Business Capstone Report

For Mosquito Joe of Buffalo

Prepared by:

Sarah Bond

Sharell Cottrell

Jayvonna Kincannon

Nichelle Thornton.

During the spring 2016 semester, our Capstone class has examined the business of Mosquito Joe. After a rigorous analysis, we make the following recommendations about how the company can expand its commercial services and ways to evolve the hiring processes. First, we offer an overview of our understanding of the business.

Mosquito Joe is an organization that views itself as providing a service that gives customers an opportunity to make outside fun again. It offers mosquito control services - repelling and killing outdoor pests such as mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas. The technicians are trained mosquito control experts who come to residential homes and commercial businesses to apply barrier spray solutions to keep areas mosquito-free. The company also delivers services for special events to keep hosts and guests comfortable and free from pests. Mosquito Joe backs each service with a satisfaction guarantee.

Its marketing activities are focused on reaching residential customers in the Northtowns of WNY targeting homeowners with an income of at least $75,000 that have children or pets. Mosquito Joe is expanding its marketing efforts to attract business in need of its services. In our assessment, the appropriate commercial market would find themselves spending significant time and money fixing an issue that Mosquito Joe is already trained to do.

Competitors faced are other companies focusing on mosquito exterminating. The following competitors are located in Buffalo. The top contenders are Mosquito Man, Mosquito Squad, and Mosquito Authority. Others to be concerned about are Pest Control of Buffalo, Buffalo Exterminating, and Terminix. Mosquito Squad is viewed as the top competitor because it focuses strictly on mosquitoes and ticks, as Mosquito Joe does. The other competitors concentrate on other pests as well, but mosquitos are not their primary focus. These other businesses could be stronger competitors because they can provide more services to customers at once (example: eliminating bee and mosquito infestation at the same time). These competitors also offer some of the same services to commercial and residential clients, which include misting systems, and barrier sprays.

A SWOT analysis is located below. A SWOT analysis consists of Strengths, Weaknesses, Threats, and Opportunities related to a specific business and a specific industry. A SWOT analysis gives a business a visual of where they currently stand related to challenges it faces and possibilities still untapped. This tool analyzes all aspects of business. Strengths (internal) determine what the company does best, weaknesses (internal) are what the company should improve upon, threats (external) are industry factors that affect the business negatively, and opportunities (externals) are industry factors that provide chances to enhance the business. After a full evaluation of this industry tool, the company should know what to work on and what opportunities are available to it. From our research, we have created a SWOT analysis providing a starting point for Mosquito Joe’s owners to enhance and revise to gain a thorough understand of their business and the industry it operates in. The IBIS World industry report for the Pest Control Industry in the US is provided with this report for further study.

Mosquito Joe of BuffaloStrengths of the

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business Family owned In-depth knowledge on mosquitos, ticks, and fleas Two sprays (adult and lava) Affordable Specializes in residential & commercial services Customer satisfaction guarantee Competitive pricing Flexible scheduling of spraying upon request Part of a successful franchise Chemical-free product

Weaknesses of the business

Only in 3 territories Not social media oriented for marketing Only spray for 3 pests Currently only residential focused No physical product to sell until licensed to do so Marketing is mostly residentially orientated Other businesses can get rid of more than one pest Many competitors that have better-established brand

recognition. Limited resources to reach commercial markets that can be

difficult, time-consuming, and expensive to reach. Commercial market segmentation is usually about 22% of the sales compared to single-family residential being 68%.

Opportunities for the industry Zika virus and Lyme disease and the threats they present to

society. Heightened concerned by women of child bearing ages and

pregnant women on the effects of being bit by mosquitos. Society is becoming more aware of problems specifically

because of the rise in bed bugs and the media coverage that issue receives.

Disposable income on the rise. With increased income, businesses and consumers will be less likely to opt for cheap home products and go to professionals.

