[Business Issues] IPM = $$$

Two respected entomologists from the University of Florida, Gainesville — Dr. Faith Oi and Ph.D. candidate Rebecca Baldwin — say there’s money to be made selling IPM services to your customers.

Speaking to pest management professionals at the NPMA PestWorld conference in Nashville, the two researchers maintained that the general public doesn’t really know what IPM is and, therefore, is unaware of its advantages. That’s an opportunity not to be ignored, they said, but educating the public and doing the job properly are keys to success.

A recent nationwide survey confirmed those facts. The study found that 83 percent of the respondents would pay more for a service that uses less pesticide, Baldwin said.

"(The survey) also determined that homeowners mistakenly believe that professional products are more toxic than over-the-counter pesticides. So, when you’re marketing IPM to your customers and prospects, explain what its principles and elements are, and convince them that you’re a knowledgeable professional," Oi added. "Tell them you’re the ‘doctor of their house’ and can diagnose and cure their pest problems safely. Let them know you aren’t a spray jockey."

SURVEY RESULTS. Baldwin conducted a survey of her own, querying 600 consumers of pest control services in Florida. She asked them how satisfied they’d be if pest management professionals could control pests without spraying pesticides. Although 87 percent said they’d be satisfied with an effective pest control strategy such as that, they didn’t believe advertisements that claimed an environmentally friendly or health-conscious pest control service. They considered physical removal of pests to be the most effective method. And 55 percent indicated they’d be satisfied if they could hire a service company to caulk cracks and repair window and door screens.

"If PMPs do have exclusion in their service offerings, wouldn’t that mean a loss of business for them? That would prevent pests from getting back into a structure," she said. "So can you keep those customers? The answer is yes, but you must educate them and emphasize this important IPM point: Because you’ve solved their pest problem, there might not be any pests now, but they may return. And that means there’s a need to inspect regularly to ensure that no future problem will get out of control."

Baldwin’s survey also indicated that 24 percent of the respondents had contracted for monthly service, 18 percent quarterly, 17 percent annually, and 33 percent irregularly.

"You want to focus your marketing efforts on the 33 percent who don’t have regular service," she suggested. "You want to convey to them that you are a pro and have the knowledge base to do a regular and effective IPM service for them."

Pesticides are a sensitive issue with mothers, according to Oi. "(When you) sell IPM to them, you can diffuse the perception that professional products are more toxic than their over-the-counter cousins. Tell them to get the MSDS for the pesticide to be used.

"Most customers who are greatly concerned about pesticide safety will have researched the product on the Internet. For them I put our information in context with common materials they have in their home. For instance, I call their attention to caffeine. The average lethal dose of technical caffeine for humans, if ordered from a chemical company, is only 10 grams. Technical caffeine is a lot more toxic than some of the pesticides we use. You’d have to drink 93 cups of coffee in a very short period of time to get the toxic effect."

Another way to put toxicity in perspective is to discuss fluorides in toothpaste with your customer, she says. "Fluorides are more toxic than our pest control materials, especially if you have little kids in your house. If a 22-pound child ingests 50 mg of pure fluoride — a quarter or half tube of some toothpastes — that could be a fatal dose."

DEFINING & IMPLEMENTING IPM. Oi defined IPM as an exclusion and inspection-based pest management program that utilizes detailed record keeping, uses baits and applies pesticides only when necessary.

According to her, schools in general and structures with termite or fire ant infestations present excellent business potential for pest management professionals who successfully sell the IPM concept.

"In order to do effective IPM, your service technician must have knowledge of pest biology, behavior and habits," she emphasized. "He or she must be able to identify the conditions making the environment suitable for pest population growth and survival, and understand how various tools and techniques can be used. In short, the service technician must be a professional."

Oi summarized the process of IPM and reiterated the fact that inspection is its foundation. "Begin the process by interviewing the customer. Don’t assume that he or she has identified the pest problem correctly," she said. "Determine whether the problem is, in fact, a pest problem."

Oi suggested that pest management professionals implement a monitoring program. "This helps identify the pest and all of its life stages. A sticky monitor can help do this as well as determine the pest distribution and density around the structure," she said. "Those monitors are your eyes 24/7. Monitoring can also determine the origin and entry points of infestations, which can help you institute exclusion methods. And it will also help you target your applications with precision, and therefore help you save time and product."

In addition, mapping serves as a helpful tool. "Mapping is important in identifying conducive infestation conditions and determining the factors and conditions that may affect pesticide use and effectiveness. For example, you don’t want to spray near electrical equipment because of the problems wetness might cause.

"Document in writing your inspection findings and develop your IPM plan and convey that plan to your customer."

The author is a freelance writer from Milwaukee, Wis. He can be reached via e-mail at jfox@giemedia.com.