As we wind down toward the final event of the year, we normally celebrate our Annual PCOC Expo at this time. While we won’t be meeting in person, we anticipate that this will be our last virtual board meeting and look forward to seeing all of you next year at Disneyland! This also marks a time where we change leadership for the new year! There couldn’t be a tougher time to be President of PCOC and a special thank you goes out to Tom Graston for his steady leadership during this challenging time! We also congratulate incoming President Dean Wiley as he assumes his new role in the coming year! We’re glad to have both of them involved so don’t hesitate to reach out and express your appreciation!

Chris Reardon
PCOC Executive Vice President
chris@pcoc.org
(916) 372-4363

Board of Directors & Annual Meeting — Virtual

PCOC will host our 4th Quarter Board of Directors Meeting virtually on June 23, 2021 @ 11:00 am.

You should have received an email with Committee, BOD and Annual Meeting times and links.

September Board of Directors Meeting — IN PERSON

Our first in person meeting since COVID! We will have our first in person meeting at The Carlsbad Westin. The schedule below is tentative and may change (the dates will stay the same):

Thursday, September 23

Golf Tournament — 1:00 pm Tee Off
Aviara Golf Club, Carlsbad
$199/golfer
$250/tee sponsor
Registration for golf and sponsorships will be released in July

Friday, September 24

Committee Meetings — 8:00 am to 12:00 pm
Board of Directors Meeting — 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Reception and Awards — 5:30 pm to 7:30 pm

Room reservation links and more information will come out soon! We are so excited to meet up in person again and hope that you can all join us!

MILWAUKEE (May 5, 2021) — The California Department of Pesticide Registration (CDPR) has granted Liphatech Inc., The Soft Bait Innovators®, registration of its Flatline® Soft Bait, adding to Liphatech’s portfolio of rodent control solutions already available to pest management professionals (PMPs) in the state. Flatline has all the benefits of soft bait including ease of use, palatability and effectiveness.

Flatline is the first and only soft bait rodenticide containing the active ingredient chlorophacinone, an ideal choice for pest management professionals (PMPs) looking for an everyday use product to help stop damage caused by rodents. As chlorophacinone is a first-generation anticoagulant rodenticide, Flatline is a multiple-feed soft bait that effectively kills rats and mice. Flatline maintains its integrity in hot environments, is attractive to rats and mice and can be used for light to heavy rodent activity.

“Launched just over a year ago in other parts of the country, Flatline – a first gen for the next gen – has demonstrated good success. We are excited for PMPs in California to have access to this product,” said Charlie Passantino, structural pest control business director at Liphatech. “Flatline will be a big help to PMPs in the state, as it is a good choice for rodent control maintenance plans and a good bait to start with if you haven’t used soft bait before.”

Flatline Soft Bait is packaged in a conveniently sized 28-gram soft bait pouch which can be quickly secured with bait rods or feeding devices, such as SoftSecure™ Technology (SST). As with all Liphatech soft baits, Flatline is made without nuts or seeds to reduce debris and service time for PMPs.

Flatline Soft Bait rodenticide is available to PMPs in 4 lb. individual bags of pouches or in 8-bag cases. Specifically in California, Flatline can be used to target Norway rats, roof rats, house mice and deer mice. Vitamin K₁ is the antidote for Flatline.

Liphatech provides a large selection of products that are registered in California and are not restricted like second generation anticoagulant rodenticides (SGARs) to help PMPs handle rodent control challenges in the region including:

• TakeDown® Soft Bait, the first bromethalin soft bait for the professional pest control market that combines the power of an acute rodenticide with the palatability of soft bait;
• Rat & Mouse Attractant™, a non-toxic soft bait designed for monitoring and attracting rodents;
• Gunslinger®, an acute, non-anticoagulant bromethalin rodenticide for rodent clean-out;
• NoTox™, unique mini blocks containing no active ingredient but used for monitoring rodent activity; and
• BorderLine®, a Restricted Use Pesticide in the form of multi-feed anticoagulant rodenticide pellets containing chlorophacinone for outdoor control of Norway and roof rats, house mice and voles.

Flatline, along with Liphatech’s entire California rodent control solutions portfolio, are available from authorized distributors to PMPs in structural pest control management. To learn more, visit liphatech.com/flatline or contact Vince Romao, Liphatech Western District Sales Manager at 404-788-0892.

About Liphatech
Headquartered in Milwaukee, Liphatech has a long history of advancing the science of rodent control through research and product innovation. Combining the most advanced technology available with the highest level of customer service and technical support, Liphatech delivers solutions that allow pest management professionals (PMPs) to quickly and cost effectively generate results for both commercial and residential customers.

www.liphatech.com
rodentcontrol@liphatech.com

Looking Forward...

