What’s scarier–a wasp nest in an apple tree or a series of one-star reviews left by customers on Google? For a pest control pro, the insects are a walk in the park–the real beast that needs taming is your online reputation management. Your rep IS your business, especially as a home service provider whose clients trust you to protect their homes, their families, and their peace of mind. Poor reviews and one-star ratings don’t have to be so intimidating–they don’t bite or sting! They can interfere with your professional life, but here’s the kicker: your reputation isn’t as fragile as it seems. Most customers aren’t discouraged by a couple of one-off negative comments.
Whether a single loud complaint buzzing in your ears or a pattern of negativity causing concern, you have both proactive and reactive strategies at your disposal. Implementing a review management and response plan will help you both protect the high-quality home service brand you’ve built and strengthen and grow it. Unlike with pests, we may not be able to eliminate bad reviews, but we can certainly control their impact.
Review Radar: Pest Control Directories and Ratings Hotspots
You know how to spot a wasp nest or an ant hill on a property, but do you know where your reviews are hiding? Some review hubs are no-brainers (Google, YellowPages, Yelp)–front and center–but others are tucked away in less obvious apps like NextDoor and Angi (formerly Angie’s List). Let’s track down every corner of the web where your services have a reputation:
- Google Business
- When you Google your brand name, you should see your company result somewhere on page 1, if not as the first organic result. If you have multiple locations in a region, you may see a map feature visualizing them. If the search query was submitted near your business location, you’ll also see your Google Business listing on the righthand side of the SERP–your address, hours, crowd meter, photos, and reviews and ratings.
- When a user searches for or selects your company on Google Maps, the knowledge panel that populates is also pulled from Google Business. 5-star ratings and positive reviews on Google drive more clicks to your site and boost your ranking on the SERP and Maps.
- Yelp, Angi, and Other Home Services Directories
- Yelp is just as popular as ever–a Yelp study found that 90% of web users go to Yelp to compare businesses before deciding which to contact. It’s become a go-to platform for homeowners in need of reliable home services providers. Ratings and reviews hold especially heavy weight when folks are dealing with vulnerable, urgent issues like pest invasions. Maintain an up-to-date business profile and strong brand presence, monitor ratings, and respond to reviews to show potential customers you’re engaged and reliable.
- Angi (formerly Angie’s List), a platform tailor-made for users seeking home services, is another important local directory for pest control professionals. As with Yelp, it’s important to maintain accurate business hours and information, keep logos and photos up-to-date, and regularly monitor and respond to reviews on the platform. Users on Angi are ready to take action, so it’s worthwhile to show these leads that you’re not just another exterminator—you’re highly engaged and committed to delivering top-notch customer service.
- Facebook
- While some social media sites may have formal review sections for your business, all of these sites collect informal community chatter and act as hubs for recommendations, questions, and news of local interest. Facebook is likely the most relevant platform for small businesses with relatively local service regions–maintaining a stellar reputation wherever your leads are most active is key to growing your customer base. Respond to both good and bad reviews and regularly engage with customers and commenters to demonstrate your commitment to top-notch service and turn satisfied clients into loyal advocates.
Building Buzz With Ratings and Reviews
Like bees and honey, ratings and reviews often go hand-in-hand–but not always. Users may leave ratings with no additional review or commentary–providing a high-level peek into the quality of service, but ratings alone don’t tell the full story. Detailed reviews left by identifiable humans (read: non-bots) really draw users in and spotlight what makes your pest control services stand out. It’s the combination of these two modules that counts–BrightLocal found earlier this year (2024) that businesses with an average rating of 4 stars or higher rake in over 30% more revenue compared to those with lower ratings. So, it’s not just about getting stars or juicy, detailed reviews–it’s about maintaining an overall clean, caring, and engaged online reputation that turn curious clickers into loyal customers.
Safety in Numbers: The More Ratings, The Merrier
Google Business ratings are those first ratings and reviews visible on the SERP when Googling your brand–your averager here is an aggregate of star ratings left on the Google platform (either through GB or in Maps). A higher volume of positive ratings results in a strong overally average while minimizing the impact of any 1 or 2 star reviews. More ratings overall provide a buffer around your average and give you the space to weather the occasional storm.
Why Real Reviews Matter
Ratings give a quick snapshot, but reviews reveal a fuller picture of your service. In the pest control industry, where customer interactions are direct and personal, detailed reviews from identifiable clients offer invaluable insights to leads. Positive reviews can showcase your strengths and build brand trust, boosting your services, while negative ones highlight areas for improvement and opportunities to elevate. Whether glowing praise or constructive criticism, reviews should never go ignored, unless clearly left by bots or spam accounts. According to BrightLocal, customers now trust reviews from named users more than those from anonymous accounts, showing a notable shift in preference compared to previous years.
We’ve Got It Covered: Customer Care Around Every Corner
So you’re bugging out over a negative review (or a few). Before you break out the heavy-duty gear, take a step back and remember—your pest control clients aren’t just looking for a quick fix, they’re looking for someone they can trust to protect their home and family. Show your customers that you lead with empathy and understanding by consistently responding in a professional and personal tone. No matter the content of the review, your clients should feel heard and valued.
