Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog

Bulwark’s new smartphone software will help technicians save costly resources.

Bulwark Exterminating bought all its technicians iPhone and Droid smartphones for Christmas in preparation for its nationwide launch of new proprietary software that will save both gas and paper.

All 11 service branches are scheduled one by one to be operating on the new system by spring of 2011, and getting smart phones in to the hands of the technicians is the next vital step. The branches in Phoenix and Mesa, Ariz., are already operating with the new software. Las Vegas and St. George, UT are scheduled to begin the first week in January.

“It’s our way of saying ‘thank you’ to our technicians, as well as making our company more resourceful,” said Adam Seever, Owner of Bulwark. “These phones belong to our technicians.  We know they will be used for company purposes, but we’re excited about giving our technicians the new phones that they will be able to keep as their own.”

Bulwark technicians currently make an average of one trip per day to their assigned branch office to drop off the invoices from that day’s route.  Since they will be able to upload their invoices to the main servers via their smartphones, they will only need to stop by their branch office about once a week.

“We’ll be saving thousands of sheets of paper and hundreds of gallons of gas on daily basis,” said Seever. “This isn’t just a faster way of doing business. It’s a cleaner and more resourceful way to provide pest control services to our customers.”

About Bulwark Exterminating

Bulwark Exterminating LLC is based in Mesa, AZ and is an industry leader in providing high quality pest control service. Bulwark is fully operational in 7 states, including 11 major cities. While Bulwark provides pest extermination for common insects such as ants, roaches, crickets and spiders, the company’s differentiating specialty is scorpion control. To do this, Bulwark uses the finest and most effective products in the world to solve common pest problems. Bulwark is privately and family owned, has approximately 250 employees and services over 50,000 customers nationwide. For more information, visit http://www.BulwarkPestControl.com.

So, we here at Bulwark tend to fancy ourselves at social media geeks.  We all have facebook accounts.  We all have twitter accounts.  Naturally, we run the Bulwark accounts on a regular basis.  We always check in with Foursquare when we go out to lunch.  Whenever we get the chance, we always try to attend any local twitter events that A. sound interesting and B. interest us.  We went to #SunsTweetup a couple weeks ago vs. the Portland Trailblazers.  Both interesting, and of interest.

This week we had another fabulous experience at a local tweetup.  ABC15 here in Phoenix hosted the first ever live and on air tweetup event during the Now@9 morning show.  We documented the experience from start to finish, and this is how it looked.

Before we even got to the station, this is how the morning started as we got off the freeway in Phoenix…

Despite the warning, we pressed on, and within minutes found ourselves at the ABC15 studios.  After a brief waiting period our group of 100 tweeps was escorted into the filming studio.  We were lucky enough to get first row seats in front of the news desk where the anchors sit.  The majority of our group was parked behind us at a different angle, facing big monitors and some green screens.  The anchors soon made their way to the set and began all the last-minute prep work before showtime.

Before we knew it, the show was off and filming.  This was how the show began…

Our esteemed head honcho, Thomas, aka Thos003, has a thing for printing custom twitter shirts for the host of that particular twitter event.  We look for a humorous tweet from that person (or people) and put it on the front chest of the shirt.  For SunsTweetup, we printed one for Jared Dudley.  We think he liked it!  So of course we made shirts for the show’s anchors: Susan Casper, Rebecca Thomas, Amber Sullins and Kirk Yuhnke.  We even made a couple for some of the producers.  Here is Kirk showing his shirt on air and giving a little love to Bulwark and yours truly.

And the show rolled on…

We also shared the spotlight with a holiday caroling group, The Goode Time Carolers.

“Net Neutrality” was the big topic of the morning across the country, and Now@9 took time to read a few Facebook comments regarding the issue.

Next national controversy of the morning was the decency of Hooters Restaurant girls.  The business model is a little too liberal for places like San Francisco, and apparently there is a pending lawsuit against the famed restaurant.  The anchors weighed in…

The hour went by rather fast.  After the anchors closed up the show they glad-handed all the tweeps and snapped a few photos with us.  As planned, each anchor got their own shirt with their own tweet on the front.

