Editor’s Note: The following is an introduction to a special series from Pest Management Professional Editorial Advisory Board member Dr. Faith Oi, a faculty member and director of Pest Management University at the University of Florida, and Kemp Anderson, principal of Kemp Anderson Consulting. The series is appearing on a number of industry platforms, including KempAnderson.com. For our continuing coverage of this series, click here.
Like most people these days, we are consuming lots of news, trying to make sense of everything going on in the world regarding COVID-19, healthcare, business, economics and even politics. It’s overwhelming and dizzying. There is so much to take in. What does it mean to our families, our friends, our businesses, and our lives in general?
One March 22, we decided to co-author an article that would help others in the pest control industry understand the current landscape so that they may better serve their customers and employees in the healthiest way possible. We wanted to share our combined 50+ years of experience — specifically with our industry in mind.
We hit snags immediately. In just two short weeks, our attempt to author one article has morphed into a series of articles from science, entomological and business perspectives. This evolution happened simply because we realized that COVID-19 is a longer-term healthcare crisis, and a global economic issue that will not be resolved in the coming weeks, or possibly even months.
Dr. Faith Oi shares her insight on the quickly emerging science as it applies to our industry. Kemp Anderson shares his analysis of the economic impact this event is having on our industry, and what we can expect looking forward along with business specific actions when applicable. We are fortunate to have the support of Kemp Anderson Consulting’s Theresa Childs in editing this massive amount of data, and helping synthesize a cohesive message and strategy.
Some of the questions on our minds as we worked through the information were: Why is pest control deemed an essential service? What does that mean for individual operators? What changes will we need to make within our businesses to protect the health and safety of our employees and our customers? How long do we think the economic effects will last? How will supply chains be affected? And more.
We hope you find this series informative and actionable as we navigate these unprecedented times.
— F.O. and K.A.
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