Pest infestation is a common problem in India. Pests make their way into our homes and offices and degrade the surroundings. Pests also harm agricultural produce. Pest control aims to stop these pests from damaging our property and agricultural yields. The pest control industry is emerging at a fast pace in India and offers a plethora of opportunities for aspiring entrepreneurs to start a new business. Starting a pest control business involves low start-up costs and offers high returns. It is an extremely lucrative new business idea.
Investment Required: If you want to know how much it costs to start a pest control business, the answer is that a pest control business can easily be started with less capital. If you are planning to start a pest control business, you should have an initial capital of INR 5 lacs. It is a business proposition with low capital requirements. You can easily foray into the business of pest control and earn substantial profits by arranging the required funds. You can finance your pest control business by the following methods:
Owned funds: You can use your own money to start a business. You can use your savings, or take the help of your friends and family to finance you.
Owed Funds: You can apply for a loan from a financial institution to start your pest control business.
If you are thinking about how to start a pest control business, you should have the required expertise and training in the relevant field along with the start-up capital for your new venture. The following, meticulously designed pest control business plan, outlays the steps to be followed to start a pest control business:
1. Pest Control Services: The first step is to determine the scope of your business. You need to identify the pest control services that you would offer to your customers. Your spectrum of services might include residential services, commercial services, contractual services, fumigation, removal of termites, bed bugs, mosquitoes, rodents, etc. Different pest services are required in different seasons, so you can easily offer various services.
2. Training and Expertise: It is essential to acquire the required training and gain expertise in the field of pest control. This field is involved with hazardous chemicals, so it is mandatory to be properly trained in this field. You should have the know-how regarding pest control.
You have to register yourself on the site of the Indian Pest Control Association (IPCA) for the training. You would receive a certificate after the completion of the training program. You are also required to undergo fumigation and prophylaxis training for 15 days organized by:
National Institute of Plant Health Management, or
Central Food Technological Research Institute, or
National Plant Protection Training Institute.
3. Registration and License: Once you have acquired the training, you have to register your business and apply for a pesticide license. You can register online or offline according to your convenience, and get the permit by filing the required forms and paying the fees.
4. Purchase the Equipment: A pest control business requires the following basic pieces of equipment:
Sprayers
Foggers
Bed Bug Steamers
Bait Guns
Pest Control Granulators
Apart from the required equipment, you also need to arrange for uniforms of your employees, vehicles, and the necessary chemicals to deliver exemplary service. You should also buy protective equipment like gloves, respirators, boots, etc. You should always buy equipment of high quality as it pays in the long run.
5. Hiring Human Resources: Skilled and sincere human resources are essential for the success of any business. You should hire experienced employees who are committed to delivering remarkable customer service. The employees should be properly trained, and have prior pest control experience. They should be dedicated and work diligently to make your new venture a success by ensuring customer satisfaction.
As a small-scale business, if it is difficult to manage your employees or keep track of their performance, you can use the Okstaff app, which is a holistic app for employee management. You can easily record their attendance, and evaluate their service delivery through this app.
6. Marketing your business proposition: In the current scenario, it is of paramount importance to market your business well to be a successful entrepreneur. An effective marketing strategy is indispensable for the success of a business. You should enhance the visibility of your business and make people aware of its existence.
Nowadays, you should harness the unlimited potential of digital marketing to your advantage. You should create a website for your business and brand your offering. Your website is the personification of your vision and objectives. It should be impressive and inspiring. You need to advertise your offering to the target market in the most appealing manner to enhance your customer base.
A pest control business offers a tremendous scope of growth and expansion and is very profitable. The return on investment in a pest control business is significantly high. If you are wondering how much can you make owning a pest control company, then you should not worry as the pest control industry is in its nascent stage and offers high profit margins. You can easily earn a profit of INR 75,000 a year in the beginning, which will only be amplified in the coming years.
Deliver outstanding customer service: As you are offering a service to your customers, it is imperative to win their trust to establish a long-term relationship. Satisfied customers do word-of-mouth publicity, which helps in garnering more customers.
Hire Proficient and Courteous Employees: You should train the employees to be courteous and serve the customers with full dedication. They should be proficient in their field and should surpass the expectations of the customers.
Use Automated Business Processes: Automated business processes save your time and money, and deliver better results. You should maintain digital accounts and ledgers for your business, as it is very convenient to record financial transactions electronically. They render accurate results and help you to plan accordingly. You can take the help of the OKcredit app, which is immaculately designed to meet all your accounting needs.
Market Extensively: You should invest significantly in marketing your service. Focus on building your brand and offer something different to your customers that makes you stand apart from your rivals.
The pest control industry is growing at a significant rate in India. India is an agricultural country, and the need for pest control in agriculture also intensifies the demand for pest control services. Apart from agriculture, pest control services are also required in urban areas. Residential buildings, as well as commercial premises, need to be safeguarded against the attack of pests. This has further accelerated the demand for integrated pest management and control. Hence, it is an extremely rewarding business idea to start a new pest control business for all budding entrepreneurs.