Online resources: Why customers still call PMPs

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Did you ever notice that today’s consumer performs an extraordinary amount of research before calling in an expert? For the most part, a pest management professional (PMP) can assume that a new customer has Googled the problem thoroughly before calling a pro. If you are lucky, your customer landed on websites containing good information — like PestWorld.org or a university entomology department web page. But no matter where they got their information, you can rest assured that customers have plenty of knowledge about their pest problem.

So, why do consumers even call a PMP if there is so much available online?

Customers continue to call PMPs because they expect you to be an expert. Customers experience an avalanche of information on the internet, and often, it is contradictory. A client expects a PMP to be able to sift through all of that data and provide a “correct” solution for the problem. As an expert, you are able to do this, based on the specialized skills you have acquired through training and experience in the field of structural pest management.

It is your duty, then, to ensure you are up to the task of being an expert. Seek out educational opportunities, read about the industry, share experiences with your peers, learn from your mistakes. All of these activities can add value to the service you provide for your customer.

Be prepared to answer questions, confirm facts and correct the inaccuracies your client has learned. Perhaps most importantly, know what you don’t know — then fill in your knowledge gaps. In other words, commit yourself to becoming the expert your customer wants you to be.

You can reach Dr. Fredericks, VP of technical and regulatory affairs for the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), at jfredericks@pestworld.org.