Buffalo residents have limited opportunities to enjoy nice weather outside so place a higher emphasis on enjoying the time they have outside.

IBIS database projects a 2.7% annual growth 2016-2021 for pest control.

In the next 5 years, consumer expectations will drive businesses for regular pest inspections.

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Threats to the industry Perception or reality that the spray contains chemicals that are

unhealthy for individuals. Do-it-yourself methods are as affordable and effective. In WNY, months that mosquitos are disruptive to people is

more limited compared to the southern United States. Lack of disposable income for this problem.

The following is a listing of recommendation to improve Mosquito Joe’s Commercial Business.

Recommendation # 1 - Focus on the target market

We are recommending that Mosquito Joe concentrates on daycare centers, restaurants with outdoor patios and wedding/event venues with outdoor spaces. We chose these three industries based on the urgent necessity of pest-free regions.

Our top commercial client recommendations are daycare centers. Children playing outside at daycare are susceptible to insect bites and viruses associated with them. It is the responsibility of the daycare centers to keep these kids safe and happy while in their care. It is our belief that the concern for safety and well-being of the children will make an obvious identifiable need for Mosquito Joe’s services. Daycare centers will want this service to prevent any allergic reactions or discomfort to the children in their care. The Zika virus is the newest known illness from mosquitos. Expecting moms and women in childbearing ages are at the most significant risk. Most of the females customers in a daycare setting will be in this age category; therefore, daycares utilizing Mosquito Joe services will make women feel safer knowing that the daycare is attempting to protect them from a variety of illnesses. Pregnant mothers may especially want documentation of their own and their children’s safety. Daycare centers should promote the fact that they use a pest control service by displaying Mosquito Joe signs. These signs will give Mosquito Joe extra advertising.

Additionally, we are focusing on outdoor wedding and outdoor event venues. We understand that the companies providing these services must supply benefits that their competitors cannot. We are suggesting to give these companies an edge in their marketing by offering pest-free venues for these occasions, setting them apart from others in their industry. It is our recommendation that Mosquito Joe suggests that outdoor venues advertise the use of its service giving the end customer one less thing to worry about. Mosquito Joe should provide a small sign for these locations to display to promote its business and that the services were used at that site.

We believe that Mosquito Joe could, also, benefit from building a relationship with veterinarians because these doctors have direct contact with the end user of Mosquito Joe services. Often pet

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owners look towards their veterinarian to provide further direction on how to keep their pets free from diseases associated with mosquitos and ticks. By networking with this audience, the firm can start to develop mutually beneficial relationships. We suggest that the business connects with this group via e-mail or LinkedIn and offer a free business or residential barrier spraying service. An authentic endorsement can be given from veterinarian to pet owner only after the doctor has personally experienced the great benefits of a barrier spray. Mosquito Joe has to take the first step in the B2B connection by networking with these business professionals. Further suggestions on how to accomplish this task are described in the remainder of this report.

Recommendation #2 - Increase Brand Awareness

We believe that Mosquito Joe should increase its marketing activity during their off-season to gain name recognition before their active seasons arrives. After surveying some clients in Mosquito Joe’s target market, we determined that the firm could benefit from better brand awareness. We want more people to become familiar with the family run franchise because it is fairly new to the WNY area. Suggestions listed below will help increase WNY consumers of the availability of the pest control services.

Recommendation # 3 – E-mailing potential and existing customers

Mosquito Joe should consistently e-mail their new & existing target market(s) because it is a professional way to keep its name in front of clients. It is difficult to visit personally and expensive to market to every potential commercial client. E-mails are an easy, inexpensive, and effective way to disperse information. Many employees check their e-mails several times on a daily basis. Sending out a polished e-mail containing benefits, incentives, and ideas of how Mosquito Joes services could be used will get the "bug" into readers' ears about the business. Because some commercial clients may not see the value of the use for Mosquito Joe's services, the first e-mail should be a virtual handshake containing highlights about what the organization can provide. Next, a professional follow-up message holding promotions and coupons will entice readers to contemplate Mosquito Joe’s services. Initiating that relationship is significant, and Mosquito Joe's should aim to further establish their e-mail platform. When done effectively, e-mails can boost the readers' awareness of services provided by Mosquito Joes that will eventually translate into increase sales.

