Customer service is the cornerstone of any business. If your customers aren’t happy, then you don’t have any customers. Your employees should be trained on the best ways to resolve all different types of complaints or problems your customers could have. And, your employees need to know how important that customer resolution really is. In the past, one unresolved complaint could go unnoticed and not have a large effect. Now, one unresolved complaint can turn into an online rant that can reach all of your customers and potential customers.

Customers Require Resolution

When customers have problems with your company, their shopping experience, their purchase, etc., they want a resolution to it. In fact, they expect a resolution. No matter what, a customer wants to be satisfied with your company, and they will usually give you a chance to make it up to them if they aren’t satisfied right away. Without a resolution to their problem, customers will be unhappy with your company, and you could very well lose them as a customer for good. If you want to hang onto customers, you need to be able to resolve their problems.

Image via CrunchBase

Dissatisfied Customers Will Vent

It’s extremely important to resolve customers’ problems because dissatisfied customers will want to vent. When people are unhappy with the products or services they purchase, they usually don’t keep quiet about it, especially if they tried to get a resolution from the company itself and weren’t pleased with the response. Many dissatisfied customers will vent to a friend, family member, or coworker, and this alone is enough to make you lose another customer. Now, dissatisfied customers can go a step further; they can vent online, where they can share their experience with everyone and get your attention to remind you how dissatisfied they are.

Negative Reviews Matter – A Lot

It’s no secret that negative reviews can make a huge difference in the success of a company. If a restaurant has a few bad reviews on Yelp, they could go out of business, and that’s not an exaggeration. When you resolve your customers’ problems, you can catch negative reviews before they even start. At the very least, if a customer still wants to complain online, they will hopefully include the fact that your company did do something to resolve the issue. People don’t want to give their business to companies that don’t do everything they can in the way of customer service. Mistakes or issues are forgivable, as long as you address them properly.

Make sure all of your employees – even those that don’t typically interact with customers or address their complaints – know proper ways to resolve customers’ complaints. Hold regular training sessions, and be sure to monitor and assess the way your employees handle complaints. The best way to prevent negative reviews from appearing online is to make sure there is nothing negative anyone can say about the way you treat your customers or handle your business.

Joshua Reynolds is an expert reviews tracker and avid blogger.  He is currently teaching others about proper online reviews management and customer service.

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Guest Post Published By Thomas Ballantyne

Illustration of Supply Chain (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

No matter the size of a business, supply chains demand a sizeable cost percentage. In tough times, reducing chain spend wherever possible will give organizations – especially smaller ones with less budgetary leeway – a competitive and monetary edge. But with something as comprehensive and complicated as a supply chain, how do you judge where savings can be made?

1. Start Small- Perform Cost Analysis Of All Chain Components & Implement Changes Slowly

Knowing what you’re spending, where and why, will help eliminate unnecessary cost. Though this sounds obvious, over time it is easy to loose track of such intricacies, so a detailed spend analysis should be conducted regularly.

• Remember that economizing your supply chain is not an umbrella action. Each component should be reviewed individually to ascertain cost benefits and drawbacks, then risk assessed before changes are implemented.
• Prioritize your changes to address the most pressing business needs and secure future amendments. The costs saved from one change may fuel and stabilize the next. Take the time to make informed actions rather than hastily implementing numerous renovations for security, profit and long term saving.

2. Negotiate With Manufacturers & Suppliers

Where better to start saving than at the basic supplier level? Examine suppliers to ensure you are still securing the product you want for the best cost. You can then decide if current partners are most cost effective, (and negotiate if not), or source new, lower cost options:

• Reducing costs with current suppliers. The lower risk option, if you can negotiate reduced costs this will prevent breaks in production, and will benefit a continued partnership. Negotiating rather than moving may be better for smaller businesses with a less established product who cannot afford to risk production stability. This however, is only effective if suppliers are minded to help. If suppliers deal with larger, more influential clients, they may be unwilling to change for smaller businesses.
• Finding lower cost suppliers. This may be the best option if you have made as many cut backs as possible and are still seeing a decrease in your margins, or, if cost negotiations with current suppliers have been unsuccessful. Sourcing new suppliers increases risk but allows for better costs and innovative approaches. Before switching, assess if business can adjust to the risks associated with changing suppliers or manufacturers.

