[Technically Speaking] Failure to Communicate

What we’ve got here is failure to communicate.” — Cool Hand Luke
This line from the movie Cool Hand Luke says it best — why some companies will flourish and others will not. Companies that struggle to survive or grow in our industry fail to communicate. There are many reasons for this, e.g., lack of technical knowledge, poor oral communication and under utilization of technical materials. These companies attract a very small percentage of our potential customers.
This group of customers is not seeking professional expertise and quality service — most of them are satisfied finding a company they think will solve their pest management problem for the cheapest price. When a customer starts a conversation with the question, “How much will a termite treatment for my home cost?” you can almost be certain they are shopping the price, not the service. The sadder part is there are companies that will quote a price without looking — foolhardy at best. Companies that respond to this question over the telephone don’t even know they are dealing with termites, and if it is termites, the structural issues that may complicate treatment, extent of infestations, treatment options, etc.
On the other hand, if we look at successful companies, the one thing that stands out is their communication with customers. Most customers want to employ service companies that are technically competent and who convey that image through communication. For communication to be successful it must start with the initial customer contact and continue even after the service is completed.

PATH TO SUCCESS. In my opinion, the most effective methods for improving communication are through training and the development of resource materials. Training should focus on two areas in this order: technical knowledge and effective oral communication. Without subject matter expertise, communication will fail.
Almost 25 years ago I decided I wanted to be an instructor in preventive medicine (entomology) at the U.S. Army Academy of Health Sciences in San Antonio. I had the technical skills and education required for the assignment but was absolutely petrified of public speaking. The Army cured me of my fear by putting me through a three-week course on how to be an effective instructor (speaker). The essence of the course was simple: When you speak to a customer, the public or your peers, be the subject matter expert. Armed with technical knowledge, communication with the public is easy.
Our industry is blessed with a plethora of technical resources that accommodate a wide range of educational backgrounds from the Technician’s Handbook to the Mallis Handbook of Pest Control and there are many technical references in between. Pest Control Technology magazine is a monthly technical resource guide with up-to-date information on a range of topics — but based on circulation numbers I know that few companies make it available to their technicians. I believe any technician who has been with a company at least two years should have his/her own subscription provided by the company — what a small price to pay for knowledge!

Pest Fact Sheets. Regardless of how much technical training you provide and despite the fact that your customer service personnel and technicians are subject matter experts, they still may not be effective communicators without some help. To facilitate effective communication, one of the most effective tools are what I refer to as Pest Fact Sheets — one for customers and another for customer service representatives and technicians. The outline of the Fact Sheet is simple:
• About (pest X): A bulleted list of ID, biology and habits.
• What you can do to prevent (pest X): A bulleted list of what the customer can do to help mitigate the problem.
• What your technician will do for (pest X): A bulleted list of the services the technician will provide, e.g., inspection, treatment (with product x), precautionary items, expectations and follow-up. (This is normally for customer service representatives and technicians.)
• What you need to do to prepare for treatment for (pest X): What the customer needs to do to prepare for treatment.
• Price: This is normally for customer service representatives.
Pest Fact Sheets should be prepared for the most common pests in your area. They should detail your services and possibly indicate the types of products your company uses. A picture of the pest is always helpful — it helps the customer identify with their problem and provides them assurances you know what their problem is. In apartment buildings and ethnic communities it is often helpful to translate the fact sheet into the predominant language of the community.
Use other resources at your disposal to provide technical information, particularly to property managers and homeowners. An excellent resource in many states is your agricultural extension service — customers view them as unbiased. If your state is not proactive in this area, visit the University of Kentucky Web site (www.uky.edu/Ag/Entomology/enthp.htm) — Dr. Mike Potter does an excellent and timely job with extension publications relevant to structural pest management.
Use the Internet. PCTonline and many manufacturers and distributors have excellent resource materials you can use to develop bulletins and fact sheets for your customers. If you don’t have time to develop your own materials, consider directing your customers to these resources. Look at your competitors’ Web sites and what they have available. In fact, consider developing your own Web site to facilitate communication with your customers.
If your company is stuck in a rut and growth is something you measure in inches, take a serious look at your company’s communication skills and find out whether you are communicating with your customers or talking to them. To this end, every owner and manager should ensure that their customer service representatives and technicians are subject matter experts and are able to communicate this expertise to their (your) customers.

The author is president of Innovative Pest Management, Brookeville, Md. He can be reached at 301/ 570-3900 or via e-mail at rkramer@giemedia.com.