ANT CONTROL MARKET 2021 State of the - INSIDE - NET
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SPONSORED CONTENT
2021 State of the
ANT CONTROL MARKET
INSIDE
» How COVID-19 Affected Ant Services
» Tips for Curbing Callbacks
» Pros and Cons of Offering Warranties
» In the New Normal, New Opportunities
Sponsored by
» Exclusive Research
SPONSORED CONTENT
2021 State of the
ANT CONTROL MARKET
Greetings from Syngenta,
W
hile the past year has been unprecedented in
many ways, the need for effective ant control has
remained a constant. In fact, according to PCT
magazine’s State of the Ant Control Market re-
port findings, 76% of pest management pro-
fessionals (PMPs) surveyed saw steady or increased ant
service revenues in 2020. PMPs have had to step up and
go above and beyond, often in challenging conditions,
to keep customers’ homes and businesses free from these
nuisance pests. We appreciate your hard work, and we
know your customers are grateful as well.
As ant control continues to be a top priority for
customers, it’s important to keep up with the latest
research and trends to avoid wasting time and money on expensive callbacks.
That’s why Syngenta is proud to once again partner with PCT to sponsor the 2021 State of the Ant
Control Market report. In the following pages, you’ll receive survey results from fellow PMPs, including
the latest ant control updates, ideas for marketing and insight into the future of the industry. We think
you’ll find this year’s report to be valuable for your business’ success and growth.
At Syngenta, we’re committed to helping you maximize your ant control potential. Our flexible
solutions are developed to meet your needs across a variety of accounts and scenarios:
• Advion® Insect granular bait, our latest ant control solution, features a highly attractive granular
bait matrix ideal for areas like large mulch beds that can’t be sprayed.
• Advion Ant and Optigard® Ant gel baits, two of the leading ant baits in the industry, contain
unique bait matrices that are highly palatable to all major ant species — even sweet feeders.
• Advion WDG, Demand® CS, Optigard Flex and Tandem® insecticides are residual spray
products that provide excellent control of super-colony species and are effective for preventive
maintenance.
Ants provide unique challenges for PMPs, but we know it’s nothing you can’t handle with the right
resources. We’re looking forward to your continued success in providing your customers with ant-free
environments.
Eric Paysen
Eric Paysen
Technical Services Manager
Syngenta Professional Pest Management
For more information, visit SyngentaPMP.com.
@SyngentaPest
©2021 Syngenta. Important: Always read and follow label instructions. Some products may not be registered for sale or use in
all states or counties and/or may have state-specific use requirements. Please check with your local extension service to ensure
registration and proper use. Advion®, Demand®, For Life Uninterrupted™, Optigard®, Tandem® and the Syngenta logo are trademarks
of a Syngenta Group Company. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners. Syngenta Customer Center:
1-866-SYNGENT(A) (796-4368).
2 State of the Ant Control Market Sponsored by
2021 State of the
ANT CONTROL MARKET
Upping the ANTe
COVID-19 CONSEQUENCES
How has the COVID-19 pandemic impacted
service revenue?
24% 19%
C
all it what you want, but 2020 issues that are “open doors” for ants and
was a bugger for everyone, with
business shutdowns and the re-
sulting economic impacts, along
selecting effective products with a long
residual.
Christian Wilcox estimates that ants
57%
with looming uncertainty about are an issue for about 90 percent of the positive impact
everything from when a vaccine would accounts McCauley Services treats in neither a positive nor negative impact
emerge to who would win the presiden- its Arkansas and Oklahoma service ar- negative impact
tial election. eas. The business certainly isn’t slowing.
Source: Readex Research; Respondents: 269
Interestingly, most of the pest man- The company took a solutions-based
agement professionals (PMPs) we sur- approach to operating in an unprece-
veyed and interviewed for the State of dented year by coming up with creative BUSINESS AS USUAL
the Ant Control Market Report said ways to identify ants and expanding its Has your location adjusted ant control
2020 was not all bad. In fact, just exclusion business, both of which are treatment protocols because of the
35 percent of respondents said the examples of solutions-focused strategies pandemic?