What causes someone to leave a bad review? The obvious answer is negative experiences, but we like to think that it’s often just a misaligning of expectations. The customer who is disappointed enough to write a paragraph about it likely expected a different or more robust service than was received. Maybe they expected something entirely outside of what you even offer. To prevent as many of these instances as possible, set clear expectations from the moment a user gains awareness of your brand–give clear information about inspections and services, cost breakdowns, and detailed agreements. And if a review still stings. remember: you’ve got the tools to handle it, no extermination required.
Reviews That Deserve Responses
- Service Quality Complaints
- These reviews express dissatisfaction with the quality of services you provided for a real client–maybe the source of the infestation was not eradicated, or the treatment left an unexpected residue around the infested areas. Ideally, you’d identify and resolve any issues before technicians leave the property–good communication onsite is key. If a complaint does go digital, directly offer a solution or follow-up service that would immediately help the customer or address the problem.
- Example: We’re sorry to hear we didn’t meet your expectations. We want every customer to feel safe and pest-free. We’d be happy to send a technician back to your property to ensure your pest problem is fully resolved at no extra charge–give us a call!
- Example: Thank you for bringing this to our attention. We apologize for any inconvenience caused by our pest treatments, and we want to make it right. Our team would like to to offer a comprehensive follow-up visit–give us a call.
- Customer Service Complaints
- These reviews focus on the attitude and professionalism of your staff–technicians, intake professionals, and any other staff the customer interacted with from consultation to completion of service–and may even mention staff members by name. If you’re seeing a pattern of complaints about a weak point in the sales or service process, address that bottleneck and address the customers directly, assuring them that their experiences are heard and held in serious regard.
- Example: We’re sorry to hear about your experience with our team. We pride ourselves on professionalism and customer care, and it seems we fell short this time. We’re addressing this internally and would love the opportunity to make things right with you–please reach out to us at [phone number].
- Example: Thank you for bringing this issue to our attention. We apologize for any frustration this process has caused you. We’re working to ensure all team members provide the best possible service and prioritize customer needs. We appreciate your honest feedback and will continue to improve our services.
- Pricing Complaints
- This is another issue that you’d ideally resolve before service even begins–most pricing complaints that make it to Google and review platforms are miscommunications. Try to prevent misunderstandings about cost expectations during the consultation period. Clearly lay out your company’s pricing structure and ask customers specific questions about their budgets. Some reviews may reveal that a customer found unexpected charges or fees associated with their service–acknowledge these complaints directly and offer phone or face time to get to the core of the issue.
- Example: Thank you for your feedback. We apologize for any confusion about our pricing–we strive to be transparent and fair. If you think you’ve been unfairly charged, we’d be happy to chat and figure out how to make it right–give us a call!
- Example: We’re sorry to hear about your concerns but appreciate the feedback. We strive for total cost transparency. Let’s review your billing details together and find a solution–give us a call!
Taking It Offline
Sometimes a reply just won’t cut it! While we’re not telling you to grab a boombox and stand outside your customers’ windows, we are suggesting that bigger issues call for grander gestures. One-on-one conversations are usually more effective—and less stressful for you—than a back-and-forth on a public forum. Whenever possible, take the discussion offline to find the roots of and resolve issues more quickly.
And if things still don’t go as planned? If both sides remain firm in their positions? As you well know as a home services provider, customer care is the key to your success, which might mean tapping deep into your empathy stores and exploring alternative resolution ideas. You genuinely care about your customers and their problems–show them! Apart from phone and email conversations:
- Offer a more personal follow-up. If possible, schedule a video chat or in-person conversation to show you’re willing to go the extra mile to make your customers feel heard.
- Send mail–an apology when necessary, but also a coupon or discount code. A handwritten or otherwise personalized note humanizes the people behind the business to the customers and demonstrates personal investment in making things right. If possible, include a discount or special offer as material repayment.
- Provide a follow-up service or “service redo” free of charge. This is an especially meaningful gesture when the negative review is service-related. Whether or not you believe the technicians or the customer is at fault, recognize that only you have the tools (literally, the extermination equipment) to eliminate the pests, secure the home, protect the property, etc. A complimentary follow-up both resolves the service complaint and underscores your ability to restore peace of mind and do the job right.
Key Takeaways
Pesky home invaders aren’t the only moving parts pest control companies need to keep an eye on–customer reviews require your attention too! Like mosquito bites in the summer, negative reviews are inevitable. Some are misunderstandings, some are spam, and some are real call-outs. But those call-outs are nothing to fear–what if we viewed them as opportunities? Moments to show off your high customer engagement and your willingness to go above and beyond, as well as opportunities to turn disgruntled customers into fans and friends who may one day return to your services?
You’re not just in the business of extermination, you’re in the business of caring for your customers. Address feedback head-on with honesty and open ears. Dig deep to offer solutions that work for you both, even if it means thinking outside of the box, and you’ll keep those 5-star ratings rolling in.
