Douglas Products is excited to continue our partnership with Pest Control Operators of California on a new contest that promotes professional structural fumigation. Introduced in 2019, the Website Contest recognizes the growing importance of online promotion to help make homeowners aware of the threat of drywood termites and the proven solution to eliminate all colonies in a structure. The contest begins Monday, April 8th and runs through Friday, May 31st.

Four (4) lucky termite companies with outstanding websites that promote fumigation services will be announced at the PCOC Expo in Carlsbad from June 18th- 21st, 2019.

OBJECTIVE:

• Share your fumigation services and company story with website visitors.
• Demonstrate how you position your company and fumigation services.
• Demonstrate how you make it easy for the consumer to find fumigation information and take action on your website.

CONTEST DETAILS:

• Enter by submitting your company website URL.
• All submissions must be sent to Vikanecontest@douglasproducts.com.
• All submissions must be made by the respective company entering.
• Submissions must be received by 11 :59 PM PDT on May 31, 2019.
• Must be a current PCOC Member.
• Must request Vikane® gas fumigant used on subcontracted fumigations.
• Contest awards will be presented at the Pest Control Operators of California (PCOC) Expo 2019 in Carlsbad from June 18th -21st, 2019.

WEBSITE REQUIREMENTS:

• Must show evidence of how your website links to Fumigationfacts.com.
• Must list fumigation as a service offering on your website.
• Must list a means for the customer to contact you (phone, email, contact us form, etc.) to get more information about fumigation services.

CONTEST ENTRY SUBMISSIONS MUST INCLUDE:

• Website URL.
• Contact information for follow up (name, company name, email, and contact phone number).
• Screen shots of pages showing evidence that the website requirements are met.
• Provide a separate document listing fumigation subcontractors used by your company to ensure that they are qualified to use Vikane®.

CONTEST JUDGING:

• A third-party marketing and communications services agency will review the submissions based on the judging criteria and nominate the 1st, 2nd, 3rd and 4th place submissions. 

WEBSITE WILL BE JUDGED ON THE FOLLOWING:

• How structural fumigation is communicated and promoted.
• How the brand Vikane® gas fumigant is promoted.
• User experience.

HELPFUL TIPS:

• Make it easy to find structural fumigation information on the website.
• Use imagery to assist in explaining your services.
• Include information about the threat and damage of drywood termites.
• Feature education on other wood destroying pests and bed bugs.
• Employ imagery, graphics, diagrams, videos, etc.
• Disclose your services offered, including structural fumigation, clearly and concisely.
• Utilize the Vikane® name prominently.
• Focus on ease of website navigation for the user.
• Reference endorsements (Angie's List, Better Business Bureau, Associations, Accreditations).
• Create a clear call to action.

CONTEST AWARDS:

• 1st Place: $2,500 towards a paid Google AdWords campaign*, two co-branded Vikane® literature pieces and co-branded fumigation facts business cards**.
• 2nd Place: $1,500 towards a paid Google AdWords campaign*, two co-branded Vikane® literature pieces and co-branded fumigation facts business cards**
• 3rd Place: Two co-branded Vikane® literature pieces & co-branded fumigation facts business cards**.
• 4th Place: Co-branded fumigation facts business cards**.

*Google Ad Campaigns will need to be submitted & approved by Douglas Products prior to reimbursement. Douglas Products will not be running the campaign on behalf of the winner(s) but will be reimbursing the identified amount depending on 1st or 2nd place price amounts towards a Google Ad Campaign.

**Literature pieces and business cards will be provided as print-ready files. Douglas Products will not provide printed copies. Co-branded literature pieces will be selected from current Douglas Products Literature.

®Trademark of Douglas Products. Vikane is a federally Restricted Use Pesticide. Always read and follow directions. ©2019 Douglas Products. (04/19)

Wanted to thank everyone that attended PCOC Legislative Days in Sacramento on April 9th and 10th.  It was another terrific turnout this year and I especially want to thank all the members that showed up in the Capitol to testify against AB 1788 (Bloom), the ban on second generation rodenticide use in California. It’s not very often that we have an opportunity to engage in full force to oppose legislative measures but nearly one hundred people waited outside the hearing room for nearly three hours to register their opposition to a bill which would endanger public health in our state. While the bill got out of the Assembly Water, Parks and Wildlife Committee that day, your voice was critical in ensuring that our opposition was heard, and we will look forward to working with you in the coming weeks as we continue to educate the legislature on the importance of these products to the citizens of this state. Finally, as we head toward the summer, we hope to see all of you at the PCOC Expo in Carlsbad.  It’s a remarkable opportunity to meet, listen and discuss important issues affecting our businesses.  See you there!

