As a busy, budget-conscious business person, handling your own pest control may seem like a smart way to save money. But is it?
After all, there are lots of DIY pest control options that are readily available commercially, so why not? While tackling commercial pest control yourself may seem to be the cheaper route initially, it may not be the better choice in the long run. Here are seven reasons why:
1. Business people and the general public usually do not have the specialized training and knowledge that licensed pest control professionals have to effectively use pesticides. A misuse of a pesticide by a business employee could result in liability to the business. There could also be liability in asking an employee that’s not properly trained, especially if they have any type of reaction after the treatment, real or imagined.
2. Pest infestations can be tricky to identify and difficult to control for non-professionals. By the time a business notices or is made aware of a pest problem, infestations can be firmly established with large populations that can be difficult to eradicate.
3. DIY pest control solutions may be more time consuming to apply than people anticipate and are often unsuccessful.
4. Businesses and organizations may forget to factor in the costs associated with the time it takes for management and employees to learn about and apply the products. There may also be operational interruptions, customer inconvenience, as well as expenses associated with repeated pest problems and additional product purchases and applications. Additionally, performing pest control duties may not be the best, most productive use of management's time and experience, and they may take attention away from important profit-generating responsibilities, such as customer service and business development.
5. DIY pest control options often only address current pest problems and do not include the barriers necessary to prevent future infestations.
6. DIY pest control may not include proven Integrated Pest Management (IPM) techniques, an environmentally friendly pest control approach that focuses on pest prevention and uses pesticides only as needed. Professional commercial pest control can use IPM to address the reasons why pests may be present and help prevent future infestations.
7. In the end, businesses and organizations can waste a lot of money and effort attempting DIY pest control only to end up calling in professional help anyway.
What To Expect From A Commercial Pest Control Company
With customers to serve, new business to develop, productivity goals to reach and workplace cleanliness and safety to maintain, businesses and organizations must act quickly to get pest problems under control. That’s why it makes better business sense to retain professional commercial pest control experts from the start. You should expect a professional commercial pest control service to include:
- An inspection of your facility’s interiors and exteriors
- Identification of activity and risks
- Treatment of affected areas and implementation of methods for controlling pests
- Recommendations for limiting and preventing pest activity
- Continuous evaluation of treatment effectiveness and any necessary modifications
- Education, upon request, of the facility's staff, addressing actions and conditions that affect pest activity
As you should with all business and management decisions, look at pest control from both a short- and long-term perspective. Consider the impact that ineffective pest control could have on your business environment, as well as the risks. Factor in the cost of investing your time and the time of your employees into the equation. And be sure to have all the facts before making a decision by getting a free estimate on what professional commercial pest control would actually cost. It may be less than you think.
