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Editor’s Note: As the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic spreads across the U.S. and the world, suppliers in the pest management industry are stepping up to provide resources to pest management professionals (PMPs) and their businesses. We roundup some of their latest updates below. Read more COVID-19 coverage here: MyPMP.net/COVID-19
Bayer: Joe Barile, BCE, technical service lead in Pest Management & Public Health for Bayer Environmental Science, shares some “observations from an entomologist in the hot zone.” He lets readers know why pests don’t care about COVID-19.
Coalmarch & PCO Bookkeepers: In a series of Friday webinars that kicked off March 27, Coalmarch’s Donnie Shelton and PCO Bookkeepers’ (and PMP financial columnist) Dan Gordon, CPA, present topics related to “COVID-proofing your business” during the pandemic. Shelton is also owner of Triangle Pest Control, Raleigh, N.C. The webinars are free of charge and are archived. Learn more about the webinars here. In addition, Gordon shares his thoughts on how to keep your pest control company solvent during the pandemic here.
LabelSDS.com: Former pest management professional Chip Hughes founded LabelSDS.com as a way to maintain the latest versions of product labels and safety data sheets (SDSs). In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, customers are going to be all the more aware of what products are being used at their homes and businesses, and want to know the specifics of use and application. LabelSDS allows pest control firms to create individualized databases of automatically updated files that can be accessed by their employees from any computer, tablet or smartphone.
Lobster Marketing: Analyzing marketing data can be overwhelming, especially while navigating the uncharted business waters created by the COVID-19 pandemic. The Lobster Compass marketing portal collects your business’s data from multiple systems, allowing you to see how each marketing channel works — or doesn’t work — for you. It makes information easy to read, analyze, and visualize how your business generates the most revenue. Find 6 tips to work through the pandemic here.
Lytx: The COVID-19 pandemic is bringing new wrinkles to your routing daily. In response, Lytx’s video and telematics solutions can help you make fast, informed decisions that can improve your fleet’s productivity. See arrival, idle and departure times; and a route playback that shows you an animated trail of where drivers were speeding, and how long they spent at each stop. Lytx also makes it easy to locate the driver closest to your service destination, so you can address customer needs as quickly as possible. Visit Lytx.com/GPS for more information.
Neogen: Now more than ever, pest management professionals (PMPs) need protection from bacteria, viruses and other harmful contaminants when out on the job. Neogen’s SureKill Hand Sanitizer quick-dry foam sanitizer decreases dermal bacteria by 99.9 percent, giving PMPs peace of mind after removing required personal protective equipment (PPE) once the pesticide application is complete — and even after interacting with customers and prospects. Visit NeogenProfessionalPest.com to learn more.
Nisus: Nisus DSV has been added to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s List N: Products with Emerging Pathogens and Human Coronavirus Claims for Use Against SARS-CoV-2, the cause of COVID-19. The concentrate product is a broad-spectrum disinfectant, sanitizer, viricide, mildewstat, fungicide and deodorizer, labeled to kill many viruses and bacteria as well as small flies. It can be used for everyday cleaning as well as in critical or emergency situations.
PestRoutes: With the COVID-19 pandemic forcing route logistics to change rapidly, PestRoutes’ Map View Schedule is designed to make creating, optimizing and viewing routes easy. The tool combines the powerful job pool with the map, which gives you the ability to draw your route directly on the map. The Intelligent Routing feature, meanwhile, allows you to assign an area of customers by preferred technician or region. Read more about PestRoutes response here. The company has also shared information on its blog. Read their most recent update as PestRoutes salutes pest management professionals.
Rockwell Labs: The company is sharing an EcoVia EC and InTice 10 two-step idea for outdoor applications that will help keep those at home pest free. Perform exterior treatments — and prevent the need for indoor treatments — with InTice 10, a long-lasting, economical broad-spectrum bait labeled for a wide variety of ants, including carpenter ants, as well as cockroaches, crickets, earwigs, silverfish, millipedes, sow bugs, mole crickets, snails and slugs. For perimeter and turf use, only 1 pound per 1,000 square feet of the 10 percent boric acid granular bait is needed. The active ingredient lasts up to 90 days outdoors, and will not break down from heat or ultraviolet (UV) light. It is mold- and moisture-resistant, and has no pyrethroid use restrictions. InTice 10 is available in 1-, 4-, 10- and 40-pound packs.
ServicePro: Flexibility is essential in a crisis. ServSuite’s Intelligent Routing module allows you to take into account every important variable when creating your weekly schedule and routes. Make last-minute modifications and optimize your routes with just a few clicks. Optimizing your routes helps you to manage your technicians’ schedules and your resources as efficiently as possible. ServSuite Intelligent Routing will ensure that your technicians’ are safely servicing as many accounts as possible every day. Automating your routes means instant savings for your business. Visit ServicePro.com to read the blog and acquire more strategies to cope with this crisis.
Slingshot: Sales prospecting is more competitive than ever, thanks to the many ways in which the COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way pest management firms do business. Slingshot provides companies with tools and services that create instant lead contact, enhance close rates and turn customers into raving fans. It offers everything from web lead response and live chat to comprehensive, around-the-clock sales, and features real-time reporting and business intelligence insights.
Sterifab: Now in its fifth decade, Sterifab is a ready-to-use disinfectant/insecticide, available in pints, gallons and 5-gallon pails. It not only works against bed bugs, but also protects against bacteria, viruses, mold, mildew, germs and odors. Labeled for application on inanimate objects including, but not limited to upholstered furniture, mattresses, carpets, chairs and other items, Sterifab can be applied to many sensitive items that may not be suitable for other insecticides and disinfectants. Plus, it’s nonresidual and dries within 10 to15 minutes. The company has also launched a coronavirus page on their site: Sterifab.com/coronavirus-disinfectant
Syngenta: Syngenta released a statement with information to its customers and business partners on SyngentaPMP.com from Scott Reasons, the head of Syngenta Professional Solutions. Read more about how Syngenta is taking action to ensure safety amidst the pandemic.
Wildlife Control Supplies: Open for business, WCS notes, “Our professional wildlife and pest control customers provide an essential health and safety service to the public, and we thank them for all their work during this challenging time. We are taking appropriate steps to keep our staff safe, with some working remotely, and by practicing social distancing in the office.”
WorkWave PestPac: The company shared an update from CEO David F. Giannetto to the company’s customers, partners and colleagues. Read his full letter here. You can also read the company’s latest blog “6 Things You Can Do in PestPac Right Now to Help Your Business Persevere Through COVID-19” or visit the company’s COVID-19 resources page.
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