Background
- Headquarters: Guilford, CT
- PCT Top 100: #75
- # Employees: 65
An Idea Becomes a Company
Being the new kids on the pest industry block hasn’t stopped Certus Pest Control from becoming big players. Established in 2019 by Mike Givlin, former Vice President of North America at Anticimex, Certus aims to become a Top 10 company within the ‘PCT 100’ in the next few years and with the speed at which Certus is acquiring regional pest control owner-operators, reaching the top 10 in the near future, doesn’t seem impossible, but rather highly probable.
During his tenure at Anticimex, Mike oversaw their entry into North America, helping drive Anticimex’s acquisition-focused growth to well over $100 million in revenue. It was during a momentary departure from the industry, however, that the idea for a new kind of pest control company began taking form in Mike’s mind. He liked the idea of partnering with like-minded pest control entrepreneurs to support their ambitions with both financing and experience and with that determination, Mike has secured Certus a place at the proverbial pest table.
The Realities of Expansion
However, establishing and expanding a new company doesn’t come without challenges particularly during a year filled with unprecedented circumstances. As Certus began growing its multiple geographical markets, which it refers to as districts, some locations needed additional support to ensure the staff could efficiently complete their jobs. The districts each experienced unique difficulties, especially when lockdowns began this spring during the coronavirus outbreak.
Being familiar with the benefits and services of Slingshot as they are partnered with multiple Anticimex brands, Givlin began utilizing their 24/7 customer support solutions in an effort to navigate the typical obstacles that arise with seasonal industries such as pest as well as the added complications faced while the pandemic forced life and business to a near halt.
Always Covered, No Matter What
Jen Coker, Customer Care Director of the Pacific Northwest Market for Certus, spoke to the experience of managing her district in partnership with Slingshot. “For each district, it’s been a little bit different,” Coker said. “Slingshot came in handy the most when we had home staffing issues. We knew Slingshot was there to continue answering our phone calls and ensure we didn’t have any missed opportunities when staff could not be in the physical office.”
Because Slingshot agents are available after hours, weekends and during times of overflow, Certus did not miss a single call or inquiry during the onset of the pandemic. They were able to continue managing the growth of the business, even when not in the office. Coker says her team plans to continue using Slingshot’s support for busy seasons and on weekends, as well as for unexpected crises or power outages. “With Slingshot,” she says, “You’re always covered, no matter what is happening at your physical location.”
The details of Slingshot’s customer service platform reveal the secret to their success in helping Certus grow in their respective markets. Features like texting and webchat have been crucial for responding to customer requests and inquiries. Their Seattle location in particular saw an uptick in web traffic and interactions on their site, something that was not traceable prior to using Slingshot. “It opened doors for some of the offices in the Seattle district because they never before were able to have webchat set up on their site. Now that is something they can offer because of Slingshot.” Coker says.
Another Long-standing Partnership
Partners willing to adapt to the changing needs and requests of an evolving organization are vital. Slingshot has been that for Certus. “I see that, as Certus and Slingshot both continue to grow in the pest control industry, this could be a long-standing partnership, simply based on the openness and willingness of the Slingshot team to learn and grow with Certus,” predicts Coker.
With the company’s homepage greeting, “Welcome to Certus: The evolution of pest control,” it’s clear these guys have a new perspective on an old business. And while they aspire to create and implement new methods of pest control and pest control management, the tried and true fundamentals of adaptability, determination, and collaboration with worthy partners will see them through to their ultimate goal of “continuing to evolve and improve both our business and those of our partners.”
By the Numbers
- Interactions:10,279
- ROI: 511%
- New Potential Customers: Approx 2000
