Have you ever tried losing weight by doing a crash diet? It’s an extreme technique and most Doctors would advise against it. Wrestlers and boxers do it all the time trying to make weight and women who want to fit into a gown for an upcoming wedding or gala will also endure this torturous endeavor. Crash diets are a radical change in ones behavior, a drastic measure that requires discipline and sacrifice to be able to reach the goal. In the short term it can work fairly well despite the huge sacrifice and the all consuming mental aspect of giving up what just comes natural 3 times per day. (eating) Unfortunately for most, once the goal as been reached the weight comes back quickly if not more and in the mean time we haven’t done our bodies any good.

In the world of German roaches however, crash diets can be a very good thing. Large infestations can be put under huge stress’s with crash diets and population numbers can DRASTICALLY diminish very quickly. This result can even be achieved without using one drop of a pesticide.

Reducing Food Is Not The Answer

Ask any exterminator and he’ll tell you that eliminating available food for the German cockroach is a very helpful thing. He or she would be exactly right. Having said that, hopefully you’d also get the explanation as to why this task is almost impossible when it comes to the German roach.

German roaches can live about a month without food but this hardly ever occurs because this roach eats just about ANYTHING regardless of nutritional value. Grease, soap,toothpaste, dead mouse carcass, cellulose material like paper and cardboard, glues, unsanitary wastes including their own fecal matter etc. etc. The German roach will even cannibalize each other. It just doesn’t seem to matter. The reason for this is that they have a tiny organism in their body (bacteroides) that manufacture all the essential vitamins they need to live. So in essence, all they need to do is fill their gut with anything handy and they’re basically good to go.

Now given the choice between a pizza box filled with crumbs and dried cheese and say the corner of an old newspaper the preference is obvious–so my advice is to follow your pro’s direction and do your best to eliminate as much as you can.

The Crash Comes With Lack Of Moisture

It’s said that a roach can live without food for about a month but only a week without water. This then by default should be where we concentrate our efforts to have your infestation “crash.” Reducing moisture is probably the #1 thing in any German roach control effort, even before reducing foods and even before spraying.

If you’ll take the time and make the sacrifice of effort you can cause any German roach population to crash in 30 days or less simply by removing their moisture. I tell my clients to do a nightly moisture sweep of their kitchens and bathrooms and it works almost every time.

Take a towel and remove water from the dish strainer, the sink and counter tops, dishwasher or any where else a seemingly harmless drop of water sits. Don’t fill the coffee maker with water the night before and empty and dry that dogs dish. (in fact move them to another room if you have to) Fix that leak under the sink or that drip from the water spout in the refrigerator door. Plants on the kitchen window sill that you’ve watered? Remove them. Anything anywhere that gives them even a smattering of life giving water needs to be dried up or removed and you will soon see your crash diet take hold. This requires an attentive eye and discipline to do this every night or it will not work. Do it 5 days out of 7 and you’ll just stunt the colony a bit but not have near the results. Do it in a drastic manner and you’ll get your drastic decline.

By drastic I mean drastic and I’ve even had folks run a dehumidifier to make the kitchen as dry as possible and get great results. Do a moisture sweep every night, reduce the food where you can for the next 30 days and you can enjoy the fruits of of your German roach crash diet.

As the truck rounds the corner a wave of familiarity gently flows across his mind. It’s been 10 years since he’s been on this street. Ten years. Although he doesn’t see the old broken down basketball hoop precariously anchored to the curb by a pile of bricks and a mob of carefree kids just happy to be outside, not much else has changed. He remembers losing– – a few games of H-O-R-S-E he played when back then, time was a little more free. The old Oaks still stand with their canopy casting that most welcome shade. The Johnson’s home still looks like it should be on the cover of Better Homes & Gardens and the neighborhood dogs (although not the same ones) still run up and down the tiny white fence lines announcing his arrival. Ten Years!

Pulling into the driveway his mind flows back to the earliest of days. This woman worked with his wife and was a customer practically from the start. Back then when life was a long period of serious doubts and the only thing he had an abundance of was time–Back then when his company was barely an embryo and had no real chance to survive. (or so they said) But she was always faithful, always took the service and ALWAYS promoted his little company. Eventually the whole family became customers and a couple of them said it was just to keep her quiet,— he cracks a smile because each is still a client to this day. They swapped a lot of stories over the years and each knew each others history as they grew their business / friendship bonds.

It’s been a long time since he’s walked through that door, too long, and so with a bit of excitement he rings that bell, eager to hear how his long time friend has been and anxious to tell her about all the great things he’s had happen.

To his dismay and a bit of a shock, she doesn’t know who he is….

Bewildered But Trusting

With the familiarity of the uniform and that unmistakable truck parked in the drive she has no problem letting him in but it’s obvious she knows this isn’t Kevin, the guy she’s had for the last decade. Not nervous but somewhat disgruntled she makes mention that the office should have told her someone ‘new’ was coming out. Sensing that she hasn’t made the connection he tells her that the regular tech is on vacation but not to worry, he’s been here before. At first he’s astonished that she doesn’t remember him so he goes about his service dropping hints of who he is and recalls a few stories of old. “ I was here during your Boxelder invasion & we had to spray the yard” he says almost in desperation, wanting her to finally put two and two together– “You got mad at me for making you spend $60 bucks when after your sons chopped down the tree they were coming from and they disappeared, remember?” She did recall the invasion but it was obvious she did not recall him.

Something Clicked For Both Of Them

Perhaps it was the persistence of this entrepreneur to have a reconnection using old stories or something else, who knows. But something clicked and somewhere in the service this long time client began to tell this man about her history with the company and the owner she once knew.

In her still proud but now frail voice she began,“ I was one of the first customers they ever had, number 3 they told me. Third one! I worked with his wife and that boy worked his tail off trying to make a way for his young-uns. He used to come out all the time and he really knew his bugs.”

