Modern Pest Services: A Family Affair

The politically active owners encourage others to join their efforts
Article Written By: Curt Harler



Photograph by Wes Hamel

The Stevenson brothers - Scott, Douglas and Richard - are in charge of Brunswick, Maine-based Modern Pest Services , a third-generation business that grew from a small ope rat ion to one of the largest in New England. In fact, it made Pest Control Technology’s Top 100 list, clocking in at No. 63 in 2006. "I was brainwashed by my father and grandfather at a very young age;’ teases Scott Stevenson, Modern ‘s director of technical operations. "By second grade, I knew I wanted to join the family business. I found the stories my father and grandfather would tell about work very entertaining. Even the problems they faced in running the ir own businesses seemed like fun to try to solve:’ From age 14 through college, Scott worked summers and after school in many capacities at Modern. After graduating college in 1990, he went straight to work in the business. "I graduated on a Sat ur day, and Monday I 12 Pest Management Insights Winter 2006 From left, brothers Scott, Richard and Douglas Stevenson are in charge of Modern Pest Services in Maine. was at Modern;’ he recalls. But for middle brother, Doug, there was a bit of a detour along the career path. "I wanted to experience working on the outside of the family business for a bit, which I did;’ explains Doug, who today is Modern ‘s director of administration. "For me it was a good experience to be in an environment where my last name was not a competitive advantage to my career:’ Like Scott, Rich Stevenson got involved directly. "But I had several part-time jobs through school an d college to keep things interesting. Rich was a meat room worker, bus-boy, dishwasher, bartender and handyman. He even co-founded a tree-removal business with a friend during college. Today he is Modern ‘s technical director.

Politically charged

Modern has been politically active for a long time. Their father, Richard Stevenson, Sr. and other Maine pest management professionals put in long hours with the local political scene to ensure their voices were heard. His sons are continuing the tradition . "I recently had the privilege of being appointed to the Maine Board of Pesticides Control, but even that is not enough;’ Rich says. His advice: If you plan on retiring as a PMP, get involved and start letting the rest of the world know just how important and esential the profession is. "There is a constant flow of activists who don’t care whether you r business succeeds or fails;’ Rich adds. "New people are being elected or appointed as regulators. Who do you want these new regultors to get information from - you or the folks who don’t care about your business?" Both of Rich’s brothers agree. "If we let down our guard, we would be dealing with legislation that is not only unreasonable, but that could threaten our ability to provide a necessary service to om clients;’ Doug says. Rich subscribes to the National Pest Management Association’s theory that a rising tide will lift all boats - "at least the ones without holes;’ he quips. "We get a chance to show regulators, businesses, associations and the public that we really are professionals, so we get their call when they need a PMP. You can also build trust and value by keeping your present clients up-to-date regarding regulations that affect them. There is a perso na l benefit, also. It can be a learning experience an d an opportunity to expand your comfort zone;’ Rich notes the return from a good public image comes when a larger percent of the public puts their trust in professionals and makes the decision to hire a professional rather than doing it themselves. "Those companies that do not work on their image will soon find themselves under the keel of those that rose with the rising tide;’ he says.

Community involvement

In early October, the town of Richmond, Maine, had a relatively small population of rats enter a local school. Modem answered the call. There were several local newspaper and TV reports on the subject. It even made news in a national magazine. It also caught the attention of Maine’s Board of Pesticides Control, Department of Human Services and the Maine Center for Disease Control. "This is a great example of just how quickly a situation can become explosive;’ Rich points out. "Modern is not mentioned much, but in a situation like this, that can be a good thing;’ There was an open-forum meeting held on the rat issue. Modern was invited to answer questions from the public . When Rich pulled into the school parking lot and saw all the cars, he said to himself, "Man, I hope there’s a soccer game going on;’ Yet comments from both school administrators and parents showed true concern about the infestation. Before the meeting, an administrator said , "Don’t worry, Modern has a good reputation and I think these folks will trust your opinion;’ Other comments from parents were along the lines of, "Thank you for your help " and "Keep up the good work" - welcomed sentiments for the Modern crew.

Build your image

You might say the Stevenson family motto is "get professional;’ as Scott says . "I don’t like being called the ‘bug guy’ - so at Modern that image is long gone;’ "Put your team into uniforms and company vehicles that look sharp;’ Scott continues. "Give your team up-to-date equipment and have them take care of it. Have your paperwork and marketing materials up dat ed. Look at other successful businesses, not just in our industry, and consider doing what they do . In business school, they call it ‘corporate borrowing." Doug adds that learning what your client expects and values is also key. "Be aware that your clients’ perception needs to be your reality, and then formulate the image you wish to project; ‘ he says. "Get feedback on client perception to confirm that the projected image is accurate, and then live your image." Lastly, don’t forget to provide extra learning materials and opportunities for your team. "Talk them up, and make sure your team has easy access to them ;’ Rich says. "Join NPMA, along with your local pest management association;’ Scott says . "Attend meetings and become involved. There are a lot of really intelligent people in this industry who are willing to share information and their experiences. Become friends with them and learn from them. You’ll not only learn great stuff, you’ll also meet some great people who love pest management as much as you do, he concludes.

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