PPC117 | Opinion

At PestEx, a panel of digital pest control experts debated the merits of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and its use in pest management.

The panel was: 

• Scott Johnstone (Marketing, Technology and Communications Manager, BPCA)
• James Gilding (CEO, Vergo)
• Daniel Schroeer (Managing Director, Futura)
• Patrick Lynch (President, Bell Sensing Technologies).

SJ: Is technology, particularly artificial intelligence, going to replace technicians or reduce our workforce?

JG: No. We’re working with pests, with living creatures that are inherently unreliable and that don’t do what we want them to do. Tech will play a part in enhancing pest management, but we have to have a human there to react to changes that aren’t logical. We’re not replacing but enhancing.

I talk about AI freeing technicians up to do the job rather than checking bait boxes - giving them time back to give real service and professionalism to the customer.

There is a price for tech, but there is also the education element. It’s not the pest control company that will solve the pest problem; you’ve got to work in partnership with your customers.

PL: I look at construction because it’s a similar industry, very blue-collar and customer servicefocused, where productivity and safety are extremely valuable.

There have been some major advancements in construction tech, but there have not been fewer electricians, plumbers, etc, since those digital enhancements became available.

Those trades are working with highly advanced tech to be more productive and safer, which raises the industry as a whole. It’s a good example of how we, as an industry, can transform.

DS: I 100% agree. However, there are some grey areas, with some quite extreme ideas. I cannot say it’s not happening.

It’s very hard to get new technicians. We’ve seen a trend in North America and some parts of Europe where small companies want to replace up to 80% of their workforce with machines.

I think one factor is that you’ll have better tools. Digital and AI will become part of your toolbox, and the pest control technician will become an expert in the field over the next decade.

SJ: A huge part of the pest control workforce is set to retire over the next 10 years and there’s a huge gap in recruitment. We need to focus more on the fantastic career people can have in pest management.

SJ: How accessible are remote monitoring and smart technology for pest management? Do you need to be a huge company to take advantage of the latest tech?

DS: It’s one of the main things we’ve been working on over the last decade. The costs of it were tremendously high. It’s only been something for thought leaders with deep pockets or big clients such as food producers.

There’s a sweet spot in pricing – it’s a lot cheaper thanks to economies of scale, and it’s now becoming very accessible.

Everything is more usable, and so are the hardware products. The only thing I’ve seen much surprise about is the price – it’s drastically changed.

SJ: Early adapters have to be able to take a financial risk on a product, and that has left out some SMEs so far. But I think we’ll be seeing a
trend as prices come down that people are more willing to have a go.

JG: Tech has become more normalised. Other costs around alternatives to tech have continued to creep up. Those pressures and inflation make the tech alternative much more viable.

It’s available to all, and it’s very straightforward now to reach out to your market and start supporting your customer base with that tech.

The cost of tech is often for a point of use. All these techs, ChatGPT and WhatsApp, are free. I imagine we will see digitally enhanced cameras that link with AI products in the future.

SJ: We need to use it with our brains switched on. Small businesses that experiment will see the most gains; however, these products are brand new.

Their terms of service mean that you are potentially handing over data streams to external companies. You need to keep client data secure.

JG: Once you start to go commercial with these, you need to look at legislation such as GDPR. It tends to be a paid-for service. The benefit for larger companies is that we do have multiple people working in the back office, looking at trends and tipping points and adding real data to that.

SJ: If “Data is the new gold”, – how can pest management companies start mining all this gold to improve their profits?

PL: One of the things that’s always frustrating is the only thing you know from a bait station is whether a rodent has used it or not. For the first time, this type of tech will help gather that data and then analyse how your service is performing and where your service is performing well.

The biggest issue is if your customer is not cooperating with you. If customers leave food out on the floor, that’s an issue. You’ll be able to provide them with verified data that shows when and where rodents are coming.

You can talk to your customer about what’s happening on this day, at this time, that’s causing a spike in activity. Is it a delivery? A waste collection?

JG: Big data is the single biggest battleground moving forward. We’ve got the option to collect data, but what do we do with it? Trend analysis.

You can crosscorrelate with weather data, etc., to make that information useful, making it easier for techs to do their job to know where to go and when and to help deliver better pest management.

This gets to the heart of the professional pest industry. I don’t think we always get the credit as an emergency service. We want this to be a professional, high-standard technical role, and this might be what finally pushes the balance for us.

DS: Most of our customers make amazing things from their data, from categorisation and prioritisation directly linked to boxes on-site or using that to automate a mid-size pest control business.

Now is one of the best times to do this because many people have the knowledge and software. With AI and so many open services, people are enabling you as a small or medium-sized business to do whatever is best for you. Make it individual to you and your clients.

SJ: You can ask your data questions via AI – this has never been more accessible to you guys.

DS: I would say be careful with whom you share your data. I would also suggest testing things out, playing around, and taking your time.

JG: See what works in a safe environment, push through examples and see what you get. It will pay dividends in years to come. We want to be at the edge of what you bring to your customers.

SJ: What are the value and benefits to servicing companies? How do we talk about value to customers?

DS: Typically, AI tremendously increases the level of surveillance. You can spend way more time using the tech, proofing, working together on proofing, and dealing with hygiene issues. We’ve seen many market leaders share many customer success stories.

JG: Data collection creates certainty, and one of the challenges in the market is making sure jobs are done in a timely manner and in the right way.

Tech helps us understand better. How accurate is that annual recording? Smart data means an instant record added to a technician’s record makes a much stronger data trail, giving huge value to the end user.

Everything we do should be about creating a pest-free environment.

PL: When choosing which tech system to work with, ask how it works. How is data stored? How do they share the data, and is it protected? We are all here today to protect public health. We need to do a better job of making sure everyone understands the reason for our industry.

Anything that makes your technicians more efficient and allows them to use their skills and minds to better protect your customers and their property is going to be worth it.

DS: End customers are greeting this with more open arms than I’ve ever seen before. The food industry, especially, is demanding this of pest control businesses. Of course, it comes with a price.

SJ: In the next 3-4 years, what will be the most significant benefit for the end client?

PL: Working with the same technician. Our biggest issue is retaining our best people.

If you can train your technicians and give them tech that makes their lives easier, you’re far more likely to keep them in your industry and in your company.

If they’re dealing with the same person with the same logo, your customers are likely to be happy and want to continue to work with you.

JG: Technology will create a platform of data and understanding of your sites, so regardless of who turns up, it will feel like the same technician.

We’ll be able to capture data at multiple levels. I think that’s achievable within that three-year window.

The benefits from that investment are huge for us and our customer base.

DS: Being future-proof. It helps you to be independent. There’s talk of rules tightening around chemicals – but having the data will help technicians on the ground implement an IPM more effectively.