Suddenly it was as if the flood gate of memories opened widely and this long time friend called to mind all sorts of information that even he had forgotten, but alas, not him. She spoke of his professionalism, how he took his shoes off at the door and that because of his care and concern, she gave the company a key to her home, something no one else has.

“I got him a lot of business, my whole family uses him and my church! He’s gone off and made the big time now–he’s got trucks and even a secretary. You know you made it good when you got some gal answering the phones” she say’s still not knowing the man to whom she speaks.

It’s then he recognizes that she’ll not likely to put the face with the name. That this bold, proud and strong woman has been afflicted with a insidious disease that robs her of her most precious gift. He’s seen it first hand with his Mother-in law and so sadly, quietly, he listens and he’s amazed at what he hears and the detail in which she recounts.

The Eulogy Ends

The home, although so familiar is suddenly dark and a little bit cold as she recounts her tales and admiration for a man and his vision that he and his wife worked so hard for. His long time friend bounces in and out of clarity and stories and the great company she helped build and warns her ‘new’ technician to not wander off, — “You won’t get a better person to work for.” she say’s as she reminds him she’s paid for the year (as always) “so don’t even bother with a receipt”. The words he heard that day were kind, sobering, humbling and painted a picture so clear….. she shows him to the door.

With her goodbye, she reminds him of where the key is hidden–”In the plant by the side garage door” (which is the place HE chose over 20 years ago) “I’d never do that for just anybody but, since you work for him—you’re alright with me. Then with a chuckle she say’s, You tell him I said hi, if he ain’t forgot all us little people that is.”

As his truck turns down that familiar but now o so lonely street– he wipes a tear from his eye, thankful for the people who are his bedrock for his business, grateful for a God who has sent such people his way.

Be good…..Do well…

I get a lot of questions from pest control owners on how to grow their business. The request usually is preceded by a long list of things they’ve tried that didn’t work or asking for specifics on something I’ve written about in my topic area, The Business Of Pest Control.

Now don’t get me wrong, I love these questions and I’m humbled that someone would think enough of me so as to seek my help. Unfortunately, “quick fixes” are mostly the call of the day since the reader is usually in a bit of a bind by the time they’ve found my blog. With disappointing sales and a small route they’ve got to find new accounts quickly to keep the mounting bills at bay and their dream of a successful pest control company alive. There are some quick remedies for this–but this article may be one that describes a more long termed approach. Still it’s something you can do at anytime and at any sized company you are.

Don’t Leave It On The Table

One problem I see with growing companies is that we leave TOO much on the table in our quest. Sure once in awhile we revisit the plentiful bounty that was laid before us but only long enough to grab another quick bite and then off we go, chasing that illusive big account or those exceptions to the rule. (oh if we could just STOP doing that–we’d be so much happier with our businesses)

There’s an old sales adage that goes, “Don’t leave any money on the table” which loosely means get the sale, but also, did you offer them any of your other products or services? The thinking is that they’re already saying YES because you demonstrated you’re someone they can trust and have something they want or need, why wouldn’t they continue? More importantly why wouldn’t you at least make it available to buy something else from you? Wise words indeed but I have a different twist for you.

“Put Another Niche Under Your Belt.”

Say you’ve got a nice little commercial account and in the break room there’s a bulletin board where people advertise something they’re selling or announcements are made. Or, you provide service at the place you worship and people see you doing the work and also Saturdays or Sundays.(when you’re all cleaned up Maybe 3 ladies on your bowling team of 7 (I don’t know bowling) use you but the other 4 do not–the list goes on and on and anyone of us may have literally dozens of these opportunities sitting there right in front of us everyday. These my friends, are what we call niches. Oh not the classic definition like the guy who chases rats in the sewer systems or the entomologist who only only consults on coffin flies. (that guy is a lot of fun at parties) But niches none the less and who, I said WHO has the best shot at landing these folks as a customer than you? Does Mega Pest Works? Global Conglomeration Services Inc.? Nope! and why is that?

There’s Power In The Niche

People buy for all sorts of reasons and yes sometimes it’s not from you. However, there’s a lot of comfort in taking on a service that a fellow worker, relative, comrade or other group member has. You could call it a herd mentality but I have more faith in people than that. Trust is a huge issue in our buying decisions and if you’re good enough for 1/2 the bowling team…. well you get the idea. It just makes the buying decision so much easier and word of mouth is a cinch since they see you on a regular basis. The whole thing just sort of flows when you’re seeking to service a niche and you’ve got a good toe hold.

My little company has huge numbers of different church people for instance. Churches I don’t even go to! But since so & so got my service, then told their boss, and then she told someone and then 4 family members of that referral were all having dinner when the conversation about bugs came up so they called and so on and so on. I must have the keys (the holy grail of any route) to 5 or 6 churches and many individuals from each congregation, all because of the power of the niche.

Now niches don’t come by osmosis, they aren’t usually something that “drops” into your lap. (that does happen sometimes) This is where I believe we leave “money on the table.” In our commercial break rooms we put up a little ‘tear off’ flyer, perhaps with a coupon. I ask my clients about their friends or relatives or church and if they’d mind slipping a card to the person in charge of maintenance, or who does their work place?Never pushy, I don’t even have to work very hard at having it come up in conversation. Then when I feel that my new referral trusts my service enough, I simply repeat the process.

Simple, easy and direct. You can call this referral marketing, bird dogging or whatever you like and you’d be pretty accurate. This niche or targeting specific groups mentality however…, gives those accounts an added layer of insulation in that– “the rest of the group uses him, I’m gonna stick with the group.” So with that I say, “put another niche under your belt.” You’ll be glad you did.

I think most folks are familiar with the Biblical story of the prodigal son. A story where a young man, heir to his Father, decides to cash in early on what’s his and go off on his own. He leaves a very good situation, runs off for reasons unknown and for awhile–ahhhhhhhhhhh, he just lives the high life. You can read the rest of the story here-Luke 15:11-32

Suffice to say, the young man “comes to himself” after finding that’s he’s in a much worse circumstance then when he left– I guess that happens when you find yourself suddenly living in squalor compared to what you were a custom to. So, figuring out (finally) that the grass just wasn’t so green on the other side he heads back to the place he, for whatever reason came to dread. There he finds the familiar care and fulfillment and open arms to greet him. It’s there, he find’s home once again.

