This information tells pest management firms exactly what to invest in
Dr. Jim Fredericks
Sr. Vice President, Public Affairs
NPMA
Commercial buyers are building shortlists through both trust and search. Industry recommendations and referrals( 62 %) still matter most, but online research( 58 %) is nearly as important, and formal RFP processes( 49 %) remain a major path to selection. That combination tells pest management firms exactly what to invest in: you need the reputation that earns referrals, but you also need a digital presence and proposal materials that prove you’ re credible. If your website can’ t quickly show certifications, vertical experience, response standards, and reporting quality, you’ ll get filtered out before you ever get a chance to compete.
Reputation has to travel by word of mouth and hold up under a five-minute website audit
Aaron McMillan
Senior Editor
Procurement Magazine
Referrals still edging out online research( 62 % versus 58 %) is a reminder that pest control remains a trust-led category even as digital discovery closes the gap. For vendors, that’ s a two-front requirement: reputation has to travel by word of mouth and hold up under a five-minute website audit. Buyers doing both in parallel is a maturity signal worth flagging to readers.
Section 6: Vendor Discovery & Shortlisting Behavior 37