Termite management made simple

Some pest controllers may shy away from the challenge of encouraging their customers to spend more on a better termite treatment. Not Curtis Thew, the Managing Director of Multipest in Brisbane. Curt and his team have been using Termidor HE as their treatment of choice since soon after it was launched in August, 2017. They did their first Termidor HE treatment the following week and he says the product has been selling itself ever since.

“We were one of the first companies in Brisbane to be trained in using Termidor HE and we took it on straight away,” Curt says. “And it’s easy to recommend because of the technology. Do you want the latest and greatest or the older version? We still do the odd Termidor Residual job for people who can’t afford the extra, but that’s a rarity.”

Curt says a lot of their customers have had preventative termite treatments – including with Termidor Residual – before, so they know the ‘classic’ formula can do the job, but are still happy to pay a little extra for the upgrade to the latest technology.

“I say to our customers, our number one priority is to provide quality products and service, especially when it comes to the termite protection for their home. Number two is carrying out a job that leaves our client’s property looking aesthetically pleasing, as if we were never there. Using Termidor HE, it is easy to achieve both those outcomes for all of our jobs.”

Multipest was the Australian Pest Manager of the Year for 2018/19, and making the switch to Termidor HE the previous year has contributed to their continued reputation as an award- winning company. Curt also credits BASF and the quality of their products with a role in the company’s success both before and after the win.
 
“My wife and I started Multipest over fourteen years ago and we’ve steadily grown the business to twelve employees. BASF have been with us from day one. Using BASF Products has really strengthened our business and generated a lot of referrals.”

It’s no coincidence that Multipest were among the first in line for training in Termidor HE. Curt takes every opportunity to expand both his own and his team’s skill-set, as well as their toolbox. “If you use products from a company with all the training and backing that BASF has, it goes a long way towards getting great results,” he says. “We’re not getting customer complaints and callbacks because things don’t tend to go wrong. If you choose to use generic products or cheaper options, that is where you run into problems, especially when it comes to termites.”

Curt appreciates the value of word-of-mouth referrals, but is equally conscious of the reputational damage disgruntled customers could cause. “At a barbecue, people are more inclined to tell others about their bad experiences rather than the good ones.” He’s confident all the barbecue discussions about Multipest and Termidor HE are, and will stay, very positive.

“We use Termidor HE for the majority of our jobs, not just the homes with tiles or pavers. If people do have tiles, of course we can reduce the number of holes using 400 or 450 millimetre spacings and that can mean less than half the holes around the whole house. So realistically, that reduces the risk of hitting pipes and cables by more than fifty per cent. Termidor HE also moves through the soil better. It doesn’t bubble up in the next hole, which can happen at 200 millimetre spacings, making it difficult to get the right amount of termiticide into the soil.”

While Curt can easily appreciate the advantages of a Termidor HE treatment from the customers’ perspective, he can also put on his Managing Director hat and see the benefits for his company. “The idea behind it is brilliant,” he enthuses. “Less labor and less wear and tear. You are not wearing out your equipment or your technicians, saving time on the job.” He says those early finishes give the team more time to get together to compare notes or carry out training and is a boost for the overall workplace morale. “Having a happy team of technicians goes a long way to ensuring professional service for all your clients.”