Recommendation # 4- Commercial Customers Tab

Mosquito Joe should include a new tab on their website, labeled “Commercial Clients.” This tab allows for a consolidated section full of information solely relevant to corporate clients. The current website appears to target mainly residential customers, leaving commercial prospects to feel overlooked. This separate tab would create an opportunity for the firm to promote its services better through pictures, words, taglines and information to businesses only. Commercial

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clients could then feel more confident that Mosquito Joe’s is prepared to assist with satisfying business needs and not just residential.

In the commercial tab section, we offer the following recommendations:

Add a tagline solely pertaining to commercial customers Provide more pictures pertaining to commercial businesses List benefits of Mosquito Joe services to commercial businesses Provides info about the Zika/ West Nile/ other viruses and how these viruses can impact

different types of businesses Add a Commercial Customer Satisfaction Guarantee Add a book an appointment tab directly on the website Add special business promotions and discounts Add online referral incentives Add more testimonials from commercial businesses as those clients build Add demonstration videos

Recommendation # 5 - Use a business slogan to attract a business customer

Mosquito Joe’s current slogan “Making the Outdoors Fun Again” is promoting solely to residential clients. When it comes to commercial clients, it may not be so fitting. Business customers view their outdoor space as a functional area to improve the service they provide to clients. By using a different slogan such as “Itching for a Solution”, Mosquito Joes can better catch the attention of business professionals who are often working to solve their businesses problems.

Recommendation # 6 – Increase interaction with local Chamber of Commences to promote brand awareness and increase sales.

It is our understanding that Mosquito Joe is currently a member of the Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas. We believe that this organization can benefit by becoming more active in this location of the Chamber plus add membership to other local Chamber of Commerces. Ken-Ton and Cheektowaga Chamber of Commerce would be the next chapters we suggest to join. The Chamber of Commerce is a membership organization that provides support and networking for businesses and industries in the Chamber's local area. It is their mission to promote business and economic development to enhance the quality of life of the local citizens and business members. This is the type of organization that can help the firm grow with their networking opportunities and free options to advertise and promote the firm's services and current deals.

Although Mosquito Joe is already a member of The Chamber of Commerce, we feel there are more benefits that can be extracted from its use. The Chamber of Commerce of the Tonawandas provides every new business, and new residents welcome bags, which contains free gifts such as pens, discounts, etc. from local businesses active in the Chamber. We recommend that Mosquito

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Joe provides an FAQ sheet and a small donation, possibly corn-on-the-cob holders with Mosquito Joe logo on it to be included in all these bags! Businesses also receive exposure through Twitter, Facebook, and Chamber post. This can help the firm with advertising when providing Chamber with ad promotions and important information to share with Twitter and Facebook followers.

Other benefits include:

Monthly newsletters to all Chamber members that can highlight the services of Mosquito Joe.

The organization included in the Visitor's Guide read by visitors and town citizens. Six major events including the Women's Expo and Boutique held every other year that

helps Mosquito Joe network with other local business people and builds brand exposure. B2B advertising, through e-mail blasts, to help with business branding and advertising of