Click here for the Expo 2019 Registration Form

Chris Reardon
PCOC Executive Vice President

Expo 2019 and Board of Directors Meeting
June 18-21, 2019
Westin Carlsbad Resort & Spa (Rooms at the Sheraton and Westin)
Carlsbad, California

Attendees Registration Packet  (See the link for a tentative schedule of events)

Golf Tounament - Registration Form to come ($175/golfer and $200/sponsor)
Aviara Golf Club, June 18, 2019

_______________________________________________________________________________________

September Board of Directors Meeting
September 12-14, 2019
Sheraton Pasadena Hotel
Pasadena, California

Thursday, September 12: Golf Tournament (Information to follow)
Friday, September 13: Committee Meetings, 1 pm to 5 pm
Saturday, September 14: Board of Directors Meeting, 8 am to 11 am
Separate Registration required for UCLA v Oklahoma Football game Save the Date Flyer

Ken Arai, BURRTEC’s international sales manager. Ken has been working with PCO’s and Distributors throughout the U.S. and other countries promoting the Burrat Samurai Armor Door Sweep® and Burrcut Flex Door Sweep® since 2016. BURRTEC CO LTD is a Japanese industrial brush company located in Osaka, Japan. 

Prior to BURRTEC, Ken was a salesman and door sealing technician for the Japanese Museum Industry with a Museum IPM license. Ken knows how to seal doors! Ken has experience in sales, marketing and leadership. 

Ken has a strong passion about exclusion and using BURRETEC’s door sweeps. In Ken’s words, “I am sure our professional door sweeps will bring more profit and trust with PCO’s and their customers. Our Japanese designed door sweep will help your business!” 

Ken believes “Using Professional products is the key to maintaining the good relationship with customers. As IPM is the mainstream these days, check out our beautiful looking door sweep as one of your options! I will be more than happy to support PCO’s for installation demo or techniques.“ 

We will be attending PCOC’s 2019 Expo and Pestworld 2019!

Ken Arai
BURRTEC CO LTD
Cell phone: (213) 431-9502
Email: karai@burrtecusa.com
website: www.burrtecusa.com

BURRTEC Chicago office 
Phone: (847) 593-7000

The definition of what is the best outcome
has become more expansive in recent years.

First, let’s define what we mean by best outcome. It’s where the injured employee’s discomfort is minimized, recovery is maximized, and the well-being of both the firm and employee suffer as little as possible. In the past, the employer’s focus has often been primarily on minimizing cost and settling the claim as quickly and economically as possible.

But in recent years the focus has shifted in a more holistic direction toward the well-being of the employee. In addition to creating a more positive work environment, the employer benefits from reduced litigation costs and a more productive workforce because employees return to being productive members of the firm sooner.

The first step in the process is making sure injured employees get help immediately with a quick evaluation of the injury. They also need answers to their questions, and most importantly, compassion. An empathetic representative of the employer, such as a registered nurse, should set the tone by making sure that not only does the injury get promptly attended to but also help the employee manage the paperwork and gain access to additional resources that may be necessary to ensure the employee’s full recovery. It’s important to be prepared to answer questions about job security, how the injured employee will get paid, how long they can expect recovery to take and so on in a caring, compassionate way.

Some of the other people with resources, capabilities and responsibilities who may be important in making the claims outcome more positive for everyone include:

Nurse Case Managers

•   To monitor and guide occupational injury care
•   To provide guidelines for managing effective treatment utilization
•   To act as a patient advocate
•   To provide a non-threatening, friendly, professional relationship with the injured employee. Such support can identify and deal with any personal concerns and help reduce the risk of litigation. It can also help minimize any barriers to returning the injured employee to work, such as childcare issues or financial worries. These are all concerns that may impact the outcome.

Vocational Specialists

•   To provide return to work strategies that fit the injured worker’s individual claim circumstances
•   To help employees who have restrictions in their ability to perform work by setting up modified duty for them
•   To intervene when providers are not following sound guidelines related to returning to work.

Surgery Nurse Services

•   To help injured employees facing surgery be better prepared physically and mentally, including instilling in them the confidence to achieve a faster recovery. This innovative approach is designed to focus specifically on the needs of patients dealing with surgery, which has historically been a significant driver of high-cost claims.

Physician Advisors

•   To ensure that the appropriate treatments are provided based on the injury
•   To support other key decisions regarding treatments, procedures, and other facets of injury management that can significantly impact a claim
•   To enhance the utilization review process
•   To provide medical and pharmaceutical expertise to ensure clients and their injured employees continue on the right path to achieve the best possible outcomes.

