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Learn How to Find Great Technicians to Maintain and Expand Your Pest Control Company
Pest control company owners sometimes struggle to find technicians to help maintain and expand their business. Does this sound like you?
In today's business economy, it is essential to have a strong pest control team to stay ahead of the competition.
But finding good technicians is hard — they might leave you for competitors or they don’t show up to work.
But don’t give up. There are a variety of simple ways to find great technicians to maintain and expand your pest control company.
In this article, we will discuss 10 strategic steps to help you not only find great technicians but to keep them long-term.
Finding Great Technicians for Your Pest Control Business Can Feel Like a Full-Time Job
Finding technicians to expand your pest control company and keep it running at its best can feel like a full-time job.
Why is it so difficult to hire quality pest control technicians? It could be because recruiting, interviewing, and training new technicians takes a lot of time and effort.
A survey of 800 pest control companies reported the top three recruitment challenges as:
- A lack of qualified candidates — 61%
- Poor work ethic — 56%; and
- A demand for higher wages — 36%
However, if you can find talented individuals who are ready to work and have a great work ethic, even if they’re inexperienced, training aspiring technicians should be easy.
Utilize the following 10 effective tips to help find the best technicians for your pest control business.
10 Effective Tips on How to Find Great Technicians in the Pest Control Industry
#1: Follow Job Advertising Best Practices
If you’re searching for something specific, you have to be specific in your search.
Most job board sites allow job seekers to use keywords when searching for particular job postings, so when advertising on these websites, include relevant keywords and phrases that target:
- Qualifications
- Starting pay and benefits
- Service area or location; and
- Other important details
Also, be sure that the ad is:
- Clear
- Concise; and
- Eye-catching.
You might also consider using videos and embed forms to help your job ad stand out from the rest.
Finally, keep up with current trends in job recruitment and advertising, like understanding the most popular job posting websites, including:
#2: Implement an Employee Referral Program
Word-of-mouth is a great way to grow your business. Consider this:
Utilize the strong team of technicians that you already have—they might know someone who could be a good fit for the job. If they don’t have someone in mind, they could offer valuable insight into whether a potential candidate would be a good fit for your business.
As an incentive, implementing an employee referral program. Referral programs are a "win-win" situation because:
- Your technicians can potentially earn more income; and
- Your business can gain more talented technicians.
For example:
One of your current technicians, Joe, recommends that his friend Caleb apply for a job. If Caleb is hired, Joe would be paid for his referral.
You should consider when it would be most effective to pay Joe for recruiting Caleb — immediately following Caleb being hired or after Caleb has worked for a while? You might pay Joe a small portion of his incentive after Caleb's first week on the job, and the remaining amount after 90 days of work.
Some other things to think about when you are setting up an effective employee referral program are:
- Determining a documented bonus amount to pay employees for referring qualified candidates
- A system for tracking referrals, payments, and other important information; and
- Periodic evaluations of the employee referral program's effectiveness
#3: Be Willing to Hire Young and Inexperienced Employees
When looking for qualified technicians for your pest control company, it is important to remember that experience isn't always the best qualification.
Hiring someone with experience sounds smart, right? But this could potentially be more costly for you because:
- The more experienced they are, the more pay they will require; and
- They may bring bad practices with them
Instead of hiring someone who is already experienced, be willing to take a chance on someone new to the pest control industry.
For instance, there may be someone who is eager to start a career in pest control. This is a great opportunity to give them some training and help them learn the ropes of the industry.
In the long run, you might find that these inexperienced technicians are more than capable of sustaining your company's pest control services.
It may take a little longer, but it will be worth it in the long run to find people who are hungry for work and invest in their professional training and development.
#4: Offer Competitive Salaries
Offering competitive salaries can help ensure that your technicians:
- Are passionate about their work; and
- Feel appreciated for their hard work
Consider offering salaries that are as much, if not more, than your competitors. This helps with employee retention and saves your business money in the long-run.
It shouldn’t end at competitive salaries. When hiring new technicians, consider also offering:
- Worthwhile benefits
- Opportunities for advancement; and
- A chance for good work/life balance
Make sure your technicians have time to enjoy their personal lives outside of work and that the company provides some flexibility in working hours.
#5: Include Benefits if Possible
Often, technicians and managers are hired on an hourly basis and offering some benefits might not be possible. Consider what types of benefits you can offer as perks to the job, such as:
- A retirement savings plan or 401k
- Paid vacation for major holidays; and
- Paid sick days
Finding technicians who want to work…
- Long hours
- Weekends; or
- Holidays
… is likely difficult. Offering attractive benefits helps bring driven and hardworking technicians to your business.
#6: Allow for Flexibility in Scheduling
Most younger workers prefer to work Monday through Friday, 9-5.