specials and member-to-member discounts. Business Cards and Brochure Displays

Recommendation # 7- Effectively use Social Media

There is no doubt that today social media is a game changer. For advancement, a business needs to participate actively in social media marketing. There are many benefits for businesses who uses social media such as: development of loyal customers, increased exposure, higher website traffic and improved sales. Social media can also be complicated and time-consuming for businesses to do well. It is important for Mosquito Joe to know exactly what social media platform(s) their target market resides on and how to operate efficiently in it. Since it can be a time-consuming task and is an ever-changing event, it is recommended for Mosquito Joe to consider using college interns, on a regular basis. These interns can teach the full-time staff current social media marketing trends while keeping costs down and increase the brand awareness of Mosquito Joes of Buffalo. We are aware of a few local businesses that use a continual supply of college interns to help run their businesses. This idea saves money but also involves time and personnel commitment to investing in students' education. The longer a company uses interns, the better they streamline the process and understand what to request from the colleges. We find that the Mosquito Joes non-busy season will correlate well with an abundance of local college students wanting to gain real-life marketing experiences. To provide a context, Villa Maria College students are required to complete 130 hours at an internship site to receive college credit for an internship experience, before graduating.

Mosquito Joe should consider perfecting a few platforms instead of engaging in several social media sites that are ineffective. We are recommending using Facebook and LinkedIn as the primary platforms for social media marketing. Facebook will be employed mainly for B2C relationship. This is where this firm will be able to connect with consumers. Using LinkedIn will develop more B2B relationships. It is more professional and easier to connect with clients such as daycare centers, restaurants, and veterinarians.

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To keep the attention of the clients on Facebook and LinkedIn, the readers should feel they are receiving something before actually giving something. In Mosquito Joe's case, the most inexpensive thing they can give to their customers is knowledge and information. Mosquito Joe already has some key articles on their blog site that would be beneficial to add to their social media platforms. These articles are "Zika Update with Help from Google" by Julie Green, "What if We Got Rid of All the Mosquitos?" and "White House Requests Billions in Zika Virus Aid" by Tracey Willmott. Zika is such a popular topic today that people will recognize the headline, and be intrigued to gain more knowledge. Americans are focused on their health issues, and these headlines should grab readers' attentions. Other potential topics that Mosquito Joe could touch upon are: "Three inexpensive ways businesses can reduce mosquitos around their patios?" and "Three ways homeowners can keep their patios bug free?" Giving away knowledge that can be beneficial to residential or commercial clients will build trust and gain respect from consumers before the organization has asked for a potential customer to purchase a service.

Besides giving away knowledge, Mosquito Joe should consider giving away gifts such as Citronella candles, corn-on-the-cob holders, lighters, or bug spray. These items are associated with their service and would be helpful to engage potential customers. They could be distributed when someone ‘likes’ the Mosquito Joe of Buffalo Facebook page, as a ‘Thank You.’ This technique will also be another way to aid in the collection of their customer database.

Additionally, to make a stronger impact on Facebook, Mosquito Joe should have Facebook only specials. This will also help track how many customers are coming from this platform and the effectiveness of its marketing. To track the effective of different marketing spaces, it is possible to have different business phone numbers attached to various marketing platforms. All phone calls are routed to the same phone number, but the firm would be able to see what source generated the most phone calls so it will know where to spend best future marketing budgets.

It is suggested that advertising on Facebook should be boosted two months ahead of spraying season. It is recommended to pay to be placed on the page of targeted customers directly before spraying season. This will provide potential clients- veterinarians, relators and restaurant owners- with information on the company and to help build brand recognition before spring arrives. All of the information such as billing, ad placement, etc. can be found on Facebook.com/business.

Facebook is an excellent platform for this business and the target market it is trying to attain with LinkedIn not far behind. Since the company is interested in expanding to commercial clientele, LinkedIn will provide exposure to professionals willing to use their services. This platform allows Mosquito Joe's to not only share articles but also show what they stand for as a business. LinkedIn contains a placement for the companies/individuals skill base. From there, other members on LinkedIn can "sponsor" those skills mentioned. Therefore, the more talents sponsored will help increase activity on their page and more exposure to new potential clients. Mosquito Joe’s should make sure to search/connect with daycare centers, outdoor event centers, and restaurant professionals/groups to stay in contact with these clients. After connecting, a polished e-mail can also be sent about the benefits of Mosquito Joe for these new connections to read. Altogether, this will help develop a relationship between these potential customers and Mosquito Joe.

