Business practice | PPC91 May 2018

In this issue’s Meet the Member we catch up with Ralph Izod, the Founder and Managing Director of longstanding BPCA member Dyno-Pest.

A bit of background

After studying chemistry at university, I initially built a career specialising in process research in government and the private sector. However, no amount of success could compensate for the fact that most of the day I was working in a lab on my own. One day I decided to leave it behind and venture into technical sales. I was approached by Rentokil where I went on to enjoy six productive years in sales and management.

I have always found our industry to be fascinating, full of diverse challenges and tremendous job satisfaction. Fast forward to the present day, and I have a great team with longstanding contract clients including Michelin-star restaurants, banks, commercial buildings, local authorities, construction companies, members clubs, hotels and more based in London and beyond.

How does a pest management company grow?

We embrace the lean philosophy of ‘right first time, on time, every time’. Clients are at the heart of everything we do.

We invest heavily in training our technicians with scheduled testing against key performance indicators. They are our frontline brand ambassadors; the experts responsible for delivering the treatment programmes we have recommended.

We have a dedicated office administration team who ensure technicians are where they are meant to be, that clients are being fully supported and service level agreements are being met. By providing a five-star service we often find we’re recommended by clients to other businesses in their group. We give each technician ample time to provide a high-quality service and also to communicate clearly and effectively with a client.

Our focus goes beyond inspecting and monitoring; ensuring that the pest control strategy is working and making changes as and when required to improve our service continually. This cannot be accomplished in a rushed inspection. This approach appears to be very much appreciated and valued by our clients from the feedback we receive.

I would say we have never lost the personal touch. I still keep in touch with many of our clients. Automation is important but it should not act as a barrier. Dialogue – phone and face-to-face – is as essential now as it ever was. Add all this together and you have a business with roots – one that will grow in lean times and good!

How do you win bigger contracts?

By pitching for them! Seriously, our team at Dyno-Pest never bases our proposition on price but on providing real value-for-money for clients. While the lowest price might secure the business initially, further down the line problems will often rear their head because clients still expect the best service despite not having paid for it.

We rule ourselves out of working with businesses, no matter how big they are, if it’s clear from an initial conversation or subsequent site visit that all they’re interested in is price, rather than quality and value. That said, we frequently win business that was initially placed elsewhere on price alone. Ironically, the company could often have avoided problems with their pest control provision and saved money in the long term by choosing more wisely in the first place.

We’re always positive about discussing our business credentials and professionalism which of course includes Dyno-Pest being a longstanding member of BPCA. There is little point attaining these badges of honour if potential clients are unaware of them and their importance in the service offering.

We are clear in conveying our expertise and experience; the treatments we recommend, why and, what they will accomplish. We ensure that we meet all the people in the decision making unit and that we understand the decision-making process. We do not and, indeed, never have shrunk from delivering unpalatable information if it ultimately will benefit the client. We never sugarcoat a situation nor do we needlessly exacerbate it. Earning the respect of a potential new client at the outset is important. It plays a crucial part in securing that big contract.

Finally, I believe that if you want to win bigger contracts you have to be tenacious but never pushy. This means ensuring you have conducted a thorough survey, that you have fully understood what the client is looking for, and that you can deliver. In recent years we have increasingly taken on large contracts. By their very nature and scope these require a substantial investment of time and expertise before being given the green light. Accepting this and playing the long game is crucial.

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Ralph Izod
Managing Director of longstanding BPCA member Dyno-Pest

1 May 2018  |  PPC91

Source: PPC91