I dropped $200 a month on a flashy CRM for 6 months before realizing I barely used half the features. Now I'm back to a simple spreadsheet and saving that cash for actual equipment upgrades. Anyone else overbuy on tools too early?
Picked up a Curtis Dyna-Fog at a trade show last month for $400 and used it on a rental property with bed bugs. That single treatment saved me from subbing out the work at $600. Anyone else running their own equipment instead of hiring out?
I was at Ace Hardware yesterday buying ant bait and overheard two guys talking pest control. One was bragging to the other that he knocks 20% off the bill if customers pay cash under the table. I get the appeal, no credit card fees and all. But man, that's how you end up with no paper trail and a headache come tax time or if a customer decides to sue. I had a buddy do that for 18 months and got slammed with a big fine and back taxes. Has anyone else tried the cash discount route and lived to tell about it?
Some dude was telling his friend he spends $50 a month on some pest control CRM. I pay $180 for mine and it crashes on Mondays. Anyone using a cheap CRM that actually works for scheduling?
I had this stretch back in July 2023 where everything went sideways in one day. Started the morning with a big termite job over in Oakwood Estates, got there at 7 AM and the customer's dog had gotten into the crawlspace the night before. Spent 45 minutes trying to coax a scared golden retriever out from under the house before I could even set up my gear. Then my spray rig blew a hose fitting halfway through the treatment and I had to drive 20 miles to the nearest supply house for a replacement. By the time I got back, the homeowner was pacing around asking if I could wrap up by noon because her book club was coming. I ended up finishing at 12:45 with sweat running down my back and a bad attitude. That one bad day taught me to keep spare hoses and fittings in the truck at all times, plus a backup plan for crazy pet situations. Has anyone else had a single job turn into a whole nightmare chain of events like that?
I was convinced box trucks were the only way to go for my pest control routes here in Phoenix. But after my buddy kept pushing me to try a routed van setup, I finally gave in 3 months ago. Cost me $18k to convert one van with shelves and chemical storage, and I thought it was a waste. Turns out I can fit way more equipment and still zip through tight neighborhoods. Gas savings alone are like $150 a month per van now. Has anyone else made the switch and seen big changes in their daily workflow?
I was driving to a termite job over in Oakville when my engine started knocking real bad. Had to call a tow truck and missed three appointments that day, which set me back about $400 in lost work plus the repair bill. I ended up renting a U-Haul just to finish my scheduled jobs the next morning. Anyone else keep a backup vehicle or have a plan for when stuff like this happens?
I swapped to a foaming unit six months ago after a termite job in a crawl space where my old setup just couldn't get the gaps, and now I'm finishing treatments in half the time but still getting calls about stains on hardwood floors - has anyone else found that foam helps reach those tight spots but creates a whole new set of cleanup headaches?
Looking for a new pest control company to handle a few commercial properties and my own house up in Woodstock. Narrowed it down to Monitor Pest Control and Northwest Exterminating. Anyone here used either for mixed residential/commercial accounts? I care more about reliability and communication than the absolute cheapest price.