Mosquito Joe Franchisee Tim Lanai Remains Optimistic for Business During Upcoming Busy Season

As the COVID-19 pandemic has caused an abrupt shutdown for several industries, service-based businesses are continuing to operate business as usual. For outdoor pest control franchise Mosquito Joe*, the upcoming warm weather may bring a potential jump in business as more people are stuck at home and wanting to be outside in their yards. Tim Lanai, Mosquito Joe in Southwest Nashville franchisee, is starting to gauge how his business may be affected during the upcoming mosquito season due to challenges stemming from COVID-19.

“Our season just started. New customer acquisition isn't as robust as it was last year, but it’s still too early to tell. Our current customers seem to be coming back from last year,” said Lanai.

Due to stay-at-home orders still being in effect in most states across the country, residents are itching to get outside as the summer months get closer and the weather gets nicer. Lanai mentioned that because everyone is at home and unable to go out to eat, backyard BBQ season will be more popular than ever.

“Since people are staying home, there’s been more people looking to escape to their outdoor area,” said Lanai. “Instead of going out to dinner, they feel more inclined to use their money on our services to enjoy the outdoor parts of their homes.”

When it comes to Lanai’s staff, he is ensuring all safety precautions as recommended by the CDC are being followed while being able to keep a safe distance from their clients.

“Our staff is concerned, but happy to be back at work out in a van, not interfacing with customers. They can text customers when on their way so people aren’t coming into the office or home,” he said.

If the business that Lanai’s franchise is experiencing so far this season continues at its current rate, Lanai anticipates seeing an increase this year from 11 vans to 13 or 14 in order to service more customers. However, expenses might need to be reduced due to the pandemic. Lanai hopes the worst-case scenario, they profit as much as last year.

At the beginning of the COVID-19 outbreak, Lanai wanted to help out the community the best he could and saw an immediate need for N95 masks, something their pest control experts supply.

Lanai’s brother, John Lorei MD, is an emergency room physician at the Kansas City VA Medical Center in Kansas City, Missouri. He expressed the shortage for PPE and that many of the ER staff members were bleaching and reusing the N95 face masks multiple times.

Lanai immediately shipped over 200 N-95 masks they had to distribute to healthcare workers. He said that the donation “may literally be a lifesaver.”

Now that the supply of masks and equipment is finally stabilizing, Lanai says he is looking forward to returning to his normal operations, and he expects this summer to be as profitable as any other for his business.