How to Say NO

Here’s how to balance having those sometimes difficult conversations and keeping your customers 

Thomas A. Barstow

With many of its customers near the Chesapeake Bay in Maryland, Blades of Green technicians must closely follow instructions for applying chemicals to combat pests. Mosquitos, for example, thrive in the wetlands along the water’s edge, says Dani Collinson, director of business development. 

So, it’s not unusual for the company to say no to customers who ask workers to apply chemicals too close to the water. While denying a request isn’t easy, Collinson says, Blades of Green ensures that it treats customers as partners from the beginning of their relationship. For example, technicians may explain that they can’t exceed the labeling requirements of the products they use or they risk losing their certifications.  

And like any good relationship based on core values, those discussions usually go well.  

“Personally, I am not great at saying no,” says Collinson, who has spent the past 11 years with the company, which also has a lawn care arm. “From a customer perspective and service perspective, it’s important that you look at the relationship as a true partnership, and both parties need to agree to cooperate to advance their mutual interests. If a client has a problem, we’re going to be there to help solve it, but it is going to be a partnership.” 

Blades of Green’s approach is like that of other pest control businesses. They suggest that it helps to lean into the core values of their companies when telling customers something can’t be done. Reasonable clients will understand, even if they are disappointed—especially if they are given reasons along with a denial.  

TRYING TO SOLVE PROBLEMS 

Brent Boles, co-owner of Green Pest Solutions in Overland Park, Kansas, says one key is knowing your strengths and weaknesses and then helping customers find solutions. If Green Pest Solutions can’t do something well, the owners and managers will give the customer advice that might mean sending business elsewhere.  

For example, the company does some wildlife control work. However, other businesses specialize in certain areas, such as bats or moles, which can be a serious problem in northeast Kansas, where the company is based. People appreciate frank assessments, and it won’t do anyone any good if Green Pest Solutions takes on a project that fails, Boles points out.  

“We will work with several local wildlife companies and ask that they do the work and not take away the pest control side of the business,” he says. “We would rather take care of our recurring customers and have someone else do that type of work. That’s not to say we don’t do some of that work—we do. But we’re very selective where we think we can be effective and solve the customer’s issues.”  

At times, customers need to be coached about cleanliness or other issues that allow pests to prosper, says Marco Cevallos, who has owned Quantum Pest Management in Los Angeles for nearly two years. Cevallos, who has worked in the industry since the early 2000s, recalled one elderly couple who had an issue with hoarding, which made it difficult to treat their large house for mice. 

He agreed to start treatment, explaining that the house needed to be cleared out because the mice were multiplying inside the house, not coming from outside. When the couple didn’t follow through, Cevallos says, he had to end the treatment because he couldn’t guarantee his work.  

“I could see the frustration and the sadness in the lady, but it made no sense to keep going over there again and again when the mice had all this food available,” he says. “I was never going to be able to fix the problem.” 

SETTING PRICES 

Most people appreciate it when Cevallos tries to solve a problem before saying no, and that includes people who might complain about his prices. Customers sometimes counter his proposals. Rather than saying “no” outright, Cevallos explains that his quote is based on his experience, credentials, and the time required for the job. If they insist on a lower price, he might explain that he cannot guarantee the work. 

“I put my cards on the table and say, ‘This is what the job is,’” he says. “It’s difficult, because I want to get the business. But I also don’t want to give my job for less than its value. But it is not easy to tell them no.” 

Cevallos avoids arguments but will walk away if a customer doesn’t see his value. 

“Some customers don’t appreciate the job that we do,” he says. Commercial customers, such as food establishments, tend to better understand the expertise that is involved in pest control work. “We are public health advisers, and what we do is very important to keeping their buildings safe and people safe. We must be detailed. If we see something that is not right, we have to say it. And sometimes, in the residential jobs, people don’t see the value of what we do.” 

I tell my guys to do their BEST FOR EACH AND EVERY CUSTOMER BECAUSE EVERY CUSTOMER IS POTENTIALLY TIED TO SIX OR SEVEN MORE ACCOUNTS. We are not just coming right out and saying no. We always give them a reason... and try to find an alternative.

-Todd Hodges, 1st Defense Pest Control

DANGEROUS SITUATIONS AND DIFFICULT CLIENTS 

Another time, someone wanted Cevallos to get up high on a roof, which would have required a special lift. He gave a quote for the work, noting that the client would need to rent the lift. While he didn’t technically decline the job, the customer wouldn’t agree to the terms, says Cevallos, who is a sole proprietor. 

Such requests aren’t unusual. At Blades of Green, technicians sometimes will be asked to do tasks outside the scope of work, such as gaining access to difficult-​to-reach areas, Collinson says. “We explain that, unfortunately, due to our policies or our insurance companies, we’re not able to do something, or [we] explain that it is not in our wheelhouse,” she says. 

Customers also often ask Todd Hodges or one of his three technicians at 1st Defense Pest Control in southwest Virginia to do things where safety might be a concern. The technicians are there to solve problems, but they must ensure they are being safe, says Hodges, who has owned the company since 2018. 