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Recommendation # 8 – Increase Yelp reviews

After completing a spraying service, we recommend that Mosquito Joe requests the customer to complete an online review using the Yelp app or site. Yelp is a free and popular site that lets its users compose a review, good or bad, about an experience they have had with a business. Seeing that Yelp contains over 60 million users, providing 20 million reviews, this platform can also act as another form of word-of-mouth marketing. Additionally, Mosquito Joe can use this site to respond to any questions and concerns that customers may have, and to improve its service by fixing issues highlighted by clients. The firm can request the completion of a review directly after completing a service or by making a follow-up phone call or delivering a follow-up e-mail.

Today, online reviews can make or break the decision of whether a person or business uses a product or a service. As of April 20, 2016, Mosquito Joe only had one review on Yelp, and it was unfavorable. It appeared that Mosquito Joe of Buffalo resolved the issue quickly and effectively. However, if this firm promotes customers to complete Yelp feedback, there is a potential that more negative reviews will arise. In these cases, we want to reiterate that the best course of action to take is to resolve the complaint immediately and privately. Any conflict should be taken offline by asking for the complaining parties contact information so that the business can communicate with the consumer over e-mail or the phone. After fixing the problem, it is appropriate to request a follow-up review from the customer.

Recommendation # 9- Press Releases

We are encouraging Mosquito Joe to issue occasionally press releases. A press release is a public relations announcement issued to the media and other targeted publications for the purpose of publicizing a business. Mosquito Joe should write their press releases because they are in the best position to explain and excite the public about their organization. A well-written press release is important to get media outlets to use the material. This announcement should not be more than two pages long, and answer the questions "who, what, where, when and how." Background information could include that the business is family owned, how long the organization has been operating and why its services are critical to the community. Furthermore, Mosquito Joe can give information about problems associated with mosquitos, explain its customer satisfaction guarantee, or provide tips on how to keep businesses/residents pest-free. The release format should be eye-catching and include a call to action to the readers where the company can sell its services. Unfortunately, newspapers only include 80% of all of the information companies submit.

It would be best for Mosquito Joe to give this information to local radio stations, The Buffalo News, town newspapers, local Pennysavers, AM Buffalo, and WNY Living. By providing press

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release to these media outlets, we can conclude that Mosquito Joe’s information will be selected by a few of these sources. These articles or potential television appearances will help the firm build building brand awareness and drive up sales with no financial cost to be included in these papers or programming. Contact details for various media outlets are included with this report.

Recommendation # 10 – Promotional events

Mosquito Joe is known to be present at promotional events (WNY Home & Garden show, for example) where many potential customers are present. It could benefit the company to have giveaways at these events. Therefore, any person interested in their services must provide contact information before winning a gift. These gifts could include a free residential or commercial barrier spray or a citronella candle. This contact information would help aid in the building of a customer database.

Recommendation # 11 – Direct marketing

Direct marketing to potential customers can force these customers to give your business the attention desired. For a few, select, potentially high revenue customers, Mosquito Joe can entice interest by personally approaching the companies. One recommendation is for a Mosquito Joe's salesperson to give a gift of a cake (just a suggestion), decorated in Mosquito Joe's colors with the slogan – Itching for a Solution - iced on top. The salesperson should request to speak with the manager of the targeted business. If the manager is unavailable, leave the cake, a FAQ sheet about Mosquito Joe, a business card and a request for the manager to call back at their convenience. A cake is a strong statement to force attention from a potential client. There may be times the salesperson might like a softer approach. In these instances, we recommend giving a citronella candle with the FAQ sheet and a coupon. Hopefully, the right employee would be available to discuss Mosquito Joes services with the salesperson at that time. If not, Mosquito Joe's contact information should be left with a request for someone to contact the businesses so more details could be provided.