3. Be As Seamless As Possible

The tighter a supply chain, the greater the potential for savings. To make processes as integrated and streamlined as possible, review supply chain performance management techniques:

• Audit all aspects of your supply chain (manufacture to supply, warehousing and fulfillment  to review performance and efficiency. Implement up to date supply chain management software to keep processes as cohesive and responsive as possible.

• Processes, people and technology should all be reviewed. You should be able to save costs by updating and better structuring any of these. Make sure the people involved throughout your supply chain know your money saving goals, and that these goals integrate with processes and technologies to create a synchronized ’savings-focused’ chain. For example, implementing new warehouse and transport management systems may better suit budget and increase efficiency.

Initially this will require investments of time and money, but will save both in the long run. Additionally, using supply chain forecasting to predict and cater to stock demand will improve efficiency and reduce wastage burdens.

Logistics versus Supply Chain (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

4. Optimize Your Logistics

Plane, train, rail, road – whichever you choose, ensure products are shipped and distributed in the most economical way; at every stage in your transportation network.

• Check that you are not using express delivery for all shipments, as this is expensive and may be a source of unexplained costs. If transit does not have to be speedy, try to use a cheaper option; rail, or even water is more cost effective than shipping by air.
• Regarding imported goods, awareness and compliance with non-tariff trade barriers and restrictions will save money and prevent wastage.
• If possible, consolidate shipments. If you have a number of regional or single country suppliers, consolidate goods into as few shipments as possible to save space, time and cost. Smaller businesses with smaller shipments will often not fill container loads. If other businesses can be found, who import/export to the same locations, forming shipping partnerships may be beneficial.

In the end, when reducing costs in any business situation, it’s most important to maintain a proactive attitude. Only then can challenges be addressed and benefits beyond savings reached.

Alastair is a freelance writer and supplied this article for 2touch a company based in the UK which provides fulfilment services. For more information visit www.2touch.co.uk

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Guest Post Published by Thomas Ballantyne

Image via CrunchBase

Everyone knows Facebook can be a powerful marketing tool. It allows you to connect with a broad audience, provides a venue to interact with customers, and can give your company a personal feel. However, to be effective, Facebook must be used correctly. There are a number of mistakes that some companies make that turn off potential customers.

1. Posting Too Often

Of course it is a good idea to post frequently. It keeps customers engaged and coming back for important information. However, there is also a point where it becomes too much. If you are posting five times a day, people are going to get annoyed and stop following you. Many people recommend no more than once a day.

2. Not Posting Enough

On the other hand, you don’t want to be completely silent on Facebook either. People need a reason to follow you. If you haven’t posted in weeks, people will think you are irrelevant or that there’s no reason to follow you. Be consistent.

3. Uncreative Content

People will only like your page if they think it has something valuable to offer. There are so many people on Facebook that you need something to set you apart from everyone else. Post creative content, even if it doesn’t seem to have a direct connection to the product or service your company sells.

4. Unresponsive to Fans

One of the best elements of Facebook is the opportunity to engage with fans of your page. If people ask questions or give compliments, they will be offended if you don’t respond. The more you engage customers the more they will be willing to purchase your services.

5. Arguing With Customers

While it is important to engage with customers, always keep it positive. Never get into arguments about a product, even if a person is wrong. There are people that will intentionally try to get a negative reaction out of you. Simply apologize when people complain and stay out of fights.

6. Posting the Same Topic Over and Over

People need variety. If you just post about the same thing every time, people will get bored and stop following you. Try to add variety to your posts. Not everything has to be directly about the product you sell. Try to engage customers in interesting conversations about a wide variety of topics.

7. Not Having a Plan

You simply will not be successful if you don’t start out with a strategy. This is essential for any type of marketing campaign. Understand what type of audience you want to target and how you will reach them.

8. Focusing Too Much on Numbers

Some companies feel that the ultimate goal of a Facebook page is to get as many followers as possible. This isn’t necessarily true. A greater focus should be based on the actual content of the page and how it is impacting viewers.

