Wildlife Removal
Sales Assessment Results by Evan Lenz

"I really need to get this done quickly, but I can’t justify a monthly payment right now."

I completely understand, especially with it being around the holidays and things being extra tight. We definitely don’t want to put this off though, animals in the house can cause all sorts of damage and if we wait, the costs and damages could compound. Can you tell me exactly what’s going on? What type of noises are you hearing and what time of the day or night. This will help me better understand your situation and allow me to formulate a plan unique to your situation. Let’s do this, let’s setup an inspection for the next day or two. This will allow me to see first hand what’s going on and how I can best tailor a plan that fits within your budget as well as the end goal of being animal free. We can even talk about setting up a payment plan so that it’s not one big hit all at once. I have Monday between 12-3 available and Tuesday between 9-11. Which one of those works best with your schedule?

The response effectively acknowledges the prospect's concern about the financial commitment while also emphasizing the urgency of addressing the wildlife issue. The use of empathetic language helps build rapport, and asking for specific details about the situation demonstrates curiosity and active listening. Additionally, proposing a tailored inspection is a solid solution-focused approach, and suggesting a payment plan shows flexibility. The closing technique is clear and direct, providing two options for scheduling which encourages action. This response could be improved by explicitly stating the potential value of the service beyond just addressing the immediate issue to enhance the need-payoff perspective. Overall, a strong response with a few areas for enhancement.

"I’ve been using another service for years; can you tell me why I should switch?"

Absolutely, and I understand that you have built a rapport and trust with your current provider over the previous years. Do you mind if I ask what prompted the original call to your current provider and what has happened to make you curious on shopping around? Also, what types of animal issues have you experienced in the past? With just a few small details I can explain how our services differ from all of the other wildlife removal services in the area. For example, you say you have been with your current company for years? Is that because you have ongoing issues that have never been fully resolved? We operate completely different than any other service based company. Our goal is to solve your issue and offer a minimum of a 5 year warranty. That means you no longer have to pay monthly or quarterly for a service that is great in the beginning and then lacks in a month or two. Let’s do this, let’s get an inspection time setup so that I can come out and get a first hand look at what you have going on and get a plan tailored to solve those issues once and for all. I have Monday 10-2 available as well as Wednesday 9-11. Which one of those works best for you? If our service does not meet your expectations, I will even offer you a full refund and void the contract, that way there is no risk to you! Does Monday between 10-2 work for you?

The response effectively acknowledges the customer's long-standing relationship with their current provider, which demonstrates active listening. The salesperson asks thoughtful discovery questions to understand the prospect's situation better, aligning well with consultative selling principles. The mention of a 5-year warranty and a risk-free full refund is a strong value proposition that addresses the concern of service quality and commitment. However, the response could be slightly more concise to maintain engagement. Overall, it maintains a professional tone suited for the wildlife removal industry and encourages further dialogue while attempting to close the appointment. A few areas for improvement include explicitly contrasting the services offered with those of the competitor, which would further emphasize the unique value proposition. Additionally, a slight refinement in the closing technique could enhance urgency without being overly aggressive. Overall, a solid response that effectively balances curiosity, solution-focused selling, and closing techniques.

"With prices going up everywhere, I have to be smarter about my spending. How can you help me save money?"

