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BASF Termite Smart Solutions = Business Opportunities

Dr. Bob Davis, BCE
Technical Services Representative - BASF Professional & Specialty Solutions

Pest Management Professionals (PMPs) who rely on termite treatments as part of their revenue stream have opportunities and challenges. When termites swarm, business booms; when they don’t, business may suffer. 

When there’s high demand for termite services, efficiency and efficacy are paramount. PMPs who maximize product and treatment efficacy and reduce labor costs can service more accounts with less effort and increased profitability. See some tips below for ensuring the best outcome for your customer and your bottom line.

 

  • Select the Best. Know the product efficacy data. Review the USDA-Forest Service trial data when considering liquid termiticides (Note: PMP Magazine has published the USDA-FS data in past years). Addition of non-repellent termiticides such as Termidor® Termiticides to the PMP toolbox has provided for one of the most demonstrable increases in efficacy in termite management (and customer satisfaction!) over the past 25 years. To quickly alleviate potential damages, PMPs can rely on non-repellent liquid termiticides that can be transferred by termites, allowing the treatment to kill more termites and reduce termite pressure near the structures being protected (regardless of the number of colonies). Consider how non-repellents can help with your service.

  • Do less. That’s right! Thanks to molecular technology, Termidor® HE High-Efficiency Termiticide creates an enhanced protection zone for exterior perimeter soil treatments using half the water and allowing for 77% smaller trenches, 33% fewer drill holes and 50% shallower minimum treatment depths than the industry standard (which happens to be Termidor® SC Termiticide/Insecticide). Less time is needed for tank filling, digging, treating and backfilling trenches; drilling and sealing access holes, etc., which means the PMP can  provide a more thorough service on site and enjoy additional revenue-producing services. Using less water, less fuel, and decreasing wear and tear on equipment is a more sustainable termite service.

  • Termite Bait.  Bait systems, such as Trelona® ATBS Annual Bait Stations, are an excellent way to provide structural protection through colony elimination. Installing a bait system is a great approach if a conventional liquid-only treatment isn’t the best option for an account. PMPs can install multiple baiting systems per day – helping serve more customers. With Trelona Annual, PMPs own and manage the equipment and benefit from an annual inspection that helps reduce labor costs and provides flexibility to customize timing of the post-treatment inspections. Through education provided by PMPs, many property owners understand how baiting works and see it as an environmentally friendly, low-invasive, long-term solution for termite control. 

  • Know your Tools. Select options that can help your company provide excellent service. A   high-efficiency termiticide like Termidor HE is effective and labor friendly for exterior perimeter and localized interior treatments. Ready-to-use foam, such as Termidor® Foam Termiticide/Insecticide, is ideal for spot treatments in wall voids and directed treatments into active galleries (also excellent for general pest treatments – check the labels). Foaming agents can be added to liquid termiticide finished dilutions to help enhance coverage and get control material to termites in hard-to-service areas (under slabs, dirt-filled porches, hollow blocks, behind veneers, voids, tree treatments, etc.). Moisture meters, radar, acoustic and infra-red detectors can pinpoint termite active and/or conducive areas. Stay up-to-date and know the labels; be familiar with changes and help your employees stay current.

  • Be Creative. Sometimes a combination approach provides the best curative and/or preventative service for your customers. When water sources or plants being grown for human consumption are near the structure, consider using bait stations. If the property owner likes the idea of a termite bait system but wants to stop the damage quickly, consider a combination approach with Trelona Annual and Termidor HE at the active areas and/or conducive conditions.  

 

Dr. Bob Davis, BCE

Dr. Bob Davis, BCE, is a technical services representative for BASF Professional & Specialty Solutions. His career has included various positions, including fisheries biologist, serving as the technical director for ABC Pest & Lawn Services of Austin, TX, and as a technical field representative for Aventis and Bayer Environmental Sciences. Bob is a board-certified entomologist and is active in the Entomological Society of America. He has authored multiple publications in peer-reviewed journals and has provided educational materials, presentations and articles through extension and professional magazine venues.

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