September 2007 / Vol.4 / Issue 9

Hello and Welcome to the September 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 do you get your Termiproof warranty?
3. Customer Question of the Month.
4. Monthly Special

Pest Talk

Termiproof Warranty - Launch is imminent.

We are pleased to announce that our new Termiproof warranty will be officially launched in a few weeks time in mid-October. It will be launched in SE QLD to begin with and then rolled out to our national network of distributors who will have an opportunity to be accredited issuers of the Termiproof warranty plan.

We have had a few emails from interested customers asking us, “What makes a Termiproof warranty worth having??

Presently there are a range of warranty options available to the public; some that come with a particular product, some that are automatic given by law with new homes, or other warranties offered by separate insurance providers. Some warranties are easy to get but have many exclusions and ‘get out of jail free' fine-print - designed to make it difficult if not impossible for a claimant to make a successful warranty claim even under genuine circumstances. Few clients ever read the fine print (if they get to see it at all) and only discover their inability to claim when it is too late.

A clear way to understand this is:

Easy to get warranty = Hard to make a genuine claim.

By thinking outside the square, we reversed the criteria and placed the onus on the warranty itself and then we devised the Termiproof warranty:

Harder to get warranty = Easier to make a genuine claim.

This initiative is an industry first. The logic is simple. Rather than look for ways to avoid paying out on a claim, we have chosen to make your home termite-proof or as near to termite-proof as possible. The Termiproof warranty plan also ensures that if there is any termite damage it should be minimal. We asked the following question, "How could we genuinely make the majority of homes in Australia termite-proof?" If you ask any pest controller if it is possible to make a typical Australian home termite-proof, they will correctly answer, "No it isn't." However, it is possible to make it extremely difficult or unlikely for termites to damage a home and this achieved by the method we discussed in last months newsletter.

The Termiproof warranty is based on implementing a thorough Integrated Termite Management program (ITM). It is all about long term prevention from termites. It is achieved by following a logical plan of action:

There you have it! A sensible termite management plan that EVERY homeowner should be following if their house is at any sort of risk of termite attack. If this plan is maintained from year to year it is quite unlikely that termites will ever manage to do any significant damage to the home. If there is any termite damage during the warranty period, the Termiproof warranty will cover you for all repairs and timber replacement, plaster, tile replacement, and repainting as per the terms of the warranty (soon to be published).

Note: Last months newsletter gave a more detailed example of an ITM program.

Most of us have heard the one-liner joke based on the following conundrum; “The bank is always happy to loan money to you if you don't need it!?

Likewise, if you take the steps necessary to qualify for a Termiproof warranty – you'll probably never need to make a claim on it.

Idea: Why not take the steps anyway! Purchasing the warranty is optional.

The price for the Termiproof warranty will be $25/mth to be renewed annually.

The guiding mission behind Green Termite Bait Systems is to provide you, our clients with the best and most affordable termite solutions that work. Over the years we have exposed several problems associated with the pest control industry and where possible we have offered solutions.

As much as we would like it, our overall aim is NOT to sell thousands of Termiproof warranties, but instead, it is our hope that we can encourage all home owners to invest a little time and money into a well thought out Integrated Termite Management program tailor-made to their home.

Although the Termiproof warranty is not for everyone, we believe that it fills a need for those people who want to have total termite security for their home.

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Where do you get your Termiproof warranty?

Unlike the Green Termite Bait System which is now available nationally from many quality pest control companies, the Termiproof warranty will only be available from accredited termite management companies. At first this will be a very small, carefully selected group.

The sad truth is that the pest control industry still has its fair share of cowboys (as do most trades) and we don't want any cowboys issuing Termiproof warranties willy-nilly in the same way they hand out some of the other easy-to-get termite repair warranties. Let us remind you once again that some deceptively attractive warranties have cleverly worded fine print designed not to actually protect you, but to protect the pestie and the insurance company from you and your honest claim!

I'm sure that last paragraph may upset a few people in the pest control industry but it will also get a big hurrah from many others that support our views.

The Termiproof warranty will only be available from high quality pest control companies and skilled termite managers in our industry. To ensure this, accreditation will be restricted to those termite managers who can prove their competency by passing a written examination. It's a difficult exam, but for any termite technician who is knowledgeable and experienced it should be fairly straightforward.

The Termiproof warranty requires a reasonable amount of supporting documentation which for the main part will be provided on your behalf by the termite manager who is facilitating your warranty. For some pest controllers, the paperwork requirements will be a burden they don't want. Good! It is just another way for both you and us to sort the sheep from the goats.

We expect that the Termiproof warranty will meet with some industry resistance, especially from our competitors. We also expect that some customers will be reluctant to act in accordance with with a complete ITM program, either because it is too expensive or because it takes too much effort.

For example, we service some regular customers who we have repeated advised to carry out certain inexpensive but important remedial actions to reduce their termite risk. They agree, “Yes, will do,? but unfortunately, apathy and procrastination prevent the work from actually getting done.

In summary, if you want to make your home as ‘termite-proof' as possible, simply follow the advice of your trusted professional termite manager and implement a quality ITM program.

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Customer Question of the Month.

Question:

I have had your termite bait system in place at my investment property for over a year now. Do I still need to have my house inspected annually?
Vicki R – Robina QLD.

Answer:

We are pleased that the success rate of the full service Green Termite Bait System is statistically better than 99%. This is based on results taken over the 11 year period since their inception in 1996. With that success alone it's tempting to rest easy and just rely on the baits. As you suggest, a great many of our clients do just this, but we don't advise it.

The Australian Standards clearly state that every home should have a termite inspection at least once a year. Of course you need to respect that termite inspections do nothing in and of themselves to actually protect your home or prevent termite damage. If termites are found then the amount of damage is limited to the time span between effective termite inspections.

Another reason to have an annual termite inspection is because they do more than just look to see if there are termites. A good report will also tell you if there are potential problems; if a nest has formed nearby and termites have started on the timbers in your yard; if a tap has developed a drip and created an attractive wet area for termites; if a recent add-on, extension or renovation may have increased the overall risk; if your chemical perimeter treatments have reached their use by date; in fact a good report will specifically outline every potential problem and an even better report will offer solutions and/or quotes for rectification.

No doubt the Australian Standards also assume that home owners will follow the advice given in a quality termite report. In reality, very few people do, especially if the report states that the house is currently free of active termites.

Tip: In alternating years, use a different company to do your annual termite reports and compare the reports and the methods that they use. They each may find and suggest things that the other missed. If one company's report is clearly superior to the other, then stick with them in the future.

One final tip, which our long term newsletter readers have heard us mention many times; avoid cheapie termite inspections or free termite inspections that come bundled with a cocky/spider treatment, etc. If your home is given the all-clear by someone who hasn't taken the time to look properly, the cheapie inspection could turn out to be very expensive indeed. A simple guide is that an average home should take at least 1-2 hours for a thorough inspection.

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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 2007 Green Termite Bait Systems & Green Pest Control. All rights reserved.

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