Visiting many old faces at the NTA gave me some thought as to how different "true" ADC trappers are from fur trappers.I myself come from a fur trapping background and still do some fur trapping but my main sourse of income is from ADC work. Depending on wheather I am work trapping or doing nuisance work, I conduct and even dress myself in a different manner. Having that said, it is always 100% regardless! My questions are these:

1) What makes your business any differently from your competitors?

2)What is your image and your companies image to your customer?

3)Who are your main clients or customers? ( There's a big difference).

and finally 4) What would be the one thing you need to make your company flourish?

1.better personal service.
2.image,honesty,equal value for monies spent.more attention to long term solutions of wildlife problems.
3.busness is about 60% residential to 30% corp and 10% government.
4. better communication on timely payments.
bob evans cwcp

1) What makes your business any differently from your competitors?
Quality, not quantity. I care. I talk to them and solve their problem.

2)What is your image and your companies image to your customer?
Professionalism mixed with a thing I like to call reality. I don't try to make them think I am something I'm not. I do not lie to them, I tell them if it is something that someone else should do.

3)Who are your main clients or customers? ( There's a big difference).
90% residential so far. Have had 2 corp and 1 gvnt jobs. But I work for my clients whoever they are. It maters not to me. Customers.. I would say 25% are homeowners that are not interested in paying for anything, but want information or want their problems solved for free, or are just not "ready" to admit they need someone else to do the job for them. Those few I can usually let convince themselves by chatting with them. about 5 % are people who have the wrong number - they have a baby bird that they want to know how to save or a cat in a dashboard or baby deer wondering around they are concerned about...

4) What would be the one thing you need to make your company flourish?
Money. I can do the rest, I am confident in that. I just need the money to get me over that big hump, and I'm gone.

Thanks guys! Hey DT, Thanks again for lunch... really enjoyed meeting with you and V.V. Saw her again briefly, up at the NTA. I heard today from Bob J. that she was up there harrassing him about one thing or another... Ha! Ah well, thats Vixen...I guess they're all meeting Saturday up at Lakeshore's in Elkhart. Wish I could have stayed but I had to leave and come home after one day as I have too much work out there to do. I hope she's not too rough on 'em this weekend...

Like I said, I'll get next one.
Thanks.

I take it a little bit personal when animals try to win at my game. A contract is a contract, but im going to win,Even if I go broke doing it.

The first thing Ive noticed clients apreciate is the fact that I calm them down, Let them know its not the end of the world, and they are in good hands. I explain what im going to do, and what they can do to avoid this from re occuring.

My customers are mainly residential.

Less traffic and speed limmits of 100 mph would help all my people get more work done. The los angeles freeway is a parking lot for a good part of the day.As are many routes.

less construction

OK LT, I am going to try to answer this one as someone who is starting and what I want my business to mean:

1) What makes your business any differently from your competitors? I want to work hard to have every customer pleased with the outcome. (A goal to reach)

2)What is your image and your companies image to your customer? Still working on this. I want it to be professional.

3)Who are your main clients or customers? ( There's a big difference). Only one, a farmer.

and finally 4) What would be the one thing you need to make your company flourish? CUSTOMERS!!!!

Great answer from a "TheRAT".....and obviously one that was well thought out. Keep after your dream.... and tell yourself, Faliure is NOT an option!

"Those who dream by night in the dusty recesses of their minds wake in the day to find all was vanity BUT the dreamers of the day, are dangerous men, for they act their dream with open eyes and make it possible"!!!.............T.E.Lawrence

1) What makes your business any differently from your competitors?
........My personality
2)What is your image and your companies image to your customer?
.........I am not a service tech....So...Yuppy trapper
3)Who are your main clients or customers? ( There's a big difference).
.........summertime is 65% residential...45% property management and corparatioins------fall/winter is 85% government

and finally 4) What would be the one thing you need to make your company flourish?
........Intra-structure (offfice management)

Vinke.... you just raised the bar!!!

