When Wayne Hemmerly, co-founder of Crown Service Termite And Pest Control mentions February 5, 2018, he becomes just shy of a chuckle that rings with triumph. February 5 was the day that Wayne and his business partner, Stephen Corbett, launched their company debt free but with virtually nothing, and as of a few days ago, they have now taken care of almost 9,000 situations which demand their pest control expertise, particularly as it relates to termites.
Between them, Stephen and Wayne have had several fascinating careers, including construction, real estate, executive protection of celebrities, the entertainment business, farming, and big-box pest control. In addition, Stephen is a champion sport clay shooter. They specialize in inspections and providing termite letters, the document that must be submitted that attests to whether or not a property that is for sale is free of termites, and what must have cleared before a commercial or residential business closes for sale.
When Wayne continued with their story, he talked about the fact that on that first day, they emerged with the promise of more business in the form of providing termite letters. On day two, Stephen found a termite rig and borrowed a truck from his father-in-law, and by Friday they applied a termite treatment. At first, Wayne did the inspections, Stephen did the applications, and Susan Hemmerly, Wayne’s wife, would come and do invoices and the books after she got off from her other job. Harrison, Wayne’s son, was their first part time employee, and now there is a crew of 11. They include Bella LaFontaine, who is the office manager, three termite techs, two inspectors, two more office staff, and one pest control tech who deals with the rest of the creepy crawlies.
Now that they have outgrown their third location, they will be moving soon, and everyone is excited that there will be enough room inside and out to accommodate all their needs. It has been their level of customer service and commitment to excellence that has caused the “growing pains” of the last four years. To illustrate how outstanding service precipitates growth, Bella sent me a thank you that they recently received from a customer.
Okay! Signed! Thanks Bella! I want to say I really liked you and went with you because I enjoyed your professionalism and your kindness. You are an asset to your company and they are lucky to have you! You won them a new client for sure and I have trust in the great job that will be done because you gave me a good honest conversation and feeling.
Just wanted to say I appreciate you! Looking forward to working with you!
There are a number of reasons that you should choose the “Crown Crew” for your pest control needs. First of all, Wayne makes sure that the inspections are careful and the quotes are custom. You don’t just call up and get a computer-realized estimate which is completed sight unseen at their office; they come to you and discuss your options first, and the inspection is free as well as without obligation. Bella keeps the customers in her cell phone and is available to make sure that they get what they need. Stephen makes sure the work is performed as promised. Because they don’t have as much overhead as a national chain, they are able to give better prices. They use the exact same chemicals as the chain services, and as Wayne says, “Our big difference is pricing and service.”
They may concentrate on termite letters and termite treatment, but Wayne has a list of favorites he likes to go after. First up is fungus. “There is a lot of confusion these days between mold and wood-decaying fungus,” he said, and people are at times getting treatments that are not necessary. Second up — termites. Wayne gets a great deal of satisfaction getting rid of those critters so houses can pass inspections, and keeping them gone with ongoing protection plans that are thorough and affordable. Next in line is the category of pests. Ants, cockroaches, spiders, silverfish, rats, mice, wasps, fleas, crickets, brown recluses, bed bugs, and earwigs don’t stand a chance. They draw the line at snakes, however. They’ll be happy to refer you to someone else for that.
Crown Service will also do crawl space moisture management, deal with rot and damage, install appropriate vapor barriers, and provide you as a homeowner with that most important thing: peace of mind. Wayne says, “We have a goal, and that is to treat each home as though it belongs to our grandparents.” Let someone who has a heart to protect take care of your most precious possession, your home, and get a no-obligation inspection today.
By: Ali Elizabeth Turner
November 14, 2024