December BOD Meeting

December 9-10, 2021
Hilton — Palm Springs
Golf — Course TBD — Dec. 9
Committees & BOD — Dec. 10

PestEd Series Dates & Locations TBD

Termite Academy Dates TBD

April BOD Meeting & Legislative Day

March 7-9, 2022
Hyatt Regency — Sacramento
Golf — Course TBD — Mar. 7
Committees & BOD — Mar. 8
Leg Day Event — Mar. 9

2022 Expo 2022

June 8-10, 2022
Disneyland Hotel — Anaheim
Schedule TBD

The Claims Advocacy Approach to Workers’ Compensation

The claims advocacy model for handling workers’ compensation claims has been a growing trend the past few years.

What is Claims Advocacy?

Claims advocacy sets itself apart from more traditional compliance-oriented claims handling systems. It aims to create a claims culture where the focus is on nurturing trust between employees and management, where access to benefits is simple, and the structure is supported with executive-buy in, organizational values and efficient systems. 

Specifically, claims are easy to file, there is ease of access to medical specialists and medications, and there is always help navigating the healthcare maze.  Trust is key.

Inherent Conflict

A fundamental characteristic of the claims advocacy approach is the shift away from focusing on medical costs and time off the job. There is an obvious inherent conflict here that can stand in the way of transitioning from adversary to advocate. According to its supporters, though, forward-looking employers need to make a paradigm shift in how they think about workers’ compensation. By taking this approach to claims handling, they say, workers’ comp costs are actually reduced in the long run simply by not worrying about cost-benefit analysis but rather focusing on the dignity of the individual claimant. 

Here are three reasons why this approach is gaining in popularity:

1. Putting the injured worker’s needs first builds trust and confidence in the process

   Every outreach should reassure injured workers that their claims and clinical teams are working in their best interests. “After all, along with recovering from the injury, an employee must also work through the complex workers’ compensation (WC) claims process — often for the very first time,” says Wesley Hyatt, senior vice president, workers’ compensation claims for Liberty Mutual Insurance Company.

   One aspect of this approach involves changing the claims processing language to eliminate jargon and replace negative wording with positive terms. For example, “covered” is now substituted for “compensable,” and “claims examiner” is replaced by “claims representative.”

   Another way of easing an injured worker’s mind about the claims process is to provide information, preferably in video format, at the outset of the claim that outlines the claims process and explains the tools available to them. 

   “The idea is to expand on the human connection between adjuster and worker, alleviating an employee’s stress and fears of the unknown,” Hyatt says. “It’s not just about what you say, but how you say it and deliver it.”

   The very first contact an injured worker has with the process should be imbued a sense of trust and set the stage for their expectations of how the entire claim will be handled. 

2. Responsive follow-up leads to faster return-to-work

   “Think about the whole person, not just the specific injury,” says Debbie Michel, Executive Vice President, Liberty Mutual. As many as 18% of injured workers never reach the ability to return to work in the same capacity. “Anticipating a worker’s needs in a holistic way demonstrates that their well-being is a priority.”

   For example, nurse case managers can use motivational interviewing and therapeutic listening to help identify factors that can impact an employee’s ability to return to work — then coordinate additional services if needed.

   Another approach is to empower employees with a range of choices, says Michel. Options can include a gradual part-time to full-time transition, providing temporary limited duty or alternate work tasks, and temporarily working remotely.

   Returning to work full time after an injury doesn’t always have to be an all or nothing proposition. Keeping an injured worker engaged and empowered thorough the recovery process can strengthen the employer-employee relationship and better prepare for a successful return to work plan.

3. Compassionate strategies improve overall claims outcomes

   When taking an advocacy focus, soft skills are crucial. “Empathy and concern, as well as positive and effective communication with injured workers, are as important, or more important, than the technical aspects of processing the claim,” says Michel.

   According to research by the Workers’ Compensation Research Institute (WCRI) workers’ feelings about the employee-employer relationship after an injury can drive outcomes related to the claim. Workers who are strongly concerned about being fired after an injury, for instance, experience poorer return-to-work outcomes than workers without such concerns.

   Fear and anxiety have a direct impact on the overall cost of a WC claim. Among workers who had the worst claim outcomes, according to the WCRI, nearly 50% stated they had a strong fear of being fired due to the workplace injury.

   Job concerns and lack of employer support influence workers’ views of the claims process. Linking empathy and employee satisfaction with the WC process can help avoid the tensions that often lead to litigious actions, according to Michel. 