Prescription Drug Management Advisors

•   To help control the use of narcotics, opioids and other appropriate drugs prescribed to treat work-related injuries. This role, regardless of who performs it, is especially important because of the growing concern over misuse of pain medications.

Many if not all of these people and the functions they perform may be critical in getting the best outcome in a workers’ comp incident. But it all starts with an empathetic listener to set the stage with the injured worker in a way that is comforting, positive and reflects the goodwill of the employer.

For more information about getting the best outcome, please contact the PCOC Insurance Program professionals of EPIC at (877) 860-7378 or, email us @ ProPest@epicbrokers.com.  Also, check out our website: www.pcocinsurance.com.

Paul Lindsay
Senior Vice President
EPIC Insurance Brokers & Consultants

April

DIABLO VALLEY DISTRICT – April 23 @ 6:30 p.m.
CHAIR: Gordie Zilke – Valley View Termite Control
valleyviewtc@gmail.com • (925) 787-2118
Zio Fraedo's, 611 Gregory Lane, Pleasant Hill

SAN FERNANDO VALLEY DISTRICT
April 24 – Social Hour @ 5:00 p.m., Meeting @ 6:00 p.m.
CHAIR: Tarry Howard – Hydrex
tarry_h@hotmail.com • (818) 437-6584
Los Toros Restaurant, 21743 Devonshire St., Chatsworth

May

SAN BERNARDINO/RIVERSIDE DISTRICT
May 1 – Social Hour @ 5:30 p.m., Meeting @ 6:00 p.m.
CHAIR: John Burnard – Compass Pest Management
jpburnard1@msn.com • (951) 688-8066
La Casa Ortega, 1690 Spruce St., Riverside

VINTAGE COASTAL DISTRICT
May 2 – Social @ 6:30 p.m., Meeting @ 7:00 p.m.
CHAIR: Tyler Merritt – Hitmen Termite and Pest Control
tmerritt@hitmenpest.com • (707) 526-6055
Call Chair for meeting location information

BAY AREA DISTRICT
May 8 – Social Hour @ 5:30 p.m., Meeting / Dinner @ 6:00 p.m.
CHAIR: Allen Kanady – Omega Termite & Pest Control
allenrobert@omegapest.com • (510) 544-5913
El Portal Restaurant, 2028 Lewelling Rd., San Leandro

ORANGE COUNTY DISTRICT
May 9 – Social Hour @ 5:00 p.m., Meeting / Dinner @ 6:00 p.m.
CHAIR: Heidi Aguilar-Alvarez– Your Way Fumigation
heidi@ywfumigation.com • (951) 232-2388
Dave & Busters, Irvine Spectrum, Irvine

SOUTHERN VALLEY DISTRICT - May 9 @ 6:30 p.m.
CHAIR: Patrick Clark– Clark Pest Control
pclarkzapbugs@aol.com • (661) 635-3535
Chalet Basque Restaurant, 200 Oak St., Bakersfield

SHASTA DISTRICT – May 14 @ 12:00 p.m.
CHAIR: Shawn McFarland– Trinity Termite & Pest Control
trinitytermite@yahoo.com • (530) 222-6990
Vittles Restaurant, 2385 North Street, Anderson

SAN DIEGO DISTRICT – May 14 @ 5:30 p.m.
CHAIR: David Hinrichs– Lloyd Pest Control
david.hinrichs@lloydpest.com • (619) 668-1953
Country Inn & Suite, 5975 Lusk Blvd., San Diego

MID CAL DISTRICT
May 14 - Class @ 4:00 p.m., Meeting / Dinner 5:00 p.m.
CHAIR: Brad Delk – Delk Pest Control
bdelk@delkpestcontrol.com • (209) 465-5656
Stockton Country Club, 3800 West Country Club Blvd., Stockton

VENTURA DISTRICT – May 15 @ 7:00pm
CHAIR: Rudy Ayala – Spearhead Pest Control 
rudy@spearheadpestcontrol.com • (805) 746-4547
Marriott Hotel, 600 East Esplanade Dr., Oxnard

CENTRAL COAST DISTRICT – May 16 @ 6:30 p.m.
CHAIR: Dave Watkins – O’Connor Pest Control
Dwatkins@oconnorpest.com • (805) 482-2782
F. McLintocks, 750 Mattie Rd., Pismo Beach

BIG VALLEY DISTRICT – May 22 @ 7:00 a.m.
CHAIR: Sean Bradley – Neighborly Pest Management
sean@neighborlypest.com • (916) 782-3767
Stones Gambling Hall, 6510 Antelope Rd., Citrus Heights

It was a PCOC Legislative Day for the ages and it will be one that we all will remember for a long time.  The PCOC leadership is very proud of the association for showing up and conducting ourselves in a professional and courteous manner at the Water, Parks, and Wildlife hearing at the California State Assembly hearing for AB 1788 (Bloom) Rodenticide bill.  It was important for us to state our opposition and it made an impact on the legislators and shows that we are serious about our role in protecting public health and property.

