U Group Brings Together PCOs to Share Best Practices

TUCSON, Ariz. — Successful entrepreneurs understand that innovative growth rarely comes from having those “A-ha moments,” but rather it is more often the result of cultivating ideas from a variety of sources – most notably fellow entrepreneurs. This approach is the impetus of the U Group, a collection of non-competing pest management companies that meet twice a year in formal settings to share best-in-class benchmarks in the pest management industry.

"The group was formed because all of us wanted to learn more from each other, and also have an opportunity to bring in national caliber speakers on topics outside of the pest industry,” said Caleb Tennenbaum, marketing director of Arizona Pest Control (one of the group’s founding member companies). “It is easy to go to a bug conference and learn about bugs, but hard to find a conference that helps you work on your business, and not in it.”

What is the origin of the name U Group? Tennenbaum said the group will set the room up in a giant “U” at all of its meetings so that members can discuss issues face-to-face.

In addition to Arizona Pest Control, other founding member companies include Bug Busters, Blue Chip Services and Myers Services (now a part of Massey Services). The group then added Hulett Environmental Services, Modern Pest Services, J&J Exterminating and Horizon Pest Control prior to its inaugural meeting in Chicago. (For a complete list of member companies, visit www.theugroup.org/U_Group_Members.html.)

Tennenbaum said that for companies to become a part of U Group they need to be of similar size and scope – and they need to actively participate in meetings. The group will then vote on potential new members and they will be accepted if they receive a majority vote. “The group is social as well as business,” Tennenbaum said. “We are all friends, and the relationships we have made extend well beyond the meetings. We have visited each other's companies, sat in on meetings, worked with their techs, and office staff, learned new services, or ways of doing business. Since we are non competitive, we all openly share every aspect of our businesses freely.”

Arizona Pest Control, for example, has picked up many ideas from U Group meetings and has incorporated them into the business, including modeling its compensation plans based off other U Group members’ payment structure.

Tennenbaum said the U Group is still looking to grow, with the goal of maxing out at about 20 companies. For more information about joining visit www.theugroup.org/PMP_s_Join_Our_Group.html