9. Ignoring the Analytics Feature

Some people don’t look at or don’t even realize Facebook gives you analytics about your page. Looking at these stats will tell you how many people are viewing your page and what types of posts are working.

10. Not Having a Cover Photo

This is free advertising space. Facebook is frequently coming out with new profile features, so pay attention to them. Pictures are the first thing people will pay attention to. Keep them updated and visually appealing.

About the Author: Lindsey Patterson is a freelance writer who specializes in the latest social and technology trends, specifically involving the use of social media. She is currently a consultant for Vivint. Follow them on Twitter here.

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Guest Post Published By Thomas Ballantyne

The Sky’s the Limit (Photo credit: w4nd3rl0st (InspiredinDesMoines))

Being able to bring in business is great, but keeping a customer loyal is even better. It has been proven time and time again that it takes less effort and money to keep a current customer satisfied than it does to bring in new business. There should be no question that repeat business is absolutely essential for success.

Here are some best practices for generating repeat business:

Superior Customer Service

This first bit of advice may seem too obvious to mention, but it is crucial. You can’t just have good customer service; you need to have superior customer service. Your business has to stand out above every other competitor in the market place. Competition is fierce thanks to the internet, so you have to react immediately to questions and concerns, connect with customers on a person level, and make them appreciate the little extras you do to demonstrate how important they are to you.

Stay In Touch With Clients

Just because a project is complete, that doesn’t mean you should not remain in touch with the client. Start by checking in on them to see how their business is doing and then follow up a little while afterwards to see if they need anything. Be sincere and spend more time listening, than talking. It is not an active sales call, it is just checking in to ensure they are still satisfied with your product or services.

Little Extra Touches

I mentioned the importance of little special touches in the first point, but ensuring repeat business means taking this step further. The superior customer service needs to continue beyond the sale itself. It could be something as simple as thanking them for their business after every sale or acknowledging their birthday by sending them a special offer in honor of their special day.

Keep Them Informed 

Existing customers should be the first ones you contact when you need to market new products and services. They have already trusted in your services once and if it was done right the first time, they will be likely to buy a new product or service with less convincing. This also helps reinforce the practice of staying in touch with past customers.

Watch Your Competitors Closely

Don’t kid yourself. Your competition is working hard to steal your customers out from under you. It is important that you pay attention to the marketing efforts of your competition, as well as any deals or incentives they are offering your customers. Double check your prices and services against what else is available on the market, so your business stays competitive.

Keeping customers happy takes superior customer service, constant contact, little extra touches, as well as keeping them informed of new offers and products. Pay attention to what your competitors are doing to entice your customers to switch and stay ahead of the game. Repeat business is the easiest business to retain, but it won’t happen without effort on your part.

The article is posted by Gerwyn Wallto. You can find more articles on a Web Billing Software website.

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Thomas Ballantyne

The online reputation of your business is so important that you literally cannot afford to sit idly by while it develops on its own. Here are four ways that you can be proactive in managing your online reputation and help steer things in the right direction.

Image via CrunchBase

Actively Monitor Your Reputation

You should be constantly monitoring your reputation online, not waiting to hear about the buzz after the fact. Actively monitor your reputation by frequently (every few days or so) checking each of the review sites your business is located on, including Yelp, Google+ Local, and other niche websites. When you claim your listings by joining a site, you can usually opt to be notified by email when a new review or rating appears, so always take advantage of that feature.

Also, set up Google Alerts for your business, and Google will email you each time it indexes a new page with the search terms you specify. Set up several Alerts. You should use your business’s name, of course, but also use any variations of it, your name, your employees’ names, and other terms and names that are unique to your business.

Encourage Online Reviews

Positive online reviews are like gold for your business, but you can’t just sit back and hope that you’ve pleased your customers enough that they’ll get online and write reviews for you. You should be encouraging online reviews any chance you get. When you speak to customers in person, ask them to consider writing a review and include the name of a review site in your suggestion. When people make a purchase online, have an email automatically sent that includes a link to exactly where they can write a review. Remind people through your website, blog, and social networking pages that you encourage reviews, and you should get lots more.