I absolutely understand. My family and I are also working out a new budget with the rise in gas and grocery prices. What are you currently experiencing? Are you hearing noises or noticing droppings around or in the house? Little clues like that will better help me understand exactly what you’re dealing with and allow me to tailor a plan around your specific needs. Let me explain how our services differ from almost every other wildlife company out there. Our goal is to lose you as a client. Not because we did a bad job, but because we solved your issue and you no longer need us on a monthly or quarterly schedule! Seems crazy but let me explain. Let’s say you have an occasional mouse, or periodically see droppings in the kitchen pantry. Other companies are going to come out and place bait stations in the pantry, under the sink and in the basement. This doesn’t do anything except exterminate the mouse after it’s already inside and contaminating your food, silverware drawer or even leaving urine and feces on your counters. The way we operate is we come out, do a full inspection from top to bottom on your home and identify areas the mice or other animals are using to enter. We then put a plan together to exclude and repair those entries to keep the mice and other animals out of your house! On top of that, instead of placing the rodenticide stations inside your house, we place ours outside around the foundation. This acts as a force field around your home and prevents new mice and rodents from being around long enough to chew their way in! Once we’ve excluded and repaired the areas of entry and allowed the exterior stations to do their job, you no longer need our service, but are backed by a minimum of a 5 year guarantee. Our service is a little more expensive on the front end, but is cheaper in the long run because it does not go on and on for years like a traditional wildlife company operates. I’ll tell ya what, let’s get an inspection schedule for first part of this week, that will allow me to come out and get a first hand look at what’s going on and how we can solve these issues for you. We can even talk about spreading the costs out over the next 6-12 months so that it’s not such a hard hit all at once. I currently have Monday 8-12 available and Thursday 10-2. Do either of these work better than the other for you?

The salesperson does a commendable job of addressing the objection regarding spending by empathizing with the prospect's situation and directly engaging them in discovering their specific needs. They utilize a consultative approach by asking questions about the customer's current experiences with wildlife issues, which is effective for building rapport and understanding the customer's pain points. The explanation of how their service differs from competitors is strong, particularly the focus on long-term solutions rather than temporary fixes, which aligns well with the value proposition selling technique. Additionally, the offering of a payment plan to ease the financial burden demonstrates a solution-focused approach. However, while the response is detailed, it could benefit from a more concise delivery to maintain the prospect's attention. Overall, the closing technique is effective as it offers specific scheduling options for an inspection, which is a proactive move. However, the initial focus on the budget concern could be reinforced further by explicitly discussing how their solution saves money over time. Overall, this response is quite effective, but a bit more emphasis on the cost-saving aspect could elevate it further.

"This is an urgent problem, but I’m worried about the environmental impact of your methods."

I understand completely. Let me start by saying this, the environment is what gives us our job to begin with. We will go above and beyond to make sure that none of our methods are harmful to the local environment or ecosystem. We are also independently licensed not only at the state level but also at the federal level. Now, can you tell me a little more about what your current issue is? Are you seeing, hearing or smelling anything unusual? Let me give you an example on how we make sure our actions do not negatively affect the environment or surrounding ecosystem. Let’s say your situation is one that would cause us to use trapping. A traditional wildlife company will come out and place 2-8 baited traps around your house. If the target animal is squirrels, they will remove all the active squirrels and cross their fingers they removed the one or two offending animals. The way we operate is we will come out and perform a full inspection and identify where the animal(s) are gaining access into your home and set our trap directly over the entry point. This means that as the animal comes or goes it will have to pass through our trap. This method allows us to only remove the offending animal or animals and leave all the other animals alone that otherwise would have been trapped and removed by the baited cage method. Let’s do this. Let’s get a day and time picked out that works for me to come out and do a full inspection. This will allow me to put together a plan uniquely tailored to your house, your budget and your needs. I have Monday between 8-2 and Thursday between 10-12. Do either of these work for you better than the other? We definitely don’t want the problem to grow and get out of control!

The response effectively addresses the environmental concern by emphasizing the company's commitment to eco-friendly methods and providing a clear explanation of how their approach minimizes harm. The salesperson also demonstrates curiosity and discovery by asking for more information about the customer's specific issue, which is a good way to engage the prospect further. The closing technique is appropriately presented by suggesting specific times for an inspection, creating a sense of urgency without being pushy. Overall, the tone is reassuring and informative, which is suitable for the wildlife removal industry. However, there could be a bit more emphasis on the value exploration aspect, such as discussing the benefits of their methods in more detail. Score: 9

"I’m not convinced I need this service right away; can’t I wait a couple of months?"