Ya gotta have a good manager, otherwise its all going to drive you crazy!!!

YOU have to BE a good manager....even better!

Terrable weakness of mine, I hate paperwork, billing,faxing. I am much happier now that someone else manages the office.

I do too... that's why I have someone who does all that.... I still oversee what she does...(at least she lets me think I'm in charge...Ha!)

More expiriance, less turn over. We pride ourselves in solving other companies problems.


More professional, geared to servicing a higher end customer base.


My main clients are professionally successful individuals that do not have or want to take the time to do or learn how to do the services I provide.


My greatest wish is that I do not become so big headed that I begin to believe that there is no one else that can do exactly what I do, just as well as I do it.(or better) That has been the stumpling stone of several multi-million dollar ADC agencies I have been associated with.

I hear ya there Barkstone.

.........still voted the No.1 newbie, most likely to succeed... (don't let me down Barkstone...I got money ridin' on ya').

Still a lot of faces out there, that we haven't heard from!

If I'd have known you were voteing on the best answer, I wouldn't have posted either..HAHAHAHA...

To start with I am just a technician not an owner so this is not technically my business. That said, this is my business. I draw a man's pay his fight is my fight. What is good for my boss is good for me. Animal Control Experts, LLC is MY business.

Quote:
1) What makes your business any differently from your competitors?

We are Animal Control EXPERTS and carry ourselves as such. We are not trappers, bug guys, exterminators or some other sort of riff raff.

Quote:
2)What is your image and your companies image to your customer?

see #1

Quote:
3)Who are your main clients or customers? ( There's a big difference).

Whoever has an animal problem or situation in need of our services. No job to small nor to big. All customers deserve to be and are treated as if their's was the only problem in the whole world.

Quote:
4) What would be the one thing you need to make your company flourish?

We are flourishing. Good leadership, good service have done well for us.

Like the atitude towards your business Warrior.

Warrior???? when I look on your web site I see Bugs???? And the Photos show no similarity in Uniforms???? in the photos... anyway?? So I guess I am a little confused on the Animal Control Expert thing.....
.....The web marketing is very nice....Nwco badge....BBB Badge....motion....This Looks Professional
...... employees like You and "Good leadership, good service" make professionals

Aint got me buyn Docker yet..........

You see stinging insects, not bugs! We do not provide pest control service but will gladly wade in where others fear to go. Most PCOs in this area refuse to touch stinging insects, their loss. LOL
As for uniforms we have two standard "uniforms", khaki and black. Tops and bottoms can be interchanged as the tech so desires. Tops are badged with the company logo. No embroidered nametags though thank God.

BTW, as a former beek I really can pour on the biology of stinging insects when needed to make a sale.

Warrior, I like the pigion pic on the web site. One word: PULL!

I have started asking the costumer if the truck I pulled up in or the cloths that I am wearing were what they expected???? And how did it affect there "first" impression............ Standard Y.T.G...... Magnum PI with longer shorts...... HA

"Y.T.G.,......."? Yuppie to go? Ha!

MANNERS and BE INFORMED of the specific problem(s)

Come on WolfRiver, you can do better than that!

Y.T.G......= Yuppy trapping Gear....

LOL

Ha! Got my bags packed with flowered shirts, sandles, and 330's and a Cafe' mocha latte'/ castor mixture!

Stainless 330s I hope! The other ones are ugly.

I do hope to hear from some other new comers on this subject!

1) What makes your business any differently from your competitors?

The main thing is 2 fold, our service is excellent bar-none and we honor our warranties, the second is personality, I know how to laugh and earn the clients trust

2)What is your image and your companies image to your customer?

the best it can be, my image is important as to how clients see me but what i desire most of all is when they find me, they have already heard about me or seen what we can do, image starts when i leave the house and then go back into it.

3)Who are your main clients or customers? ( There's a big difference).

