Products that do a great job are nice, but finding tools for technicians that can actually help improve the company’s bottom line is a lot better. That’s exactly what one East Coast PMP found when he began using VM Products’ FBS1 (Fly Bait Station).
Lorenzo Infante, operations manager for ChemTec Pest Control, in New Jersey, has been with the company for 5 years, and he’s always on the lookout for tools that make his technicians’ job easier while improving customer satisfaction.
He’d learned about Fly Bait Station through his own research and educational seminars he’d taken. He liked how its enclosure protected unintended targets from the actual fly bait. So, late last year, he decided to order a box of the stations and experiment with using them as part of a new service add-on for certain commercial clients. The results have been impressive in a relatively short time for clients who have wanted to stay ahead of fly problems through the winter and be ready for more flies in the upcoming warm spring months. He’s seeing a roughly 18% to 20% revenue improvement for commercial accounts who opt for the Fly Bait Station add-on.
“I’m really looking forward to the warmer months,” Infante said. “When the flies come out, we can really hit the message home about this upgrade.”
BUILD RECURRING REVENUE WITH FLY BAIT STATION
Infante’s restaurant and food processing facility clients were his primary targets for the upgrade offering. In the past, he relied on scatter baits and aerosols that didn’t always work well for flies and required his team to work during off-business hours, which inconvenienced customers due to the prep work involved.
The Fly Bait Station is manufactured with a clear plastic that has compounded metal flakes to reflect light, create contrast, and increase attractiveness for flies. The low profile, heavy-duty plastic is also UV resistant and the durable product allows Infante’s technicians to secure it into place firmly with screws. While he likes the adhesive tape on the back of Fly Bait Station, he prefers to screw the stations into a surface, for now, because many of his installation areas require power washing, which could damage or move stations. For outdoor installations, he often uses the UV-resistant zip ties to secure stations.
The FBS1 – Effective, Environmentally-Friendly, Reliable and Boosts Recurring Revenue
Infante’s pitch to his restaurants and food processing clients centered around how with the stations, fly control operates 24-7 and can be easily integrated into a regular monthly service with technicians staying on top of replenishing bait and checking station performance. He charges monthly for the fly program add-on, and a one-time equipment fee per station. To start, he conducts an initial inspection to recommend appropriate areas of the building for the service.
“With FBS, we can basically be treating even during regular business hours. The stations work 24 hours a day and the material is concealed safely inside the station,” he said. “Some might decide to use two out of five suggested boxes, but that’s okay. … We place them in those areas that are conducive to flies, near dumpsters and garbage cans and doors where flies can come in.”
RESPONSE FROM CUSTOMERS
When technicians service accounts monthly and refill bait, customers talk about how they like to see the stations in place.
“They do feel the value and that they’re getting their money’s worth,” Infante added. “I definitely recommend this for any pest control company. What company doesn’t want to increase recurring revenue and provide a service that works and that’s constantly active, even while they’re not there?”
Customers also appreciate the added safety and cleanliness.
“It’s more of an IPM approach to our service. You can conceal the bait from a child or animal … and people also want environmentally-friendly and safe products; you need to meet their demands. With this product, it makes it all easier for us,” the pest professional also noted.
A NEW NICHE? ANOTHER ADD ON?
The fly service add-on has produced a 20 percent revenue increase for new clients who opt for the upgrade. With the early success and increased demand expected in the spring, Infante also says multi-family properties with dumpsters and outdoor garbage containers may also benefit from the add-on.
The PMP also sees the potential to add an additional recurring-revenue stream in the future with VM’s IBS (Insect Bait Station). Just like the FBS stations, it allows customers to see the product in action while the bait is sealed away from unintended targets. IBS could be particularly attractive for residential customers with ant problems, he believes.
Lorenzo Infante (R) tells Ethan Vickery (L), President and Co-Founder of VM Products how much he uses the FBS during the Rising Star event in Dallas last year
“We started using a number of VM’s products about three years ago and have been happy with them. We’ll be looking to add some new merchandise in the next year and the Insect Bait Station could work really well for us as well.”
