Step 1 · The opening
Answer the same way every time
"Thanks for calling [Company Name], this is [Name] — how can I help you today?"
Then, before anything else: "Can I grab your name and the best number to reach you, in case we get cut off?" If the call drops after this point, you still have a lead.
Step 2 · Pest-specific intake questions
Ask different questions for different pests
"We have bugs" is not enough to quote, route, or prep a tech. Three targeted questions per pest type save a callback and tell you whether this is a same-day situation.
Termites
Urgency: High — treat as a priority callback
- Are you seeing swarming insects, discarded wings, mud tubes, or damaged wood?
- Where exactly — foundation, crawl space, window sills, deck, fence?
- How long have you been noticing it?
- Is this for a real estate transaction or inspection deadline?
- What type of property is it, and roughly how old?
Why it matters: Swarm sightings are time-sensitive and often competitive — the caller is likely phoning more than one company. Real estate inspections have hard deadlines worth flagging for the scheduler.
Rodents & wildlife
Urgency: Medium-high — escalate if animals are inside living areas
- What are you hearing or seeing — noises, droppings, chewed wires or packaging, an actual animal?
- Where is the activity — attic, crawl space, garage, kitchen, walls?
- Any idea how they might be getting in?
- Do you have pets or small children in the home?
- Is anything damaged so far?
Why it matters: Location separates an exclusion job from a trapping job. Pets and children change what treatments you can use, and the tech should know before the visit.
Bed bugs
Urgency: High sensitivity — callers are often embarrassed; keep it matter-of-fact
- Which rooms have you noticed activity in?
- When did you first notice — bites, live insects, or spotting on bedding?
- Any recent travel, secondhand furniture, or guests?
- Is this a single-family home, apartment, or multi-unit property?
- If multi-unit: are you the owner, tenant, or property manager?
Why it matters: Multi-unit properties need the decision-maker identified before anything can be scheduled. Travel history and first-sighting timing help scope how established the infestation is.
Mosquitoes
Urgency: Routine — but seasonal spikes make speed matter
- Where is the biting worst — patio, backyard, around the whole property?
- Any standing water nearby — ponds, drainage, birdbaths, gutters?
- Is the yard wooded or shaded at the edges?
- Is this for a one-time event (party, wedding) or ongoing relief?
- Interested in a seasonal treatment program?
Why it matters: Event-driven calls have a hard date. Yard conditions determine treatment approach, and program interest is your recurring-revenue signal — capture it on the first call.
Ants, roaches & general pests
Urgency: Routine — qualify for recurring service
- What are you seeing, and where — kitchen, bathroom, exterior, garage?
- How long has it been going on, and is it getting worse?
- Have you treated it yourself with anything so far?
- Have you ever had professional pest service at this property?
- Are you looking for a one-time treatment or ongoing prevention?
Why it matters: DIY treatment history affects what the tech walks into. The one-time vs recurring question sets up the quarterly-service conversation your margin depends on.
Wasps, hornets & stinging insects
Urgency: High if anyone has been stung or the nest blocks access
- Has anyone been stung? Anyone in the household allergic?
- Where is the nest — eaves, ground, wall void, play area?
- How large is it, roughly?
- Is it blocking a door, deck, or area you need to use?
- How soon do you need someone out?
Why it matters: Sting history and allergies make this a same-day conversation. Nest location tells you whether this is a ladder job, a wall-void job, or a ground treatment before the truck rolls.
Step 3 · The every-call checklist
Twelve fields before you hang up
- Caller name and confirmed callback number
- Property address — confirmed, not assumed
- Property type: single-family, multi-unit, commercial
- New caller or existing customer
- Pest type, or best description in the caller’s own words
- Where the activity is happening
- Severity signals: bites, stings, swarms, damage, droppings
- How long it has been going on
- Urgency and preferred timing
- Pets, children, or access notes for the tech
- How they found you (referral, Google, sign, ad)
- The booked next step — inspection, quote, or callback time
Step 4 · The close
Book a next step, not a "we'll call you back"
If you can schedule
"Based on what you're describing, the next step is an inspection. I have [day] at [time] or [day] at [time] — which works better?"
If someone else quotes
"I've got everything [estimator name] needs. You'll hear from us by [specific time] — is that number the best one to text a confirmation to?"
A specific commitment ("by 2pm today") beats a vague one ("soon") — and the text confirmation keeps your company name in their pocket while they call your competitors.
Frequently asked questions
- Is this pest control phone script really free?
- Yes — no email, no sign-up. Read it here, print it for the office, and adapt the wording to your company. It covers the opening, pest-specific intake questions, and the closing that books the next step.
- What should a pest control phone script include?
- A consistent opening with your company name, questions that identify the pest and where activity is happening, severity and urgency checks, property details (address, type, pets, access), and a closing that books a specific next step instead of ending with "someone will call you back."
- Why do different pests need different intake questions?
- Because the details that matter change. A termite call needs swarm location and visible damage; a bed bug call needs affected rooms and the property decision-maker; a wasp call needs sting history and nest location. Asking the right three questions per pest type saves a callback and prepares the tech before the visit.
- How do I use this script when nobody can answer the phone?
- A script only works when someone picks up — and pest control calls spike after hours and during termite and mosquito season. That is the problem an AI receptionist solves: Tinylawn asks these same pest-aware intake questions on every call, 24/7, then texts you a structured summary. Plans start at $49/month with a 14-day free trial.