His workers are encouraged to politely interact with customers when having to say no, which can be reflected in referrals. “I tell my guys to do their best for each and every customer because every customer is potentially tied to six or seven more accounts,” Hodges says. “We are not just coming right out and saying no. We always give them a reason … and try to find an alternative. We don’t want to do something that puts someone at risk.” 

An overly rude customer is a deal breaker at Blades of Green, Collinson says. Because the company sets out to create healthy partnerships with its customers, if that pact is broken by someone not respecting a worker, the company will terminate an agreement.  

“One of the big non-negotiables for us as a company is disrespect to our team members,” she says. “We draw a very hard line when it comes to our people. We look at our people as our No. 1 asset.” 

If customers become rude or vulgar, that leads to a “breakup,” which is the term the company uses to end agreements, Collinson says. “We will break up with the client instantly over this—whether it be a language thing or a threat made. We won’t tolerate it and put our employees and team members at risk.” 

Fortunately, those situations are rare, with most customers taking no for an answer, Collinson added. 

Part of that success is due to Blades of Green having an extensive training program for its workforce of about 150 people. Weekly training sessions—the company has four trainers overall—give employees the knowledge they need when interacting with customers.  

“We educate them on the labels of the products and the treatment areas,” Collinson says. “The more educated and knowledgeable your technicians are, the more they can explain why things are the way that they are, and that helps customers understand the reason behind it versus just saying no. You want to explain the why behind it.” 

YOUR COMPANY’S VALUES ARE THE FOUNDATION 

Training, coupled with the company’s approach to creating partnerships with its clients, helps to establish relationships that work well for both parties, Collinson says.  

“If you just agree to do services for the sake of agreeing and not finding out if the client is going to be the right fit—a relationship that is true to your values and your culture—then you’re just setting up both parties for failed expectations,” she says. “And when the expectations fail, the partnership fails. That makes a big difference for whether you should say yes or no to a service—staying true to who you are and your company’s values and culture.” 

Boles, who first started in the industry in 1994, says company culture was critical to him and his partners when they started Green Pest Solutions four years ago. 

“We had some pretty strong feelings about what we were willing to do, what we thought was the right thing to do, and how we were coming to market,” Boles says. “The word ‘no’ was a big part of what is in our name—Green Pest Solutions. We want to approach it differently. We wanted to be unique and different and to have a competitive advantage.” 

Although the company uses mainstream materials in its pest control business and its lawn care arm, those products are sometimes counter to what a customer might want. So, when customers ask about options, rather than just saying no, workers explain the benefits of the company’s methods “and how it’s a much better, safer approach,” says Boles.  

The company also decided that it would only sell recurring programs, so it will tell customers looking for a one-off solution that they might need to look elsewhere. “We explain that we just don’t feel like that’s effective,” Boles says. “We don’t feel like that’s the best thing for the customer, and certainly not the best thing for our brand.” 

The company’s call center has six highly trained customer service representatives who are good at getting potential customers to sign up after those benefits are explained, Boles adds.  

“We sell them on the idea of what our brand represents, why we do what we do, and how it benefits the customer,” he says. “One of the points we’re trying to make is that we’re not apologizing for our decisions—we think it’s the right thing for them.” 

Telling Employees No 

When managers at Green Pest Solutions must tell employees no, the reasons often are written on the walls. 

“It’s not that hard to say no because, when we recruit and hire people, we talk about the company values,” says co-owner Brent Boles. “Our values are on the walls of our company office, so people can’t say they didn’t know, or they can’t say they didn’t remember, because it’s brought up regularly.  

“When you’re having those crucial conversations, those hard conversations, it’s easy to point at the wall,” he adds. 

Pest control companies also offer this advice:  

Have clear policies. Green Pest Solutions also has clear policies, such as employees cannot wear clothing or other apparel that identifies another business or promotes causes. This prevents any confusion about what is appropriate and not appropriate in the workplace. It also has a social media policy, where employees can’t mention the company, even if it seems like a positive context, Boles says, in order to protect the company brand and image.  

Have clear communication. When employees have questions or don’t follow policies, direct conversation is best. For example, at Blades of Green, the company has busy seasons that can make time-off requests difficult. So, managers might suggest that employees shift some of their work to a weekend if they need time off during the week to handle a personal matter. Because managers make that effort, employees usually understand if the answer must be no, adds Dani Collinson, director of business development. “We can’t have a successful business if we don’t have team members who are successful. So, if you do have to say no, it is kind of a compromise. Like any good partnership, it starts with the relationship that you’ve built, so we work hard to have a great culture.” 

Be transparent. Todd Hodges of 1st Defense Pest Control has three workers and tries to accommodate requests when he can, too. “Transparency is one of the most important things,” Hodges says. “I’ve worked for places and just flat out been told ‘No,’ and you never really understood why they were saying no. Simple transparency and being clear up front is always your best policy.”