is separate from the regular service. Never. Forget. PLEASE ).

Not many companies can say they also specialize in bed bug removal. The fact that we have this notch in our belt got us in the door to our first medical facility, in which we have a requirement in our contract that if they call us due to a bed bug problem we must report on sight within 2 hours. They are taken very seriously because they are a big deal.

Bed bugs were nearly completely eradicated in the US in the early to mid 1900s, but after the rise of international and more frequent travel, the few remaining genetic strains were transported all over and rapidly reproduced. They so successfully reproduced and grew into common and out of control populations because the majority colonies that were left years before were genetically immune to the types of products that were available on the market at the time. That means that no matter if the individual were sprayed in direct contact with that product it would never kill the individual. 

Due to amazing research and scientific advancement, we have a very effective, and very safe line of products available on the market for licensed users. The treatment is a multistep process that takes a great deal of time and the utmost level of attention to detail. It involves a thorough inspection, a liquid application, aerosol applications, fumigants, dusts, heat, mattress covers, bags, and nuclear warfare (just kidding, but just about). It is an intense, and very costly service.

• Once you get on with our service you have year round unlimited access to all of our trucks, our equipment, and our know how.

We don’t hold back! Whatever is needed, and wherever it is needed. Our techs go the extra mile. This is probably why I’ve seen people literally hand them a pile of cash in tips.

• Customers LOVE our scheduling system. 

They don’t have to remember to call to set up their regular appointments. We have a system that schedules them, and sends them a text and an email several days before so that they always know we are coming, and so they can let us know if they want anything extra or specific on each visit. We love it. Saves us time. Saves them time. We are all about service and convenience. 

• We offer fully customizable services.

We get all kinds of requests. From weird collections to koi ponds to beekeepers. We can custom tailor any service to fit any customers needs. This flexibility creates unlimited clientele potential. That translates into more sales for you.

• Our main inside and outside products have a lifespan of 90 days.

This is good news for us, the customer’s budget, but not for bugs! It means that we apply the product on day and that the effect that kills the bugs will last for 90 days after. Very impressive. It does break down at that point (unlike DDT), which is very important for the environment.

This is also very convenient because even though we strive to treat the entire crack and crevice along every square inch of baseboard inside a home, if there are any cluttered closets or filled garages, as long as we get products around the main travel corridors or majority of the perimeter of the room, as the pests travel around they will make their way through product and succumb to the results of a Pros of Pest treatment. They will no longer be a problem in the home. That being said, we definitely do all that we can to get every inch treated. It accelerates the clean out process and keeps customers very happy.

• We are the only company in the area that will guarantee brown recluse, AND we refuse to even charge for them!

Imagine having a very scary species of spider living in your house. Its bite can cause extreme necrosis and, in worst case scenarios, potentially deadly allergic and/or infectious reactions. Now imagine the amount of fear that that knowledge now creates. It’s this fear that leads to so many people getting taken advantage of. If a customer states that they have a brown recluse infestation and that it is the greatest fear in their life and they will do anything to get rid of it, some companies prey on that opportunity and charge everything but an arm and leg. We regularly see quotes in the $200-$400 range, but the highest we’ve witnessed first hand was $1,600.00… Yup, almost $2K to get rid of spiders. The worst part is i have NEVER seen a company agree in a contract that they will guarantee the removal of brown recluse. Seems unfair to me.

This abuse has driven us to where we are now out to prove a point: Brown Recluse can be removed, we will guarantee them, and we won’t charge a penny more for them. Absolutely, they are extra work and a little extra to treat for, but that is what we are hired for. Successfully removing them will guarantee us this customer’s loyalty for life. That is what we are after. We have found that the more we give, the more we receive down the road. We will always err on the side of giving too much, than giving too little. We hand select our technicians that feel the same way and our customer retention rates show that it pays off in the long run.

• We can get rid of the WORST roach infestations. (believe me)….

