Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog

Sometimes being in the service industry, service men and women might be asked to go beyond the normal realms of a normal job.  I like to joke about the fact that we are not the electric company and we have to actually strive to keep our customers happy.  Our customers have other options that they could leave us for.

So, one day I had a route that seemed to be a little demanding.  What I mean is that there was a lot of driving.  Sometimes this happens because we cannot control when our customers get pest problems and where they live.  Well, when it rains it pours.

By 2 PM I was calling my 5:00 service and letting them know it would be closer to 7 PM.  They were ok with this.  I also called my 6:00 service telling them it would be closer to 8:30 or so.  Well, if you have ever driven through Austin, TX in Friday rush hour, you know where you have been and you know how slow you were going.  After calling my 5:00 service for the 3^rd time, I let them know it would be closer to 9:30.  I honestly thought the customer would want to reschedule for another day and I was a little worried that the customer would be upset with me.  To my surprise, the customer said, “we will be here”.  I was happy to do the service late at night just for the simple fact that I was worried the customer would be upset for me falling so far behind.  On top of that, I called my 6:00 service for the 5^th time and told her that it would be closer to 11 PM.  To my amazement, she was good to go.  My 5:00 service that I was finishing up with around 10:30 was walking around his house with me while I did the treatment and he held the flashlight.  He was happy, I was happy.

Could it rain and pour some more?  By this time the rush hour was over so that was a relief, but that is when the roadwork started and I35 was shut down!  I called my 6:00 service for the 6^th time and said, I am sitting still on I35 so I don’t know when I will get there.  She said, “I am just up doing laundry, so don’t worry, I will be here and I will be up”.  I showed up at her house at 1 AM!  She was happy to see me as she had a horrible problem with some very large roaches.  She had just moved into and older house in a college neighborhood.  I think I got some pretty good advertisement as there was a very loud party happening next door!  They did not expect to see the bug guy!  I finished her house at 2 AM and somehow I was on time to my first house the next day.

The moral of the story?  If you have a pest control technician show up at your home on a Saturday morning and that technician is dragging his feet, has blood shot eyes, and might be slurring a little bit, it does not necessarily mean he was out parting the night before.

- George Bryant

San Antonio, TX

If you have been reading my blog lately you would have noticed that I have taken a more personal approach with my blog posts.  From the beginning I was primarily focused on providing technical tips and insights regarding the pest control industry offering tidbits that would ultimately help get rid of unwanted critters.

To be honest I feel that for the most part you are able to find a good portion of the technical information regarding pest control within my blog and at the same time I must say that I am interested not only with the technical aspects of the pest control industry; but hopefully would offer insight into the development and progression that could be achieved after choosing pest control as a livelihood.

This year will be the first year that my pest control license will expire without renewal.  Although I am still working for Bulwark Exterminating, my role has changed.  I have grown with the company and I am living out my dreams in pursuit of a technical career in the field of technology.  I started out as a pest technician/exterminator, became a service manager, and more recently became a part of the Bulwark IT Team.  I am building databases, web pages, various interfaces, supporting network technologies, etc. in addition to developing life long friendships and obtaining invaluable knowledge and guidance through Bulwark Exterminating stewardship.

“The Secret Is Out,” let me be the first to say, Bulwark Exterminating is not an ordinary Pest Control Service.  Rather, Working for Bulwark has been an extraordinary opportunity.  I am not saying that as a company we are perfect.  In fact, we are constantly reevaluating our “systems” to ensure that they are relevant.  How relevant?

Well we make it our calling to gather feedback–from each individual employee on a consistent basis and most importantly from our customers.  Bulwark Exterminating is an Honorary member of the Better Business Bureau.  Bulwark Exterminating has a website dedicated specifically for customers to offer feedback about their service…guess what the URL is: Grade Your Service Dot Com.

In conclusion let me share a little bit about my initial experience as an employee of Bulwark Extermination’s President:  Bulwark Exterminating has operations across the nation from Arizona to North Carolina. We have a customer base in the tens of thousands.  The first time I met this guy he was driving a conservative rental car, was taking the time to visit each individual branch, talked with his employees, and was wearing pants that had been in his closet for over six years.  It was then that I realized that this was a guy who was well grounded and not money driven.  He has a higher calling.  I am sure if you are lucky enough to work for him one day; he would not mind taking the time to fill you in…

Bulwark Exterminating…”Who should you choose to be your pest control provider?”  Well if you ask me…

KT

Wow…2008 is officially a thing of the past.  I am excited about the possibilities for 2009 and hope that it brings each of us the true desires of our hearts.  Life is a precious thing and 2008 has made it a point to add emphasis to things that I should be grateful for.  First and foremost I am grateful for my wife.  She is the secret of my success and has to bare the majority of the load of rearing our children.  My wife and I have been married for nearly eight years and I must say that although challenging at times, our union has borne the greatest fruit.

