Pest Management Professional, May 2014

mobile matters Mobile camcorders help document sell Dean Stanbridge Contributor J ust a decade ago we were blessed with the first lightweight digital camcorders Many of us flocked to the electronics stores to purchase these little devices Since then size has become the choice word for camcorders We have super small units that fit in the palms of our hands yet they take high quality digital videos Recently I was asked to enter a tight crawlspace with an unknown animal in questionable health When I opened the crawlspace I saw shredded insulation and only 2 feet of clearance for me to wriggle through Well Ive become more cautious about air quality molds possible virus or bacteria and the potential of being bitten by a sick animal As I shone my flashlight and mirror around from the entrance of this dark space my stomach was clenching tighter at the thought of entering a confined space of unknown air quality with an unknown sick animal Fortunately the situation turned out fine but it made me think about how useful our industry might find todays new gadgets such as the GoPro Hero3 Black Edition or the Liquid Image Apex HD goggle cams Service industries are the largest benefactors of the mobile boom During the past decade service productivities have improved significantly because of the increasingly widespread use of mobile technology Although many companies are completely integrated with digital camera use to help technicians many of us still arent taking advantage of digital camcorders to help our service teams Several manufacturers offer models with Wi Fi integration which streamlines the transfer of digital data to various devices I see many field uses for this technology the most obvious is sharing information among technicians instantly but we also could use it for safety and training As a technical director I spend most of my day helping pest management professionals PMPs with in field problems Most of this work is augmented with digital photos but occasionally I have a PMP who sends me a short video clip which makes a huge difference in my ability to assess situations Unfortunately these are rare occurrences that could be changed easily with new camcorders Imagine using live video to help address a problem in an account while speaking to an expert about it The time savings that could be achieved through video imaging can greatly reduce technicians stress levels Additionally these new action style cameras such as the GoPro can make entering confined or potentially dangerous spaces much safer All of these cameras can be placed on remote poles and extensions The images then could be transmitted instantly to a technicians mobile device and viewed in real time Because many technicians work alone this can be a significant safety enhancement and benefit to company management We also could have an additional benefit for training A key technician could record a service technique and broadcast it to a broad audience for use in other branch offices for example No matter how you choose to use this technology the benefits are immeasurable If youre into saving money as well as improving time management communication and employee safety investing in these invaluable devices is worthwhile PMP You can reach Stanbridge a PMP and longtime technology columnist at dean@ directlinesales com 80 May 2014 Pest Management Professional www mypmp net Photo iStock com rKIRKimagery