Beyond the Sale

Community involvement and ethical business practices aren’t just about doing what’s right—they fundamentally shape how clients perceive and interact with your company, transforming client experiences. 

Thomas A. Barstow

As a national company, Moxie Pest Control reaches into communities from coast to coast, employing more than 1,500 workers who include field experts and support staff in 30 major markets. Beyond providing pest control services, at its heart, the company is all about serving local communities, says Daniel Headrick, chief operating officer. 

“We believe that strong local roots create strong client relationships,” Headrick says. “Whether it’s sponsoring youth sports teams, organizing volunteer efforts, or participating in local events, we make a point to show up and give back.”

At Moxie and other pest control companies, community involvement and ethical treatment of clients and employees run deep through their operations. Their approach is about more than just trying to increase sales; it is about building trust.

“People see that we’re invested in more than just business—we’re part of the community fabric,” Headrick says. “Moxie’s mission is to improve the quality of life for our customers, team members, and the communities we serve. That mission drives our day-to-day work.”

SETTING A TONE

As a small-business owner, Sarah Miller has about 13 workers at Armed Force Pest Control in Lake County, California.

“To me, a company that operates with strong ethical standards—including fair treatment of employees, fair marketing practices, and who conducts business in a trustworthy and reliable way—will earn a good reputation,” Miller says. “And we have done that. We engage with all customers and listen to and solve any concerns.”

Building a strong brand reputation takes dedication and deliberation, says Julie Tesh-Clark, director of marketing and communications at Pest Management Systems Inc. (PMi), based in Greensboro, North Carolina. 

“It’s not something that happens overnight. It’s not just about giving money to organizations but having a presence with them,” Tesh-Clark says about her company. PMi has about 80 workers, with more added during the busy seasons. “There are so many wonderful local, state, and national organizations that help make a difference in so many people’s lives, and we are honored to work with those that impact our community.”

That approach is true beyond her company, Tesh-Clark says, noting that NPMA encourages its members to be involved in their communities.

“Overall, our industry has a wonderful brand reputation for doing good for others and taking care of people,” Tesh-Clark says. “That’s what it’s all about—taking care of people. It doesn’t hurt to have your logo and company forward-facing as much as you can, but just doing the right thing helps more than people realize.”

EDUCATION AS A MISSION

Taking care of people also includes educating the public, even when it doesn’t lead to immediate sales. Routine educational efforts are important because people often don’t understand the industry’s broad impact. “There is so much room for education and safety,” Tesh-Clark says. “[For example,] we team up with local television and radio stations to talk about what we do and use it as education on pest control as a service to the community. The narrative has changed, and now we always communicate that we are the protectors of health and property. … That type of interaction and education is priceless when it comes to showcasing all that we actually do as an industry.”

That service extends to pitching in at career fairs at high schools, trade schools, and universities. “Our on-staff entomologist, Dr. Lucas Carnohan, does a great job of showing people that there is so much in this field to learn and how to apply the knowledge,” Tesh-Clark says. “Eventually, doing these little things in and around our service areas and communities will create new clients and new accounts that appreciate how we care for them, the environment, our team, and our community as well.”

At Moxie, company workers freely give advice about pest control, knowing that the lessons might not lead to new clients. For example, Moxie publishes blogs, social media, and seasonal pest guides that can help homeowners understand what to look for and how to protect their homes—even if they’re not using the company’s services, Headrick says.

“It’s part of our broader mission to improve quality of life, not just close sales,” he adds. 

EMPHASIS ON TRAINING

To establish a solid reputation and to ensure consistency with the messaging, it takes effort and training within companies. 

Moxie invests heavily in training and development so that workers inside and outside the office not only know how to solve problems but also treat clients with empathy and professionalism, Headrick says. 
“A big part of our success and ethical culture stems from how we treat our team,” he says. “We have a heavy focus on mentorship, leadership development, and personal growth, which helps us attract and retain people who genuinely care—and that shows up in our client experience. Our goal is that any person who works with us leaves better than when they came to us.”

Ethical guidelines need to be part of a company’s formal mission statements or formal policies. While Moxie’s clients might not read a formal ethics document, they experience company ethics when its technicians interact with them through honest recommendations and using contract verification software to ensure they understand agreements.

“Ethical behavior is built into the way we operate. Internally, we lead with clear expectations, open communication, and accountability,” Headrick says. “Our efforts are to ensure that every team member knows what’s expected and is empowered to do the right thing. Externally, it shows up in how we handle everything from door-to-door interactions to resolving service concerns.”

