Sometimes I’ll go to the drive-thru of my favorite fast-food restaurant and order a hamburger. But you know what I hear next, right?
Sir, would you like to make that a combo?
The food industry learned a long time ago to bundle everything it sells. Many chains make it easy to order just by the combo number of your choice. Then, they go even further and ask whether you want to upsize the order.
The result? No one buys only a hamburger anymore.
Create your combo
When customers have traditional pest and termite services but need to cut back, they almost always want to keep their termite service agreement and drop the general pest one. This is why you need to offer a bundled service.
Bundled services should include termite, general pest and seasonal or regional pest (such as carpenter bees or lady bugs) to make the service invaluable and not just a commodity. It needs to be such a worthwhile service covering various pests, so no one would even consider eliminating it.
Many companies come up with a special name to call their bundled service to make the most of marketing. Examples I’ve seen include Premier Service Plan, Complete Care Service, Guardian 365 Protection and the Health Home Maintenance Plan. We brand ours as the TermaPest Complete Care Program.
A brand identity distinguishes your bundled service as special and not just a basic service plan. If bundling is new to your company, properly train the sales and service staff. And don’t forget the customer service reps who answer the phones: They’re your first line of defense.
Every employee needs to be on the same page about all your service offerings. They all need to know which pests are covered and what special service is included in your bundle. The pricing also needs to be understood fully by all personnel.
When establishing the price of your service bundle, it must offer the customer savings. For example, buying your special program should save them money and cover more pests, beyond what they would get if they bought the services separately. Also, make it easy for people to do business with you. Bundling does that. Your customers are receiving the services they deserve without being nickeled and dimed by multiple service plans.
You can reach Ray Johnson, a past president of the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), president of Sevierville, Tenn.-based Johnson Pest Control, and founder of ACES for Business, at ray@johnsonpestcontrol.com.
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