March 2006 / Vol.3 / Issue 3

Hello and Welcome to the March Greenpest News. Each month we aim to provide you with some useful information, keeping it short, sweet and pertinent.

Contents

1. Pest Talk
2. Where have ethics gone in business?
3. Customer Question of the Month.
4. Story of the Month.
5. Monthly Special

Pest Talk

No doubt many of our readers saw A Current Affair on both the 13th and 14th of March. It was yet another exposé of a crooked pestie who 'bought his own termites' when he was being paid to carry out a termite inspection.

For those of you who missed it on TV, here's what happened. Firstly, A Current Affair arranged to have a pre-chosen house checked for termites by an independent professional who deemed it free and clear of any activity. Then they contacted the fraudster and had him turn up to do his report on the same house. He popped under the house, hid around the corner, then pulled out some termites that he had hidden in his pocket and emerged a few minutes later from under the house to show the owner the live termites he 'found' under their home.

Evidently, he used this scam regularly to scare people into getting expensive termite treatments that they didn't actually need.

He is not only an incompetent pest controller, but he is also a crook who should go to jail. However if history is anything to go by, he'll merely get a little fine and possibly lose his licence. Don't be surprised if in a year's time we see him back again doing it under a different name.

His victims (we won't call them customers) chose him because he had the biggest advertisement in the local newspaper. In many of our previous newsletters we have covered the best ways to select a good termite inspector, but a crook like this fellow would probably still slip through the net. It's frightening really and it is very hard to police. No doubt he wouldn't pull the stunt if he thought he was being watched.

Something else was wrong too. Not only did he cheat by having termites hidden in his pocket, but he also failed to carry out any kind of inspection at all. An inspection that would take a professional 1 or 2 hours was over in just a few minutes for this crook. Doubtless, the $4,000 termite treatment he was offering was complete garbage too.

He's not just guilty of fraud, but he is also responsible for the severe anguish that his victims would feel when told that their home had a termite problem.

Here's the kicker. If he has professional indemnity insurance, (and he may well have) he would be insured for fraud including knowingly lying and cheating. That's absolutely unbelievable but true.

Having spoken with a number of honest and reputable pest controllers about this incident, it can only be said we are infuriated that rogues like him continue to operate with-in our beleaguered industry. If the recommendations that we suggested in our March 2005 newsletter were followed, it is reasonable to think that he might have been weeded out sooner.

What can you do to protect yourself against termite inspection fraud? Here are a few tips:

Of course many would rightly argue that we shouldn't need to do any of the above. We should be able to trust a professional or tradesman to do the right thing. Unfortunately fraud and incompetence in business and professional circles can be found in many industries not just the pest control industry. Everyone has a story to tell or knows someone who does.

It seems many people expect the government or the officers from the department of fair trading to protect us, but it's folly to count on it, which is why, in the end, it's always up to you to remember the number one rule, "Buyer beware."

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Where have ethics gone in business?

Before we begin, I'd like to make it clear that if any of our readers or customers believe that Green Pest Control or Green Termite Bait Systems, my staff, or myself have behaved unethically in our business dealings, I want to hear about it. Please write to me, Jerry Furnell, personally. I genuinely hope that I'm never accused of hypocrisy.

We take great pride in the integrity of our staff. They are not just selected for their high level of skills, but also because of their demonstrated attitude of genuinely offering sound advice and helpful friendly service.

So, returning to the topic; Where have ethics gone in business? It's very annoying to see vulnerable people being duped into termite procedures that aren't necessary or don't measure up to their promises.

It's one thing to make an honest profit, but ruthless greed and dishonest tactics should be exposed and the perpetrators booted out, not just in the pest control industry either, but wherever it occurs.

I'm not sure if the various current affair programs are on a crusade to expose business frauds and crooks because they feel it is their moral duty, or because it makes for good ratings. You decide. Ratings = Profit. Either way, good on them, their program content sometimes produces valuable changes in government procedures, public awareness and may even improve the way our society operates. Too bad for the odd innocent victim that gets the wrong end of their big stick.

Okay, now that we have pointed the self-righteous finger at the motives behind the television companies, we are happy to accept that similar rules apply to us. Our newsletters are a part of our business plan and our company mission is to operate the best pest control business in Australia. Our company crusade is to bring changes to the pest control industry by leading through example.