Recommendation # 12 – Elevator Speech

An elevator speech is a prepared statement that helps a business person convey an accurate and pertinent synopsis of their business in approximately 30 seconds. Below are two elevator speech prepared for your review. These speeches can be tweaked until the perfect combination of words are established.

Elevator speech # A –

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"Have you ever needed a solution to be pest-free for an upcoming event?" If you are itching for a solution, Mosquito Joe of Buffalo can help you out. It is a family-owned franchise with the expertise of spraying common areas where mosquitos or pests may arise. With our cost-effective, convenient and chemical free products, our services will leave you satisfied guaranteed!

Elevator speech # B –

Tired of worrying about mosquitoes, ticks, and fleas when servicing your customers? Are you itching for a solution? Well, Mosquito Joe of Buffalo can fix that itch. Mosquito Joe provides excellent, reliable, mosquito exterminating services to ensure exceptional customer service. We offer a 100% satisfaction guarantee and never lock you into a contract. Our staff is trained to determine the best mosquito control solution for your business enabling your outdoor space to be a mosquito-free zone.

The following section of this reports relates to the recruitment of employees.

Recruitment of Employees

Due to the season nature of the pest control industry, the firm will always be looking for new applicants for the spraying season. New technicians are needed from May through September, as this is the busiest season for the company. Below are some suggestions on how to run a successful recruitment effort.

Usually, techniques will vary depending on the company’s staff and resources; however, all businesses should include a preliminary screening, phone interview, and face-to-face meeting. The owner or Human Resource Manager will then help make the final decision about the right candidate.

To get applicants, an ad will need to be placed. This announcement will include a job description. To write an effective and professional job description, the following should be included:

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• Job Title

• Job Summary

• Working Environment

• Work Activities

• Performance Expectations

• Compensation & Benefits

• Job Competencies

After review Mosquito Joe’s current job summary, the company seems to hit all the points required. Although, with just a few adjustments, the job description could be even stronger. Mosquito Joe should consider adding more working environment and activity information since it is a labor-intensive position. This would make sure that the candidates are aware of the physical nature of the job. Emphasize on the physical demands of the job will only benefit the firm because candidates that have expected job conditions matching actual job conditions are more likely to be satisfied and stay employed at the organization.

The three online recruitment sites that we are advising Mosquito Joe to use are WNYJOBS.com, indeed.com, and Monster.com. These are all very popular websites among college students who are looking for full time, part time and temporary and permanent job positions. Mosquito Joe will benefit greatly from posting their job openings on these sites as they can provide assistance in finding employees.

Advertising on the website indeed.com has one significant perk. You can post content about hiring positions while receiving results risk-free and make changes at any time with no contracts or long-term commitments. Pay per click is a feature on the site that helps regulate the amount the user pays based upon how many times someone clicks to view a job. Most clicks on Indeed cost between $0.25-$1.50. The cost of your ad can never exceed your intended budget. For example, if the maximum CPC is $1.00 and the job budget is $150.00, at least 150 people can click on the job before the budget runs out. This can be changed at any time, and you will never be charged more than this amount per job.

Advertising on the website Monster.com is also recommended for use. Small business solutions can be customized to your hiring needs to find one, ten, or several employees. Recruiting services include employer job postings, resume search, and customized e-mail recruitment campaigns. Microbusinesses (very small family-owned business with 1-2 employees) are billed $99 monthly for one reusable job slot, one Twitter card for social recruiting, and 50 targeted candidate e-mails. For a small growing business, they are billed $250 a month for three reusable job slots, three Twitter cards for social recruiting, and 100 candidate target e-mails. If you decide to advertise yearly, a microbusiness will be charged only $89 and a small business will be charged $199, with the same benefits as monthly advertising.