While it did get through that committee, it still has many other hurdles to go before it’s implemented and we are fighting it the whole way. This bill still has another committee to go and then a vote on the Assembly floor before it is heard in the Senate. It will then go through the committee process similar to what occurred in the Assembly and assuming it passes the Senate without amendments, it then goes to the Governor for his signature. We understand the importance of this legislation and we are pulling out all of the stops.  However, we must be prepared for the possibility that this bill may make it into law and understand how this bill could impact your business operations. This preparation could include looking at the needs of your accounts and talking with vendors and other PMP’s. PCOC has submitted reasonable amendments to the author’s office and we are waiting to hear back from them on their thoughts and ideas. But this means that if we cannot kill the bill, it will hopefully be passed with our input. Time will tell. We will keep you posted.

Darren Van Steenwyk, M.S., BCE
Structural Pest Control Board, President
LEED Green Associate & Technical Director, Clark Pest Control
darrenv@clarkpest.com

A Note from Tarry Howard, District Chair for PCOC's San Fernando Valley District.

Twelve years ago I met Herb Walter Pencille, and at that moment I knew what it was  like to meet a gentleman.

Herb was born January 29, 1927 and we lost him February 20, 2019.

I knew Herb to be the kind of person that would listen more than speak, but when he did talk, the stories were wonderful. He told me about working with his father, who was one of the developers of fumigation. He told me what they would do to prepare for the job and his father would tell him to mix the products then hold his breath and run really fast. Wow times have changed. Herb was involved with many wonderful groups as well as being a past president of the PCOC. I remember him saying why wouldn't you get involved? For his 90th birthday Herb decided to go parachuting, and then did it yet again for another birthday. Herb's passions and accomplishments were wonderful.

I can honestly say what we have lost, heaven has gained.

Herb will be truly missed. We will update you on any information that we receive about Herb.

Chris Reardon Executive Vice President, PCOC	Dominique Stumpf, CMP, CAE             CEO, NPMA

Dear PCOC & NPMA Members,

On behalf of the Pest Control Operators of California (PCOC) and the National Pest Management Association (NPMA), we’d like to thank you for your continued support in advancing our industry through your involvement in our two organizations. The shared mission of PCOC and NPMA is to support the pest management industry's commitment to the protection of public health, food and property. We do this through our efforts to promote professional pest management services, offering ongoing education and training, and advocating for sensible regulations and legislation at the local, state and federal levels of government. Through our collective membership, we have made tremendous strides in growing the size of the market and immensely elevating our image amongst consumers for our invaluable services.

As a member of the structural pest management community and a leader in your company, you are well aware that the one constant is change. Through the dynamic relationship of NPMA and PCOC, we have been successful in ensuring that our two organizations work hand in hand to adapt to a shifting marketplace. Whether it be the aggressive mergers and acquisitions activity, or the ability to tap into new technologies that allow us to offer information and benefits in a quicker and more efficient manner, we work diligently to always uphold our mission of providing you the best experience, as a member of our associations.

After much dialogue and thoughtful consideration between the elected leadership of PCOC and NPMA, culminating in a vote by the PCOC Board of Directors, we’ve come to a stage in which we feel that our two associations can best serve our industry through an independent membership arrangement. In essence, companies headquartered in California will have the choice to join PCOC, NPMA or both associations beginning July 1, 2019. This by no means signals an end to our collaborative partnership but at this point, allows us the strongest opportunity to recruit, retain and serve our collective members now and in the future.

Please know that your membership will be valid in both organizations through June 30, 2019. Over the coming weeks, you’ll be receiving separate invoices from PCOC and NPMA. We truly hope that as a member of both associations, you see the value of our industry speaking with one voice, both within the borders of California and across the country, and therefore choose to retain memberships in both PCOC and NPMA next year. While we anticipate a smooth transition with limited interruption, we welcome any questions you may have. We wish you a successful summer and look forward to speaking or seeing you soon.