Promote Your Reputation

You can also be proactive by helping people read about your business online. If you want to generate more positive feedback and more customers, take advantage of chances to encourage people to check out the positive reviews that others have already written about you. Include the links to read your reviews in emails. Create a separate page on your website that lists all of your reviews, and update it frequently. As long as your reputation online is generally positive, keep that momentum going by being proud and getting everyone else to see why your business rocks.

Respond to Reviews

Whenever you get a new review, you should consider responding to it. Customers like to know that their voices are being heard (or their reviews are being read), and you can show them that you’re listening by thanking people for their comments, whether they were good or bad. In the event of a bad review, try to turn it around by responding with an apology, and when possible, something that can help make up for a person’s poor experience, like a future discount or refund. Your responses will help offset the negativity as well as further encourage the positives.

Garrett Payne is an online review management professional with a special interest in review tracking. Garrett suggests those involved in review monitoring tips for handling their online reputation correctly.

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Thomas Ballantyne

Small Business Administration Awards Luncheon (Photo credit: MDGovpics)

Becoming a successful small business owner takes hard work and absolute dedication to your vision. Unfortunately, not all small companies survive past their first year. To help your company’s chances, you need to embrace some of the most important habits of successful small business owners.

1. Set Specific Goals

Small business owners must constantly set and meet new goals to build success. At first, these goals start small, such as meeting a particular sales quota over the course of a month. Once the company becomes more established, small business owners must make loftier goals to keep themselves and their team from becoming complacent.

2. Manage Money Wisely

For a beginning small business, there is little room in the budget to misplace or squander money. Every cent matters when you’re trying to build a company with only your own savings and pocket money. Successful owners know how to save money when the slow season begins and when to invest money to stimulate growth.

3. Work as a Team

Although a small business owner may have started her company on her own, she will eventually need to bring in more team members to help her company grow. Learning how to let go of some tasks is a difficult job for any business owner. However, a well-managed team can accomplish more than any one person.

4. Work Hard from Dawn to Dusk

From balancing the budget to tracking down new clients, small business owners must tackle a daunting array of tasks every day. If you don’t have the discipline to tackle each of your tasks and keep problems from getting out of hand, your business could quickly become an unmanageable mess. Additionally, your employees will have trouble staying motivated if you spend all your time on the golf course.

5. Manage Your Time

Learning how to manage time effectively is a critical skill that triumphant small business owners quickly develop. You must learn to prioritize your tasks and spend time on important projects first. Getting distracted by a minor issue can derail your entire day.

6. Take Calculated Risks

Owning a small business is a risky venture that offers great rewards. Owners must have the courage to take a risk on an opportunity that could give the company a huge boost. Smart business owners understand, however, that not all risks are worth attempting.

7. Balance Home and Work

Although balancing home life with work is often difficult, it can be especially hard for a small business owner. Your business depends entirely on you, making it tempting to stay late each night or work long hours on the weekend. However, too much work and stress can hurt your ability to function and work efficiently. Effective business owners must learn to maintain relationships and interests outside of work.

This article was written by the team at Horizon Business Systems in Perth, Western Australia. Accredited MYOB EXO accounting and business management software implementers.

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Going Out of Business (Photo credit: reinvented)

In tough economic times, many people are turned off by the idea of starting a small business. Statistics it may seem are not in their favor. Even when someone does get a business off the ground, keeping it running smoothly and successfully requires more energy than some may be willing to muster.

While situations vary depending on the product or service you sell, there are certain practices to keep in mind if you are trying to keep a small business afloat. Consider the following five points.

1. Maintain the Strengths You Already Have

This usually means maintaining those employees your company would be crippled without. There are likely certain people in the company that are masters in their particular skill. Do everything you can to make sure you don’t lose them. If the possibility exists to do so, consider hiring a backup. Then train that person in the same work. It may be a financial investment, but think of what would happen to your company if that person were suddenly gone.

