[Viewpoint] PCT Online unveils new enhancements

Now that many of you have dug out from last month’s NPMA convention in Dallas, Texas, we wanted to take a few minutes to remind those of you who were there (and, of course, those of you who weren’t) about the latest online initiatives from The PCT Media Group that were introduced at the show.

First, PCT announced a ground-breaking partnership with Copesan Services to host their state-of-the-art online training program, Copesan University. Previously available only to Copesan Partner companies, this series of high-quality distance learning programs are now available to the entire pest management industry via PCT at www.pctonline.com/copesan. The courses cover a wide range of subjects from the biology and behavior of structural pests to customer relations and effective phone sales. And at $10 per technical course and $20 per business course, they’re a steal for companies large and small. See the Copesan University supplement, which begins on page 74 of this issue, for all the details.

PCT has been posting audio and video files to our Web site since 2001, but last month we enhanced these service offerings with the introduction of a series of PCT Podcasts. We want these to be newsworthy interviews so we’re tying in our podcasts to the editorial content appearing in PCT every month. For instance, last month we featured a podcast with NPMA Senior Vice President Bob Rosenberg, who updated readers on the regulatory status of Internet pesticide sales, the focus of our October cover story. In a second podcast, veteran PCO Eddie Martin shared his thoughts on industry-related rebuilding efforts in New Orleans one year after Hurricane Katrina, the subject of another article in PCT. To listen to PCT’s latest podcasts, click on the podcast icon (above) in the upper right-hand corner of our site.

Another recent enhancement to the PCT Web site is the introduction of RSS, which stands for "really simple syndication." RSS delivers targeted industry news directly to your desktop via a sophisticated electronic syndication service. With RSS, users simply access a link on their desktop to gain access to news feeds reflecting their particular areas of interest. Syndicated content from these sources is then fed directly to their desktop as it is posted, providing valuable market information and industry news without having to search for it.

Finally, be sure to visit www.pctonline.com/sweepstakes to participate in the PCT Sweepstakes. This new contest provides you the opportunity to register to win any number of products by answering a few simple online questions. See page 81 of this issue for additional details.

Our Web and print products are designed to make your job easier. And our philosophy is that if these products work for you and for us, great. And if they don’t, well, then we’ll try something else. And so far, most everything The PCT Media Group has introduced via the Web — in particular our weekly E-Newsletter, the PCT Product E-Newsletter, our Message Board and the digital edition of PCT — have been embraced by our readers. And for that, we thank you. We hope to continue to be successful with these latest online initiatives but we can only do so if you find value in what we do. Please stop by www.pctonline.com and check us out!

The author is editor of PCT magazine.