I understand completely, especially with the holiday season upon us and things being tight! What type of noises or activity are you currently experiencing? Do you notice it more during the day or night? These little clues allow us to better pinpoint exactly what species you are dealing with and help us tailor a plan that best fits your needs and budget. Unfortunately wildlife issues are not something we want to wait on. The longer those animals have access to your hose, the more damage they are doing. For example, if you have mice, they could be chewing the insulation off of your electrical wires, causing a pretty severe fire hazard. If you shave raccoons, they not only are damaging the insulation in your attic by compacting it as they walk around, they are also urinating and deficating in your attic. Causing risk of airborne bacteria and further health risks. Let’s do this, let’s get you scheduled for an inspection. This will allow me to get on site and see first hand the issues you are experiencing. If trapping is needed we can work together on a payment plan that works for your budget, while simultaneously removing the animals before any severe damage can be done. I have two availability’s this week, Tuesday between 1-4 and Thursday between 10-2. Which one of these better works for you? We definitely don’t want to put this off and have things get out of control!

The response effectively addresses the concern of the prospect by emphasizing the urgency and potential dangers of wildlife issues. The salesperson uses a consultative approach by asking questions to gather more information about the customer's situation, demonstrating active listening and curiosity. By providing specific examples of the risks associated with delaying action, they successfully highlight the implications of waiting, aligning well with the SPIN Selling technique. The closing technique is strong, offering specific time slots to encourage immediate action, which is effective in creating a sense of urgency. However, the tone could be slightly more empathetic, particularly regarding the financial constraints mentioned. Overall, this is a solid response with good value exploration and a collaborative approach.

"I just heard about a cheaper competitor, how do you compare in terms of value?"

Great question! I know two things for sure, there is always someone cheaper and there is always a reason for it! Can you tell me a little about what prompted your call? Are you currently experiencing noises? Seeing or smelling things out of the norm? These little details will help give me insight into what exactly you’re dealing with and how we can best solve these issues. Let me explain how we are different and why we may be a little more expensive but absolutely worth it in the long run. Let’s say you need trapping for an animal you are hearing in your attic. The cheaper competitor is going to come out and place 2-4 baited traps around your house and catch any animal that may be enticed by the bait, hoping they remove the animal responsible for the noises. Not only does this mean they are going to potentially catch and remove animals that were not an issue, it also means they don’t know how the animal was getting inside, and therefore not sealing or repairing that entry so that this doesn’t continue to happen. Leading you to need their services again in the following 2-8 months. Now, let me explain how we differ and why we are a little more on the front end but cheaper on the back. Our first step is identifying the entrypoint(s) on the home. This allows us to determine exactly what species of animal you are dealing with and how best to remove it. Instead of placing baited traps around and hoping we get lucky and remove the problem animal, we place our traps directly over the animals point of entry and catch it as it comes or goes from your home. This allows us to leave the animals that weren’t offending alone and also allows us the ability to repair that entry point so that you don’t deal with this in the future! That is why we may be a little more expensive up front but cheaper in the long run. By the time you called the competitor out when you hear noises again, you would have spent more than going with us from the beginning and having the repair work and 5 year warranty. Let’s start with this, let’s get you scheduled for an inspection. This will allow me to see first hand what’s going on and tailor a plan that fits your specific needs and budget. I have two openings this week, Monday between 10-2 and Thursday 9-11. Which of these works better for you? If neither of these work for you, since the inspection is exterior, we can do the entire inspection without you being home since we don’t need inside. This way we don’t have to wait for the following week and potentially have the issues get worse! Sound good to you?

The response effectively addresses the objection by acknowledging the competitor's pricing and emphasizing the value of your service. You articulate how your approach is more thorough and ultimately cost-effective, which aligns with value selling principles. Your explanation of the difference in service quality is well-structured and illustrates the long-term benefits clearly. The tone is appropriate for the wildlife removal industry, portraying confidence and expertise. Additionally, you ask thoughtful questions to uncover the prospect's specific situation, demonstrating curiosity and active listening. The closing technique is strong, providing two scheduling options that create urgency while accommodating the customer. Overall, the response is collaborative and solution-focused, making it compelling. However, a little more emphasis on the emotional impact of dealing with wildlife issues could enhance the connection. Overall, great job!

