Investing In Technology Is A Must For Pest Control Organizations

Online, July 26, 2011 (Newswire.com) - Bill Gates once said, "Information technology and business are becoming inextricably interwoven. I don't think anybody can talk meaningfully about one without talking about the other." In today's technology-driven world, this is true for all types of business.

Twenty years ago, when business-owners and managers talked about a visual routing system for their field service team, it meant providing them with a street map, while a lucky few also received lunch box-size cell phones. Fifteen years ago, an invoicing system meant having invoices printed and sending them out to clients by snail mail. Ten years ago, marketing mainly involved television, radio, and print ads. Jump to the year 2011, where field service specialists are now equipped with mobile phones or tablets that are internet-ready and have mapping software, where electronic invoices and receipts are now sent by email, and where an integral part of marketing is having some kind of online presence.

Just how important is technology to the success of businesses today? Consider the fact that in 2010, every news platform except the internet saw audiences either plateau or decline (Pew Project for Excellence in Journalism, "State of the News Media, 2011"). In fact, Pew data showed that the number of adults who got their news from an online source grew by 17.1% between 2009 and 2010. This tells us that businesses must now shift their marketing mix from traditional media and focus on the media platforms most often used by their consumer. Businesses that do not adjust will most probably be left behind by competitors who adapt easily to the new age of online information.

And if asked again just how important is technology to the success of businesses today? It is important enough that Barbara Jorgensen of ebnonline.com wrote, "In a recent poll of more than 2,000 small business owners, Portfolio.com found that 37 percent of SMB owners have used a smartphone or a PDA in the past year, an increase of 10 percent over 2010. When asked about iPads and apps, 9 percent responded that they have used an iPad, and 31 percent responded that they used apps for business." What does this tell us? This tells us that technology has certainly changed the way business is being done, making them more streamlined and efficient. In the age of gizmos and gadgets, having cell phones or tablets to stay in touch with clients and coworkers have become the rule rather than the exception.

How about for field-service organizations like pest management and lawn management companies? How important is technology to the success of these businesses? Important enough for ServicePro.net, developers of ServSuite.net, one of the most popular and powerful pest control industry software solutions around (http://www.pestcontrolsoftware.net/), and ServBasic, one of the simplest and value-rich service industry software solutions available (http://servbasic.com/), to make this the topic for a panel discussion during this year's ServSuite University. ServSuite University is an annually-held, three-day seminar that allows business owners, office managers and field managers to learn everything they need to know about the ServSuite.net software solution, allowing them to run their pest control organization at the highest level. Participants of the ServSuite University not only learn from ServicePro.net speakers, but also from other fellow PCO operators and managers. This also gives non-users the opportunity to find out why so many pest control companies choose ServSuite.net as their partner in operating and growing their business.

Again, it is asked just how important is technology to the success of service industry businesses today? It is so important that Andy Deering, COO of ServicePro.net, stated, "Technology is an expectation of consumers in the market place today. Clients feel a sense of satisfaction when their service company operates under the cutting edge." To be at the cutting edge of technology is something customers are not only hoping for, but expect from a modern-day business. It is no longer a 'nice to have', but has become a 'need to have' in order for a business to compete with others and succeed. Things like a professional-looking website and accepting online payment have become a staple for most businesses. But for service-oriented businesses, having a schedule management and account management software is also a must in order to run an efficient and successful operation.

With more and more businesses using different office management software and hardware, mobile communication devices, and the internet to grow their sales and simplify their operations, it might be time to ask the same questions and see if your business is using today's technology to its fullest extent. To find out more about ServicePro.net's ServSuite University or about the ServSuite software, please email [email protected] or call (614) 874-4300.