Thirty years of relationships foster success
One of the keys to success for any small business is establishing personal relationships with its client base. For PRO Pest Control, those relationships extend decades and beyond the realm of the business world. The approach has enabled the small company to thrive, and this year PRO Pest Control is celebrating its 30th anniversary.
The company was established by Jerry Hamlin as The Woodlands community was in its infancy. He has since turned control of Professional Reliable and Obligated (or PRO, as it is known) Pest Control over to his son, Joey Hamlin. Early on, the company established itself as a presence in the community, particularly through sponsorships and involvement in youth sports when Joey was young.
Now, those friendships Hamlin established in his youth have helped ensure PRO Pest Control continues to succeed, even through a change in leadership. Those same friends are now home owners, business owners and real estate agents, all of whom at some point need pest control services.
"Our customer base is many people that we've been working with since I was probably 10 years old," Joey Hamlin said.
He said his father taught him about quality customer service and how to sustain a lasting professional image.
"Our first priority is customer service, of course," Hamlin said. "We listen instead of talk. We've learned that people have different levels of tolerance for bugs. Some people don't even want to see a bug outside."
The Hamlins follow a simple business philosophy, SOS—strength of service.
"We don't make anyone sign contracts," Hamlin said. "If you don't like us, you don't have to keep us."
He said it is rare that customers are unhappy with their service. An unsatisfied customer is such a rare occurrence, PRO Pest Control has built a client base of more than 2,000, which stretches from Baytown to Galveston to Katy to Huntsville and all parts between.
This season has been particularly busy for his business, Hamlin said, with the increase in reported West Nile virus cases, especially in Texas. He said PRO Pest Control offers mosquito misting systems that spray twice a day.
"But if there is any standing water, that's one thing to eliminate," Hamlin said. "Puddles, bird feeders—that's where [mosquitos] are breeding."
With 30 years behind them, the Hamlins are continually expanding their services, such as now offering eco-friendly pest control services. Their relationships with their customers remain their primary focus.
"We're big enough to handle any problem, but we're small enough to care," Hamlin said. "And we do care."
PRO Pest Control & Termite Services, 26515 I-45 N. Ste. B, Spring, 281-363-0794