Orlando Pest Control News

Heron donates new computer and provides tuition to college student in Africa
Heron Pest Control has always gone to great effort to be a thoughtful corporate resident in each of the communities we live and work in. We seek out and support local small business, provide important services free of charge (or at reduced rates) to places of worship, recovery centers and faith-based organizations of various kinds.

“In this example we wanted to reach out just a little further than our own back yard.” Said Joe Patti, company CEO.

We first became aware of the Maranyundo School for girls in Rwanda from a friend in Boston who teaches at a Jesuit High School. This friend flew to Africa and donated a month of his time, skills, and money to help this fragile new venture for little girls get off the ground. His stories of hope and human triumph inspired us all, so when he asked for support for an orphaned young man named Jacques who lives in Kilgari and wishes only to attend school, we signed on quick.

Jacques’ new dell laptop was shipped to Boston, on the first leg of its journey across the globe. We have also agreed to pay his tuition and living expenses in full. We urge everyone to read about the good work these dedicated people are doing, and do what you can to lend your support.

http://www.maranyundo.org/

Heron announces new 1 million dollar termite repair warranty
In the struggle against termites and all the damage and chaos they cause, Heron Pest Control continues to stay on the front line by developing and implementing as many new strategies as possible, so we can strike first, and create real value and peace of mind for our customers.

Heron’s complete termite protection program using “Termidor” provides real protection against subterranean termite infestation, and now we back up that claim with a written 1 million dollar repair warranty against damage.

The National Pest Control Association reports termite damage in the U.S. costs more annually than hurricanes, fires, and floods combined. That’s a lot of damage. The chaos termites cause in states like Hawaii, California, Texas, and Florida (where the activity is year round, with never a moment of rest) is especially destructive.

“We are continuously training and leaving no room for error when it comes to termite protection.” Says Steve Ok ros, VP and Corporate Service Director for Heron. “In Florida, it’s not if you’ll get termites. Unfortunately, it’s more probably when.”

Heron works hard to get their message to “Strike First!” out to all its customers, hoping to eliminate the need for costly termite repairs in the future by arranging a preventive treatment now. You can click on the “Termite Control” link on the home page and watch the informative video. Everything you need to know on how to protect your most valuable asset is right there.

Heron launches new site that allows customers to see their history, pay their bill, and purchase other services with just a few clicks
Heron Pest Control is continuously seeking ways to streamline service and create substantive value for its customers. That involves many more things than just the obvious one of providing consistently superior service once we are curb side.

We discuss and develop many other things like keeping scheduled appointments without exception, actually having a company policy on returning phone calls, and an entire job description (“Quality Manager”) who’s only function is to perform random service audits in the field to ensure service standards are met without deviation, as a few examples.

We wanted to carry this thinking forward to our website as well. It should be just as much a tool for good customer service as any other function of our service systems. That’s why we developed the software that allows existing customers to log in, see their service history, including dates and materials, and review and securely pay their bill as well.

Our customers have come to expect this from us, and we are happy to be held to a higher level of expectation. Click the link below to visit the web designer who helped bring this site to reality.

http://www.nickelmedia.com

Heron announces free termite monitoring for every new pest control customer
“If there was ever an example of our commitment to all-out war against termites,” says Steve Okros, VP and Corporate Service Director, “this has got to be it.”

Steve has worked tirelessly and once again has found a way to deliver something very, very special to our new pest control customers. “Any customer who signs us up for general household pest control” Steve continues, “will automatically be eligible for termite monitoring – at no additional charge.”

“Our pest control program is already the best value in the industry. We are covering children’s play equipment outside for stinging and biting insects, we are treating the mail box exterior to stop trailing ants, spiders and wasps, and we are even offering ways to reduce flying insects on the interior of the home now, and this is above and beyond our existing comprehensive service parameters.” says Okros.

“Now with a system that provides termite monitoring for free, I am satisfied that we have begun something here that the whole industry will soon attempt to replicate. We’re serious about service. And we’re serious about termite control.”