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Advertising on WNYJOBS.com is also recommended for use of Mosquito Joe. If Mosquito Joe posts its banner on the homepage of WNYJOBS.com, the site will create the banner and it will provide a direct link to Mosquito Joe’s website. For one month it will cost $250, three months $450, and six months $750. Newspaper ads will appear for one week, and online ads will appear for three weeks. Here is a look at the page dimensions and costs:

1/32 - $65 for 1 week online & up to 50 words

1/16 - $95 for 3 weeks online & up to 100 words

1/8 - $165 for 3 weeks online and up to 200 words

1/4 - $295 for 3 weeks online and up to 400 words

3/8 - $395 for 3 weeks online and up to 600 words

½ - $495 for 3 weeks and up to 800 words

Full- $795 for 3 weeks online and up to 1600 words

Advertising on the web only will appear for three weeks with the following costs:

Maximum of 100 words: $75

101-200 words: $115

201-400 words: $205

To search for potential employees, we are suggesting for Mosquito Joe’s to advertise at local gyms due to the physical job requirements. Some gym members are very muscular and can withstand carrying and lifting heavy equipment. Many of these fitness gurus will enjoy working in an environment that allows them to be physically active during working hours.

Niagara Community College also can be used as a potential recruitment resource. This college has an annual job fair open to all area employers and a job board available to students which resides both online and at a physical located on campus. To receive more information about possible postings, please contact Stephanie Toohey at (716) 614-6865 and sgugino@niagaracc.suny.edu.

Once potential employees have submitted an application for consideration, review of the applications should result in a list of candidates to be contacted for the initial screening phone interview. There are a number of questions that can be asked to access the applicants’ qualifications. The questions posed should help determine if the applicant meets the firm’s criteria and if the prospective employee will be a satisfied worker.

Below are some suggested questions to obtain a well-rounded interview:

a) Why do you want this job?

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b) What is important to you in a job?

c) What applicable attributes and experience do you have?

d) Is there anything I have not told you about the job or company that you would like to know?

e) How many hours are you looking for?

f) What kind of work environment are you looking for/want/ work best in?

g) Can you tell me about a time where you had to deal with an angry or upset customer? How did you handle it or come to a resolution?

h) Have you worked in this field of labor before?

i) Where did you hear of Mosquito Joe from and what makes you interested?

j) Would you have any issues such as allergies as you come into contact with pests and chemicals?

Based on the responses to the above questions, the organization should determine which candidates it wants to call in for more in-depth interviewing. When it comes to a face-to-face interview, the questions should become more comprehensive. This will allow the business to understand whether or not the candidates are capable of standing up to the company’s standards. These questions should include their past and personal experiences as well their work ethic and learning techniques. On top of getting to know the candidates, the benefits of working for this company should be presented. Mosquito Joe wants to attract the best employees so it is important for potential employees to understand the benefits they will receive from the company not just what the candidate can provide the firm.

When conducting the in-person interview, we are recommending for Mosquito Joe to select some of the following questions to help access fit and qualifications of an applicant:

a) Tell me about yourself.

b) Tell me about your experience, starting with your most recent or previous position.

c) Do you have a NYS Driver’s License?

d) How well do you work with others?

e) Have you ever had a conflict with a boss or professor? If so, how do you resolve it?

f) Give an example of a time where you found it necessary to make an exception to the rules to get the job done.

g) Have you ever found an error in your work? How did it happen? What did you do to correct it?

h) Have you ever had to deal with a co-worker who was not pulling their weight? What did you do about it?

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i) Have you ever had trouble learning a new machine or procedure? How did deal with that situation?

j) How do you handle breaks in routine, interruptions and last minute changes?

k) How does your boss get you to do your best work?

l) How would your professors describe you?

m) If you were going to evaluate your performance, what factors would you consider most important?

n) It is possible, to be loyal to your employer, but still to disagree with some rules and policies. Can you cite an example from your own experience?

o) This job requires you to (insert job duties), are you able to fully perform these duties with or without reasonable accommodations? How would you accomplish the task?

p) Under what kinds of conditions do you do your best work?

q) What did you like the most/least about your previous job?

r) What is your greatest strength?

s) What is your greatest weakness? What skills do you want to develop?

t) What kinds of decisions are most difficult for you?

u) What motivates you the most?

v) Why should we hire you?

w) You might be asked to work later than 5 pm on occasion. Would that be a problem?