HUGE plus. I can’t count the amount of customers that I have personally signed up that stated in the beginning that they’ve been through four companies, and hundreds of dollars of products from the store, and they still have roaches. To be honest, this is one of the easiest sales ever to make.

Again, understanding cockroach biology has led to the development of our roach removal treatment. We’ve yet to find a job that we can’t handle, or that takes more than two treatments to successfully remove. Attention to detail is a must, as well as extreme thoroughness in applying the products that we use.

• We treat animal shelters, day cares, old folks homes, hospitals, clinics, private schools, restaurants, office buildings, entire apartment complexes, and other sensitive commercial buildings.

It is definitely a feat that we’ve been blessed to get into the amount of commercial accounts as we have. One of the most recent has been a ship. A massive ship. Pretty cool, right?

I love bringing this up to potential customers because it not only triggers the idea for them to give us their business accounts as well, but it proves the point to them that we are THE PROS. If we are doing these massive commercial properties, we definitely have a great grasp on proper pest management. Heck, we even treat entire apartment complex chains! That’s hundreds of homes with thousands of needs, all wrapped up in one massive account. We can easily tackle a single home.  

• We have products that are safe to use around gardens and play houses.

Almost every home that has children will also have a playhouse or some type of play equipment. We train our technicians to ALWAYS inspect and treat around those areas (unless directed otherwise by the customer) so that we can protect the children from pain and dangerous bites or stings.

Especially in this day and age, many people enjoy growing their own garden at home. We have all sorts of products that allow us to actually treat their garden and the food that they eat without them having to worry about growing an extra limb.

Both play equipment and gardens are able to be treated due to the wide variety of natural based products that we use.

• Our exterior service will keep leaf eating pests off of shrubs and bushes, flowers, etc.

People spend an insane amount of money each year on their landscaping. There are hundreds of pests that destroy flowers, leaves, stems, and roots. Most companies will charge a significant amount to include or treat the landscaping specifically. Thanks to our power sprayers and due to the fact that we already treat 10 feet out, we already include landscaping in the cost of the regular service. Both customers and their plants love it!

• Our exterior service will take care of plant damaging grubs, like beetle larvae, etc.

Beetle larvae, often referred to as grubs, live mostly under the ground, both shallow and very deep in the soil. A light, or even heavy, mist produced by a backpack or handcan will never be able to penetrate the soil deep enough to take care of these plant killing pests. This is one of the reasons why we focus on getting product three layers deep so that customers don’t worry about losing their trees and plants.

• We even guarantee Japanese Beetles!

These guys are tough. Japanese beetles cost on average $450 million a year in damage and control costs. That is half a billion dollars. They are expensive, and can be tough to get rid of quickly enough before an entire plant is completely defoliated. The adults emerge from the soil with a voracious appetite for leaves and they can cause a serious amount of damage in just one night.

Oftentimes with beetles and plants, it is the larval stages that  cause the worst damage. Though the larval stages of japanese beetles cause extensive damage in lawns and turf, residentially it is the adults that cause the most noticeable damage attacking the larger, more expensive, leafed plants. With such a risky pest hanging around, an operator needs to be able to remove and prevent the problem as soon as humanly possible. We use a special mixture of two types of products, and even two formulations to get this done as efficiently as possible, and at no extra charge! This is a HUGE selling point for people that have beautiful yards and landscaping. 

• Because of our power sprayers, we get 3 layers deep on the exterior treatments. 

Getting product 3 layers deep provides effective and longer control in three ways:

1. The product reaches below the surface of the soil where problems propagate, and it is protected from UV rays that break product down.
2. The product will completely cover the entire surface of the soil and debri on the soil where many pests crawl, lay eggs, and harbor.
3. Every side of any plant or structure above the soil will in turn be treated, thus removing an active pests hiding on or under and leaves, grass blades, etc.
4. By treating all three of these areas, no pests will be left living, and all risk of reinfestation will be removed.
5. This method will provide a quick knockdown response and families won’t be left waiting for water activated granules to slowly begin working in the few areas where they fell from a granular spreader.