2. Keep the Workers Happy

Workers are of course the lifeblood of the company. In addition to having backups for particular skills, make sure everyone is working at their optimum level. Address the needs of the employees directly. Sit down and talk with them. Ask them how they are doing and what you can do to help them succeed. Send out emails with helpful tips, encouragement, or praise for good work. When employees know they are appreciated and that their opinion matters, they are more likely to provide quality work.

3. Address Customer Needs

If the customers aren’t happy, the business fails. Recognize and let them know that you know times are tough. Use advertising that appeals to the tough economic times. Offer deals and promotions, as well as products and services that people will want even in a financial crisis. Almost everyone seems to be cutting back on consumption. People are only buying what’s necessary and cutting out the luxury items. Convey to the customer that your product is something they really need, even if they don’t have excess money to spend.

4. Cut Down on Expenses

Many business owners focus only on how much they are selling. While this is certainly the most important thing to consider, don’t forget that a company can save money by cutting back on their own expenses. If your business is small enough, allow employees to work from home. This will save office rental money as well as things like paper, desks, etc. If this isn’t possible make sure all the office supplies are in good shape. Get frequent tune-ups on things like printers.

5. Learn to Delegate

When a small business starts out there may only be a few employees. At that stage there will likely be one person who calls all the shots. As the company begins to grow however, that becomes less and less effective. To increase productivity, learn to delegate responsibilities throughout the company. This will save both time and energy.

About the Author: Robert Cordray is a freelance writer and expert in business and finances. He has received many accolades for his work in teaching small business news.

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Thomas Ballantyne

How To Enhance Your Image With Strategically Designed Pest Control Uniforms

This past weekend I was going for a late afternoon walk with my wife and daughter when something peculiar caught my eye. I passed a pest control technician getting out of his truck wearing nothing more then shorts, sneakers and a tee-shirt (I’m in Queen Creek, Arizona). If it wasn’t for a small vinyl decal affixed to his truck window, I would have never of guessed he was a pest control technician.

Since this experience, I have been doing some digging. Come to find out, almost 37% of pest control professionals are not required to wear a standard uniform. These numbers vary somewhat depending on the reports you read, but not wearing pest control uniforms definitely raises several safety and image issues.

Uniforms Enhance A Safe And Secure Image

A survey conducted by J.D. Power and Associates found that 83% of consumers believe that uniforms make it easier to identify who can help them. The survey also found that 87% of business owners and managers want to see contractors in uniform to help confirm that they are who they say they are.

With this data the question must be asked,

“Why aren’t all pest control professionals wearing uniforms?”

Safety And Security Issues

Security issues can easily arise for pest control businesses when technicians visit residential and commercial customers. Although the right protective gear provides the most important safety measure against chemicals and equipment, other enhancements of employee safety helps protect both your workers and your customers. A strategically planned uniform program can be a strong solution to a variety of security and safety issues.

Uniform Suppliers

Uniform rental and service companies provide assistance to customers going beyond just providing new uniforms. Many will also pick up dirty uniforms, wash them, and deliver clean ones. These companies can also help ensure that uniforms are ideal from a functional standpoint. They can help you select styles, fabrics, designs, and colors. There are thousands of uniform companies across the country to choose from, so pick one that best fits your pest control business needs.

How To Enhance Your Pest Control Image With Strategically Designed Uniforms

If your pest control technicians are not wearing uniforms, make them start now. Here are some pointers to help you get started and get your company on its way to an enhanced secure image.

Brand your pest control business. Your company name, logo, slogan, and other unique identifiable business elements need to be incorporated into all possible items employees wear.

Be unique. Pick colors and styles that make your technicians immediately recognizable when out on service calls. Don’t go too crazy with colors and styles because you still want to have a high sense of professionalism. With that being said, you also don’t want your techs blending in with the crowd.

Design uniforms that would be difficult for competitors to copy. Use company logos, colors, slogans and other design elements as precisely and consistently as possible. Extend these across all job functions so they are clear to other employees and customers. I know this can be challenging for some techs in the field, depending on the specific pest you’re eradicating, but do as much as you can.

Make sure uniforms keep employees safe. This is a no-brainer in the pest control industry. Choose performance fabrics that wick away sweat and moisture as many techs focus on working in cramped, hot spaces.