Included in the packet is a Candidate Interview Evaluation Form to be used during the interviewing process. This form is to be completed by the interviewer and eventually used to rank the candidates overall qualifications for the position. The candidates will be scored on a scale from 1 to 5 on professionalism impressions, qualifying skills from previous jobs, physical ability to perform the job, communications skills, enthusiasm and an overall impression.

After offering a candidate a position, we encourage Mosquito Joe to requests a pre-employment background check, drug tests, and physical examinations. The background reports can provide a variety of information on the applicant such as: driving records, criminal records, and education records. It is important for Mosquito Joe to request a series of checks to ensure that the best and appropriate candidates are selected. These positions mandate employees to work at customer’s homes and place of businesses, so it is necessary that employees have a clean record and are known to be trustworthy. A drug test screening for illegal drugs and high level of alcohol use is also imperative. Drug abuse is associated with increased tardiness, absenteeism, and poor performance in the workplace. Additionally, a physical examination ensures that a potential

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employee is in good health to perform the job duties that are required. When an employee has been medically cleared to carry out their functions, there is less of a chance of physical injury occurring during work time. All of these tests are done to make sure candidates can perform to a high level, and satisfaction occurs for the customer. It is, therefore, appropriate to inform clients that these checks are being conducted.

After employees are hired, it is important to consider if the employees are satisfied with what the business is offering them. Happy employees are more likely to recommend to their family, friends, and acquaintances to apply and are more likely themselves to want to return the following season. To help ensure that employees are content with the business, we are suggesting the following:

A. Give a bonus to employees who work in May and September. Many college students end the semester in May and return to classes in late August/early September. These students can be motivated to work in May and September by receiving a bonus for committing to and satisfying that commitment to start their employment in May and not stop before the end of the spraying season. This bonus will be received at the end of September if the employee completes this pledge.

B. Ask employees the number of work hours they are looking for during the summer. Commit to giving the employee this number of hours if they commit to remaining with Mosquito Joe the entire spraying season.

C. Ask employees if the flexibility of days worked or the number of hours worked is a better preference for them. By attempting to meet employee’s needs, workers will be more devoted to the business.

D. Pay overtime when employees work outside their scheduled hours. Employees show dedication and reliability when they work overtime when their employer needs them; therefore, it’s best to reward employees with overtime pay to keep them motivated to provide extra help.

E. Give out an award to employees for excellent work. Since these positions are temporary, all employees will be searching for new work shortly. These awards can be placed on their resumes, help highlight their talents, and assist them in finding new jobs. Examples of awards include:

When employees go above and beyond in the service they give to customers, reward them with a customer-service based employee recognition award.

Award for positive attitudes, excellent attendance, and superior performance.

Reward your top sellers with employee recognition awards that indicate the total sales they achieved in a given period.

Recognize an employee who is willing to share innovative ideas to help improve the business as the “most innovative” employee.

F. Financial recognition is always appreciated. A few small tokens that can be utilized are:

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Give a gift card to a local gas station for the employee to fill-up their car for free as a reward for a job well done.

Pay for an employee’s lunch with a gift certificate to Tim Hortons or Subway for going “Above and Beyond” what was required for the job.

In conclusion, we are confident that if Mosquito Joe uses our recommendations, it will be on the right track on building new relationships with commercial clients. After reviewing, analyzing and getting to know Mosquito Joe of Buffalo, we are hopeful that the suggestions we have presented will enhance their franchise. We thank the owners for the opportunity to develop and utilize our business knowledge on this project. We wish Mosquito Joe years of business success.

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