Well, for me, I think this story should really be referred to as the “Forgiving Father” as that’s truly the gist, sum and substance of the tale. Since however this is a pest control article, let’s just call it, The Tale Of The Prodigal Customer.

We All Have Them

Stick around long enough and you’ll find you have many ‘prodigal clients’. Good customers that have been faithful for years, or maybe newer ones that are all excited about your work or even those you’d least expect to leave but–suddenly, poof, they’re gone. Either convinced by slick commercials, lured away by enticing “one time” deals or perhaps swayed because of a stubborn cycle of unwanted bugs that you couldn’t get rid of quick enough…. for whatever reason….the grass looked greener, the promises of other companies appeared shinier or just the seduction of a better way persuaded them to leave you behind. (now try to imagine how the Father in the story felt)

It Stings

I guess for awhile the new service worked really well. Why else would they suddenly forget your years of effort? (a one year contract maybe?) The times you searched the attic for an hour and a half tracing down an ant trail? The day(s) you waited for 45 minutes while they were running late. How you didn’t charge extra for the $30 dollars in lure traps for that pantry pest invasion back in 09. This new service is so advanced, fresh and reinvigorating and the promises–oh the promises! Who wouldn’t jump ship and go with all those flowering words and professional brochures? And what’s worse– the way in which they leave. Sometimes you get no details at all only to find out later with your network of friends who they left you for. Other times you get the call and you’re blatantly told you’ve been replaced because of a deficiency (perceived) in your work. You know it’s not true and you want to scream, but politely, you thank them and simply hang up the phone or walk out the door. Thoughts of betrayal fill your mind but your experience, your professionalism and your zest for a vital business or route spur you on. You move forward but the wound bites, nags and persists.

That Familiar Call

Hang around long enough and you’ll ALWAYS get that call. In fact, stay on the route or in business for any length of time and you’ll find you’ll get the same cry more than a few times and many of those, from the same client(s).

Sometimes it’s an apologetic tone but mostly it’s just an vaned attempt to disguise themselves as a long lost client that’s alway’s loved your service and just now, suddenly, wants to reconnect….

“Hi this is Joe Smith, I was wondering if you still serviced my area? I’d like to have you guys start treating my home again.”

A sly grin brushes across your face and you want so badly to get the whole story and just find out why they left, where they went and what caused them to just out of the blue come back???? But you hold off. Why? Because more than anything, you’re Thankful. Thankful for the new (reinstated) business, the reaffirmation that you weren’t so bad AND that in the end, YOU, YOU, were that company, THAT TECHNICIAN and that trusted service provider who when push came to shove they needed most. That you were/are that forgiving individual, that they could’ve and should have, had faith in, all along.

I’ve never been accused of being the sharpest knife in the drawer and honestly, that’s ok. But you’d think after almost 3 decades of doing pest control I’d be the last one lulled into sleep over a minor problem and miss the answer to a pest mystery that LITERALLY was in front of my face for the past two years. (this being the third) Well, if you’ve tuned into this article thinking it was a really smart guy writing it I won’t blame you if you skip away. Go ahead, it’s ok.

Oh, you’re still here? Great, now the pressures really on and I’ve got to deliver some real wisdom really quickly or you’ll bolt for sure! How bout this?

Finding the common denominator can solve 95% of most pest problems 100% of the time. Common sense says that your client has this information at least 9 times out of 10 but only 50% of the time do they even know it, and of that only 3 out of 10 volunteer the common factor. For the remaining 7 out of 10 only 75% of the most skilled technicians (that’s you) will be able to even drag it out of that customer 1/2 the time while the remainder is left up to you to find and then only 5% of your customers (roughly) will believe you that what you found could even remotely be the cause.

Oh boy–Did I even pass my state cert test? I think I’m a moron.

K.I.S.S. Keep It Simple Stupid

I’m a BIG believer in common denominators when it comes to solving pest problems. Friends visit with pets = fleas, roof leaks= ants invade, leaf piles galore and Asian roaches pop up, etc.etc.etc. Nothing new right and we as professionals know to look for these things. Ask the pertinent questions and then look like the hero when with a stroke of our spray wands (caulk,duster,steel wool insert your cure here) the problem is solved. So why did it take me 3 years to figure out a seasonal ant problem for a client? Why do you have most likely the same thing happening in one or more of your accounts?

It’s simply because for whatever reason, you did not find the cause, contributing factor or ‘shield’ that keeps you from success.—the common denominator.

Now I realize there are gaps in this theory- for example, the german roach account you picked up that will never end. Who cares what the common denominator is? They’ve got em and you just can’t seem to put it to bed. Knowing how they got them rarely helps right. Ahhh, but what’s keeping those little suckers alive? Could it be the constant supply of moisture? Why not move the coffee maker for a month or so? Only run the dishwasher during the day? Have them do a “moisture sweep” before bed making sure there’s not one drop they can get to. Can you say COLONY CRASH? Think you’re gel bait might work better now? But I digress….. Common denominators–even AFTER the fact of how the pest was introduced can be crucial to pest elimination.

My Dilemma

In my most recent failure, I was at fault more than any other factor. A regular client had little ants swarming out of some light sockets every spring like clock work. Then, as a good company does we send our man out and bada bing all went quiet. However the next year the same thing, and the next year and the next. That’s when I was called in. You know, the big boss with all the answers. Uh, and the next year and the next and the next……ugh

Now I tried to ask the right questions, I scoured the house but I relied too much on my tools like non repellants, dust in the walls and not enough on the most simple, most effective factor–the common denominator. Like I said I tried to ask but customers so many times have no clue how to put things together pest wise. To them, the things just showed up out of the blue and nothing they did or had happen could possibly influence that.