Spread the word about your new look. If you get new uniforms, or change an existing design, let your existing customers know about it through an announcement. Hand out business cards or postcards with pictures of your techs in their new uniforms. This is also an effective marketing opportunity. “New look, same great service.”

Keep uniforms in good repair. A technician’s less-than-neat uniform may cause customers to feel uncomfortable with him or her, potentially impacting feelings of safety and security. A uniform supplier will ensure that needed repairs are made to your uniforms, stains are removed, and worn uniforms are replaced with new ones.

Keep track of uniforms. If your employees aren’t laundering their clothing at home, store uniforms collected for laundering in a secure location. Ensure managers collect all uniforms distributed to employees who resign or are terminated.

Get to know your suppliers. Just as your uniforms identify your people when they visit accounts, ensure that your office staff can easily identify uniforms of vendors who service your office. They should understand the need for caution if there’s any question regarding a worker’s identity.

Strategically Planned Uniforms

A strategically planned uniform program can be a strong solution to a variety of security and safety issues, not to mention aid in your pest control businesses’ brand awareness. There is no reason why your technicians should not be consistently wearing strategically planned uniforms. It’s just good business.

Your thoughts?

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Anthony Ball

Common Pest Control Marketing Mistakes

It’s no secret that the pest control industry is cutthroat. With so many competitors out there, industry success often comes down to marketing. My strategic management instructor constantly drilled that specific concept to the class. Without product or service differentiation, business success always comes down to marketing. I can still hear his voice, “Marketing, Marketing, MARKETING!” After all, pest control, is pest control, is pest control… At least in the eyes of our customers.

With a pest control company’s success often coming down to effective marketing strategies, it’s critical that mistakes are avoided. Here are the three biggest marketing mistakes pest control companies make:

1. Having No Concept of Your Target Customer.

Most of us pest control operators know our businesses up and down. We know what chemicals work best on each and every pest we treat. We know that our customers want pests out of their homes and away from their families. What we are not always clear on is who our ideal customers are.

Example: You’re sending out a coupon mailer about cockroach control, but to a zip code that is comprised mainly of apartment complexes. The problem? Apartment renters are not your ideal customers for cockroach control. Cockroach control is generally left up to a landlord, and those receiving your mailer just don’t sign pest control service agreements. Many pest control professionals don’t identify their target market because they believe their methods and products are the best, and they simply sell themselves.

Bottom line: If you are marketing to someone who is not your ideal customer, they will have no interest in what you’re selling. You don’t want to market your pest control services at a PETA rally.

2. Not Listening to Your Target Customer’s Needs.

Even if a pest control operator spends the time and money identifying their target demographic through market research, many don’t listen to what those ideal customers really want. This actually happens quite frequently when a pest control company has too many add-on services.

Example: The target market for pest control in Texas is a customer in need of bee control. If a customer is looking for help with their bee problem, and you begin to tell them about all the other services you have through sales and advertising (i.e. bedbug prevention, lawn and pool care, etc.), then you have sidetracked their thought process. Instead of listening to your customer’s primary need of bee control, you have created what is known as cognitive dissonance. Cognitive dissonance occurs when the brain receives two or more conflicting signals. When this happens, the brain shuts down and you have likely lost a customer.

Bottom line: Focus your marketing efforts primarily on one specific customer need. Show customers the benefits of a pest control service agreement, and how it will alleviate their pain, their fears, and their pest problems. Once you get your foot in the door, offer other services.

3. Having an Insignificant Value Proposition.

A value proposition is a pest control operator’s promise of the worth to the customer. A customer must believe that the value of your service, and the products you use, will actually work. Simply stated, customers must believe you can effectively solve their pest problem. It’s best to keep your value proposition short and to the point.

Example: On the side of your pest control truck you have the name of your company, “Tony’s Pest Control” in big, bold, vibrant lettering. Your customers really don’t care all that much about the name of your company. They really want to know what your value proposition is, or what you can do for them. When a potential customer sees your pest control truck, or gets an advertisement in the mail, always make your value proposition with a guarantee the main headline. Make your company name or logo a little smaller on any advertisement, and ensure it’s not the main attraction.

