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Lessons on life and business can occur in peculiar places.
In 1990, I was a waiter at one of the most prestigious country clubs in Illinois. I loved the members, and anytime they needed something, I cheerfully provided it for them.
One day, the head chef (a 5-foot 2-inch firecracker from Puerto Rico) heard about Pete Schopen’s generosity and not-so-quietly called me into his tiny office.
“These people are millionaires,” he chirped. “I, on the other hand, have a budget.”
He proceeded to show me his budget, coached me on expenditures and then gave me a price list for everything I was handing out gratis. From then on, extra blue cheese was 75 cents.
Fast forward to the present. One of my favorite “talks” with my consulting clients is the topic of no charge. I loathe “no charge.” I squash “free.” The only thing I hate more than “freebies” is when an airport toilet auto-flushes while you are still on it. A close second would be the hideously bad movie “The Matrix Resurrections.”
In this month’s “Start-up Journeys,” we are visiting with entrepreneur Jonathan Sargent of Sargent Pest Solutions and discussing his habit of giving out free inspections.
Relationship builder
I’ve known Sargent for a few years. He was one of my first consulting gigs. I traveled to Greenville, S.C., and worked with his team on standard operating procedures (SOPs). One topic he and I differed on was free inspections.
Sargent’s stance is that there is an opportunity to be gained by not charging for certain pest inspections.
“Obviously, it helps get my employees and me in front of the clients, which helps build a relationship,” he says. The Clemson University grad also says he believes it gives them a chance to “realize the full scope of the job that needs to be performed.”
Sargent grew up in Atlanta, Ga., and eventually studied biology at Clemson, graduating in 1998. The Tigers fan stayed in school and got his master’s degree in entomology in 2002.
That wasn’t the only thing he took from Clemson. He also met his wife, Kristi, who was studying to be a nurse. Today, they are still happily married and have three grown daughters.
“In South Carolina, we have multiple types of ants that need to be treated differently,” Sargent explains. For example, he likes to find the nest if he is dealing with carpenter ants (Camponotus spp.). For fire ants (Solenopsis spp.), they use granule bait. And as for Argentine ants (Linepithema humile)? “They are the bane of my existence,” he sighs. Regardless, Sargent wants his people to be prepared for battle with the correct strategies.
Sargent isn’t the only pest control person I know who offers free inspections. Kris Elling, co-owner of Sasquatch Pest Control in Bellingham, Wash., says he feels more comfortable selling the job in person versus over the phone. “Every house is different, and getting a personalized view to tailor the program to the home is essential,” Elling explains.
How we did it
There is no right or wrong answer here. It’s just a matter of what makes you feel comfortable. At Schopen Pest Solutions, we sold everything over the phone because my people went through extensive training and knew how to steer the conversation.
Obviously, there are jobs that necessitate a free inspection, such as termite quotes and commercial sales, but what about bed bug and rodent inspections? Again, at Schopen Pest Solutions, we charged for most of our inspections. Many times, clients would misidentify bed bugs when their reaction actually was from fleas, dust mites, allergies, fiberglass, stress, medications, delusional parasitosis, etc. You have to see the infestation before you saddle someone with a $1,500 bed bug job.
I charged my clients $150 for the inspection, bed bugs or no bed bugs, which was reserved over the phone with a credit card. For rodents, we wanted to make sure the noises in the attic or the droppings in the garage actually were from mice or rats. In many instances, it would be bats, flying squirrels or shrews, which would result in a $75 fee.
The benefits of free inspections
▶ Building a quick relationship with clients
▶ Upselling is easier in person
▶ Level of infestation (cockroaches, rodents and bed bugs) is well defined
▶ Inventory needed for the job is more perceptible
▶ Technicians get more practical experience the more they inspect
The drawbacks to free inspections
▶ Free inspections take time from techs who should be earning money for the company
▶ Gas and wear-and-tear on the company vehicle
▶ Every time we enter a work vehicle, there is a chance for a traffic accident
▶ Overtime for a free inspection is a life-sucking vampire
▶ Less revenue comes into the company
Schopen is founder of Schopen Pest Solutions and RV There Yet Pest Consulting, Bartlesville, Okla. You can email him at rvthereyetpest@gmail.com.