In this case there were no live ants (all 3 years) inside or outside. No fence line to search, utility lines are buried, no trees or bushes touching the home, not even a hint of a roof leak or stopped up gutter..how could there be, there isn’t a tree within 50 yards.

So after 3 years of my barrage of the usual questions I sort of resigned myself to thinking these ants were traveling the underground lines and my focus was on soaking the areas where I “guessed” would be most helpful. It wasn’t. And so each year I saw my credibility slip away and my ‘bag of tricks’ getting emptied with no results and no real hope for the desired end result.

The Common Denominator Out Of The Blue

In the beginning of this article you’ll remember I said “I was lulled to sleep” and that is unfortunately a big reason we as professionals miss quite a few common denominators. This woman is quite articulate, an educator who is very detailed. (and nice) We’ve spent much time going over every detail of her problem and she could rehearse every episode of where the ants were and where they went and where they eventually died. I’ll admit, it was kind of like watching paint dry but she thought every detail was so important. So, I listened, asked questions and hoped I’d hear that one clue that would send me off on the trail to eliminating the problem but alas……just another rendition of how ant #53 died in the corner while ant # 42 made it all the way up the wall but ants 27 through 41 fluttered around the nightstand lamp. zzzzzzz. However, this was a real problem to her and rightfully so.

So today, a year has passed and the call comes in and I’m back out so sure I’ll waste another 2 hours looking at dead ants and hearing about this unsolvable mystery of the annual ant swarm. However this time, I decided since my current approach wasn’t working I’d ask permission to poke a few holes in the wall near the plumbing of the near by bathroom so I could treat. Anythings better then what I’ve done for the last 2 years right? That’s when she smiles and say’s, “I’m one step ahead of you, I have an access panel and I was gonna ask you to spray in there this time.” AN ACCESS PANEL????? WHAT?????

So with that she proceeds to tell me that this is the THIRD bathroom shower she’s had installed over the last 5 years and all the trouble she had with moisture. (and contractors–ugh that took over 45 minutes for her to detail) Everything from leaky shower pans to mold on the walls. Just then her husband pipes up and say’s with a chagrined look, “Yeah, we call this our $10,000.00 dollar bathroom. Even with this information it still took me several tries to help them connect the dots that the ants started showing up when the problems with their bathroom occurred…”Ohhhh, that’s a common denominator you keep talking about isn’t it?” she said with a not so sure tone. They then begin to unpack the 3rd highest shelf in a closet behind the shower and sure enough–a big ol 12×12 removable access panel. (why so high? I’m not sure) Do you wanna guess what we found? C’mon, guess!

Now I’m not sure WHY my leading questions over the past 2 years didn’t register with her nor HOW this most applicable common denominator could have possibly been overlooked when I pointedly, matter of fact asked her, ”Are there any known moisture problems?” but man o man it was.

So, to get to my point (thank God cus I’m starting to sound like her describing ant #51–boy he was a doozy–(15 minutes worth)

Pest control customers, common denominators and common sense rarely go together. In fact, it’s a 50/50 crap shoot and it’s only your skill and perhaps a little bit of luck that’ll tip the balance. The only thing that’s most common is, when you find it, it’ll work almost 100% of the time. Well, mostly, at least the odds are in your favor.

FIND IT!

Vinyl siding provides a great protective barrier for our home. It was first brought to market in the 1950’s as an alternative to aluminum siding and offered distinct advantages to homeowners tired of exterior maintenance of their home. This durable relatively maintenance free plastic exterior cladding for your home promised no more painting, protection against the weather and a sharp modern look that could cover up an old drab exterior. Unfortunately, it also gave cover and safe harborage to many pests. Earwigs, roaches, ants, wasps and bees just to name a few often find your homes siding a perfect place, where they can feel protected too.

The problem with treating pests that lodge behind this shielding is that it gives you very little access to inject anything meaningful. It also hides the pests activities so you can’t gauge where a nest might be, find a conducive condition, (such as moisture) a trail or entry point and so often times your treatment is ‘off target’ and therefore useless even if you can get good coverage. Removing the siding would be great except that its interlocking design means you’d end up taking off huge sections with no real promise of getting to the core of the problem.

Recently I received a question on how to deal with a massive earwig problem behind the siding of a home. This reader has done everything else right yet he still has earwigs by the thousands. They actually drop out in droves when he goes around the house and taps the vinyl. This problem of immense numbers of pests thriving behind siding is not unique, so I thought I’d give you a few tips on how I treat and hopefully help you out.

Take Advantage Of What You’ve Got

There are a few spots in siding where you can successfully introduce insecticides. First, vinyl siding has tiny ‘weep holes’ at the bottom of each course (panel) to allow moisture to escape. I take advantage of these tiny holes using pyrethrin aerosols and an injection straw. I’d use dusts but the ready made hole is far to small. Also- I don’t use ‘knockdown’ or ‘jet’ type aerosols as the stream of spray is going to limit your coverage and simply settle at the (inside) bottom of that course where it’s ‘J’ shape connects with the next panel. ( I believe that’s called a buttlock-

Fine mist or fog is better for the sidings void

Another spot is the ‘lap’ seams. This is where two pieces of siding overlap usually found on longer courses. This is a great spot to

The stream or jet stream type won’t give you good coverage

Channels and trim around windows, corners or utilities can offer a place for you to treat as well. Although it looks like an easy spot to treat it can be challenging. Siding trim locks together pretty good and you may need to wiggle your applicator around a bit to get a decent shot. I’d make sure to wear protective gear (like eyewear) because you often get and unexpected splash back.

The base or bottom course is often times the easiest to treat as there is most likely a ready made gap or the bottom course easily

Baiting and/or dusting the laps can be very effective (I prefer baiting for earwigs,roaches etc.)

