How to Get the Best Value for Your Pest Control Dollar
I've always been a proponent of demanding the best value per dollar spent on products and services. I view pest control services in the same way. I've been in the business of taking care of customers in the service sector for over thirty-five years and have observed over that time that the old saying, "you get what you pay for," is a timeless truism based in fact. Twenty-one years of my career have been divided between landscape pest & disease control and structural pest control. My observation during those years is that the world of pest control service is subject to that same truism. The fewer dollars you spend, the lower the quality of service you receive.
To be sure there are some companies who have lower costs and can offer a better deal than the next guy and there are companies who aim too high when it comes to profit margin. But the fact is that pest control companies are subject to the same economic rules as any business. Revenues, minus expenses, equal profit, or loss, as the case may be. There are only so many ways that companies can cut costs. Companies may vary in their approach to pest control, but in the long run, the cost of service is pretty much the same for all companies on an average, per-customer basis. Small, "mom and pop," operations may have low overhead because they can often operate out of their homes, but they typically pay more for materials, because of low purchase volume. These small business owners have only themselves and perhaps one or two employees and they tend to have a low density of customers within their service areas. Consequently they are spread too thin and tend to be over-worked. The result is that, if a customer has a problem that requires a quick response, that customer will likely be disappointed. In some cases it may take "mom or pop" several days to get there and the marginally lower cost may lose its advantage. Large corporate operations have lots of employees. They tend to have a more customers within a given service area and can respond to service requests on a same or next day basis. They can purchase materials in larger quantities and realize discounts but, they also have high corporate overhead and may either charge high prices to compensate or skimp on materials or labor, with the result being less than satisfactory results. I tend to favor the mid-size companies, ones that have the ability to respond quickly with high quality service and still have relatively low overhead. They have reasonable overhead costs, and pay reasonable prices for materials. They also tend to place a high value on every customer and can do whatever it takes to keep the customer happy. These are the ones that I believe offer the best value. Though this is not always the case, it seems to be true most of the time.
Before you hire a pest control company, check it out. Be sure to get at least 3 quotes. Talk with people you know who employ a pest control service. Ask what company they use and why they like them. Check the company out, what is their general reputation? Does the Better Business Bureau have any information on them? How long have they been in business? Check with your state or local agencies to be sure they are licensed and find out whether they have had any actions against them. Be sure that it is a company that continually trains its employees on all of the latest information on pests, materials, techniques and findings in the field. In short, don't just go for the first company you think of or just purchase from a company because you liked their advertisement. Be sure that you are getting a solid, well-established company with a great reputation; one that is known for real results and excellent customer service.
About the Author
Harry Case is Sales and Marketing Manager for Pest Control Center, Inc. in California and is a licensed pest control "Field Representative." He has been in the Structural Pest Control industry since May of 2005. Harry also has 16 & ½ years experience as a licensed Pest Control Operator in the related field of Landscape Pest and disease Control in the state of Washington.
Pest Control : How to Kill Termites in Wood
[simpleaffiliate source="amazon" results="10"]pest control operators[/simpleaffiliate]
[simpleaffiliate source="cj" results="10"]pest control operators[/simpleaffiliate]
No comments:
Post a Comment