• We can treat trees.

Imagine trying to hit the tops of trees needing treated while using a backpack or handcan. It won’t happen. Big 50 will reach the tippy tops of any tree, shrub, or plant needing treated. Watch for opportunities to offer this service. It is an EASY switchover for people paying $1,500- $3,000 a year from TruGreen, Terminix, Orkin, or any other big box company. We save them money while saving their trees.

• We can reach anything 50-60 feet up!

This feature is made possible due to our 50 gallon power sprayers. Read back through the rest of these positives and count how many different ways people benefit from the use of our power sprayers. You’ll soon be asking “How can effective pest control be done without one?”. It is a must have for ANY job, especially those hard to reach, but necessary, places that need treated. 

• If we don’t know what species of critter it is, we will. Guaranteed. We can examine and ID it in our lab and apply whatever treatments required.

Science wins. Everytime. Take a picture or collect a sample and we will pick it up. Identification is 100% necessary for IPM. Specific treatment prescriptions and products are used for specific pests. We love a good challenge of trying to find something that we have never identified!

• We have several different methods to remove mice from attics, walls, inside homes and sheds.

Imagine being brand new to the pest industry and trying to remove mice from the interior walls in a home. Now imagine trying to do it only having one type of product you’re trusting to do so. Okay. Now imagine that colony either being genetically immune to the active ingredient in the bait or avoid it like the plague (pun intended). This happens all the time, actually.

We will call this Scenario 1. Mice and especially rats need to be approached with attention to detail, and a multistep process planning for the worst case scenario. Avoidance and resistance are two common struggles PMPs (pest management providers) encounter with rodents. Our process works so well that it is the same process we use commercially where businesses are required to remove rodents once detected within a set number of hours. We have seen some crazy things. Believe me.

So what is Scenario 2? Scenario 2 is that the treatment somewhat worked and now 25 mice are dead within the wall rotting. This now creates a problem worse than the living problem in the wall. It’s enough to empty a house for weeks. We avoid this problem two different ways. It’s genius and it makes our team a lot of money by getting access to many, many more accounts. 

The products that we use specifically for rodents in structures have a delayed killing response, but a rapid physical response that creates extreme thirst in the rodents. This response is so strong that the rodent will leave in search for a running water source. They make their way out of the structure before succumbing to the final response, therefore, leaving no odor in the walls, attic, home, or business. In the event that one doesn’t make it out, we place a special oil/gel product within the wall behind an outlet or access point that will remove the entire smell from the wall completely. It is truly amazing how well both of these processes work.

• It’s no extra cost to treat a shed on the property.

Lots of homes have a shed or small building where they store lawn equipment or hide from their spouses. Nobody likes having to wipe the unexpected spider webs (hopefully that is all it was!) off their faces as they enter to remove a lawn mower, shovel, or rake. We throw these structures in for no extra charge, and our customers are always so grateful.

• Since the inside isn’t typically needed after the initial visit, we can treat the subsequent treatments without anybody needing to be home. People LOVE this as it makes scheduling easy.

It is a huge convenience for both parties. It is only made possible due to our specific clean out and home sealing service. Without the products, equipment, and strict treatment process, it could never be accomplished. 

• We use an electronic payment system. 

HUGE PLUS! Never waste a check or time again! Customers prefer to pay with a card, which is a good thing because it’s about the only thing we take these days. Cards are the safest way to pay and track expenses. Banks will fully guarantee and back card transactions from even debit cards these days. This means that they will fully return fraudulent charges. This is NOT the case with checks, and that is why we don’t often accept checks. 