Of course it is also our goal to run a profitable business. Every business needs to remain viable and provide income for its owners, satisfying jobs for its staff, and ongoing quality service for its clients. If along the way our newsletters help to bring about a few beneficial changes to the industry, all the better.

Cleaning up the pest control industry is just one of many hundreds of challenges that the government faces and I doubt that it is high on their list of priorities. The pest control industry is a little fish in the big government pond of 'things to do' (and it's plainly a juicy fish for the various current affair program TV ratings); none the less, here's what we are doing to improve the pest control industry and help the public as much as possible.

There are many other conscientious individuals, companies and associations at work in the pest control industry who also share similar goals. Through this newsletter we hope to keep you abreast of any changes as they come to hand.

For the record, here is our termite quotation and procedures policy:

Short Version: Advise and quote every job as if it is for a close friend. We aim to provide the best treatment for the lowest price.

Long version:

The following is a typical example to demonstrate how this works in practice:

There are many variations on the above treatment procedures, but it gives you an idea of what to expect. We don't condone expensive treatments just for the sake of profits. We aim to provide the best treatment for the lowest price. Termite solutions can never be quoted over the telephone since every house is different and no two problems are exactly the same which is why we offer a free half hour risk assessment and quotation if you feel you have a termite problem or are simply looking to reduce the risk of termites getting into your home.

Feel free to put us to the test (S.E. QLD areas only). You'll find that we practice what we preach.

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Customer Question of the Month.

Question:

To Whom It May Concern,

The company we currently use for our pest control treated our home for cockroaches, silverfish, spiders and ants a few months ago. They do a good job every year, but this year we have called them back 4 times in the first 3 months to redo the black ants and now they refuse to come back anymore even though we have a 12 month warranty on the ants.

Can you do better?

Fed-up - Banyo Brisbane.

Answer

We can certainly understand why you called yourself 'Fed-up'; it's only natural to expect that if you have a twelve month warranty on ants then your home should be free from ants for 12 months.

At Green Pest Control we only offer a 3 month warranty for ants (12 months for Cockroaches) and yes we too get our fair share of call backs for those persistent ants. We feel that 3 months is a more realistic warranty period and complies with the life expectancy of the biodegradable products that we use. On the positive side, we have some of our regular clients cheerfully tell us that our ant treatment has lasted them for 12 months.

What we are trying to say is this; you can treat two identical homes for a similar ant problem and one treatment will be an outstanding success and the other may require further work. The main variable is the ants.

Ants are a very persistent pest. Although they are not generally considered a health threat, it is possible for them to transport unwelcome bacteria and other germs from one place to another. Most people simply want to be rid of ants because they are a nuisance. Ants can quickly establish a new colony or relocate an existing one if conditions demand it. During heavy rain, you may have noticed long lines of ants moving up to dry ground via trees, drain pipes, walls etc. Very often they are transporting eggs to their new home which may very well be in your home.

The bad news is that ants are hard to prevent, even for professional pest controllers. It's tricky because although you may kill hundreds with a squirt from a can of fly spray, there are always more where they came from; unless you kill the queen ant that is. Very similar to termites - get the queen and solve the problem.

If surface sprays don't solve a black (or brown) ant problem, then ant bait is another solution worth a try. Not all ants will show a penchant for the first ant bait you try, so don't be surprised if they ignore it. Manufacturers have developed several types of ant bait. If one brand doesn't work, try another.

There is another low cost solution to ants, that we would like to share with you, but it requires patience and persistence, something that ants have in abundance but it would seem, many people lack!

Here's what to do. Buy a surface spray of your own preference. It doesn't matter which brand because worker ants are easy to kill. When you see a trail of ants, run the surface spray all the way along the trail from where it begins to where it ends and kill them. The ones still coming will either give up or look for another way around the spray.

If they return using a new route, repeat the above process. Keep repeating the treatment (you may be at it for just a few days or for several weeks) and eventually the ants will come to the conclusion that your home isn't a good place to visit.

Now here are a few things you'll need to know to make this work effectively. Firstly, don't overspray and don't wipe up the dead ants with a cloth, especially a wet cloth, because you are also wiping up the surface spray. Instead, use a small dustbuster or lightly sweep up the dead ants with a brush and pan after the spray has dried and all the ants are dead.

