News

3/01/2010

When you purchase Termite Protection you will now receive One Million Dollars of Coverage for the Life of your Home. And this includes transfer of ownership, which is an appealing benefit when selling your home. “No other company offers termite protection for the life of your home without some fine print” says Ken McMaster, Drake’s Termite & Pest Control Service Director. “We have made protecting your home from termites very easy and customer friendly. If termites damage your home we will repair it. It’s that simple. And when you review our agreement you won’t see all of the exclusions that are hidden in so many of the termite contracts other companies offer.”

The addition of this type of termite protection to Drake’s already successful services reinforces their dedication to providing the most reliable pest control for Central Florida residents. “We have unmatched services and the guarantee’s to back it up”, says President Brandon Hill. “If you compare any of our services to any other company, and I mean really compare apples to apples, you won’t find anyone that meets all the requirements we do.”

12/01/2009

Toys for tots Began in 1947, when Major Bill Hendricks, USCR and a group of Marine Reservists in Los Angeles collected and distributed 5,000 toys to needy children. The idea came form Bill’s wife, Diane. In the fall of 1947, Diane crafted a homemade doll and asked Bill to deliver the doll to an organization, which would give it to a needy child at Christmas. When Bill determined that no agency existed, Diane told Bill that he should start one. He did. The 1947 pilot project was so successful that the Marine Corps adopted Toys for Tots in 1948 and expanded it into a nationwide campaign. That year, Marine Corps Reserve units across the nation conducted Toys for Tots campaigns in each community in which a Marine Reserve Center was located. Marines have conducted successful nationwide campaigns at Christmas each year since 1948.

Over the 62 years of the U. S. Marine Corps Reserve Toys for Tots Program, Marines have distributed more than 400 million toys to more than 188 million needy children. This charitable endeavor has made U. S. Marines the unchallenged leader in looking after less fortunate children at Christmas. Over its 18 year life span, the Marine Toys for Tots Foundation has supplemented local toy collections with more than 81.3 million toys valued at more than $487 million; plus has provided promotion and support materials valued at over $6.3 million.

Drake Termite & Pest Control and all its employee’s are proud to participate in the Toys for Tots program this holiday season.

During the mid 1800’s a man named William Booth, along with his wife, began helping people in need. They started their journey in England by giving spiritual guidance. Their good deeds quickly attracted followers to join them on their quest to help people. Originally called the “Volunteer Army” they began to spread out of the East end of London into neighboring areas and then to other cities. In 1878 Booth decided to change the name of his organization and penned the name “Salvation Army”. By the late 1800’s the Salvation Army had spread through much of Europe and the United States. Today you can find them in virtually every corner of the world.

In the spirit of Thanksgiving the team members of Drake are giving to the people in need this Holiday season by donating clothes and non-perishable foods to the Salvation Army. There is a drop off center at their corporate headquarters located in Orlando. Drake welcomes anyone and everyone to stop by and contribute to this great foundation.

Drake is now offering both monthly and bi-monthly lawn & shrub care services. When the company first opened they only offered a bi-monthly service to consumers. After a few years they realized there was a demand for a monthly program and decided to offer this service exclusively. “Customer after customer kept requesting us to come out monthly, so after thorough research and testing, we finally decided to offer a monthly program which would put us on another level in terms of pest control service for your lawn” says President Brandon Hill. And a monthly program was the only service Drake offered since March 2008.

After several years of listening to their customer’s requests and concerns for both types of services Drake is now letting consumers choose the service frequency they would like for their landscape. “Both our monthly and bi-monthly programs come with unmatched guarantees. And whether its preference or economics Drake wants to accommodate every consumer we meet” says Brandon Hill.

Drake opened its second office in Osceola county this month. The company has been servicing customers in the Kissimmee area from their Orlando location since opening in 2004. Although Drake has never really been aggressive in this market they have always been happy to service customers in this area knowing they would one day open a service location here. Despite a down economy Drake has experienced growth in their Kissimmee service routes and now have sustainable revenue to accommodate an entire branch. This new branch also meant promotions for current employees and the ability to geographically service further into the Osceola area.

The company is also pleased to now be spending money in a community where customers are spending money with them. Drake now leases a building in Kissimmee and purchases things on a daily basis such as fuel, supplies, food & other goods from local retail centers. Thank you to all our customers in Osceola county for your support.

“When you purchase Pest Control for your home with Drake you get a guarantee that is unmatched in the pest control industry. If we don’t eliminate your pests within 30 days we will refund 100% of your money back. It’s that simple”, says Vice President Jerry Tucker.

Drake hired longtime pioneer in the industry Ken McMaster in August 2008 to spearhead the pest control division. Since then Ken has implemented intense training for the technicians that specialize in pest control for your home. He has also developed some specific service procedures and quality assurance programs which allow Drake to confidently offer their money back guarantee. “My technicians have the professionalism, company support, service systems and maybe most importantly, the care and willingness to solve customers pest problems” says Ken McMaster.

Drake has incorporated a new software system which will allow its customers to access and manage their account. Through a secure login process customers have the ability to do things like pay invoices, review billing history, update credit card information, see when future services are scheduled and request additional services. This customer friendly process allows access after hours and on weekends.

The Central Florida Knights are a youth baseball team that in recent years have won 2 State Championships.
They have had a fantastic season and are headed to what they call “the greatest tournament in America” in Cooperstown, New York on June 6th 2009. The Knights have yet to win this tournament but are determined to
come home with a victory. When the 12 and under teammates said they needed some help with traveling
expenses for the long trip Drake was happy to make a donation. Go Knights!

Drake is excited to launch its debut in the world of television advertising. Beginning in April of 2009 Drake has developed and began airing 2 commercials. One for Lawn Care service and one for Pest Control service. Both are :30 second spots which will give the customer some insight on the professional, convenient and reliable service they will receive from Drake. They have laid out an 8 month campaign and have plans to add new commercials later this year. "We are very pleased with the outcome of the commercials. And this is an excellent way for Drake to introduce themselves to potential customers that weren't aware Drake should be a choice for their service needs." says President Brandon Hill. Click here to view commercial.

On December 1, 2008 Drake moved into its new 8,000 sq. ft. facility located on Edgewater Dr. in Orlando. This building will serve as Drakes home office for its Orlando customers and the companies corporate office. Drake has plans to expand from here with satellite offices in the greater Central Florida area which include Lake county, Osceola county and Polk county. These additional offices will provide these communities with career oriented jobs, the purchases of goods and services from Drake and current employees with the opportunity of advancement.

Lesco, the world's largest fertilizer distributor, recognizes the success of Drake.
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