As if treating behind siding isn’t hard enough already, some homes cladding runs all the way to the grade (soil or cement levels) or below or the area you want to treat has no lapping or weep holes. In these cases you may want to drill a small inconspicuous hole in the buttlock area so you can insert your treatments.

Also keep in mind, behind the siding (if professionally done) will be backerboard, underlayment, (a layer of plastic) and perhaps even shims, flashing or furring strips. Then beyond that may be the original siding that was covered up years ago. All of these things can get in the way of a successful placement and you’ll need to work around them. ie; treat both sides of a furring strip since your product will be blocked.

Once control is achieved it might be prudent to apply a dust up under the bottom course and/or any place that you find conducive conditions once per year. This way, the bugs that try to get started will have less of a chance and it could keep you from having to go through all that extensive work again. After all, with this much work involved it’d be best to keep this as a side job.

Jerry 1:1 In the beginning was route #9 and it was without form, void and a complete and utter mess.

I remember the day my training came to an abrupt end. After a week with John, the branch superstar and the following week with Chrissy, a GREAT technician who taught me so much about running a route I was called into the branch managers office. There was an eery buzz across the office and all eyes were on me as I strolled through the door. I was told to sit for a moment in the lobby and right away it was obvious what was going on. Through the bosses door I could hear a rather heated, although mostly one sided conversation taking place. The secretaries all tried to look busy but their shuffling papers and noses in the filing cabinets was not a good disguise for their strained necks trying to hear every word that came through the office wall. I fidgeted in my seat unsure of what my turn inside the office would bring. After a few moments the door opened and a pale and disheveled tech emerged with a look of shock and disbelief upon his face. It was Ray, the tech who wasn’t really a part of the happy go lucky conclave that brightened the office every morning with their non stop jokes and stories. This was the guy who I thought wasn’t even a part of our branch. But there he was, hat in hand and he asked the secretary to use her phone so he could get a ride home. Ray had been fired and this was the route that I was hand picked for, this was now my route and it was now time to put all that training to use. Route #9 was mine.

No Super Stardom for Me

I was called into the office and my branch manager forced out a smile and said, “Had I known it was this bad I would have gotten you on this route much sooner.” With that he slid a STACK of little complaint tickets across his desk and said, “You’ve got your work cut out for you, be best to get started right away.” I knew right off there’d be no ‘zero complaint’ award for me anytime soon. He spent a few minutes trying to tell me how to handle such a huge mess but it was obvious even he was at a loss for words. There had to be 100 or more little yellow tickets all representing disgruntled clients and a route that had little to no organization. Everything from rats to roaches and some dated back for months. My manager apologized for such a mess and said his hands were tied and he couldn’t just fire the guy without due cause so that’s why it took so long for me to get my route. With that he handed me the keys to my eh emm, new truck and told me to go to work. On my way out the door the secretary handed me 3 more little yellow tickets that ‘just came in’ and so was the beginning of my route, Route #9.

Where To Start

The first thing I knew I had to do was an inventory of my new ‘apartment on wheels.’ That truck was a complete mess. Chemicals spilled all over the place, trash filled the cab and empty product containers of every sort rattled around the tool box. Oh and yes, more little yellow tickets littered the trucks floor representing even more customers who were not happy with his work. I knew from Chrissy what I’d need product wise to get started and my service manager just unlocked the chemical room door and said “Get what you need.”

I decided to first tackle the complaint tickets the secretary gave me and you could hear the shock in the customers voice when I called them telling them I’d be right out. “What?, you’re coming out NOW?” they said in bewilderment. It was late in the day and to my surprise I did not get my head bitten off with the first few stops I made. Night time came and I knew I needed to get home and sort this mess out, besides, at that time the techs set up their own days and I had about 20 calls or more to make just to schedule my regular day. This was going to be a huge challenge for me and none of my training prepared me at all for such a mess of a route, in fact, all the teaching I had from the books up to this point was that of a happy, healthy route with no real problems at all. Sadly,I think it’s still like that to this day.

Sun Up To Sun Down

Route #9 had a bit of everything, 100 year old mansions, inner city projects, hundreds of row homes, businesses (small) and even stops out in the country. By the looks of things there was no rhyme or reason to where this guy went on a daily basis. From the outskirts of the county he’d dive back into the city and then back out fighting the busy streets all the way. His lack of service just slowed things down to a snails pace with the non stop complaint calls. I wondered quite often, “didn’t he get the same training I got?” It was no wonder that his daily production was very low and cancelations were up around 10%. That’s a real sin in this business and not the greatest way to pad a commission check.

Not sure of how to start I began by just trying to tackle all the complaint accounts I could and sneak a ‘regular’ account in when it was close by. This was a great way to reduce the stack of yellow tickets but my service manager reminded me that I had to hit a certain number of production per day in order to hit my quota. So in order to get both accomplished I scheduled all my regular clients throughout the day and my complaint calls from about 5pm til the sun went down. I got a lot of startled looks from those who opened their doors to me at 8pm or after.

At one point, sitting in my truck trying to gather my thoughts in a, eh hmmm, questionable part of town I realized I may not have made the best choice of areas to service so late in evening. Not to stereotype, but just as roaches come crawling out as the lights go out, there were also some pretty scary creatures that were just getting their days started as the sun sank low and gave way to darkness. I had just left a town home where 3 Doberman pincers weren’t real receptive to a man in their home so late. ME! The owner of the house apologized–sort of– and then just berated me about my companies service and told me he had called and canceled already and that I had better leave. For me, that was fine because I was really rattled. While sitting in my truck trying to make sense of those damned little yellow tickets and waiting for my hands to quit shaking from my near death experience–BAMM– something big hit the back of my truck. I was so startled that my handful of complaints tickets filled the cab. When I looked in the rearview mirror I was sure I’d see some huge man with a bat or a gang of hoodlums sneaking up to rob me. Imagine my surprise when I saw John, the superstar tech in his bug truck smiling from ear to ear. He came to my window and I wasn’t sure to hit him or hug him. I tried to play it off but I sure was comforted to see a friendly face and I think he knew it. He told me the boss sent him out to get me knowing I’d be here and they did not want me out this late in such a dangerous area. I gladly agreed and began to realize, it was time for a better plan.

