I ss u e 1 8 PESTWEST ENVIRONMENTAL

IN THIS ISSUE
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H  ouse Flies See Time Faster Than People Selling Flying Insect Control H  ow To Protect Yourself From Bed Bug Litigation Sales Motivation

NEWSLETTER 41 1
For your information

Focus Behind The Wheel

Distracted driving is more serious than you might think. According to the CDC, nine people die and more than 1,000 others are injured every day in crashes involving a distracted driver. There are three primary causes of distracted drivers that can lead to an accident. Visual: Not keeping your eyes on the road Manual: Taking your hands off the wheel C  ognitive: Not paying attention to what you are doing Texting, talking on the phone, eating, or even using navigation systems or changing the radio stations can be major distractions. They are not worth the risk. Wait until you have stopped or can safely pull over to the side of the road.

House Flies See Time Faster Than People

By Dr. Stuart Mitchell

PESTWEST 411 NEWSLETTER

Flee The Flu

Should you get a flu shot this season? The general answer is yes. Everyone 6 months or older should get the vaccine. One exception is those sick from a fever need to wait until recovery. "Given the regular interaction with your customers and colleagues, protect yourself and them." Talk to your doctor about any concerns. Rest assured that the flu shot and the nasal spray alternative are effective and side effects are minimal.

Being a House fly is a life of endless crap. Living less than a month, the House fly is a flying infection, carrying pathogens from constant consumption of, well, crap. Researchers have discovered an astonishing ability. The study, published in the Journal of Animal Behavior, concluded House flies visually perceive time faster than larger animals. Datasets were gathered from other teams who had used a technique called critical flicker fusion frequency (CFFF), which measures the speed at which the eye can process light. Plotting these results on a graph demonstrated a pattern that exhibited a strong relationship between body-size and how quickly the eye can respond to changing visual information (such as a flashing light).

Have You Had A Checkup Yet?

If not, it is time to schedule a visit to the doctor. While you are there, ask if it is time for any routine tests or screenings (high cholesterol or cancer). It may be time for vaccinations and booster shots. Have a candid discussion with your doctor. Ask about eating right and exercise habits or anything else that is affecting your physical or mental health.

House flies can observe movement on a finer timescale than larger animals, allowing them to escape from larger predators. Researchers investigated the variation of time perception across a variety of animals.

PestWest USA LLC, 4363 Independence Court, Sarasota, FL 34234 o f f i c e : 941.358.1983 fa x : 941.358.1916 t o l l f r e e : 866.476.7378 e m a i l : info@pestwest.com

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By Gary Williamson

Selling Flying Insect Control Flying to Success!

The function of a pest management company is to service its customers in a timely, technically efficient, and profitable manner as well as successfully dealing with pest related concerns. This function cannot be completed unless the prospective customer is sold on your companys service. Successful pest control operators generally do a good job of selling services for common pests, such as cockroaches, ants, and rodents, however, many pest control operators struggle with the sale of flying insect control services. assess and communicate how the pest problems we have identified may negatively impact the prospective customers business. What are the risks of having flies in food preparation or serving areas? How can the perception of flies, and the filth they represent, affect the willingness for a customer to return or continue to do business in this facility? What is the cost associated with flies in potential product loss or lost customers? And how does dealing with the ongoing fly problems make a life of your prospect more difficult? Flies in general, and filth flies in particular, are associated in society with uncleanliness, disease, and death. Clearly flies are associated with risk, loss of competitive advantage, cost to the business, and a more difficult life for the business manager or owner. When we try to tell a prospect what we think he/she should do, we may get disagreement. If we can ask questions relating to the negative effects of flies on the prospects business, and get the owner or manager to tell us how flies are negatively impacting the Core Values of the business, we are much more likely to get approval. If you know how to control flies and can identify the problems that flies present to your prospect, you are much more likely to make the sale. If you can see the fly problem from the point of view of your prospect and can ask questions that help the prospect see the problems that flies present, you are much more likely to sell or keep the business. If your knowledge and questions are superior to your competition, you and your company have a stronger competitive advantage in the marketplace. Fly to Success!

Mantis Uplight

When we identify a pest control problem, we want to apply our knowledge and expertise to solving that problem. We identify roaches, ants, rodents, and flies as a problem for the account, however, the owner or manager may not see the problem from the same point of view. If he or she cannot see how the pest issue is negatively affecting his or her business, the company may not make the funds available to pay for the service that we feel is necessary to solve the pest problem. According to Jim Pancero, author of Selling at the Top, business managers make purchases based on four Core Values: Risk, Competitive Advantage, Cost, and Make My Life Easier. Based upon the Core Values, we need to

CSI Kit

Contrasting Specimen Inspection Kit

Enhance your bed bug inspection methods using forensic technology!

PestWest introduces the Contrasting Specimen Inspection Kit (CSI). This technology is brought to you from the forensic detection industry. The CSI lamp within the kit provides specialty blue light used in conjunction with orange contrast glasses to fluoresce or contrast proteins from bed bugs, blood, feces, caste skins, and eggs. Using our forensic blue light source to see hidden objects in a different way than under normal light gives Inspectors a new perspective and a visual difference between the common and cutting edge.

