Managing Pest Control in the Facilities Industry

Pest control within facilities is not to be taken lightly. An infestation could lead to a host of dilemmas for facilities managers – causing health problems, severely damaging employee relations, and even leading to absenteeism and resignations.
Wider business consequences could include: harm to customer and employee trust, serious damage to your facility’s health and hygiene reputation, as well as lost revenue. In order to address these issues it is important to be aware of the types of pest problems facilities are most exposed to and what can be done to prevent them.
In addition, it would be undoubtedly beneficial to formulate mouse control, fly control, bird control and other forms of pest control strategies in advance of any problem arising. While pest control is only one of the many responsibilities of a busy facilities manager, prevention is always better than cure. It is vital that problems are dealt with as quickly as possible.
Pests are remarkably clever at finding the perfect environment to set up home in. Stored product insect pests will seek out premises containing dry foodstuffs and rodents, whilst attracted to food, also like buildings that are warm and quiet at night.
Food kept in desk drawers overnight, or left out on surfaces, as well as residue in wastepaper bins will certainly attract pests. Bins should contain bin liners and be emptied daily. If left untreated, rodent infestations can cause serious health problems such as salmonella, as rats and mice urinate on surfaces.
Small flies, such as fruit flies, are common office pests and while health risks associated with them are minimal, they are likely to distract and irritate staff. Again, not leaving food out will discourage their appearance and help enormously with fly control.
Fleas can be brought into facilities from people’s homes, but survive easily within an office building, as carpeting and soft furnishings provide a relatively undisturbed environment for them to develop.
If a member of staff is complaining of fleabites, it is crucial to call in pest controllers immediately rather than waiting to see if it is an isolated incident. Bite marks around the wrist and ankles are the obvious signs of a flea problem and vacuuming will not eliminate them.
Proactive monitoring – prevention is better than cure
With prevention in mind, proactive monitoring is essential. A contractual agreement with a pest control company, which includes regular technician and field biologist visits, is recommended. Continuous monitoring can drastically reduce the reporting and administrative burden that comes with coordinating pest control checks.
To minimise disruption, you need a pest control partner flexible enough to work out of office hours and through the night, if necessary.
Teaching staff to be ‘pest-aware’
Pest control professionals can help facilities managers avoid pest headaches by educating office managers to be more pest-aware. By teaching staff about the signs to look out for, any pest issues are more likely to be reported faster, so they can be dealt with before a larger scale infestation takes hold.
The enemy …

Pest Control Scheduling Software – Take the Sting Out of Booking, Managing Service Appointments

Online appointment-scheduling software is probably not a phrase on the minds of most pest control specialists. Their top priority is ridding homes, apartment communities, commercial buildings and other properties of insects, rodents, birds and other pests.
But to properly provide service and treatment at these locations, pest control professionals must have a reliable method for scheduling and managing their appointments. Some still utilize traditional-and usually outdated-processes for booking their service appointments: A customer calls it in and the receptionist or staffer checks availability, confirms the appointment, and jots down the date, time and information into a paper appointment book or electronic calendar. Depending on staff resources, a reminder phone call may also follow prior to the scheduled service date and time.
Doesn’t seem very efficient, does it?
That’s why pest control professionals and rethinking the way they manage their service appointments and client information. They’re turning in their paper appointment book and Google Calendar for a better way to schedule service: online appointment scheduling software.
THE BASICS OF ONLINE APPOINTMENT-SCHEDULING Herbs That Roaches Hate SOFTWARE
The beauty of online appointment-scheduling software is its simplicity. You don’t need to be tech savvy to utilize the full potential of this technology. If you’re able to search the Web, check your online bank account and post a message on a social media site, you’ll be able to implement online scheduling software into your Organic Pest Control Products For Home pest control operations. That’s because it’s as easy to use as the aforementioned Web actions. The user simply accesses a Web site or online portal, logs in, and begins using the application. There typically are no downloads, installations or expensive hardware to purchase. All that’s required is an Internet connection.
Like almost all software applications, standard functionality does vary among scheduling-software providers. In general, most offer such features as:
• Online customer self-scheduling. How great would it be if your customers could schedule their own service appointments online? Most Web-based pest-control scheduling applications give users the option of offering online self-scheduling to their customers. All they need is Internet access, as they’ll navigate to the online scheduler in the same way as any other Web site, page or portal. Once there, they can view services, availability and pricing. They then select the specific service, date and time, and enter any required personal contact information. The scheduling software does the rest, with no additional action required on behalf of the pest control professional or his or her staff.
• Automated e-mail and text message reminders. Arriving at a location for a schedule appointment, only to learn that the owner, manager or other individual who requested the service is not there, is not only frustrating, but can cut into daily operating revenue. It’s a time slot that could be have been available to another customer. Some online appointment-scheduling software applications allow users to automatically send e-mail and text message reminders prior to a scheduled service appointment. These not only are a courtesy to customers, but can …