Quality Control from the Outside In

Outdoor pest control has become one of the most important pillars of the pest management industry. What was once considered a supporting service that was applied around the perimeter before stepping inside has now taken center stage. Many companies are building entire programs around the idea that the most effective way to control pests is to stop them before they ever cross the threshold.

“One-time pest control isn’t a cure-all — it’s just a treatment for a specific problem,” said Jeff Preece, owner, ZipZap Termite & Pest Control, Lawson, Mo. “We’ll do one-time pest control, but we believe in the philosophy that pest control is a process. You’re managing the pests outside so that you don’t have to go inside unless there’s a problem.”

It’s a shift rooted in a simple truth: Most pest problems start outside, so treating them at the source is more efficient, more predictable and, in many cases, more appealing to today’s homeowners and property managers.

The second annual PCT State of the Outdoors Market report, sponsored by Zoëcon, takes a closer look at the ongoing changes driving outdoor-focused services. From evolving technologies and marketing strategies to the importance of looking beyond the perimeter, this report outlines trends in the industry as PMPs move forward into the future.

OUTDOOR IS HERE TO STAY. While indoor services always will be available on an as-needed basis, outdoor-only services are climbing: 23% of survey respondents report that more than half of their residential accounts are now handled entirely outdoors, without ever entering the home.

That may be, in part, because pest management professionals (PMPs) are servicing homes over multiple times a year across all four seasons. Frequency has become the norm, with 81% of companies performing outdoor treatments at least monthly. Of those, most (54%) report performing quarterly services.

The western U.S. leads the shift toward exterior-only services, with 43% of respondents reporting that a majority of their residential accounts never require indoor access. Other regions are lower, with the South at 21%, the Midwest at 17% and the Northeast at 12%.

“Almost 80% of the problems we deal with, we handle from the outside,” said Dallas Whitt, owner, Critical Hit Pest Management, Shawnee, Okla. “The other 20% are interior services we offer as a bonus.”

TIME MANAGEMENT. Nearly 75% said they perform outdoor services for residential accounts at nearly every appointment all year long. But residents aren’t the only ones reaping the rewards. Although 95% of PMPs provide residential services, 88% also handle commercial clients.

Nearly half serve government and academic accounts. Another 39% serve institutional clients. There’s a lot to go around, and that’s what makes outdoor-only services prime for growth.

“Outdoor-only services are a route builder,” said Preece. “Our guys are able to do between 12 and 17 jobs outside because we route them so tightly. They can get in and out of there and do a fantastic job without having to worry about waiting around for the customer.”

Out of those PMPs surveyed, 39% say more than half of their total revenue comes from outdoor-only pest services, with 3% of respondents saying that 100% of their revenue is generated on outdoor alone.

CHANGING PHILOSOPHIES. A shift in industry philosophy is emerging, with 62% of respondents expecting revenue from outdoor-only services to increase in 2026. A change in how pest professionals are thinking about their pest management approach is largely what’s driving that shift.

“There’s a broader question I don’t necessarily have an answer for that I think we should be asking,” said Billy Olesen, CEO, PestStop, Olympia, Wash. “Should we as an industry be out there just treating everything, or do we need to be more calculated in where we’re applying insecticides, miticides and other treatments?”

Scott Ballard, CEO, Ballard Pest Management, Opelika, Ala., also has seen a push for the great outdoors coming from other large national pest control firms. In January, he acquired a smaller company whose clients were conditioned to want outdoor-only services, too. Seeing the interest pique on all sides has inspired Ballard to take a similar approach.

“We’re offering outdoor services now more than we have ever offered it before because it’s being offered in our area and we’ve got a lot of people that are requesting it,” he said.

Whitt said Critical Hit Pest Management stands firmly in the middle, wanting to focus more on outdoor-only services but seeing benefit in bundling indoor and outdoor together. Taking that combined approach allows him long-term customer retention.

“I would like to roll all my services over to outside only, but that engagement piece is so important in the industry when it comes to retaining customers,” he said. “Taking a look at the inside, even if we’re not treating anything, allows us another opportunity to engage with the customer and set them up for future services.”

The numbers seem to agree, with 42% of survey respondents saying they perform interior as part of their contracted service and 49% saying they do so as-needed.

“I do believe exterior services are going to increase over time,” said Whitt. “I see a lot of customers wanting to us to handle more things on the outside, but I leave that door open for them in case they find benefit from it.”