Last night during the dinner rush, a shocked guest at Table 20 let out a shriek. It wasn’t because her Chilean sea bass was the best she’d ever tasted; it was because she spotted a cockroach on the floor near her table.
This scenario has played out at restaurants many times. Here, the restaurant not only had to eat the costs of her party’s dinner tab, but its brand will take a hit from bad word-of-mouth advertising – especially on social media – and possibly a visit from the local health department.
Restaurant managers are not alone when it comes to facing pest issues. Consider the hotel front desk clerk who gets the call from the guest with bed bugs in their room, or the QA manager at a food processing plant who finds bird droppings on top of a pallet of opened bags of flour.
In all these scenarios, the first thing that comes to mind for those in charge is, this: “How can I get rid of these pests?”
The need for innovative and dependable commercial pest management services is constant at commercial facilities, from fast-food restaurants to five-star hotels to grain storage facilities.
The damage that pests can do to a company’s products, reputation, and bottom line cannot be dismissed simply as the cost of doing business. When combined with the threat of possible food contamination and transmission of dangerous bacteria, including E. coli,Listeria, or Salmonella, pest management is a vital part of a commercial facility’s operation.
To protect your facility from pests, you need to select a reliable, proven pest management company. Your pest management provider is going to be your partner in designing and implementing a successful pest prevention and food safety program.
What should you look for in a pest management provider? Clark Pest Control’s commercial experts suggest using the following criteria for selecting your pest management partner:
- A qualified and licensed pest management company that is a member of national or state pest management associations.
- Ask for references and to see a list of current clients; make sure the company and service personnel have experience working in commercial facilities.
- Identify their knowledge base; are they familiar working with third-party audits? Do they have experience working in certified-organic facilities or clean-room environments? Are they up to speed on the latest food safety regulations?
- Buy value, not on price.
- Before signing a contract, be sure to understand fully the nature of the pest, the extent of the infestation, and what work is necessary to solve the problem.
- Find out if the company has liability insurance to cover any damages, etc., to your facility or products.
- If a guarantee is given, know what it covers, how long it lasts, what you must do to keep it in force, and what kind of continuing prevention and management are necessary on your part and theirs.
If Clark Pest Control is your current service provider, thank you. If you are looking for a pest management partner that will deliver exceptional results and outstanding customer care, give Clark a call at 800-936-3339 or visit www.clarkpest.com/commercial-services.