Sincerely,

Dominique Stumpf, CEO NPMA
dstumpf@pestworld.org

Chris Reardon, Executive Vice President, PCOC
chris@pcoc.org

*NEW* NPMA Login for Joint Membership

LOGIN: Email or Personal ID

PASSWORD: npma

Frequently Asked-For Websites

Department of Fish & Game
https://www.wildlife.ca.gov/

Department of Food & Agriculture
www.cdfa.ca.gov

California Department of Pesticide Regulation (DPR)
www.cdpr.ca.gov

DPR on Facebook
www.facebook.com/capesticideregulation

DPR on YouTube (see "playlists" for videos pertaining to new surface water regulations)
www.youtube.com/user/californiapesticides

DPR on Twitter
twitter.com/ca_pesticides

DPR LinkedIn
www.linkedin.com/company/california-department-of-pesticide-regulation

Healthy Schools Act
http://apps.cdpr.ca.gov/schoolipm/

Structural Pest Control Board
www.pestboard.ca.gov

Find Your Legislator
www.leginfo.ca.gov/yourleg.html

NPMA's QualityPro Accrediation Application
www.npmaqualitypro.org/apply

When it comes to getting your business in front of potential customers in your service area, a website is an essential piece of the puzzle. With more and more customers researching companies online before hiring them, any company that’s missing a website lacks the necessary credibility to add new customers, and ends up missing out on new business. In one noteworthy report, researchers found that 63% of consumers primarily use a business’s Website to find and engage with a local service.

So, if your company has a website – great, you’ve passed step one! But if you’re going to stand out among the pack, it’s going to take some added effort. Here are three ways to make your pest control Website stand out from the rest:

1. Provide Educational Content

There’s a lot on a customer’s mind when they search for a local pest control company. They want to know if your business can solve their problem, if they can trust you and if you know what you’re talking about. This is where it helps to host educational content about your industry.

Your content can take the form of blog posts, FAQs or pages with detailed information about your services. This helps win over smart shoppers who like to know as much as they can about a topic before they close on a deal. Not everyone is familiar with why it’s important to inspect for termites, but you can break the mold and list some information on your website that spells out how dangerous a latent termite infestation can be.

Even if the consumer doesn’t end up making a deal with you, featuring this educational material on your website will do the following:

• Establish your company as an industry expert that knows what it’s talking about
• Create a relationship between the customer and your business where they know they can trust you without any sales pitches
• Help customers make an empowered decision they can feel good about, rather than a skeptical choice stemming from sales tactics.
• Increase the chance your website is shown for relevant searches on Google

2. Use Personalized Visual Media

Another way to get in front of your competitors is by posting visual content that is unique, personalized and high quality. When perusing a series of pest control sites, there’s two ends of the spectrum that websites tend to fall in. On one end, there are the sites with low-quality images taken from a cell phone. On the other end, you’ll find sites that showcase the same stock images as dozens of other companies. The key is to find a spot in the middle ground that combines quality with personalization.

Enlisting the help of a professional photographer (or even someone with a great camera) to take some photos of your office and team is a great way to let your customers know they’re dealing with real people. Customers will have an easier time trusting a company with personalized media than they will with a cookie-cutter template site. Push it a step further, and have a professional put together a Company Video for your website.  According to Google, about half of Internet users look for videos related to a service before contacting the company. Video content is an awesome way to explain to your audience who you are and what you do. Sure, your website is able to do that as well, but a personalized video will be able to do so in a way that is quick, fun, and convenient for your website visitors.

3. Give Calls-To-Action

If you’ve followed the first two steps, you’re on your way to a great site that is sure to stand out! There’s more to a quality website than great content, however. User experience should always be the first thing on your mind when designing a site, which is why it’s key to include a Call-To-Action (CTA). Typically, in the form of a button, CTAs guide your website’s visitors through your site.

Maybe you want your visitors to see the different product packages you offer… you should feature a noticeable button that says “View Our Service Packages!” that is easy to find on the Home page. Once you link this button to you Services page, you’ve effectively made the user experience friendlier for the potential customer. To seal the deal, place another CTA on the Services page saying “Request Service,” which links out to your Contact page. From a marketing standpoint, you’ve strategically laid out a path that converts curious shoppers to interested leads.

When it comes to your website, quality design and content will yield noticeable results in the long run. It’s not enough to simply exist online anymore; you also have to be able to stand out. And there’s no better way to stand out than by building a website that is well-designed and full of smart, personal content. Online searchers don’t settle for less, so neither should you!

Alain Parcan, Director of Marketing for Market Hardware, Inc., contributed this article. Alain brings nearly 10 years of experience in educating businesses so they can market themselves more effectively. Market Hardware helps small businesses compete on the Web and offers special discounts for PCOC members. You can Reach Alain’s team at 888-381-6925.