Bottom line: If a customer wants what you are selling, then they will make an effort to find out the name of the company selling it. Remember, a customer wants to know what you can do for them first and foremost.

Improve Your Marketing

By identifying your target customer, listening to their needs, and delivering a significant value proposition, you will avoid costly marketing mistakes made some pest control operators and will be more successful by increasing your sales and growing your business.

Source: inc.com and ezinearticles.com
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Written by Anthony Ball

Finding a pest control software program for your small business can be challenging and often times overwhelming. With technology changing rapidly some businesses are finding their current software outdated. There are a few things to keep in mind while navigating the pest control software maze.

You’ll want a software program that is organized, easy to use, and will make daily, weekly, monthly, or even a year’s schedule easily accessible. A strong customer relationship management program is a must. Look for software that easily enables you to log and track new or existing customers while giving you the ability to route, invoice, and print reports. Many of the software programs will let you do all this from your Smartphone or Tablet through the Cloud.

The standard among the pest control professionals today are PestPac and ServPro. They get the best reviews from other service professionals offering help with core accounting, customer relationship management, inventory management, routing and scheduling.

PestPac Review

PestPac can be considered the Cadillac of Pest Control software programs. They offer all the things that pest control software’s should. Scheduling, invoicing, account management and inventory management come standard. In addition, they also have additional integrated marketing services. These services include a pay for performance lead generation service, customized website design, and a search engine optimization service. Conversely, PestPac can be very expensive. They have a standard version that will run on your server for an approximate $7000.00 up front cost. An additional $14,000.00 may be needed to upgrade to the Enterprise version if you are interested in using multi-platform. Conversion from a previous customer database can be challenging, so make sure you are totally ready to convert before making your purchase. It is highly recommended that you sign up for an initial training. For more information go to www.pestpac.com

Pros: Everything you’ll need in a pest control software. Many features. Integrated marketing services.

Cons: Very pricey depending on services and features with annual maintenance fee. Higher learning curve. Challenge converting customer databases. Limited schedule calendar.

ServPro Review

ServPro does most of what PestPac can do, but is a little less expensive. The software updates and backs-up itself. Customers can log into their accounts, pay their bill with a credit card, and the payment then automatically posts to their account. Users of this software say that it’s very user friendly, taking very little training to get up and running. Processing of completed invoices and inputted payments are seamless and the “En Route” function will send an email to your next customer letting them know that you’re on your way. Customer response has been great to the Work Order and Invoice emailing options that can be sent right from your Tablet or Smartphone. The software instantly updates data like customer history and customer retention notes. Like PestPac, conversion from a previous customer database can be challenging and time consuming. For a live demo on ServPro go to www.theservicepro.net

Pros: User friendly. “En Route” function emails customers. Less expensive.

Cons: Challenging and time consuming converting customer databases.

Smart Service Enterprise Review

One of the biggest complaints from those looking to change their software to PestPac or ServPro is the challenging nature of transferring their customer databases, especially from QuickBooks. Smart Services Enterprise has created software that works with QuickBooks with some other nice features. They have a portion called iFleet, which works off of the iPad or iPhone, and is completely paperless. It updates your routes instantly to the phone, along with and any added jobs during the day. The software also has GPS tracking through Google Maps. You can also capture customer signatures and then email the invoice to them. If this is more of what your company is looking for go to www.smartserviceinfo.com

Pros: Works with QuickBooks so no customer database needed. GPS tracking. iFleet.

Cons: Purchase vs. subscription. Not as many features as other software programs.

There are many other pest control software options available out there. Other options include:

• Tenpointsix (www.tenpointsix.com)
• FieldEZ (www.fieldez.com)
• Atduty (www.atduty.com)
• Field Aware (www.fieldaware.com)
• Razor Sync (www.razorsync.com)
• VieDispatch (www.viedispatch.com)

Many of these companies offer free trials, so do your research and let us know what has been working best for you. The software that best fits your business really depends on what kind of business you have.

What pest control software have you found to be the best for your company’s needs?