Checks have the customer’s name, address, routing, and account number on it and someones account could easily be compromised. Not only that, but it’s a huge hassle having to open a bill in the mail from us, write a check, address an envelope, stamp it, and take it to the mailbox. It’s a hunge convenience that we allow them to set up a card and never have to remember a payment again. Autopay is their best friend. Our merchant services protects their card info via RSA encryption and a secure 2048-bit encrypted SSL connection to a PCI compliant vault, and we can’t even access their info once it’s set up. This is the same system as Amazon, Walmart, etc.

• We have fully customizable billing capabilities. 

This means we can split up payments however preferred. Some like splitting quarterly payments up over the three months, making it easier to plan for when on a tighter budget. For example, rather than charging $150 per quarter, we could set it up to be just $50 a month and still treat it on a quarterly basis. We can also set it up to not bill until a specific day of the week, or a specific date each month. Money should never be an issue as to why someone needs to go without our services. We can work around any budget or need.

• We are able to wait to charge for a service even a month or two out if need be.

At the end of the day there are needs far more important than pest control. Mortgage payments, hospital bills, unexpected life expenses, loved ones passing away, etc. We work with this every single day in the office. Rather than falling back on services and allowing all the hard work that we’ve done to rid a property of pests, egg cycles, etc., we can easily keep treating and catch up on payment down the road. We are loyal to our customers, and they are loyal back. 

• We have extremely high customer retention. People love what we do, and self retain.

This speaks volume to potential customers. I bring this up on the doors all the time. Because many people before them have already tested the waters and stay with us, it gives the potential customer comfort knowing that they are making the right decision swapping over to us. It’s tied to the bandwagon effect. Some companies lock people into 3-5 year contracts to keep their business. We ask people to try us for their first year so that they can see what we do, and so we can see what kind of customers we are investing in. After the year agreement is up our customers naturally self retain. Since everybody loves us, they will too!

• We are competitively priced.

For as much as we do, we could easily charge customers 5-6x more than what we do. The fact that we are priced right there with everyone else gives our sales team a serious upper hand. They are able to offer customers a far better service for the price people are used to paying. We run into some accounts that pay less, and some that are paying much higher, but both are happy to switch because they recognize the value and the need of what we offer.

• We offer a “Paid in Full” discount.

I love the question “Is there a discount if we pay the year upfront?” Um, most definitely. Reps love this, as they are paid in full as well. I love this because it saves us on average $20 a year in billing fees, stamps, and office time. So we gladly give customers $20 off for paying the year in full. 

• We lock customers’ price in for life.

This is a frequent complaint I hear from customers that they had about their previous providers. Each year the price is hiked up and up, similar to internet and other utility bills. Unless a federal or state minimum wage law changes that affects what we currently pay our technicians or extreme inflation, we will never raise our customers prices. This helps with trust, confidence in them using us, and keeping an accurate budget functioning.

• We are EXTREMELY picky with who we hire. 

Our techs are paid much higher than the industry average. We have very low turnover. This is partially because we are so picky with who we bring on in the first place, but also due to all the benefits they get with our business. Happy technicians = happy long term customers. Because they enjoy what they do, they do an excellent job and always go above and beyond. Customers are met with a bright smile and positive energy. The techs make customers so pleased with the service that we get thousands of referrals every year from happy customers that sing the techs praises by name. These customers trust us to treat their best friends and family members.

• We easily do 10x more than our closest competitor. And we even charge the same or less!

I’m a steak guy. I’m also a seafood guy. So if I had to choose between two restaurants that both offered steak for roughly the same price, but the one also added a pile of garlic shrimp, buttered lobster tail, and a pound of king crab legs, I would definitely choose the one that came with all the seafood. Not only that, but truth be told I would gladly pay more if I had to. 

Once potential customers understand the benefits that we are giving them it then justifies them swapping from their current company over to us. I even have people that were paying less gladly pay a little more for all the added features. I’ve even had people that were service the same day or the day before switch, pay a cancelation fee, and gladly sign up with us because they understand the value and the need for what we offer. We don’t need the enormous profit margins that other companies all chase. Our goal is long term relationships with our customers. Even though we have much slimmer profit margins, we grow faster because we have longer lasting accounts and a much higher referral rate.

