Venables Pest Management is an integral part of Thurston County. The relationships within the community run deep. It’s understood by all of the team at Venables Pest Management that our customers are also our friends, neighbors, teachers, store clerks, doctors. They know that creating trustworthy relationships are the true ingredient to success.
Co-owner Juliana Venables remembers her first role within Venables Pest Management, starting at age six. “My brother is five years younger and when he would start fussing, my job was to take him elsewhere so customers who would called in wouldn’t know we were a home-based business,” she says. That was more than 20 years ago.
Venables’ father Steve founded the company in 1989. “I had a friend who was in pest control and he told me it was an interesting career,” he says. “I had a degree in health education and had worked in construction during college, so it was a good fit for me. I could get out in the community and see people, and every day brought something different.”
The industry has changed since the early days, Steve notes, with more emphasis on science and sustainable solutions. “Before pest management was done by people who just sprayed chemicals. Now it’s important to come up with an accurate diagnosis of the issues and take environmental concerns and effectiveness into account.”
Some things, like native pests, haven’t changed. “The Pacific Northwest is basically a forest full of things that help forests recycle, like termites and carpenter ants,” says Steve. “We focus on protecting structures and lowering health risks from creatures like mice and rats as well as those that aren’t native to our area like bed bugs and cockroaches.”
The company works with residential, commercial, and public customers including state offices, schools, health care organizations, and restaurants. “Every structure is vulnerable to getting pests,” says Steve. They can also help with ‘nuisance’ pests such as ladybugs that may pose no threat to a building’s integrity but can be annoying in large numbers.
Frequently, clients will wait too long to make a call. “Sometimes they’ll hear something in their wall, but by the time we get called, it’s the tip of the iceberg,” says Steve. “On investigation, we’ll find that a structure has a significant rat presence throughout. Someone else might notice they have a little bit of dirt around a baseboard, which is a sign of termites eating their walls.”
To prevent such scenarios, Venables recommends inspections. “So many people have pests that they’re not aware of because they can hide really well and not be detected, especially in the early stages,” he says. “If you get an inspection, like an annual health exam, it’s easy to treat and matters don’t get to the point where they cause problems.” Often, home owners will only discover issues because a bank or a lender required an inspection as part of a sale or other transaction.
Some clients misidentify the insects in their yard, with unfortunate results. “We get calls from people who’ve inadvertently treated a honeybee nest or swarm,” says Steve. “That’s not good. It’s very important to protect pollinators and also, yellow jackets can be dangerous. People need to be able to differentiate between the two.”
The company has a loyal and growing customer base, which Juliana attributes to two factors. “Once we’ve taken care of their pest issues, people don’t ever want to have that experience again,” she says. “Also, we get so much positive feedback about our technicians and our office staff. We put a lot of emphasis on training and trustworthiness, and the character of the people we have working here is exceptional.”
Trust helps to explain the company’s organic growth rate, which averages 14% every year. “Some years are higher,” says Steve. “We get a lot of new business from referrals and we really appreciate that. When I first started this business I never had intentions of growing it too much, but it continues to have a life of its own. I think it’s because we provide what people are wanting in a service company – someone they can trust with their home. We work hard to make that happen.”
The company supports local efforts through both financial donations and volunteer hours, including 4-H, the Senior Action Network, Concern for Animals, and local youth sports teams. “For example, I am out at the Thurston County Fair all week volunteering,” says Juliana. “We’re very community oriented.”
Ultimately, those connections are what matter, says Steve. “We make sure that all of our people who work here understand that every customer is someone they will interact with next week and it’s important to treat everyone with the highest respect and care. They may be a doctor, waiter, banker, teacher or future neighbor but you know your paths will cross again.”
To learn more about Venables Pest Management, visit www.venablespestmanagement.com or call 360-456-4999.
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