PEST CONTROL
CHOOSING THE RIGHT COMPANY
Whilst using the British Pest Control Association’s ‘Find a Member’ service will help ensure minimum standards are upheld, finding a company that suits your needs can still be a
challenge. Julia Pittman, Director of Beaver Pest Control, looks at the things to consider when making your decision.
Willingness to go the extra mile for
the customer What’s the company culture like? Is willingness to go the extra mile embedded into their culture? It is a normal part of their daily routine? When you speak to your technician or the office, are they helpful and informative or do you get the impression that they can’t be bothered.
Good pest control is much more than just laying bait boxes. Your technician needs to have detective skills to find out where the problems are coming from. This could involve looking in ceiling voids, riser cupboards, storage areas, under kitchen equipment; even removing panels if necessary.
If the culture to go the extra mile for the customer isn’t embedded into the front line (technicians) then they are more likely to carry out a surface inspection without really getting to the bottom of the problem. And that means your problem doesn’t get resolved.
They treat their employees well Does your technician give you the impression that he/she loves their job? Is he/she motivated to do a great job? Are there systems in place to reward him/her for consistently good service?
We hear about pest control technicians working 10-12 hour days on a regular basis to try and keep up with their routine calls. You are unlikely to get a good service if your technician is rushing around and just changing bait boxes. Do they spend the time they need to on your contract? Do they work safely or are they cutting corners to get the bare minimum done.
Let’s face it, your service is dependent on the technician that you get. Do you have a regular technician, do they know your premises and the problems that you have? (*Beaver have found that it is beneficial to have a fresh pair of eyes from time to time so we sometimes rotate our technicians).
Knowledge As well as having enough time, do they have the skills? Do they undergo regular training?
Pest Control regulations and product labels change on a regular basis so your company/technician needs to be up to date with the latest rules and regulations.
32 | TOMORROW’S FM
Do they belong to a CPD scheme, either the new BPCA registered scheme or basis prompt? These schemes show that technicians are continually improving their knowledge and skills.
Great back office support No matter how good your technician is, there will come a time when you need to speak to someone in the office. The technicians and back office should work seamlessly together with information between the front line and the office easily available.
Can you get your reports easily if you are based off site? Can the office deal with any questions that you have for them and do they actually resolve your issues easily? Do you get a speedy response?
Careful selection will pay dividends in pest control. After all we are a knowledge-based service industry and with the tightening up of legislation, these areas will only increase in importance.
www.pestcontrolservices.co.uk twitter.com/TomorrowsFM
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70