As i get more and more in business, because we are there to make money and solve problems, clients are people who pay, that may sound bad, but it is true, can't help the truth. how many of you have had clients that make every excuse in the book that they can't pay you or seem to have a problem with everything you do, about 5 to 8 percent of the clients we serve end up doing that to us, usually a lawyer or doctor too in our experience. the main clients are also people that recognize that they have a problem, they can't fix the problem themselves, recognize they need to pay a professional to fix it, and call, email, fax, or stop us when they see our trucks on the road.

and finally 4) What would be the one thing you need to make your company flourish?

it is flourishing now, i am as busy as i want to be, if i wanted to be doing 12 hours a day 5 to 6 days a week, i could be but i wouldn't have a life, sorry, but life is more important than money even though it takes money to live. I am not cheap when i do work, i charge what our company is worth. One thing that you can't do in this line of work, is get upset with people when they get mad at your prices and call you a cheat because you charge too much, etc. those people do me a favor, if i would have done work for them cheaper, they probably wouldn't have paid anyway.

I am a full time field tech and also help out with advertising. My wife is my full time Secretary and takes care of books and marketing so i don't have to when i get home, she doesn't work anywhere else, we also have a full time employee as well and he gets paid better than a factory job. so we are definitely happy, anytime God is part of your game plan, you can't go wrong.

Well put .

Well said .

great post! glad it was resurrected. Now I guess i'll have to think about this.

What a timely topic. I checked my gut about 2 months ago and found that it had expanded to unexceptable girth. I immediately went back to the treadmills and other exercise machines where I had my cardiac rehab. Well, it helped a little but since we are presently a little short of help, being back doing animal trapping helped way more.I lost two belt notches and ten pounds so far just doing what I always did. Sitting behind this computer doesn't help me lose anything. ( Except perhaps some of my common sense )

1) What makes your business any differently from your competitors? I answer my phone, show up when I say I am going to and do what I say I will do!

2)What is your image and your companies image to your customer? I dress like I am here to work on your animal problem, not to work on your computer. Carry myself well and take the time to explain everything.

3)Who are your main clients or customers? 85% Res 15% com

and finally 4) What would be the one thing you need to make your company flourish? Time... Not enough hours in the day!

1 I can trap moles ,rabbits ,coyote,muskrat,mink, beaver I also have ladders on my truck . I target only the animal that causing the damage . Don't just put a trap on the ground, that has a credit card machine that goes cha ching every time the trap fires 2 born killer 3 retired auto workers that came out of them hills and coal mines to build cars 4 my two born killer sons get there drivers lic .

I have a lot of time invested with my two sons . I don't even drink . I would rather have good clean honest fun with my kids . We have hunted ,fished and trapped about every thing that walks flys or swims . I have also been very involed in there baseball and football . Some guys would rather just drink them selfs stupid every day , no thanks . I surly don't don't mix well with some people but that's fine with me . I have no wish to go around and pretend I'm from Disney land . Must be doing something right . Picked up a squirrel job yesterday in oak park . The people had called the city first and the city gave them my number . Oakpark is a major city . Mostly squirrels and Rats .

1) Fantastic people (no offense to competitors).
2) Best in class, great team.
3) Residential customers that desire top service, rather than cheapest price.
4) Not a thing...just need to settle down into the rhythm.

1) What makes your business any differently from your competitors?
I dont profit on fear! I try to educate my customer with as much widlife biology that i can and solve their problem at an affordable price!
2)What is your image and your companies image to your customer?
I am a down to earth guy! I can to talk to anybody about just about anything. I try to make the customer feel like a freind is doing work for them!
3)Who are your main clients or customers? ( There's a big difference).
I have mostly customers (residential)
4) What would be the one thing you need to make your company flourish?
More visability,more business knowledge and my competitors to go out of business! (just kidding!)

Holy cow! Lost 10 pounds! I oughtta give this WC stuff a try!

I like Steves #1 answer above. Although it is potentially harmful, some things come from a coons butt, not Chernobyl, and I think some customers are aware of this.