If they need a day off, they are willing to work it during the week, but not likely on the weekends, in the evening, or during early morning hours.
Some businesses may find it difficult to accommodate a worker's request for flexibility in scheduling.
When finding the best technicians and retaining them, it is important to offer a flexible work schedule. This allows workers to have some control over their own lives and work/life balance.
Offering flexible hours will also make it easier for businesses to find and keep the best technicians.
For example, if a technician feels like they are being pushed into always working evenings or weekends, this can be disruptive and lead to turnover.
Businesses should try to provide enough notice if there will be any changes in the technician's work schedule, so it allows for some time to adjust their lives as necessary.
Businesses can better accommodate their employees by utilizing scheduling software like the one offered by Cedar Pest Software to ensure employees get rotating days off each week.
This type of flexibility is key in retaining top talent, as workers will be more likely to stay with a company that provides them with more flexibility than other companies.
#7: Provide Opportunities for Growth
Smaller pest control companies might find it difficult to promote employees to higher positions if there is not much room for advancement. However, these companies are often happy to see their employees grow and learn new skills.
You can help them get started in the pest control business by training them. They'll probably be a one-man show for a while, but they will refer people to work for you because of your help.
What are some opportunities for growth to consider for your technicians?
- Offer paid professional development opportunities for your technicians who want to attend pest control conferences, classes and workshops or other professional events.
- Offer a mentorship or apprenticeship program to provide guidance and support to individuals who are interested in going further in the pest control industry.
#8: Keep Your Equipment Updated and Implement Modern Technology
Do you want to stay ahead of the competition in the pest control industry? Keep your equipment updated and implement modern technology.
Since most people are used to using technology daily, technicians don't want to use outdated:
- Pest control equipment; or
- Company software
Besides, your technicians can service customers' homes and buildings better with cutting edge-software available.
By staying up-to-date with technology and implementing smart management practices in pest control, you can:
- Use the software as a demonstration and selling point when interviewing potential employees; and
- Ensure that your pest control company remains successful for years with the latest software upgrades
Are you not sure how to do it yourself?
Cedar Pest Software is easy-to-use and affordable and eliminates the need to outsource tech support for your pest control business. We will provide you with all the resources you need to manage your company and keep your customers happy.
#9: Try to Keep a Full Pipeline of Potential Employees
You’ve determined that employee recruitment will be a top priority for your company, now you must keep a full pipeline of potential employees.
Why? Having potential employees in the back of your mind helps your business grow.
A couple of ways to do this — and this may be more difficult to do in the beginning stages of your company’s growth — are to:
- Hold job fairs and other recruitment events
- Always be interviewing, even if you are not ready to hire; and
- Contact interviewees when you’re actively hiring
You can also ask applicants to share names of technicians they’ve worked with in the past as references, which you can refer to in the future for more leads.
By constantly researching new talent, you can make sure that your pest control company is always open for business and competitive in the market.
Also, keeping a tight grip on the hiring process can increase the likelihood that you are onboarding the best technicians to work for your company.
#10: Update Your Website
One of the best ways to increase traffic to your pest control company website is to update it regularly. This can be done by:
- Regularly adding new content (blog posts)
- Updating company information
- Including attractive photos; and
- Noting your available products, services, and pricing
You should also ensure your website is functioning properly. This means:
- Ensuring quality website speed
- Avoiding a “clunky” website user experience; and
- Having a chat function or other simple way to communicate
A well-maintained website can be a strong indicator of the smooth running of your business.
Additionally, make use of social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook to share news and updates with your followers. By staying up-to-date, you’ll show potential customers that you’re dedicated to providing top-notch service and information.
Retaining Great Technicians in the Pest Control Industry
Keeping great technicians around can be difficult, but there are some things you can do to make it easier.
When you find great technicians who are ready and willing to work, it is important to help retain them:
- Listening to and valuing their opinion
- Providing a proper working environment
- Offering competitive pay and bonuses
- Having clean and organized workspaces
- Keeping technician's wages fair and offering raises
- Engaging in constructive feedback for their work
- Providing adequate tools, equipment, and up-to-date training; and
- Showing your appreciation for their commitment to working for the company
Cedar Pest Software Helps Keep Your Business Running Smoothly — A Valuable Asset for Your Technicians
Is your pest control business struggling? Cedar Pest Software is a valuable asset for technicians who need help expanding and maintaining their pest control company.
Our software can help keep track of important information and keep your business running smoothly — including hiring processes and employee referral incentives.
Not only that, but Cedar Pest Software can help technicians save time by tracking important information such as:
- Technician information
- Hours worked by technicians
- And much more
Additionally, Cedar Pest Software can help technicians connect with other professionals in the pest control industry so you can learn from each other and grow your businesses. Try us out today!
