Editor’s note: To keep abreast of pest issues and market conditions impacting PCOs throughout the country PCT presents "From the Field." In the following Q&A, we caught up with J.R. Campbell, owner of Kokomo, Ind.-based Indiana Pest Control, which employee 32 people from one central office. If you would like to be profiled in an upcoming "From the Field" article contact Brad Harbison.
PCT: What type of pest pressure have you observed in recent months? Is it just the “usual suspects” or have you seen a rise in other pests?
J.R. Campbell: We continue to have spiders, Asian lady bird beetles, and a rise of bed bug issues moving from apartment phase now into many more homes in north and central Indiana. The marble stink bugs are really coming on strong this past year. Several more German roach services have also been reported up over the last few years.
PCT: How are your market conditions? Have there been any recent developments that has given your company growth opportunities?
Campbell: We’re a regional pest control company in north central Indiana and we cover a lot of areas that have seen increases in jobs in Indiana. That has helped the residential market for us. Other growth markets have been in wildlife, bed bug heat and liquid treatments.
PCT: What have you done recently from a sales/marketing perspective recently that has been successful?
Campbell: We’ve positioned ourselves with more Internet advertising , mobile web pages, and the use of keyword searches, Google Ads. Consumers are moving to the smart phones for searches and choosing companies that have received good reviews.
PCT: What company news would you like to share?
Campbell: We have added over eight new employees since the bed bug problems have risen. Having that specialized staff has been key. We help mentor others outside of our service areas to help their companies grow. It takes a lot for the "underdog companies” as I call them to keep an edge with the giants of industry. We continue to evolve through diligence in technology, such as bar coding, real time GPS on trucks, paperless handhelds for data capture, software for routing that geo codes all stops. That saves both time and fuel.
PCT: What are your predictions for 2016?
Campbell: The year 2016 will be one of growth in residential services and bed bugs. More families seem to be working two jobs and going back to school to better themselves. With that in mind, issues at home will be placed upon companies that position themselves as family-friendly and use background screeing and drug testing. NPMA has a great QualityPro program that helps us with this focus. Although the economy is still on trickle effect, I believe proactive companies can make a niche even in a down cycle, work in and on your company.