Secondly, don't leave the spray on food preparation surfaces. Try to limit the spray on kitchen work surfaces to the edges at the back of the bench top. If you do have a big clean up and wipe all the benches down, then don't forget to respray.

And finally, please remember that this method takes time. So as we said at the beginning; you need to be more patient and more persistent than the ants.

If a chemical solution doesn't suit you, then there are many alternative home remedies for ants to be found on the internet. Borax is one well known product, but it too only works on certain ant species. If you have another solution that you would like to share with our readers, please send it in.

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Story of the Month.

In 1992 I called in to do a termite quote for an elderly lady (let's name her Mrs Smith) who lived in Labrador on the Gold Coast.

She had an old fashioned weatherboard home that was supported on brick piers well clear of the ground. It also had good, effective, easy to check termite capping on top of the piers. The rear perimeter was bricked across from corner to corner. The sides were open and the front had attractive gardens that did not impinge upon the existing termite protection. In other words, it had a very low risk of termite problems. It was approximately 50 years old and had never previously had termites either.

When I arrived I enquired at to why she was getting a termite quote. She told me that the pestie who did her cockroaches had spotted some termite activity and advised her to get a termite treatment. Since his quote was quite expensive ($1200), she had wisely decided to get a few more quotes which is why I was there.

I asked Mrs Smith to show me where the termites had been discovered. We went outside and she pointed out a lead under the back patio that travelled up an external corner of the brickwork. It took me less than a minute to duck under her patio to take a closer look. The lead was very fragile (unlike a termite lead which is usually firm) and it had obviously been made by brown ants, not termites. The brown ants could be easily seen running up and down inside the lead.

After a quick check of her other piers I returned to give her the good news. Her house was free of termite activity, and didn't need a termite treatment after all. A quick spray for brown ants ($50 back in those days) would suffice, but since the ants weren't really bothering her, I suggested she save her money and give me a ring if they became a nuisance.

Although I didn't get any termite work that day (since it wasn't necessary), I felt happy knowing I'd done a good deed and felt pretty sure that next year Mrs Smith would most likely call me to do her annual pest control.

A week later I happened to be driving by her home on my way to another job and was astounded to see a pest control vehicle parked outside her home and it was obvious that her home was having a termite treatment.

The next day I called in to see Mrs Smith. I had no reason other than pure curiosity. When asked why she got a termite treatment, she told me that she ended up getting eight quotes in total. They ranged in price from $800 to $2,100. Evidently, the other seven pest controllers all confirmed that she had termites and convinced her that her house was at high risk. She was basically told that if she didn't have a termite treatment done, her house would be eaten by termites. Astoundingly only two other pest controllers even bothered to check the brown ant lead. Guess what? They both returned and blatantly lied to her telling her that the lead was indeed termites and that she needed a termite treatment urgently!

Her logic was that with 7 : 1 odds, I must have been wrong. Seven other pest controllers couldn't all be wrong/lying could they? In fact, I felt her annoyance at me. I'm sure to this day she stills thinks that I was the incompetent one and the others were a nice bunch of honest guys.

It reminds me of the old joke about the parents proudly watching their graduating son during the passing out parade for new soldiers. "Oh look," says mum, "Our son is the only one in step!"

I smiled politely and left Mrs Smith. She'd paid $800 to be able to sleep better knowing her house was now safe from termites.

That's the end of the story, but we wanted to share it since it fits in with an earlier part of this newsletter.

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Funny caption competition.

Here is the winning entry for our funny caption competition from last month.

"I've lost my circus... could you help me find it, please."

Here are a few other fun captions.

Burp. "That pestie tasted even better than the last one they sent."

quot;Err, excuse me. You haven't spotted a tree nearby, by any chance?"

Termite nest looking at pest control vehicle. "Hmm. Wonder what that thing tastes like."

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The Greenpest News is Published by J & A Furnell Nominees P/L; Shop 23a Franklin Square, 60 Railway Street, Mudgeeraba, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of Jerry Furnell. The reader is encouraged to seek further information from appropriate government and statutory departments before taking any action based on this material alone.

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See you again next month.

Always... At your service,

Jerry Furnell
Green Pest Control & Green Termite Bait Systems.
Phone 1800 6 12345.

Copyright 2006 Green Termite Bait Systems & Green Pest Control. All rights reserved.

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