Clients and potential customers can tell when a company is genuine, and transparency and consistency are what build lasting trust, he adds.

“Moxie’s values—like integrity, kindness, and doing the right thing—are more than just words on a wall,” Headrick says. “They’re actively reinforced in training, embedded into our hiring process, and reflected in how we treat both customers and co-workers.”

Miller’s company also has a formal ethics policy. “It encompasses our core values, compliance with laws, conflicts of interest, workplace conduct, confidentiality and insider trading, reporting violations, accountability and enforcement, and commitment to ethical business practices,” she says.

Miller approaches ethics from the perspective that she wants every client’s home or business to be as pest free as she would want her own property. “Conducting business in that way builds brand reputation,” Miller says. “The ‘do as I say, not as I do’ attitude doesn’t happen here.”

That means establishing clear ethical standards, having open dialogue and transparency, and training workers. The company also recognizes ethical and good behaviors and work practices. “I always try to reward positive behavior, rather than just pointing out the negative,” Miller says. “Honesty and transparency in all aspects, always. To err is human, and that is OK. To lie about it is not.”

At PMi, ethics are part of the company handbook and are overtly displayed in the company’s headquarters.

“It is in a frame in our front office where customers sometimes pop in,” Tesh-Clark says. But actions speak louder than words, she adds. “We believe that communicating this to them might not be in writing or directly in words but showing them with our actions.”

REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES 

Formal training and policies offer guidance when clients have a problem and need a resolution. Well-trained workers will seek solutions that keep a company’s reputation intact.

Headrick recalls a client who called in to question being charged for a service that they thought had been canceled. “Rather than deflect blame, our team immediately took responsibility, refunded the service, and followed up with a handwritten apology,” Headrick says. “That client ended up staying with us—even referring their neighbor—because of how we handled it. Our values guided us to prioritize people over process, and that made all the difference.”

Training also helps if a client asks a technician to bend the rules or requests something unethical.

Miller recalls someone who asked a technician to falsify a wood-destroying organism inspection. “Of course we did not do it. What if you were the buyer of the home and not the dishonest seller?” Miller says. “Would you be OK with the situation in reverse? If the answer is no, don’t do it.”

That line of thinking runs through PMi as well. “That saying—‘Treat others as you would like to be treated’—that is how we operate,” Tesh-Clark says. “There is an understanding that we serve others, and we are here to serve our clients and our community. We show that we are trustworthy, compassionate, go the extra mile, and we are dependable.

“Actions do speak louder than words, so demonstrating these values in our business helps build trust.”

Ultimately, pest control operations are about giving people peace of mind, Headrick says. “We take that responsibility seriously. Whether someone is a client or not, we want to leave things better than we found them. We earn the right to be in business every day by how well we take care of our clients.” 

Community Connection: Building Goodwill in Your Service Area

At PMi, Julie Tesh-Clark takes a practical approach to community involvement, which can strengthen client relationships and trust while enhancing a company’s reputation. “We have really changed the way that our company is viewed with an emphasis on giving back, not just through organizations but through our clients and our team,” says Tesh-Clark. “It’s a vibrant part of our work and a vital part of our mission.”

Here are a few tips on how you can best connect with your community:

Identify worthy projects: Each year, Tesh-Clark budgets money for events, organizations, and donations. “You name it,” she says. “We have worked with several amazing organizations that help our community. We not only give money, but we also give our time.”

Track your efforts: Companies should track how they give back to their communities. “It’s important to know where those dollars you give or where the time you give is being spent,” she says. “Get all the information to make wise decisions as you make plans to help.”

Get workers involved: It is important for team members to get out and see the impact they have when helping people in their communities. At PMi, workers pitch in at events such as building a home with Habitat for Humanity. Or they participate in local organizations and associations, such as real estate and builder groups and service clubs like the Rotary Club. “All of these groups focus on team-building and helping others, so they are valuable connections that are impactful.”

Recognize the marketing rewards: There is value in posting on social media or sending news releases about what your company does in a community. “It’s something to be proud of that you give back, so you should let others know the good you are doing,” Tesh-Clark says. “All it takes is one person to make a difference and to show others the power they have to make a difference.”

Recognize it’s a two-way street: The rewards of successful interactions go both ways. “Our purpose is to help others, to make a difference where we live and work, and we have been fortunate to have learned so much from the organizations that we have been working with,” she says. “It has left such a mark on our hearts that it’s hard to not keep up these efforts when you see the difference you really can make and that we can all make together.”

Doing the right thing is its own reward: “It’s simple,” Tesh-Clark says. “People want to do business with people who help others and give back—I know I do.”