For additional information contact your favorite distributor or contact PestWest at 866.476.7378.
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How To Protect Yourself From Bed Bug Litigation:

Documentation, Staying Out Of The Fight May Be The Best Defenses When Fighting A Nuclear War With Bows and Arrows
By Jeff Lipman, Attorney-at-law
PESTWEST 411 NEWSLETTER
PCOs and property managers must work in partnership when managing pest control issues. Both sides must work in a trustful and cooperative nature. It may then seem counter-intuitive to suggest that PCOs must at the same time take steps to protect themselves from lawsuits when the property manager fails to follow sound advise supported by IPM and industry standards. Unfortunately, when tenants bring lawsuits against property managers, the insurers and their lawyers will look to secondary sources of funding the damages; especially in cases where the amount being claimed is significant. In cases both in Iowa and California involving bed bugs, insurers have either threatened or filed claims against the PCO for contribution. In both cases, the PCOs appear to have documented their advise and supported their work with the treatment records. The primary focus that the PCO has while conducting their daily affairs must always be guided by IPM and sound documentation practices. This will ordinarily protect the PCO from the merits of the lawsuit and payout of damages. This will not prevent the PCO from being sued. In bed bug litigation where verdicts have been reached exceeding $750,000 for an individual case plus threats of multi million exposure in class action cases, solid pest management practices are essential. The forgotten element in the chaos is the cost of defense and impact this has on the PCOs day-to-day business model. Insurance companies that cover pest control professionals have policies that should cover the cost of defense and third party claims. However, insurance companies may take a closer look at policy language to avoid coverage and allow them to reserve their rights to deny claims now that it appears that the PCO is in play in high stakes litigation. The costs of defense alone can put a PCO out of business; not to mention the time and internal resources it takes to defend a lawsuit from the PCOs standpoint. In examining both the actual claims and threats associated with bringing the PCO into the litigation between the tenant and property manager, it appears the primary angle the property manager will take is to claim the PCO was negligent in engaging in services that had no reasonable likelihood to succeed or that the PCO was the professional charged in making the overall decisions. In simple terms, the only way for the PCO to have avoided being sued was to walk away from the job with a letter declining services. In basic terms: the PCO should never bid a job that is not designed to succeed. PCOs are driven by their desire to do what they can to help their customer. If client is unwilling to pay the premium service, many PCOs will still bid a job that will help reduce the pest issue even though it may not eliminate it. Basically, the PCO wants to do a good deed and keep the customer happy. While documenting this in the bid and service agreement will be of value in defending a lawsuit, it may not eliminate the exposure from being sued. PCOs must therefore be vigilant in documenting their advice and explaining in their bid the potential or even likelihood that the service being purchased may not successfully eliminate the pest. Likewise, PCOs should, as a part of their business practice, require the customer to sign a declination of services line on their contracts signifying that the customer is declining the recommended treatment in favor of an inferior service. This will help when defending a lawsuit. Unfortunately, PCOs will need to appreciate and understand the litigation risks associated with bidding a job not designed to succeed as opposed to just walking away. It comes down to a numbers game. Eventually, if you bid enough jobs that are not designed to succeed (even with great documentation), you increase your odds of being sued. Remember that no good deed goes unpunished. The author frequently speaks throughout the country on class action and bed bug litigation. He is founder of Lipman Law Firm in Des Moines, Iowa. He can be reached at lipmanlawfirm@aol.com.

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By Scott Baldwin

Sales Motivation: Opportunities for Increasing Flying Insect Control Services

As a professional, it is important to show and discuss services that benefit the end user. For example, a restaurant has filth flies hovering in the dining area or kitchen. For the restaurant, a serious loss of business may result. If the PCO is already on call and servicing the facility, different situations can be pointed out and alternatives discussed (both to fit the needs of the restaurant manager). How do you simultaneously support the PCO and the end user? For myself, this is both the most critical and the most enjoyable. I follow up with the PCO at regular intervals to make sure they understand the situation. I make certain the PCO understands I am always available for any questions or required assistance. It is my/PestWests responsibility to partner in the PCOs success. As a team member of PestWest, I am proud that we routinely work with PCOs in the field.

There are many opportunities in the area of pest control. Establishing a purpose, determining a need, providing a solution, overcoming objections, obtaining a commitment, and perpetual support are essential pursuant to sales success. But how can this be achieved with all the competing services needed by clients? If a PCO is currently servicing an account that has evidence of filth flies, they must convert this evidence to opportunity. The client may have a reason(s) for not adding flying insect control services. Through questioning, discover how to better understand the situation. Explain the benefits of UVA systems (ILTs & EFKs) pursuant to monitoring or low-level detection and species identification as well as being a key to sanitation. If cost is a concern, discuss the option of leasing over purchasing. Demonstrate proper placement and the science of flying insect control. With increased client awareness, the PCO is prepared to answer the tough questions. Knowledge is power.

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