"I have a lot of ongoing projects right now; will this interfere with my team’s workload?"

Valid question, Absolutely not. We can tailor a plan that tailors your specific schedules. If you don’t mind me asking, what is your teams current schedule? Do you have staff inside the building working different shifts? Are there times where the building is empty, maybe during lunch or in the early morning hours or evenings? And what type of activity are you currently experiencing? Is there something that needs treated immediately that is disrupting your day to day activities or are you more concerned with staying on top of treatment to prevent anything from disrupting your team? Let’s do this, let’s setup a time this week that works for me to meet you on site. That way I can better understand the lay of the land, your teams schedules and tailor a plan that fits your specific needs. I know you said you’re busy with multiple projects. I have Monday between 9-2 and Wednesday 8-1 available. Do either of these work with your schedule? If not, if you can tell me a day and time that does work I would be happy to rearrange my schedule to accommodate that.

The response effectively addresses the concern about workload by emphasizing a tailored approach, which can help alleviate the prospect's worries. The open-ended questions demonstrate active listening and a curiosity to understand the prospect's specific situation thoroughly. By asking about the team's schedule and current pest activity, the salesperson shows a solution-focused attitude and a willingness to adapt to the client's needs. The closing technique is strong, offering specific times for a meeting while also expressing flexibility to accommodate the prospect's schedule. However, the phrasing could be more concise in some areas to enhance clarity. Overall, this response showcases a collaborative approach and builds rapport effectively.

"What if I don’t see immediate results? I don’t want to take that risk."

I understand completely. Let’s start with what you are currently experiencing. Are you hearing noises in the attic? Seeing mouse droppings in the kitchen or under the sink? These little details will better help me understand exactly what you’re dealing with and how we can tailor a specific plan to your current needs. Let’s say for example you need trapping for mice. What we will do is start by performing a full inspection of your home. This will allow us to locate any entry points that the mice are currently using to gain access into your home and also show us where most of the activity is happening inside the home. From there we will start placing traps thru-ought the interior of the home to swiftly remove the active mice that are troubling you. During that trapping process, typically 5-7 days we will also perform repairs to the rodent entry areas previously found during the inspection. This will prevent new mice from being able to gain access into your home. We also offer a 30 day assurance program and a 5 year guarantee on all repair work. The 30 day assurance program works like this; If for any reason we do not trap the target animal during our initial trapping program and activity starts back up again or you notice anything at all within the following 30 days, we will set traps back up free of charge until the problem animal is removed. Let’s do this, Let’s start with the inspection. This will allow us to see first hand what you’re experiencing and how we can tailor a plan that best fits your specific needs. I have Monday between 10-2 available and Wednesday between 1-3. Which of these best fits your schedule? We definitely don’t want to put this off and risk the problem getting worse!

The response effectively acknowledges the prospect's concern about not seeing immediate results and demonstrates a clear understanding of their situation. By asking about specific experiences (noises, droppings), you use a consultative approach that invites discovery and shows active listening. The detailed explanation of the inspection and trapping process provides clarity and builds trust, emphasizing a solution-focused mindset. Additionally, mentioning the 30-day assurance program and 5-year guarantee adds value and addresses risk concerns head-on. The call to action is clear, offering specific options, which is a strong closing technique. Overall, this response is effective, informative, and engaging, but it could be enhanced by incorporating a few more open-ended questions to further explore the prospect's feelings and concerns.

"I want to make sure my team is comfortable with your approach; what’s the training process like?"