With a house full of “crumb munchers” it is enjoyable to come to a home that is well organized and clean.  I don’t know how she does it…when I am at home (alone with) my kids quickly turn their rooms into a disaster area.  She is the greatest mother I know…and thats pretty good considering my mother is extraordinarily special in her own right…but thats a different story.

Although we had our toast of Welchs white grape; here’s my literary tribute to you; my “pest control wife” who has to bare my long drawn out conversations.  I am certain their is no greater supporter or reader of this blog.  Honey I love you!

STAY TUNED…This blog is going to get a face lift before the end of 2009.  As busy as I am, I have not yet determined when I will have time for “surgery,” but rest assured it will be well worth the wait…or at least worth your anticipation.  Until then, chow.

KT

Time and time again I receive questions regarding the relevance of an annual agreement for pest control services.  To better answer these questions I feel behooved to put pest control issues within the context of an average pest control customer.  Obviously each pest control customer is different; but there are a few basic assumptions that should be made when one is found to be in need of pest control.

First and foremost when someone recognizes their need for pest control it generally means that their “specific” threshold for tolerance towards unwanted pests has been exceeded or is on the brink of tolerance.  Secondly, pests are often in a cycle of dormancy making seasonal appearances in an adult stage with the next generation safely tucked away in a hidden harborage generally left untreated after one service; and dormant longer than the standard “30-90 day guarantee.”   Finally, pests issues are often community wide issues.

If you are like me you don’t pick up the phone immediately when you see a pest.  I often come across ants, silverfish, and pigeons who quickly become a nuisance.  The first thing I try to do is get rid of the pest myself.  Whether I purchase over the counter bug spray, seal up the crack or entry point, or utilize a beebe gun to shoot at pigeons when no one is watching (wink, wink), I am called into action.  Although alleviating the problem temporarily this approach to pest control often exacerbates the pest problem.

In the case of ants I could cause one colony to split into several different colonies.  Pharoah Ants and Argentine Ants (Super Colonies) each have the efficient ability to seperate and form multiple ant colonies.  So the ants which were attracted to grandma’s cookies in the kitchen are now being found in grandpa’s bathroom (having seperated in response to over the counter bug spray and instinctively being drawn to moisture).  In the case of silverfish I decide I am going to seal my doors better…not recognizing that the infestation is actually within the walls having initially been attracted to starchy materials left within the walls during construction; and ultimately infesting from within.  In the cases of pigeons “whose feathers I’ve ruffled” move from above my garage and are now nestled above my main entrance into the home.

Pigeons are a great example of a pest problem that if symptomatically treated escalates into a living nightmare. One should know that if I am putting spikes and removing harborage areas for pigeons on your neighbors roof; the disgusting pigeon “poop” and “loose feathers” will most likely migrate over to your home.  Although an over simplification, this is a good example of how pest problems should be looked at.  Most consistent pest problems are a community problem.  I often would treat individual homes on golf courses.  Many of these homes were multi-million dollar homes within an elaborate community of picturesque greens, water falls, and man made lakes.  Unfortunately individual residents could never understand why they had an escalating issue of rodents.  Similar to the concept within The Field of Dreams whose adage: “Build it and They Will Come;” is understatement when one recognizes that more than humans, rodents love these artificial developments because of the moisture, shade, and agriculture.  It wasn’t long before those who thought they lived in an area of the development safe from rodents fell victim of the onslaught of their new-found tailed friends.

I have not yet come across a community of individual homeowners where all could agree on a pest control strategy; let alone split the cost of a neighbors newly installed pigeon exclusion.  Unfortunately most people do not see beyond their home boundary.  Because of this unfortunate reality; in order to prescribe a service worth its gurantee and in order to ensure customer satisfaction it is often of necessity to enter into a contract of service.  To put this in perspective let me offer an analogy.

Suppose you lived in a community of four houses aligned in a square plot divided equally.  Where each house was centered on each division.  If there is a heavy rain your subdivision is flooded.  Suppose you hire a professional to come in and install sandbags around your home…and it works effectively.  Next time there is a heavy rain the other three homes will be flooded (proportional to the water displaced from your barrier) worst than before.  Furthermore, we know that it is necessary to continually reinforce your barriers as rain is inevitable and so is the degredation of the sand barrier.  Why is a one-time sand bag installation ineffective?  Why would a seasonal sand bag service be ineffective?

“Whew…”

KT