PEST CONTROL
IT’S NOT THE SIZE, BUT HOW WELL YOU’RE SERVICED
When it comes to choosing a pest control contractor, it can be tempting to stick to the major companies, after all, they’ll have all the know-how and economies of scale to ensure they do a good deal, right? The answer, according to
Dee Ward-Thompson, of the British Pest Control Association, is ‘not necessarily’.
The pest control market has changed considerably in recent years with a relatively small number of larger companies dominating the industry. It’s an issue that has enabled them to increase margins at the expense of the end-user.
National pest control companies are, almost without exception, part of a multi-service group tagged onto much larger operations, with pest control being only a minor part of the business. As a result, their focus on the pest control function is often relatively small and customers need to be certain they’re not just an account number, but a valued customer.
Buyers can often assume that bigger is better and safer, with a balanced, lower risk, and large companies have clear benefits – they are tried and tested and give excellent risk management within the supply chain. They have access to huge amounts of
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technical data and integrated solutions that encompass all sorts of industries including the cleaning sector. But just like with any commercial service it pays to shop around and ignoring regional companies may be excluding a significant portfolio of knowledge and expertise from the decision- making process.
The advent of technology has dramatically reduced the gap between the capability of small and large pest control operators, with access to supplier data banks, online networks of independent controllers, electronic capture and storage of visit reports and contract management database systems. Clients need to understand the benefits of both small and large pest control companies before choosing one type over the other. There’s now a highly credible alternative to the big providers and clients can often see the results of ‘going local’ in terms of both
enhanced service delivery, levels of control and cost.
RESPONSE TIME Small, local businesses often have
quick response times and can solve problems quickly due to a smaller chain of command. Top management is typically available at the end of the phone and are able to personally handle any situation promptly. Larger businesses can be slower to respond and often have a long and complex structure of command. Additionally, some corporate policies and procedures may slow down any processes for resolving issues and snags that come up in the course of routine work.
Similarly, independent businesses often work to a different time culture than corporate organisations and can afford additional time with clients without the pressure of meeting a set number of calls in a day.
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