You may email Steve at steve@heronlawnandpest.com with questions you have, or call the office and the customer care team sill send a Service Consultant to meet with you and help you get this valuable service on line. Steve expects to be able to go live by September 1, 2008. Strike first against termites! We’ll show you how.

Heron makes the cover of Florida Pest Pro Magazine as “visionaries.”
Florida Pest Pro Magazine (May 2008) has hit the stands, and the accomplishments taking place at Heron Pest Control has made them worthy of being featured on the cover. The profile that follows on several pages in this edition speaks volumes about the team, the culture, and the future for Heron.

“Our profile of the company” the table of contents reads, “and the three visionaries who started it, is on page 12.”

“Of course, we’re very pleased that Pest Pro has taken the time to speak so kindly of our hard work.” says Rodney Lackey, Heron President. Rodney is quoted often in the article, and makes his voice heard in an obvious leadership role. The article reviews the commitment to training, service, and productivity that have been the driving factors behind the company’s expansion.

“72% of our new customers” the article quotes Rodney saying “are from referrals”. He then goes on to cite the company’s performance in Celebration, an upscale community near Disney World. “We started there with 19 customers, and when neighbors noticed the results, the phone began to ring. We now service over 600 homes in that community.”

That kind of performance is no accident. Heron Pest Control has set in motion a unique set of circumstances that allow something very special to occur for the entire Heron community, its existing customer base now, and the many thousands of customers we have yet to meet.

Heron receives Angie’s list top honors with “excellence in service” award, as voted by consumers
Angie’s List is a consumer-driven site that reviews first-hand, many thousands and thousands of contractors from coast to coast. On the “Angie’s” site you can search for any organization you may be considering hiring, and review what other people have to say who have used their services in the past. Not all reviews are positive. Turns out, ours were however!

Based on how prolific membership growth has been (20,000 people a week log on to review local companies) I think it is safe to say there is a legitimate market for cautious consumers these days – and for good reason. That is one reason we are long-time faithful members of the local Better Business Bureau.

We were not aware that we had such an expansive following on Angie’s List until the Angie’s List folks contacted us to deliver the good news. It seems that we have earned top honors in the Orlando market, and are the recipients of the “Angie’s List Excellence in Service” award for 2007. It is now proudly hung in our main office in Altamonte Springs.

When we further learned that less than 4% of the listed companies in the Angie’s List database ever achieve such a distinction, we were very pleased, to say the least. It seems the system works just fine. Here are some actual Angie’s List customer reviews: (names and addresses have been omitted.)

Member Comments:
I have used them for years and I highly recommend them because they have good customer service and they are very dependable. I had an ant problem once so I called them. They came out right away and solved it.

Member Comments:
If they are any problems they will come, but we have had no problems in the inside of our yard. The grass came from thin and not so green to thick, lush and dark green

Member Comments:
So far, I have been pleased. I wasn’t pressured by the salesman; he was professional and knowledgeable. The price seems in line with other services I’ve used, and they don’t require an annual contract. They actually seemed to understand they have to earn the customer’s business. The office staff was courteous, and the technician called me back within 24 hrs. The weeds seem to be dying, but time will tell. So far, so good.

By all means, please feel free to log onto to the Angie’s site and read each of our thirteen independent and positive reviews. We have already begun working on the award for 2008!

http://www.angieslist.com/AngiesList/

Heron named one of the top 100 pest control companies in the United States by PCT Magazine
PCT (Pest Control Technology) Magazine publishes its list of the top 100 pest control companies in the country each year. The rankings for 2007 were published in the May 2008 edition, and Heron Pest Control slipped ceremoniously into the number 100 slot.

“There were some other significant factors beyond just the headline that we had made the list.” explains Joe Patti, Heron CEO. “Keep in mind we were just five years old when this list was compiled, and earning a spot on the national stage after just that short a time is real validation that our business model is a superior and effective one.”

“That was further emphasized” he continued, “when you see that out of all the other 99 of our peers, we had the largest year-over-year gains in the country.”

