Pest managers can now download the Termite Register app to help build a picture of termite activity across the country – helping both homeowners and pest management professionals.
Every now and then someone envisages an innovation, which has the potential to revolutionise an industry. With the courage of his convictions, Aaron Vilinskis followed through on his idea and after several years of dedicated work, the Termite Register was on the market.
When Mr Vilinskis chose to retrain and move into the pest control industry after many years as a small business owner, his entrepreneurial mind spotted an opportunity. He quickly became interested in the possibility of creating a system that would work to collectively save homeowners millions of dollars each year, from potentially damaging termite infestations.
“Most homeowners find out they have termites when it is too late, and costly treatments or repairs are required. State-of-the-art equipment can locate the problem, but only once the termites are present and only if you know where to look,” said Mr Vilinskis.
After beginning work as a pest controller and talking with other licensed operators, he had a brainwave. “What if there was a way to alert homeowners, that termites have attacked property in the surrounding area? This would give them the opportunity to have their home inspected and take action, before they are hit by the damage repair costs and emotional stress of a termite attack on their property.”
Such a system now exists, known as the Termite Register, a free platform for property owners which forewarns them when their building may be at risk of termite attack, and which can be easily accessed by smartphone, computer or tablet.
The sign up of both property owners and pest control companies is critical to making the Termite Register a success.
How it works
After completing a termite inspection/treatment job, the pest manager accesses the Termite Register App, confirms the address details (which are not disclosed), and with the push of a button sends an alert to all registered homeowners within the threat radius of the infestation location.
Upon receiving an alert (accompanied by the relevant pest manager’s company eCard), homeowners can call or email to arrange an inspection of their property.
Homeowners in the system also have the ability to search locations and identify the termite risk in a particular area prior to purchasing a property. The application enables users to access a list of termite alerts within the threat radius of the searched address. Alerts are visible for up to three years from the date the inspection report is logged.
Termite Register enables pest control companies to market their business, in the areas that they work, to clients who are concerned about termite damage and infestation.
Growing the market
The Termite Register, which has secured patents in multiple countries, was introduced to the industry last year with presentations at roadshows and conferences in Australia and also at PestWorld in Seattle, USA.
The launch has included television, newspaper articles and social media advertising to make homeowners aware of this free tool to help protect their home. The development and rollout of the Termite Register is ongoing. Initial advertising has created awareness amongst homeowners of the importance of alarming their properties, and has led to an increasing number of users downloading the free app.
“Signing up a large number of pest control companies is the second critical component of the Termite Register process. This will see the Termite Register reach its full potential as termite companies record inspections / treatments and the alerts get sent to other homeowners in the area.
“The benefits to pest control companies are multi faceted, but most importantly provide their company details to people within the threat radius (typically 500 metres) of infestations they have identified and are treating. Pest controllers can identify patterns in infestations and target marketing to areas of need.”
Already the Termite Register has enabled enhanced market growth for businesses using the system.
Mr Vilinskis has also garnered strong industry support to develop and promote Termite Register as an innovation, which has secured support from the federal, state and local government agencies. Working contracts have been established with local government areas – many of which are currently not declared termite prone areas.
Mr Vilinskis believes this is an innovation for the whole industry to get behind, “As it not only delivers potential new customers to registered pest control companies, but often these are customers new to the pest control industry, delivering overall growth to the pest control market.”
The Termite Register offers a range of benefits to the pest industry:
- Registration is only open to fully qualified and licensed pest technicians
- Termite Register is an industry wide tool, independent of any one stakeholder within the industry
- Aggregate industry wide data can assist in identifying termite prone areas, which upon being so declared by government agencies, leads to new pre construction markets for the industry
- Enables expansion into the markets of post construction work and pre purchase inspections
- Promotes discussion and awareness of the huge and often unrecognised danger of termite attack, leading to increases in customers booking termite inspections and other pest related treatments.
“It really is in the interests of the pest control industry to act now! Please visit our website or contact the Termite Register directly, to learn more about the system and how it can benefit your business and the industry,” concluded Mr Vilinskis.
The app is available to download from Google Play and the App Store.
