The pest control business tends to ebb and flow with the seasons, and many pest control companies experience a relative lull during the winter months. Before you know it, though, things will be ramping up for another busy pest control season.
Taking advantage of the calm before the storm can be key to meeting your business objectives this year. So, what should you be focused on as you get ready for another great season?
1. Get Your Pest Control Gear in Order
There’s not much that throws a wrench into the works like an unexpected technical issue just as business is starting to pick back up. While some pest control companies keep fairly busy through the winter by offering services like holiday light installation or snow removal, chances are that your equipment and vehicles still haven’t seen as much action as usual.
Checking your equipment for signs of wear and damage now can help you prevent headaches down the road. This goes double for tanks, hoses, and spray guns that are used for storing and spraying chemicals. Ensuring that everything is in good shape before business picks up can help avoid unhappy customers and interruptions to your revenue stream.
The same is true for your pest control company’s vehicles. Simple maintenance like changing the oil, checking the tire pressure, and having the battery checked can prevent one of your trucks from encountering an unexpected issue once things pick up. This is especially important for smaller pest control companies who aren’t likely to have maintenance contracts for their fleet, and who may even rely on a single truck for all of their business.
Along with checking your vehicles and equipment, be sure to take an inventory of all of your consumables ahead of the busy season. Check your supplies of traps, chemicals, and other materials to ensure that you have enough of everything and that materials are still within their best-by dates. Be sure to check on any forms you use, as well, to ensure that you’re using current versions that adhere to any relevant compliance standards.
2. Plan for Your Customers’ Needs
There’s a reason that warmer weather is pest control busy season: the summer pests are back. While the arrival of bugs, rodents, and other vermin is sure to have many homeowners looking for a pest control company, those potential customers can only find you if you’re putting yourself out there. From bed bugs to stinging insects and a variety of other common pests, you need to be prepared for anything in the summer months.
You know your area better than anyone, so put that knowledge to work. Different regions experience different influxes of pests throughout the year, and reflecting on what types of services were booming for you at different times last year gives you the insider info you need to predict your customers’—and potential customers’—needs.
Whether you’re promoting your business online or hanging flyers from doorknobs, ensuring that your name comes to mind when folks in your area find ants, a mouse, or a hornet’s nest is a surefire way to grow your revenue stream and keep your busy season busy. By marketing to potential customers and bolstering your online presence now, you can ensure your name is top of mind to help you win more sales.
3. Build and Train Your Pest Control Techs
This one may seem obvious, but it’s easier to put in place operational efficiencies and train new technicians while things are a bit slower than it is to put them in the field while things are more chaotic. Hiring any new technicians you need sooner rather than later can help ensure that you have the time you need to have them trained and certified before things pick up.
The job of a technician is a challenging one, but you can equip them with the tools they need to be successful. By gearing your team with the right mobility tools, they can provide better customer service and an all-around better quality first service to keep your new customers coming back for more.
Don’t forget to make sure your current staff members are up to speed, too. Take time to think of any changes that have occurred since last year’s busy season, whether it’s in the way you operate or in what’s expected of you when it comes to materials and compliance, and be sure to bring your techs up to speed.
Similarly, now is the perfect time to talk with your technicians about how you can improve operational efficiencies together to help things run more smoothly and keep your team performing.
4. Shop for Tools and Pest Control Software
As you speak with your team and identify pain points or inefficiencies in their workdays, be sure to take the necessary steps to alleviate those issues. Whatever problems you’re having, the worst choice you can make is to bury your head in the sand and hope that they go away.
Take time to consider your options now so that the busy season can be that much more operationally efficient and profitable. Can you provide additional training for smoother service calls? Are there tools you can invest in to make the workday easier? Can software help to streamline your operations and keep your team informed?
Whatever you decide to implement, looking ahead can help you to prepare for what’s next and meet your business goals. As you look forward to another busy season, the team at WorkWave PestPac is here to help you make the most of it so that your pest control business can reach its full potential. Don’t hesitate to learn more about how we can help.