“You can’t show gains that impressive without extraordinary customer retention rates.” says Steve Okros, the company’s VP and Corporate Service Director. “And you can’t have extraordinary customer retention rates if your service is sub par. Customers reward you for exceeding their expectations by allowing you to return to their home again in the future. They punish you for disappointing them by bringing their pest control dollars elsewhere. Our presence on the list after such a short time demonstrates clearly our commitment to superior customer care.”

Heron Pest Control continues to work to develop a culture that revolves squarely around its core service values, and will continue to deliver to our customers what has come to be expected from us, ensuring our spot in the top 100 companies in the United States for many, many years to come.

Heron announces plans to open new facilities in Lake and Volusia counties
Rodney Lackey, Heron Pest Control’s proud and passionate President, announced today his plans to expand the company’s footprint further into Lake and Volusia County. “We’ve had a presence in these areas for years,” he explains, “but now there are plans on the board for two new branch locations to come on line soon.”

Heron’s main office is in Apopka, in Orange County. A second branch location was opened in southwest Orlando in 2004, so the company would have more efficient access to its expanding Orange, Osceola and Polk county customer base.

“The new Lake county branch” Lackey counties “puts us right in the back yard of one of our fastest growing service areas. Now our customers in Leesburg, Clermont, Mount Dora, Sorrento, and all that geography in that space, including some Sumter county folks, will have much better access to us. The same principal applies to Volusia county, where our already large presence in Deland, Debary, Orange City and Deltona has now spilled over into areas like New Smyrna Beach and Daytona.”

“Streamlining synergies and watching the operating costs that are necessary to bring us to our customer’s front door are just one example of how we stubbornly work to contain costs, absorb back-door vendor price increases without passing them along to our customers, and remain competitive.”

Tom Grzeszczak, Heron veteran District Manager, is developing his staff and recruiting externally to meet Rodney’s timeline, which should have Heron employees pulling into these new facilities as early as the Spring of 2009.

Heron expands “green” footprint with new environmental initiatives.
Heron Pest Control was “green” long before it was popular or profitable. Going “green” in the pest control industry means judicious use of the materials we use, first and foremost. For example, some companies treat your home inside and out, every time. If the exterior is treated properly and no crawling insects have penetrated the space, treating the interior is, well, irresponsible.

Introducing IPM methods of treatment (integrated pest management) means we inspect when possible, and treat when necessary, rather than the wanton use of products each and every time. That hardly qualifies you as a good steward of the environment.

But, way beyond the responsible use of these materials is things that are a broader part of the underlying culture. Things like printing reports on the back of discarded paper only, eliminating paper cups from the coffee area (and from Florida landfills) by having employees bring a coffee mug to work, implementing a recycling program for the obvious things, but including used ink cartridges too.

We’re looking closely at higher-efficiency bulbs, alternative biofuels for the diesel fleet, and exploring the dynamics of having two-men per vehicle so we are forced to acquire fewer vehicles, and thereby substantially reduce our carbon profile. The acquisition of hybrid vehicles for the Sales Division will also help us accomplish that, and we’re looking closely into that option now when we decommission existing vehicles.

You may rest assured that we fully recognize our responsibility in this space, and are committed to leading by example, whether it’s while we are at your home, still at the office, or someplace between both points.

Heron celebrates six years in Central Florida by renewing commitment to customer care
There was quite a buzz around the office recently. Those who wished to attend were gathering at the main office in Altamonte after hours, where an absolutely huge cake was waiting. The turnout was large and enthusiastic, to say the least!

Six years serving our customers was a nice milestone, but the theme turned to an exploration of what took place to get us here in the first place when Rodney Lackey, Heron President, asked the group what the key to our success has been. He knows it’s remarkable service. So did everyone else.

“So what can we determine the key to our success going forward will be then?” Rodney asked.

Heron Pest Control continuously trains and diligently works towards one goal – delivering consistent, valuable, effective service to each and every one of our customers, each and every opportunity we get. Thank you so much for six prosperous years. We are looking forward to many, many more!