[Viewpoint] Learning from successes and failures

When Florida and Gulf Coast states were being pounded by one hurricane after another in August and September I was somewhat conflicted on how to report on this topic. In one respect, I felt it was an important news story because of Florida’s significance to the pest control industry. Florida includes companies ranging in size from one-person owner/operators to companies with multiple branches, offering a multitude of services. At the same time, the events that happened in Florida were devastating and I didn’t want to make it seem like I was exploiting other people’s misfortunes.

After giving it some more thought I decided that reporting on the events in Florida was the right thing to do because as a trade magazine it is our job to provide our readers with the information that can assist them in their daily activities. A lot of times this information comes in the form of feature stories about how PCOs have successfully built their businesses. But valuable information also can be gleaned from stories and reports from PCOs who have made mistakes or are dealing with serious challenges.

So after Hurricane Charley tore through Southwest Florida in August, I contacted PCOs from small-, medium- and large-sized companies for a report that appeared on www.pctonline.com. I then received a call from Jeff Ahrens, owner and operator of Ant-Ser Termite & Pest Control, Port Charlotte, Fla. Jeff’s company was in the direct path of Charley and he was interested in telling his story. I asked Jeff if he would be willing to keep a journal that we could run as a continuing series online and in PCT magazine. Jeff agreed that this was a good idea, noting that he was considering recording his experiences to have as a reference tool in the event of future natural disasters. So, for the last few months, Jeff has been keeping a journal online and in PCT (his most recent entry appears on page 52 ). These journal entries have allowed our readers to follow Jeff from the tense moments prior to and during the actual storm all the way through the challenges of providing services in an area where pest control has suddenly become a low priority.

Jeff and his company did many positive things, including preparing for the storm by moving his computers and other equipment out of harm’s way (i.e., wrapping them in plastic) and also boarding up his office (to prevent possible water damage). He also "got his company’s name out" by speaking on a local radio station and helping others in his community by removing downed tree limbs and recovering their screened pool cages. At the same time, Jeff also wasn’t afraid to share his mistakes. For example, when he was filing for a federal disaster small business loan, Jeff noted that the process would have been smoother and less time-consuming if he had all of the necessary paperwork already in place. The lesson he learned — and the lesson that was shared with our readers — was the benefit of preparing a packet filled with this paperwork in the event of a disaster.

We hope you’ve found Jeff’s journal entries to be interesting and informative. We’ll continue providing you with these types of reports so that you can continue to learn from the successes — and mistakes — of your colleagues.

The author is Internet editor of PCT Online.