Route #9 Gets A Face lift

It took a month or so but I had finally gotten to the bottom of all those little yellow tickets and people were actually starting to be happy to see me. Still, I always ran behind because of the poor organization of the route and the extra time I had to spend cleaning up the infestations that were left to me. I could see the answer to the scheduling dilemma and my late nights but to pull it off was probably going to mean one more round of disgruntled, inconvenienced clients. The route (as all the routes were) was sectioned off on the map and it made obvious sense to do one section or grid on one day and another on a different day. But the route was HUGE client wise and being made up of 100% monthly accounts meant that to reorganize, some customers I moved would get serviced far sooner than their 30 day interval. In other words I was taking some of my 3rd Thursday people and shuffling them to say the first Monday etc. where I had others right in their neighborhood. (sometimes right next door) So for a good number of folks, their 30 days in between visits was knocked down to as little as 10 days. Most however agreed to the one time reshuffle and wondered why it hadn’t been done sooner. For some, they felt cheated to have to pay for services so close together-for them, it was a slow weaning process so the completion of the restructured route actually took several months.

I remember my service manager just raised his eyebrow in doubt as I used a marker and ruler to update my route on the big wall map in the service meeting room. I sectioned it down to even smaller grids and wrote in, 1st Mon, 1st Tues, 3rd, Wed, 4th Tues, and so on until each grid had an assigned day. This allowed for far more efficient scheduling and if complaint calls came in that were 3 or more grids away, (I forget the exact rule now) I just put them on the next available day that their grid came within that parameter. This way, my manager could easily tell a client on the phone just when I was going to be in their neighborhood. This little improvement helped tremendously in keeping customers happy that at least they had a target date for service rather than waiting for me to get my little slip at the end of the day and then calling later that night. At first my boss thought my plan was a pretty big waste of time and it was even the butt of some early morning jokes from the other techs. It didn’t take long however and they all became a believers when my route started climbing the production ladder and my commission checks got a little heftier.

It seemed as if my routes transformation took forever but eventually it became tidier and far more efficient and I had things down to a science. I settled in to the routine of the pest control route (if there is such a thing) and I was becoming accepted in the morning meetings filled with laughter and sharing great and fantastic stories of my own. I was now a full fledged part of what I thought was the greatest job I or anyone could ever have. Clients were happy to see me and I even got many nice letters of commendation, many of which I have to this day. Many of the fantastic stories I wrote about in my book were from these early days and so many more memorable times and learning moments have yet to be put on paper. I was (and still am) proud of what I accomplished and felt like I had built my route from the ground up, from scratch. I think my bosses were happy too and for a year or so I enjoyed the ‘efficient’ fruits of my labor.

I guess maybe (and not to pat myself on the back) I did too good of a job with route #9. A year or so later, in the spring, my service manager called me into his office, slid a stack of yellow tickets across the desk and said with a wink, ‘I’d like you to work your magic on another route that needs some help, I’d like you to build another, Route # 9.

Part One—Part Two—Part Three—

The attic is one of the most challenging areas of any home to treat for pests. All you have to do is stick your head up in the entry on a warm summers day and you’ll quickly find out the # 1 reason why. The 120 degree heat is something that hinders even the hardiest of technicians and it will absolutely stop most DIY homeowners in their tracks. However, even if you decide to head on up into this expanse in the cool of the morning or late in the evening to escape the sweltering environment, you’re still faced with the challenge of traipsing the maze of beams and trusses. Add the fact you’re most likely carrying a fogger or two, maybe a duster or sprayer and this can be a recipe for disaster.

Well in the spirit of good news bad news–that description was the good. The bad news, is that most efforts (at least the ones I see) fail to produce any real results. Spiders simply slink back into their web lined holes while silverfish, ants, roaches and the like retreat to the underside of the 6 to 10 inches of life preserving insulation. No fog, dust or spray in the world will get to anything there. Then once the relentless heat zaps the pesticides strength, life goes right back to normal for the pest, no worse for the wear.

To be for sure, successful attic treatments are still a challenge for pro or DIY alike even with some of the best equipment. Here are just a few of my thoughts and things you might do to make your attic treatment as effective as it can be.

Do Foggers Work In An Attic?

I’m not a big fan of foggers in the attic. The biggest reason is simply safety. If you’ve ever clicked the trigger button of a fogger you know just how quickly that little bomb goes off. The problem is most people want to put two or three up there and of course space them out. So they straddle over a couple trusses, maybe some duct work and “click”, the race is on. Wanting (understandably) to get out of the spew, they try and hustle out to spot #2 where they soon realize, the fog is beating them there. So a panic of sorts sets in and now they really start moving. The obvious danger is they make a mis step and fall through the ceiling. Another potentially big problem is that the hurried treater doesn’t set the can up properly and it falls over or is misaimed entirely and perhaps douses it’s entire contents on an unintended target. An air duct or recessed lighting fixture can get hosed by the entire contents of that little can and the results of something like that can’t be good.

Having said this, I do fog attics but we use a professional machine that billows out a cloud of material (don’t let the description fool you–it’s not that much) and in most cases it can all be done right from the entry. The “directional” aspect of a professional fog machine is what I believe makes the difference. The fan pushes out the non residual plume in a forceful manner and so deep areas of the attic are easily treated and filled as opposed to the 6 ounce fogger whose contents barely gets a nudge. As stated above, no fog in the world will get to those pests who make it to or are safe already ‘under’ the insulation but those on the surface, usually wind up dead.

Does Dusting Work In An Attic?

