No Fleas - I Guarantee It!

Not long ago, pest control experts said only one guarantee existed when controlling flea infestations: a guaranteed hard time. Today, however, increasing numbers of pest control professionals across the country are offering their customers "no-flea guarantees," and as a result they're growing their businesses, reducing callbacks, and gaining a competitive edge in the price-driven flea treatment market. From the toughest year-round flea environments in Florida and Louisiana to upstate New York, where flea season is about three months in length, PCOs are successfully providing customers indoor and outdoor no-flea guarantees lasting from 30 days to a year.

In Gainesville, Fla., Campbell Pest Control has offered a 90-day "service-to-service" guarantee to customers on quarterly treatments for the past three years. In New Orleans, Couhig-Southern Environmental Services is in its third year of providing a one-year no-flea guarantee. Since 1982, Empire State Exterminating in Buffalo, N.Y. has pledged its flea control for a three-month period.

Although individual programs are different, all guarantee against indoor flea reinfestation from the point of treatment. Their success is based on thorough site preparation and treatment using an adulticide and a photostable insect growth regulator (IGR). IGRs are applied in the home and used to treat "hot spots" in the yard where pets spend time. Customers are responsible for treating pets at the vet, and in many cases are provided an on-pet adulticide-IGR product such as Torus Flea and Tick Spray.

CULTIVATING NEW BUSINESS. Why offer a no-flea guarantee program? Although guarantees carry the risks of retreatment, PCOs agree it's an excellent way to increase flea revenue and profits. When performed professionally, they provide a marketing advantage in a highly competitive field by adding value for the customer. Satisfied customers often become long-term, problem-free, renewing clients.

Guarantee programs enable PCOs "to make more money by not doing retreats and by focusing on new hot calls," said Steve Dorobiala, staff entomologist for Empire State Exterminating in Buffalo. Dorobiala said Empire's eight technicians have experienced a grand total of only two callbacks in the last year and a half.

In Gainesville, Campbell Pest Control service manager Mike Anderson has seen "a positive increase in business" from the company's no-flea promise. "Our customers view fleas as an ongoing problem and will pay for results," Anderson said.

Rob Songy, general manager for Couhig-Southern Environmental in New Orleans, concurred. "The major benefit of a no-flea guarantee program is the revenue," he said. Customers who are serious about having a flea-free home are willing to pay a premium price when you add the value of a guarantee, and they're likely to renew each year. Like Empire State Exterminating, Couhig-Southern Environmental has experienced only a couple callbacks in the last two years, Songy added.

To date, customer response has been highly positive. "Customers like having a flea-free environment and renew the program," said Songy, referring to Couhig-Southern's one-year guarantee.

Another advantage, Songy noted, is that guarantee programs are easy for customers and appeal to their environmental sensitivities. "There's no need to apply chemicals every two to three months, and no appointments are required throughout the year," Songy said. "This is definitely a growing business segment."

VOICES OF EXPERIENCE. Starting a no-flea guarantee program is not a simple task. In fact, many PCOs intensively tested their programs some for up to two years before offering them to customers. Based on their experience, here are some tips for developing a successful no-flea guarantee program.

• Training. Become flea control and IGR experts. Provide training for technicians, sales representatives and general office personnel, so that everyone can handle customer calls accurately and professionally. Focus on flea biology and habits, proper chemical use and application, and customer service protocol. "The key is thoroughly understanding what you want to accomplish and finding the most effective way to do it," said Mike Anderson of Campbell Pest Control in Gainesville.

Flea product manufacturers will conduct training seminars for PCOs, and many programs count toward continuing education credit. Most guarantee programs fail due to improperly trained people or poorly maintained equipment, reminded Empire's Dorobiala.

• Choose program parameters. Design a guarantee program that will fit the needs of customers in your geographic area. Determine the necessary restrictions and add-ons based on the region's flea season. A program that works in Buffalo may not suffice in Gainesville, and vice-versa.

• Use an effective IGR. IGRs are the foundation of every no-flea guarantee program, providing the long-term residual for lasting flea control. Since outdoor treatment is crucial in guarantee programs, it's wise to use a photostable product. IGRs are available in emulsifiable concentrates, wettable powders, and leave-behind on-pet sprays.

• Inspect, prepare and apply correctly. Use proper inspection, preparation and application procedures. A guaranteed but poorly handled job will result in callbacks, whether due to a service technician's poor application or a customer's poor preparation.

Take the time beforehand to discuss the treatment process with the customer. Before arriving at the home, provide the customer with a preparation checklist that stresses vacuuming, pet treatment, and lawn mowing.

"It's very important to get the customer's cooperation," said Songy. "Without it, we can't do our job."

Investigate where the pet spends its time. Read all labels, and carefully apply adulticides and IGRs. Integrate IPM techniques when possible.

• Provide after-care guidelines. For a successful guarantee, customers also require post-treatment guidance. A clearly outlined, strict vacuuming regimen is a top priority. Providing customers an on-pet adulticide-IGR spray for maintaining a flea-free Fido or Fluffy after the required pretreatment flea dip also is recommended.

TALKING WITH, NOT DOWN TO. Whether customer or technician, education is the key to a successful no-flea guarantee program, and cannot be emphasized enough. Education allows expectations to be set and responsibilities to be assigned. Clear expectations reduce false callbacks and prevent dissatisfied customers, and also make a technician's job a lot easier.

"Educating the customer is paramount to the industry," said Empire's Dorobiala. "We must take time to talk with the customer, not down to them, even if we've already answered the same question a hundred times."

At Campbell Pest Control, technicians take time to explain to customers what to expect from the guarantee. Most important, customers get a lesson in how IGRs affect the four stages of the flea life cycle. Adulticides and IGRs won't affect the pupae, which eventually will emerge as new adults something customers need to know to prevent false callbacks, noted Songy of Couhig-Southern. Reminding them of the importance of post-treatment care vacuuming is essential.

Training technicians to educate customers also plays a major role.

"Technicians have one shot, hopefully, to do the job right," said Songy. "It's up to him or her to make a firm appointment, and set clear expectations for site preparation and treatment." This requires technicians to be more conscientious about what they're doing, but their income will show positive results, and reservices will be dramatically reduced, he reaffirmed.

IGR GUARANTEES. Establishing a no-flea guarantee program unique to a company takes a PCO's full attention and commitment. Although each program should have elements that are unique to the company, programs do exist on which a PCO's guarantee can be modeled. In fact, the growing popularity of flea-free promises has resulted in manufacturer guarantees for IGR product performance. These can be easily passed onto consumers.

COMPETITIVE EDGE. Whether an independent or manufacturer-based program, no-flea guarantees give PCOs a leg up on the competition.

Not offering a guarantee "tells a customer the technician is not capable and confident in the service and product," said Songy.

Anderson concurred. "As a consumer, who would you choose as your PCO someone who's confident of his capabilities and offers a guarantee, or someone who won't stand behind his work?"