• When you call you reach a real person. No massive call centers, automated computer systems, hassle, or waits!

Waiting on the phone to buy something or have a problem solved because I can’t get through a computer to a real human is one of my pet peeves. I’m so turned off by them that I often time how long it takes me to get through to a real person. Not to throw anybody under the bus, but while calling Cafe Rio one day to place a $500+ order, it took 1 minute and 23 seconds before the phone started to ring for a real person to answer. Crazy, right??? 

When a potential sale or customer reaches out, they need service NOW. Our staff will always try their very best to answer on the first or second ring. The sooner we can get them served, the happier they are, and the least amount of time is wasted. I’ve heard many compliments from customers about how they appreciate our quick and attentive service anytime they need something from us.

• We offer unlimited free reservices.

If someone signs up for pest control, they should expect their pests controlled. I hate seeing someone charged fees for a company having to come back a retreat for something. If someone hires us to be their pest management experts and they still have pests after we treat, that’s on us. Not them. They paid us to do it, so we will come back for FREE, as many times needed to resolve whatever issue they are having. We 100% guarantee our service and that we can make any home or business pest free.

• We are the ONLY company that offers home sealing. 

This definitely is another big reason we are growing as fast as we are. It only makes sense: Close the doors and stop the entry. Right? Absolutely! We carefully caulk around holes, cracks, old caulking, voids, etc. We also foam around other holes and any unnecessary access points between walls and the inside of the home, like where plumbing goes through the floor or wall. 

Another super important spot are the weep holes near the bottom of the home. These are found on brick and some other style homes that need their walls to breathe. We screen these off so that moisture can still leave the interior wall voids, but bugs and mice cannot roam freely in. 

Sealing off the home is an important step that differentiates integrated pest management programs from pest control. Pest control is old school. IPM is the only way to go and lowers the environmental impact. Families love it and people are always super impressed when they see what all we are doing to their home.

• We provide an “x ray” style treatment.

Before we mesh off the weep holes, we will apply a treatment to the INSIDE of the wall. That means that we will have treated the inside the home, inside of the walls, the attic, crawlspace, and the outside of the home. What area is left untreated? Nothing. No pest is safe, nor permitted access to reenter. 

• Scorpions are no extra charge.

Big savings here. We don’t allow a lack of knowledge or fear to ever justify price gouging. Scorpions are easily within the scope of our regular services, and therefore, they are never an extra charge. Families sleep in peace without fear of what comes out at night.

• We carry each product in multiple different formulations.

This is something that is a secret in the trade, but no secret to truly successful professionals in the industry. This is a MAJOR IMPORTANT piece of knowledge that I often see go unknown by both old and new companies, a lot of which may have started as just sales companies trying to get a start in pest control, or by an ambitious kid getting out of high school and wanting to start his own gig. No shade on them! I’m stating this fact because product knowledge is extremely important and requires a serious amount of research and knowledge. In pest management you simply cannot thrive by faking it until you make it. Some, especially door to door pest control companies, hope to keep their account just long enough until they can sell their company and walk away. This can create a large turnover rate because a lack of knowledge leads to a lack of pests being controlled.

Product formulation allows a product that doesn’t function on a specific surface, substrate, soil type, climate, etc. It determines the functionality and life span, especially when considering heat, water (rain/moisture), sunlight (UV Rays), porous surfaces, and acidic/basic surfaces. One product may work great for ants inside every home of every customer of a pest management provider, but doesn’t affect the same population outside of the home. THis is a matter of formulation type. We not only understand the when and why to use what, but we carry it all on each service vehicle. 

• We care. 

We really do. We want lifelong customers, so we will bend over backwards to do whatever is necessary to treat people right and give them their fair shake. We make take a loss here and there going out on a limb to help out a customer, but it is a gamble that we will take 100% of the time. We definitely gain more than we lose long term in doing so.