The short answer is yes and it is far more long lived than fog and is very effective on spiders it comes in contact with. The problem, (oh why so many problems?) is that you’re going to have to maneuver through the attic in order to apply it. Before I go further–there are ‘power dusters’ and you could treat an entire attic much the same as with a fog machine. My hesitancy there is that this big cloud of dust doesn’t dissipate like a fog and the powder settles on top of EVERYTHING it touches. That might not matter to you, you solved the problem and that dust will last quite sometime ready to kill future pests. However it WILL MATTER to the cable or alarm tech that has to go up there next week, next month or whenever. With each step he or she takes they stir up the dust and breathe it in. Not good. There was a company in my town that dusted attics routinely, that is until they were sued and I think the total in clean up and punitive damages was more than $25 k. Far better to put a head lamp on and take a puff duster perhaps with an extension and see what kind of damage you can do. (to the pests) If I do dust an attic now days that’s how I do it with special attention to the spider holes, underside of insulation in the entry area and/or the area where pests were noted on the floor below. ie. a light fixture or bathroom fan area. It’s more difficult for sure but direct and very effective.

Does Spraying Work In An Attic?

Well I guess it does but I’m not a fan at all of liquid sprays in such an area. Your biggest 2 enemies are gravity and heat. 3rd I guess would be trying to lug even a one gallon sprayer around amongst the trusses. Heat breaks down all sorts of things and household pest sprays are no match for it. What doesn’t get soaked into the 2×4’s and then becomes forever harmless, the rest gets boiled away with the relentless heat. If you do have a mass of ants let’s say, then a fan spray shot of liquid from your B&G will be fine but that’s about it. There are WP’s (wettable powders) or borates that’ll work and at times you need these for WDO’s (wood destroying insects/organisms) but without the proper equipment you can make a real mess. Best to leave that job up to the pros. The other foe is gravity. Heavy spraying can damage insulation and drywall quickly. For me, I rarely use liquids in an attic for these reasons.

Does Baiting Work In An Attic?

Scatter baits-a little heavier than I like but you get the idea

Anything Else?

Well you could go the deluxe route and replace your attic insulation with Tapp insulation. Developed with the help of pest professionals (one, a legend in the industry) this product has Boric Acid permeated in it and I can’t see where any self respecting bug has a chance. Many companies offer this service and although initially you may not want to lay out the money for the removal of your current layer. It may be something to think about when and if you need to replace your current insulation or say you’re adding an addition. This is a more permanent solution that’s been tested and approved and seems to me will permanently solve any treatment worries you may have about your attic.

To this day I remember exactly how I was introduced to this gig. At the time I was working two jobs, an upscale deli making sandwiches by day and a low life greasy Greek pizza place moping floors and doing dishes by night. I HATED my day job because the lunch line would start forming around 11:30 and we wouldn’t see the last customer until 3. The line would extend around the block and I had to slap together sandwiches at break neck speed just to keep up. I don’t know what would keep these people coming back day after day because I made THE WORST sandwiches ever known to man. Whats worse was that only a big plate glass window separated me and the patrons. They could see everything I was doing. As they impatiently tapped their fingers on the counter waiting for their lunch I was sweating bullets from the heat of the grill that filled the tiny kitchen. Feeling like I was in a fish bowl (a boiling one) I tried, I really tried to make their food not only taste good but look good too. Alas, my sandwich making skills never improved and I’d send out 1/2 smashed, lopsided, drippy and God only knows what else–Hey, I wouldn’t even eat my own work at the end of the day. Now I’m not a quitter but I was ready to bolt. At one point I hatched a plan to demand a raise or I’d walk figuring they’d say “hit the road” and I’d be free…. It backfired, I got the raise I really didn’t want and I thought I’d forever be trapped in this deli from hell. Thank God for my night job, free beer at closing time.

So one day in between shifts at my then girlfriend (now wife’s) childhood home I was face down on her couch exhausted. We had been talking about me getting a better job but I had no real skills and there wasn’t much out there. Just then the phone rang and it was for me. It was an old buddy of mine who was doing quite well as a salesman for a pest control company. He asked me if I wanted to make $11.00 an hour? That got my attention and the rest is as they say, history. But this was, as I’d find out, only the beginning.
Read Part one here, Part two here.

Even though for 3 solid months I was only in a small break room my mind never wandered much at my new job, at least not for very long. I was fascinated with this new world that I found myself in. I gave my whole heart into learning everything I could. Partly because of intrigue yes, but also just listening to the techs who had their daily parade through the break room. I was somewhat afraid I could never match up, unsure if I could tackle the horrific situations they all laughed about on a daily basis. I figured I’d better arm myself with every chance of success if I was going to continue in this line of work. I thought I was doing pretty good, passed all the tests, read and watched all the material, (sometimes twice) but that didn’t stop my heart from skipping a beat and a lump of fear from grabbing my throat when the service manager announced one morning, “ Grab your lunch, you’re riding with me today.”

We’re in A Complaint Business

I didn’t know anything of the ‘how’ a route worked but my manager explained in his soft but deliberate way some of the in’s and out’s as we drove across the city in his decked out little truck. He spoke very slow and calmly, “We’re doing complaints today, you’ll get a lot of these if you stay in this job for very long.” This surprised me, how could anybody still have bugs after some of the stories I’ve heard? What could they possibly complain about? He continued, “ The trick is to get in, look at the problem, do what needs to be done and get out quickly, complaints will swallow up your day if you let them lead you around by the nose.”

Our first stop was a home that had little black ants that the regular tech just couldn’t get rid of. The lady of the house was not a happy camper. We hadn’t even made it in the door right and she was berating the manager in non stop form. We stood silently as she went on and on about how her life was ruined because of these pests and how disappointed she was that she hired a company that couldn’t fix the problem. I guess I was in shock because there was absolutely no chapter in the books I read about this, no video I ever saw that covered disgruntled clients. Ever calm and collected my service manager was somehow able to withstand this barrage and glean enough info from her rant to start in on the problem. In an effort to get me out of the firing line (I guess) he sent me upstairs with B&G in hand to treat. That started another line of fire and I could hear her verbally accost the man as I made my way up the stairs. “There aren’t any ants upstairs, what good will that do? she snapped angrily. I think I spent 20 minutes up there moving at a snails pace trying to listen for when the angry tone would subside.

