Sooner or later, your managers will likely be faced with a pest sighting. Whether they see the pests themselves or hear about them from customers or employees, management-level personnel need to know how to respond and what steps to take.
It’s important that managers react quickly and decisively to get the problem under control and to maintain customer goodwill and employee morale. Here are seven tips:
Related: Why Pest Control is Crucial for Local Municipalities
1. Time is of the essence.
When a pest problem is reported, don’t delay or put the issue on the back burner. By the time pests are sighted, an infestation can be well established. In addition to being unsightly and unsanitary, some pests can even spread diseases and cause property or structural damage. It’s best to get reputable, commercial pest control help to get rid of pests swiftly.
2. Avoid being defensive.
It’s important for management to show sincere concern as pest sightings can be unsettling for everyone. For customers and the public, pests can raise questions about the cleanliness and quality of your business. For employees, pests can raise concerns about safety and their work environment. Assure the people reporting sightings that you take them seriously, that you’re taking immediate steps to address the concern, and that sanitation and pest control are priorities at your location.
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3. Adhere to regulatory and health code guidelines.
If your business or facility is subject to these, work with your legal advisor and make sure managers know what is expected for reporting and compliance.
4. Take detailed notes and photos, if possible.
Get a description of the pests that were sighted, exactly where they were seen and how many were reported. Write down this information, along with the date, time and any other pertinent information. Remember that some reports may not correctly identify the pests by name, so ask about color, size and other characteristics to help pest control professionals make proper identification. It’s also helpful to make note of any special or unusual circumstances that may have contributed to the pest problem, such as recent deliveries, weather changes, structural changes to the building, as well as any past pest activity.
5. Know what pests are likely to threaten your facility.
While many different species of pests can invade commercial properties, the five most common types that seem to cause the most problems are rodents, cockroaches, stored product pests (moths, weevils, beetles and others), flies and ants. However, your particular location or facility may have additional threats. Being familiar with pests in your area can help with quick identification as well as with executing prevention strategies.
6. Be aware of business-specific concerns.
For example, pest sightings can cause special ramifications for food services and retail environments, including loss of customers. Commercial kitchen pest control and retail pest control require consistent management diligence and focus.
7. Know when to call pest control professionals.
Does your pest control service include a guarantee that technicians will return between treatments if pests come back? Managers should know when a return visit is warranted and how to request one.
While pest sightings aren’t exactly welcomed news, it’s important for managers and business owners to look at such reports as opportunities to show responsiveness, concern and service commitment. Having an established relationship with a professional commercial pest control partner can help take the sting out of pest sightings with comprehensive solutions and industry-specific protocols.