COVID-19 pandemic was a limiting the company has implemented.
factor in growing their ant business.
“Ants are job security in this busi-
As for Craddock, “We probably had
the best year ever,” he says. He attri- 41%YES
59%NO
ness,” says Barry Craddock, president, butes the increase in his ant control
Craddock Pest Control, Glasgow, Ky. services to people staying at home and Source: Readex Research; Respondents: 269
The service grows a little bit every year, noticing pests more.
he says. “One job gets you another job.” In keeping with the spirit of adapt,
GROWTH LIMITATIONS
“But in one place, ants can make you change and execute, PCT’s 2021 Ant
What factors are limiting your ability to
look amazing, and the next place you State of the Market Report, sponsored grow your ant business?
can come out looking not so good at by Syngenta and performed by Readex COVID-19 pandemic 35%
all,” Craddock adds, echoing the sen- Research, reveals creative ways PMPs
low-ball competitors 35%
timent of other PMPs. Variables for are managing ants, reducing callbacks,
success include customer education establishing best practices and market- poor economy 21%
and cooperation, addressing structural ing their ant service. lack of qualified labor 17%
low insect pressure 4%
indicated at least one factor 68%
no factors are limiting growth 32%
Resource: Readex Research; Respondents: 269;
multiple answers
Sponsored by State of the Ant Control Market 3
2021 State of the
ANT CONTROL MARKET
Curbing
Callbacks
A
voiding callbacks requires some also can reduce callbacks, Salazar adds. TYPICAL CALLBACK RATE
teaching on the behalf of the PMP. “Sometimes, you have to be proactive vs. What is your location’s typical callback rate for
Otherwise, clients can unwittingly waiting for them to call you,” he says. its ant control jobs?
sabotage a treatment. “With ants, Also important is helping clients un- 2% 1% 3%
you have to get the customer involved,” derstand that baiting takes time. “You
says Derek Salazar, owner, FullScope have to give the ants time to accept the 9%
Pest Control, Kingwood, Texas. bait and bring it back to the colony,” says 12%
“When you find out they’ve had a Tony Esposito, owner, The Bug Reaper,
problem for some time, you have to set
expectations as far as letting them know
Katy, Texas. “We tell customers, ‘You
have to give it at least a week. Don’t ex- 31% 16%
that it’s not necessarily going to be solved pect results the next day.’ If you educate
in one visit, one treatment,” Salazar adds. people, they seem to be OK with that.
Salazar advises clients to reduce leaf It’s all about being on the same page.” 26%
litter around the home and watch for In commercial kitchens, Esposito
damaged wood that can harbor carpen- works directly with general managers, 30% or more 5% - 9%
ter ants and other insects. “Not having and food and beverage managers. “I go 20% - 29% 3% - 4%
branches of trees touching the structure in and pull out refrigeration units and 15% - 19% 1% - 2%
can prevent carpenter ants,” he says, re- take pictures,” he says, adding that he’s 10% - 14% no callbacks
lating that providing this information to been known to show a manager the spray Source: Readex Research; Respondents: 269
customers engages them in the process wand he uses to treat and point out:
and increases their accountability, there- “This is not a magic wand. You have to TAKE THE BAIT
fore reducing callbacks. help me.” He adds: “Ants aren’t going to During the pandemic, the multi-family hous-
The cleaning products clients use in- eat my bait if they can eat fajitas instead.” ing and senior living facilities Carmen Reino,
side can interfere with baiting success, He also shows them how effective owner, Anchor Pest Control, Brunswick, N.J.,
so Salazar makes them aware of that. products can be with compliance. Show- services were not inviting servicepeople into
“Using standard bleach wipes on a coun- ing product efficacy also can go a long their buildings. So, he offered a “socially dis-
tertop can interrupt pheromone trails. way toward encouraging accountability tant” way for them to still get interior con-
Then you get a splitting effect, and it’s and preventing callbacks. Once, he re- trol. “We started giving them ant baits and
hard to find out how they are trailing,” corded a video of an ant trail moving bait instructing them on where to place them,” he
he says. granules back to their colony. “I showed says. “That helped a lot during the time when
Scheduling a follow-up visit 10 to 14 it to the homeowners and they could lit- we could only service the outside.”
days after treating a robust infestation erally see the granules moving.”
