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Post by Site Admin on Apr 26, 2009 9:40:57 GMT 1
Is it a good time to start a pest control business? good or bad to time to "go it alone" good ;- PEOPLE ARE LOOKING TO SAVE MONEY AND AS A COMPANY YOU CAN OFFER THEM PERSONAL SERVICE AND POTENTIALY BETTER SERVICE TOO ALSOYOU CAN UNDER CUT THE BIGGER GREEDIER COMPANYS BAD;- MORE COMPANIES ARE LOOKING TO SPEND LESS SO PEST CONTROL ( WHERE IT IS CONSIDERD NON ESSENTIAL) GETS THE CHOP .......... SO FOLKS IS NOW A GOOD OR BAD TIME TO GO IT ALONE? There has always been a steady stream of people trying to make a living out of pest control. Some see a pesties charging £40.00+ for a 10 minute wasp nest and think it is easy money! Presumably some don't make the grade and go elsewhere. I have noticed an increase recently in people from the building trade and related professions looking to pest control to replace their own lost opportunities. Some companies are also looking to take pest control in house. The biggest problem though is that highlighted by fellman, undercutting to get the work! How far do you undercut, and how many times? Will we end paying them to work for them? As a sole trader I have priced jobs up thinking the price must be attractive only to find a major pest control company is doing it for a price I wouldn't get out of bed for ! Funny old world! Adrian.
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Post by wayner on Apr 27, 2009 20:28:46 GMT 1
People are cutting back, I think pesters may also cut back on advertising etc. My advice is hang in there and while others cut back go the extra mile on promoting yourself go bigger in yellow pages buy pens to pass around etc up your profile while others cut back and you may just pick up a bit of extra work. But cut price no point unless you want to work for fun rather than earn a fair wage.
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Post by RatSnatcher on Apr 30, 2009 6:48:47 GMT 1
Unless you have quite a lot of spare cash or money to invest £8,000 plus, then I would not bother, on top of this I find I am also having to provide these services..... 1, Councilling, due to distress from pests in the home 2. Government speaker due to relaying the various regulations.. 3. Speaker from the national virus register, informing on the many viruses available from various critters. 4. Pesticide company representitive informing on the safety of product to be used. 5. Marriage councillor, after the hubby has let the problem get out of hand, and doesn't want to pay for the work Along with..... 6. Student, I spend at least 2hrs a day reading about equipment and various red tape associated with the ever changing pest control industry 5. Accountant 6. filing clerk 7. storeman. 8. Telephone advice line adviser 9. Purchasing clerk 10. A joist walking, Loft Dweller, hopefully never a ceiling plasterer.... 11. And last but not least general dogs body driving round all day to keep the appointments on time ;D There is a certain amount of people who think its all, roaming fields checking the trap line and fast easy money..... ITS NOT
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Post by fellman on Apr 30, 2009 16:03:04 GMT 1
Sooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo............... is that a yes or a no then ;D ;D
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Post by Phil on Apr 30, 2009 21:28:28 GMT 1
If your are considering going as a sole trader, create a true business projection plan, not a wish list.
Find the areas you can make inroads into getting a foundation or core routine service work, miss out the food sites as they will take all of your time when you are trying to establish a core income that will support while your working on plan b & c to get more of the cake that you can comfortably afford to do yourself and the all important thing is do not drop your standards you set yourself in the business projection, when you think you have all you need for a profitable business, get back to the business plan again and see what you need to do next to sustain your income.
There is no recession in my household - you just have to work harder to get the same result you want.
I took £20.00 one week to pick up a couple of dead rats and put £70.00 of fuel in the landrover the same week, when I first started out.
A lot of my work is wildlife 60 - 70 %, the rest are routine service work I maintain these to generate my foundation income to pay the ever coming bills and everything else is a brucie bonus that always requires work on to get the work, I have found once you have set your standards and you have built sufficient foundation work.
The job of giving a good service pays off as the amount of referral work you get grows as you prove yourself and the job work runs in off the back of your excisting portfolio.
It's always a good time to start a business up, you just have to plan and work at it - if you really want to acheive your goal be honest with yourself, particularly if you are a sole trader, you have a lot of hats to wear as well as doing a good job as well, it ain't easy - but it is a good place of work - enjoy it
ATB
Phil
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Post by cumbria wildlife managment on May 4, 2009 17:40:19 GMT 1
Theres Some Great Advise There Phill Im Halfway To Starting My Own Buisness As A Sole Trader Im Going To Do The 5 Day Course With The BPCA. In September My Father Is Very Handy On A Computer So He Is Doing Me The Paperwork I Need Why Do I Want To Start This Buisness Well My Grandfather Was A Pest Controler For The M.o.d. And This Type Of Work Suits Me I Admit I Have A Lot To Learn That I Dont Mind Im Very Determant To Make This Work So Any Advise From You Guys Good Or Bad Would Be Great. And Thankyou For Taking The Time To Read This.
Atb Gaz
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