That was my first ‘professional’ job I ever did in my career and I’ll never forget it–In fact I couldn’t even if I wanted to, it’s forever in my file. You see, not even a week went by after this call that I was summoned into the branch managers office where he showed me a scathing letter this woman had written to the company. It was mainly degrading my service manager but one part was aimed directly at me and to this day, that letter is the reason I have a certain policy in my company. She stated that I went into her closets (which I did—hell I had no idea what I was doing) and sprayed for no reason and had no business looking in…. 30 years later, you’ll not catch me or any of my techs in ANYONES personal closet without express permission.

Super Techs

After a day or two of baptism by fire my supervisor arranged for me to ride with some techs. “You’re gonna need to see how a real route works” he said in his slow deliberate tone. “I’ve got a feeling your route will be opening up soon.” At that point I wasn’t sure how I felt about that. I didn’t want to get yelled at everyday but at the same time I was excited to finally get out on my own. He said he set me up with one of the stars of the branch, “this guy hasn’t had a complaint call for over three years”. WOW, I thought to myself, how in the world could this guy pull that off?

My ‘super tech’ was one of the guys who came in every morning but wasn’t one that chimed in a whole lot with those fantastic stories. He kind of quietly came in and out and went about his business. He introduced himself as John, grabbed his days work and said “Lets go.” John truly was a nice guy and everybody on his route was glad to see him. What a difference! He had his route down to a tee and we methodically went from place to place servicing happy customers. I eagerly watched his every move to see what technique he possessed that kept everybody content and killed every bug. However to my surprise, John rarely pulled out anything more than a B&G sprayer. Certainly nothing like the tools I watched my supervisor so expertly use. Still, I learned so much from John. The finer points on where to look, the importance of a flashlight and as he said, “thoroughness is next to godliness.” He had a really busy route and I think we did 20 or more stops a day yet he always took time to make the customer feel good about the service, about him. He also invited each and every client to call if they ever had a problem and he’d be back to make it right. Odd, here he is telling people to call but they never do?

The Secret Of Advancement

At one stop with John, I got a ‘shock’ of sorts and I learned the secret to Johns success. We were flying in and out of motel rooms treating for bugs when I guess I didn’t use his flashlight rule and the liquid from my sprayer hit directly into a wall socket. A loud POP and flash of light ensued a second later and the look of surprise was on both our faces. John unplugged the lamp and giggling a bit said we better wait a minute to make sure all was good. At that moment he decided take the opportunity and to call the office.(which we were required to do at least 3 times per day) He spoke with the head secretary/office manager and it was obvious that the two were a little more than just co-workers. Normally I’m sitting in the truck when he made these calls so the conversation was a little guarded with a few awkward pauses and a sheepish grin. This told me all I needed to know. Then the conversation turned to business and he began almost frantically writing down the information she was giving him. “I’ll get on that one right away he said, but the other needs to wait until tomorrow.” Now I’m a little slow but the pieces came together pretty clearly at that point. I had seen John do a few accounts and he never filled out any service ticket and I wondered why. Even my service manager provided a small yellow service ticket with his complaints. You see, there were bonuses for the least amount of complaints on a route and John had eh-emm, earned these for three years running. He was somewhat of a legend in the branch/limb and even at a meeting some months later he was asked to stand and receive his award. I was part of the large tech audience that clapped as he stood and I just grinned as I heard the whispers of those around me…”how’s he do that?” “incredible, I get complaints all the time, what’s he doing?” I just smiled, politely applauded, and kept this a secret all this time, well, that is until today. John was one helluva good tech!

Read Part One, Read Part TwoPart Four

I doubt I can tell you much with one article on how to do a termite inspection. It’s one of those parts of the job where so many things come into play. From the different tools you might need, the head knowledge that helps you sort out the clues you’re presented with and then there’s the willingness you HAVE to have to stick your nose in where no sane person would ever think of.

However, if there were one thing, one piece of written advice I could give I think it might be this. Whether it’s a termite sale, renewal or most importantly, the WDO/ WDI, (wood destroying organism/insect report for real estate purposes) you HAVE to use your PHD!

Failure to do so can land you in a whole lot of unseen hot water. Not incorporating your PHD has bitten me, it’s gotten others it will get more. From the most experienced to the newest inspector in the field, if you aren’t using your PHD– Trouble will (one day) come your way.

PHD’s Termite Industries Definition

OK ok, so now your just about to tune out of this article because there is no way (for most of us) that we’ll ever attain this type of degree. Even if we do what the heck could this do for me and my termite inspections? The good news here is that everyone in the termite inspection business can use a PHD-They have it at their disposal any and every time they do a termite inspection. No degree required.

Possible Hidden Damage is of course the PHD I’m speaking of and it is an accepted acronym in the industry. It’s on state forms, stock

Damage ONLY revealed with a claw hammer AFTER termite inspection. Small tunnel 6 feet below on baseboard. PHD a good idea?

When & Where It’s Best Used

The letters PHD (possible hidden damage) is best used on a graph or inspection report. In other words, in writing. I’ve verbally told THOUSANDS of clients “I can’t see in the walls—there could be more damage we can’t see.” Yes yes they’ll shake their heads in agreement, but if it’s not in writing isn’t it just a ‘he said she said?’ Your PHD has very little power if it isn’t documented. If you don’t do graphs as a normal practice, I encourage you to start. It doesn’t have to be a masterful depiction, it just has to be. Then, if you’ve noted damage or evidence in an area, simply add your notation PHD.

Is It Professional?

Ok so you noted damage let’s say to a baseboard and the realtor or seller spends $5.50 on a 3 foot replacement and uses a little

Your inspection is visual-new home owners aren’t so inhibited. PHD could have clued them in that this was possible.