4 State of the Ant Control Market Sponsored by
2021 State of the
ANT CONTROL MARKET
UNRULY ANTagonists
What ant species have been the most difficult to control?
odorous house ants 29% FIRED UP
carpenter ants 19% Red imported fire ants are a real issue in Central Arkansas, especially during
Argentine ants 14% drought times, says Christian Wilcox, technical director, McCauley Services.
Pharaoh ants 14% “When you have fire ants crawling in the interior of a structure and there
little black ants 13% are kids in the environment, that’s a real concern,” he says. The solu-
crazy ants 12% tion: “We use dust products that will repel the ants out, so then what we
do on the outside of the building can hopefully eliminate the problem.”
pavement ants 10%
Photo by: April Noble, Antweb.org, Bugwood.org
ghost ants 7%
red imported fire ants 6%
rover ants 4% REINING IN ROVERS
acrobat ants 4% Treating tiny rover ants can be a challenge, but Bobbie Terry, owner, The Bug Lady,
big-headed ants 4% Austin, Texas, finds that a less-is-more approach assures the pests will carry bait
Source: Readex Research; Respondents: 269; multiple answers back to their nests. “We mix the chemical slightly less than what the label calls for,”
she says. “The rover ants are so tiny that we found out it would kill them before they
got back to the nest. If they don’t make it back to the nest, you won’t gain control.”
HOME HOT SPOTS Photo by: Eli Sarnat, Antkey, USDA APHIS PPQ, Bugwood.org
Where are the primary ant “hot
spots” in homes/residential
properties in your location’s
market area? SERVICE FREQUENCY ALL CONTROL MEASURES USED
How often does your location provide its ant What types of control measures does your
control services to its typical client? location use to manage ants in homes and/or
businesses?
19% pesticide applications 98%
30% sanitation
exclusion
43%
41%
48%
vacuuming 11%
4%
other 4%
seasonally
year-round
kitchen 78% Source: Readex Research; Respondents: 269; multiple answers
once per year
perimeter
foundation walls 76% as needed
along structural
guidelines 57% Source: Readex Research; Respondents: 269
PRIMARY CONTROL
around windows 46% MEASURES USED
trees and shrubs 41%
What is your location’s
primary control 3% 4%
piles of lumber 26% measure for 3%
managing ants
edge of carpets 19% in homes and/or
laundry room 18% businesses?
under bath tubs 13%
inside bath traps
meter boxes
sprinkler heads
12%
10% pesticide applications
sanitation
88%
6% exclusion
Source: Readex Research; Respondents: 269; no answer
multiple answers
Source: Readex Research; Respondents: 269
Sponsored by State of the Ant Control Market 5
2021 State of the
ANT CONTROL MARKET
Satisfaction
Guaranteed —
or Not?
A
s with any pest, there are a host he deals with the ants. If a homeowner other times the house needs follow-ups
of variables that can interfere with wants a quarterly program, he’ll offer it — and we determine that in the coming
product efficacy — and there’s a but he does not generally sell a package. weeks. A house needs what it needs.”
balance to strike with “the cus- And, he never offers warranties. Other PMPs find that a warranty gives
tomer’s always right.” (Check out “I’ve always viewed it as a crazy thing customers confidence that they can trust
Curbing Callbacks on page 4.) So, is offer- to do in our industry,” he says. “We are the service. Christopher O’Brien, own-
ing a warranty or guarantee an inroad to dealing with biological issues, and there er of Scorpion Specialists in Phoenix,
peace of mind that will win client loyalty? are customers who are not cooperative Ariz., says 60 percent of his clients have
Or, is it an invitation to retreat and lose when it comes to cleaning or managing ant problems. He offers a six-month
money on services? their environments. There are structural warranty on a new exterior red fire ant
There are two schools of thought. issues, for instance. A house can have a control. “If a customer is just having us
Chris Brennan has been in business for crumbling foundation. I tell customers, bait, we offer a 30-day warranty,” he says.
