Navigating the Maze of Pests, Prevention and Profitability
By John Neberz
Business Manager, Zoecon Professional Products
Bed bugs are on the rise. Cockroaches and fruit flies continue to thrive. Fleas irritate pets and their owners. And, let’s not dismiss the economic damage and health effects of fire ants, stored product pests and nuisance flies. The wide variety of uninvited pests that infiltrate homes, businesses and institutions means bad news to those who must co-exist with them, but offers ample business opportunities to provide service for Pest Management Professionals (PMP).
Insect problems are universal throughout the U.S. and provide revenue opportunities for the approximately 25,000 PMPs who have made them their livelihoods. And while each pest management professional has his or her eye on the bottom line, the key to profitability lies in offering efficient and consistent control. Times are tight and scrutiny is a key to ensuring that the service offerings by PMPs, for both commercial and residential accounts, provide comprehensive, long–term solutions.
PMPs, in pursuit of profitability, must assess how they position their products and services to their customers. The ultimate goal is getting it right the first time, thereby ensuring customer satisfaction and maintaining that important service contract. Callbacks are expensive and cut into margins and customers’ peace of mind.
The Reality of Running a Successful Pest Control Operation
The right combination of products can mean satisfied customers, reduced insect pest populations, and getting it right the first time. By utilizing products that contain Insect Growth Regulators (IGRs), PMPs can stay a step and a dollar ahead. IGRs interrupt the life cycle by inhibiting normal insect development, thus keeping them from reaching the critical adult stage and stopping their ability to reproduce. IGRs offer low toxicity and their extended residuals keep infestations in check.
What does this mean to pest management professionals? The positive economic impact is apparent because the effectiveness of IGRs help reduce callbacks, and keep re–infestations under control, leading to more profit. When used as part of an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, IGRs, with their long residuals, help increase customer retention and allow PMPs to focus on new business growth.
In light of everyday challenges, there continues to be opportunities to find and use products for those customers who want a softer, greener approach to pest control. Customers are more conscious today than they were 20 years ago about pest control products’ long– and short–term safety and environmental impact. Some are asking pointed questions before purchasing services to ensure they are getting safe, yet reliable, solutions. Zoëcon® IGRs are an ideal fit for this softer, greener strategy.
Zoëcon®, the first company to manufacture and produce IGRs ((S)–Hydroprene and (S)–Methoprene) more than 30 years ago was also one of the first to realize what pest management professionals need in their arsenal to be profitable. Zoëcon® offers PMPs solutions through manufacturing effective IGR products that contain the right ingredients, and Zoëcon® continually takes a comprehensive look at what control challenges their customers face every day.
Zoëcon® products are an integral part of controlling insect pests such as bed bugs, cockroaches, fleas, fire ants, stored product pests, fruit flies and drain flies, and Zoëcon® works closely with PMPs to address today’s complex pest management issues. It all comes back to PMPs implementing the best pest control strategies, reducing callbacks for increased profitability and finding a sustainable, happy customer base that will lead to long–term loyalty.