Valid concern. Let’s start by figuring out what your specific needs are. Is your team currently experiencing any wildlife related issues that are distracting or conflicting with their work day? These little insights will better help me tailor a plan that not only fits your specific wildlife needs but also your teams needs. Let’s say for example you have an aggressive goose in a nearby mulch bed to your teams main entry point into the building. Not only is it inconvenient for your team to walk around the building, it’s also dangerous as a goose has the ability to not only trip a full grown adult, but can also flog someone with the front of their wing causing pain and possible bone fractures. In a situation like this, we would come after hours as to not distract your team away from their normal duties. We would remove the aggressive goose and transport it to an area that is not only safer for it, but other people as well. Let’s do this. Let’s get an inspection scheduled for the first part of this week. This will allow me to get a feel for your team and the specific issues that you, and them are facing. From there I can tailor a plan that meets all of your requirements and we can get you back to uninterrupted work days! I have Monday 8-2 available and Wednesday 10-1. Which of these best works with your schedule? We definitely don’t want to put this off and have the issues get worse, or your team to continue to be distracted!

The response is quite effective in addressing the objection about the training process by shifting the focus toward understanding the specific needs of the team. The salesperson acknowledges the concern with 'Valid concern,' which opens the door for dialogue. The example of the aggressive goose is a strong illustration of the potential risks and inconveniences the team may face, showcasing an understanding of the client's perspective. However, while the response does touch on the training aspect indirectly, it could benefit from a more explicit explanation of the training process itself, rather than jumping directly to scheduling an inspection. The closing attempt is good as it creates urgency and offers specific times, but a bit more emphasis on how the training aligns with the customer's needs would enhance the solution-focused approach. Overall, the tone is appropriate and collaborative, effectively engaging the prospect. Score: 8

"I’ve had a bad experience with a service like this before, how can I trust you won't let me down?"

I understand completely. Unfortunately sometimes all it takes is one bad experience to cast a shadow over other similar companies. Do you mind if I ask what your previous issue was and how the other company handled it? This will allow me to explain how we would’ve handled the issue and even been able to offer you a 5 year guarantee. Let’s say for example you had a raccoon in your attic and the previous company never really solved the issue. They might’ve eventually caught the raccoon or maybe they never came back to check on the cages and you ended up having to transport and release the raccoon from their cage. We’ve seen that happen all too much with the newer fly by night style companies. Here’s how we differ; we start by performing a full inspection. This allows us to located all entry points the animals are using to enter your home, along with determining what species you are dealing with. From there, instead of using baited cages to hopefully remove the offending animal, and any other animal enticed by the bait, we install our trap directly over the entry point. This allows us to catch the offending animal extremely quick, the first time it comes or goes from your home. It also allows us to leave the other wildlife that were not an issue alone. Each trap by law must be checked every 24 hrs. This will be performed by us, you have enough going on. We will send a technician out daily to monitor the trap and make any adjustments needed to make this as smooth as possible for both you and the animals. Let’s do this, let’s get you scheduled for an inspection no later than the end of this week. This will allow us to see exactly what you’re dealing with, and how we can best solve your specific issue in a smooth and timely manner. We definitely don’t want to wait and have these issues get worse! Right now I have Wednesday 2-4 available and Friday 9-12. Which of these better works for your schedule? If neither work on short notice I can also perform an exterior inspection without you being home. This way we don’t waste any more time and we can get this process moving. I’ll take photos of everything I find, can get traps set same day and can give you a call and fill you in on all the findings and what to expect over the next couple days. Does that sound good to you?

The response effectively addresses the prospect's concern by empathizing with their past experience, which is a good start. The salesperson uses a consultative approach by asking about the previous issue, demonstrating curiosity and an interest in understanding the client's pain points. There is a strong focus on value exploration, as the salesperson clearly outlines how their service differs from competitors and emphasizes the benefits, including the 5-year guarantee and daily monitoring of traps. However, the response could be improved by incorporating a more direct acknowledgement of the prospect's feelings about their past experience—this would enhance active listening and rapport-building. The closing technique is decent, offering specific scheduling options, but it could be more assertive in emphasizing the urgency of addressing the wildlife issue to create a stronger sense of urgency. Overall, the response is detailed and solution-focused, but there's room for improvement in rapport and urgency. Score: 8