39 years and runs Brennan’s Pest Control ‘I’ll do the best I can for you.’” There are no stipulations on the exterior
in Oak Park, Ill. He estimates that about He also is honest about whether the warranty — he will re-treat for free if the
30 percent of his overall revenue comes ant situation will require more than one client calls before six months is over —
from treating ants, and he uses an à la treatment or ongoing pest management. but inside, customers have to clean and
carte approach. If he gets a call about ants, “Sometimes one service is sufficient, and do their part or the callback is not free.
“The gel ant baits work really good and
HOW DO PMPs MARKET ANT SERVICES? I’ve never had a callback on them,” he
What aspects of your location’s ant control services are featured in its marketing efforts? adds.
service guarantee 52% Bobbie Terry is owner of The Bug Lady
certified technicians 49% in Austin, Texas, and founder of Women
in Pest Control. She offers a 30-day war-
preventive service 43%
ranty on services. “I’ll come back and re-
integrated pest management 42%
treat at no charge,” she says of the policy.
excellent control 39% How often does she have to make good
free inspection 35% on the warranty? “Hardly ever.”
monthly service 19% “Whether I do a special or ongoing
eco-friendly products 15% treatment, customers sign an agreement
low prices 12% that states if I find sanitation or structural
other 3% SERVICE issues, they are responsible for correcting
location does not market ant control services 15% GUARANTEE those problems — and if they don’t, I can
charge for a re-treat,” Terry says.
Source: Readex Research; Respondents: 269; multiple answers
6 State of the Ant Control Market Sponsored by
2021 State of the
ANT CONTROL MARKET
New Normal, New Opportunities
P
est control companies that focused primarily on hospitality and restaurant CONTROL IN 2021: STEADY GROWTH
services saw a steep slowdown in March 2020. But the good news is many Compared with 2020, do you anticipate the
pest management firms were diversified and just experienced some losses. percentage of your location’s revenue generated
Fortunately, all business is coming back strong. from its ant control services to increase,
“Last year in March, I lost about 25 percent of my business,” says Bobbie Terry, decrease, or remain the same in 2021?
owner, The Bug Lady, Austin, Texas. “But since then, I got 20 percent of that work 2% 1%
back, and it has been an uphill climb ever since — and I’m still climbing.” increase
Regarding ant opportunity, Carmen Reino says he sees more opportunity with an remain the same
increase in carpenter ant infestations. “It’s because of the milder winters, I assume,” decrease
says the owner of Anchor Pest Control in Brunswick, N.J. no answer
Derek Salazar says his business, FullScope Pest Control in Kingwood, Texas, “has
not slowed down — it’s crazy. I don’t see the difference on the business side with the 46% 51%
pandemic, and we are taking all of the necessary precautions.”
ANT SERVICES GROWING
In the past five years, have ant 3% 5% Source: Readex Research; Respondents: 269
control services become a more
or less significant portion of your ARE INVASIVES GAINING GROUND?
location’s business? Are invasive ants a growing problem in your
location’s market area?
40% 52%
more significant
60% 40%
no change
less significant
cannot compare; not YES NO
involved five years ago
Source: Readex Research; Respondents: 269
ABOUT THE SURVEY
The PCT 2021 State of the Ant Control Market survey was sponsored by Syngenta and compiled by Rea-
dex, a privately held research firm in Stillwater, Minn. A sample of 3,921 pest control company own-
ers, operators, executives and technical directors was systematically selected from the PCT database.
Data was collected from 280 respondents — a 7 percent response rate — via an online survey from
Jan. 13-25, 2021. The margin of error for percentages is plus or minus 5.6 percentage points at the
95 percent confidence level. Charts may not add up to 100 percent due to rounding.
Sponsored by State of the Ant Control Market 7
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