[New Products] Building a Better Mousetrap

New ideas can be born from necessity. They also can be born out of sheer luck but many times they come about because an individual displays the entrepreneurial spirit and acts on an opportunity.

Veteran Oldham Chemicals Equipment Manager Ellis Jones saw an opportunity while he was working with SnugTop, a leading manufacturer of commercial and recreational truck toppers, on a fleet equipment retrofit project with a large pest control customer involving more than 500 vehicles.

“We worked as a team on the project and the client was very satisfied with the results so after completion SnugTop called and suggested we put together a program for the entire industry,” says Jones.

To complement the partnership Jones reached out to Toyota, whose Tacoma pickup is a popular choice for pest and lawn care professionals, and custom truck “upfitter” Knapheide. The foursome agreed there was an opportunity to develop a program that would allow industry professionals to buy or lease a fully-equipped truck with fewer hassles and greater financial efficiency.

“The goal was to work out a plan that would work for the guy with three trucks or 5,000 trucks,” says Jones. “They can order anywhere, pick up locally and enjoy the benefits of volume pricing.”
 

Why the need?

Jones says owners or fleet managers in the pest management and lawn care industries are asked to wear many hats and that the program’s objective is to help remove the barriers between the various vendors — whether financial or logistical.

“By working together we take advantage of the synergies each organization offers and are able answer buyers’ questions faster, resolve issues quicker and present them with options they did not know were available,” says Jones.

The normal process of buying or leasing trucks and outfitting them with spray rigs and caps, starts with a visit to the local truck dealer to select the vehicle. From there the truck cap and spray rig is ordered and shipped from separate suppliers — at a substantial cost — to the truck dealer or a local installer who will finish the job.

Under the Oldham plan, pest and lawn care professionals can order their truck as well as the cap and spray rig, have it professionally installed and delivered to their local Toyota dealer without incurring additional shipping charges.

“We set out to streamline the process and make it easier for everyone involved and by using Toyota’s dealer ship-through program we can greatly reduce costly shipping charges for the buyer,” says Jones.

Another important benefit is that buyers can lease or finance their purchase as a complete package — Toyota truck, spray rig, truck topper and installation.

The flexible financing elements of the program are especially valuable for small companies that can avoid having to make a large capital outlay and in the process free up valuable cash flow that can be used in other areas of the business.

For larger companies staying on top of fleet and equipment maintenance issues and improving operational efficiencies are important benchmarks.
 

Streamlining the process.

Jones says the program was rolled out at NPMA’s recent PestWorld tradeshow and eliminates confusion over what type of sprayer to purchase by offering three versatile units. By identifying the most commonly used units, pest management and lawn care professionals can keep maintenance costs in check.

“We spend a lot of time at Oldham handling equipment maintenance issues and see companies using a variety of equipment brands,” says Jones. “By streamlining the process companies do not have to buy and stock as many replacement parts and repairs are easier.”

The program is also designed to remove some of the barriers start-up companies face when looking to break into the pest management or lawn care field. By guiding industry newcomers through the equipment selection process and offering attractive financing options, start-up operations can hit the ground running faster and with less debt.

Customer reaction to the program has been positive and after hearing the details, owners and fleet managers who had previously been buying and installing trucks and rigs piecemeal are “getting” the advantages of the new offering.

Another noteworthy benefit of the program is the positive impact it has on a company’s branding initiatives. And with service vehicles serving as mobile advertising platforms for companies, this aspect can’t be overlooked.

Having the installation done by one outfit provides consistency and uniformity in the look and functionality of each service vehicle,” says Jones. “This not only is a benefit to the technician but projects a positive image to consumers who sees the truck driving in their neighborhood.”

The author is a partner of B Communications, www.b-communications.com, an integrated communications/marketing firm. Email him at jfenner@giemedia.com.

For packages offered by Oldham Chemicals and its partners, see below.

For More Information
If you are interested in learning more about Oldham’s truck program, contact Ellis Jones at 800/888-5502 or ellisjones@oldhamchem.com.

Putting the Package Together

The packages Oldham Chemicals and its partners Toyota, SnugTop and Knapheide, have developed to assist pest management professionals expand, upgrade or better manage their truck fleets and spray rigs, are designed with simplicity and efficiency in mind.

The packages offer pest management and lawn care fleet managers three versatile spray rig options to match a variety of application requirements and all include a professionally installed SnugPro CHU Topper.

“The three packages that are offered are universal and match the needs of 85 percent of our customers and provide them with maximum flexibility for a variety of applications,” says Oldham Chemicals’ Ellis Jones.
 

Package #1
Designed for perimeter pest control.

• SnugPro CHU Topper
• 25-gallon sprayer 1.8 GPM Shurflo 12-volt pump
• 150 feet of 3/8-inch hose with Hannay electric reel with hose guide
• Spraying Systems #31 gunjet with three interchangeable tips (fan spray wand, adjustable cone jet wand and fire ant probe.

Package #2
Designed for perimeter pest control and light-duty termite work.

• SnugPro CHU Topper
• 40-gallon sprayer 3.6 GPM Shurflo 12-volt pump
• 300 feet of 3/8-inch hose with Hannay electric reel with hose guide
• Spraying Systems #31 gunjet with four interchangeable tips (fan spray wand, adjustable cone jet wand, fire ant probe, 18-inch termite treating rod for slab and soil treatments and 4 -inch void treating tip for brick veneer.

Package #3
Designed for perimeter pest, termite and mosquito control work.

• SnugPro CHU Topper
• 40-gallon gas rig with Hypro D252 twin diaphragm pump
• Honda 3hp gas engine
• 300 feet of 3/8-inch hose with Hannay electric reel with hose guide
• Green Garde GES Gun