For more information or help, contact the Insurance professionals of the PCOC Insurance Program. Call us at: 877.860.7378.

Paul Lindsay
Senior Vice President, Principal, Programs
EPIC Program Solutions
10877 White Rock Rd. Suite 300 Rancho Cordova, Ca 95670
paul.lindsay@epicbrokers.com
916.576.1545 direct  |  877.222.0000 |  916.952.1609 cell
epicbrokers.com  | ca license 0B29370

Do you have a favorite recipe that you would like to share with PCOC and their members?

For our next fundraising endeavor, we will be putting together a one-of-a-kind cookbook that will be available to purchase. What a great gift for family members and clients!

Please send your recipe, with all instructions, and a picture (if you would like to include) to Karen at karen@pcoc.org or you can mail it to the PCOC office at 3031 Beacon Blvd, West Sacramento, CA 95691.

We are looking for the following categories:

1.       Appetizers

2.       Side dishes

3.       Breakfast

4.       Main entrées

5.       Desserts

6.       Cocktails

7.       Cleaning tips

Please feel free to contact Karen with any questions.

Frequently Asked For Websites

Tips For Managing Your Website’s Pest Control Blog

Best practices for Web Marketing change frequently, but one strategy remains supreme: managing a blog. Writing a blog is an excellent way to build your brand in the pest control industry, drive links to your Website, and improve your relevance online. Like any tool, you get the most out of it when you use it correctly and thoughtfully.

The process of setting up your blog will vary based on how your Website was built and how it’s managed. WordPress is one of the most popular platforms for Websites, in part because of its seamless blog management interface. The real work comes in implementing certain management tips to ensure you’re getting the most from your website’s pest control blog.

It’s Not Word Quantity, It’s Word Quality

Most companies post to a blog to improve their search engine performance; when your site has lots of informative content about the pest control industry and services, Google tends to reward you with high rankings when your pest removal and prevention services are being searched. It’s for this reason that you shouldn’t stress about a word count when writing blogs. The most important factor is writing content that is rich with information on the pests and rodents found in your local California area.

If having a word count helps with your writing process, consider 300 words (about 2/3 of a page, single-spaced) a minimum. The content should be relevant to what local Californians face when in need of your pest control services. Place yourself in their shoes and ask yourself “Why should I care?” If your content provides readers with an answer to that question, they will be more engaged and stay on your website longer.

Pro Tip: Be specific to your company’s brand. Having content that is similar or identical to other pest control blogs won’t get you far with improving your online presence.

Write In Your Customer’s Language

Blogs can be a great place to answer frequently asked questions, highlight trends that customers should know, and debunk myths that get spread around too often. When you’re thinking about what to write, always consider your customers and prospects. At the end of the day, blogs are marketing tools and should be treated as such. Try not to get too technical with your writing and keep your vocabulary to a level that a beginner would understand. Your blog’s visitors are definitely reading to learn something, but they shouldn’t need to keep a dictionary with them to keep up!

One tactic we recommend is to use common customer questions as blog topics and titles. Examples include “What pests are common in the fall in Sacramento, CA?” and “How to diagnose a termite problem in Los Angeles?” Not only do these catch the eye of interested readers, but they also help boost your search engine performance. More often than not, prospects will type questions into a search engine to learn more about their issue. Google may just serve your blog post to these searchers if your content is relevant and reliable.

Post Consistently

To really make your blog work for you, you’ll need to post regularly. You should plan to post new blogs to your site once or twice a month. Google loves to see a site that is consistently updated and maintained. Adding fresh content via a blog is an excellent way to boost your brand and show readers and search engines alike that your company is relevant.

Finish Your Blogs with a Call to Action

In keeping with the tradition of a blog as a marketing tool, make sure that your blog posts are giving your prospects something to do. There are a few ways to go about leading your readers to a desired action. If your post is about a new technology or appliance, your last paragraph should maybe highlight an area of your site with product information. If your post is about how maintenance is a necessity for pest prevention, you should include your company’s phone number or a link to a Contact/Scheduling page. Without being too sales-oriented, your blog should at the very least indicate that you are ready to help in any way you can. It’s up to you to decide what the best next step should be for them.

Maintaining a blog is a powerful marketing tool to pick up in 2021. If you have questions about blog management, or if you’d like to go over your marketing strategy for this year, Market Hardware is here to help! We offer Web Marketing consultations and can help you figure out how to up your game this year. Give us a call today or reach out to us via our contact form to learn more.

Market Hardware is happy to offer Web Marketing consultations — give us a call to learn more! Contact us today if you’re interested and want more information! You can email PCOC@markethardware.com or call (888) 381-6925.