Big thanks to ABC15, Susan, Rebecca, Amber and Kirk for holding the tweetup and allowing us to come share the morning with them.

Copyright © 2011 Steve_Bitter. Visit the original article at http://pestcontroltulsaok.com/2010/12/12-days-of-christmas-you-dont-want-to-see-under-your-tree/.

Christmas is in 8 days.  All of the “12 Days of Christmas” lists started 4 days ago.  We’ve purposely waited a few days to give you the “12 Days of Christmas You DON’T Want To See Under Your Tree”.

#12 The worst ugly Christmas sweater from eBay you can possibly imagine.

Especially if it came with a Jack Black impersonator.

#11 Gym membership from husband.

#10 Justin Bieber mechandise.

Unless your name happens to be Annie Cushing.

#9 Sex For Dummies book from wife.

New and updated 3rd Edition, because getting the first 2 wasn’t enough in previous years.

#8 Gift card to AA from Santa with a 6-pack of non-alcoholic beer.

#7 Court ordered Subpoena with 5 days to reply.

Especially if your lawyer is in the Bahamas until after New Years.

#6 Fruitcake

#5 A recluse spider in your stocking.

Very common in areas around Tulsa, OK.  Maybe coal isn’t such a bad option!

#4 Unused tickets to the Neverland Ranch.

Includes shiny right-handed glove and “live” meet and greet with its original owner.

#3 An all expense paid tour of one of BP’s oil rigs.

They’ll even let you play with the fire hose.

#2 An imitation iPad that runs Windows 7.

#1 An ant farm.

I mean, come on!  How enraged would you be if you actually got an ant farm!?  Unless your name is Thomas Ballantyne, then it might look good next to your scorpion aquarium.

Have a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Bulwark Exterminating.  Your Loco Pest Control – Tulsa, OK.

Thomas Ballantyne ( @Thos003 ) interviewing Griffen Pest Solutions ( @griffinpest )

Bed bugs are a hot topic for many U.S. cities. Fortunately most of the metro areas Bulwark Exterminating covers have not been red zones. But I understand Griffin is experiencing a lot of bed bug requests.

Where is Griffin located?

Griffin: Griffin Pest Solutions corporate headquarters is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan, plus we have service branches in Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor as well. We service most of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula and Northwest Indiana. Cities in our service area include: Detroit, Ann Arbor, Battle Creek, Lansing, Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Battle Creek, Flint and South Bend, IN.

Thos003: New York has had several retail outlets like Abercrombie and Hollister close down for bed bugs. What areas/properties are targets for bed bugs?

Griffin: We have seen a significant amount of bed bug business from the greater Detroit and Ann Arbor areas. This is no surprise as Detroit has been listed by several national pest control companies as one of the top 5 most infested bed bug cities in the U.S. Our bed bug heat treatment service teams are booked two to three weeks in advance. As business continues to grow, we are anticipating adding a 3rd shift.

Our biggest customers for bed bugs this year have been apartment communities and hotels. However, we have also treated college dorms, homeless shelters, hospitals, assisted living centers, recreational facilities, housing commissions and a good number of residential homes. Clearly bed bugs are spreading, with no end in sight.

Thos003: There is a lot of doom and gloom around the whole bed bug topic. The products that nearly made bed bugs extinct 30 years ago are no longer allowed by the EPA. So controlling bed bugs now is a whole new ball game. We are having to re-invent a solution.

How do bed bugs spread from property to property? And from city to city?

Griffin: Bed bugs are known as hitch-hikers. They are easily transported on people and their belongings. Some of the most common ways of getting bed bugs include picking them up while traveling. By simply putting your luggage on the bed in a hotel, bed bugs could latch on, or crawl in your luggage and you can bring them home with you.

Thos003: Are there other ways for them to spread beyond them being carried by their hosts?

Griffin: If you live in multi-unit housing, such as apartments or dorms, where you share a common wall, you may get bed bugs from your neighbor. Bed bugs only have to travel about 6 inches, through your walls, ceiling, or floors to reach you. Unfortunately, there is not much you can do to prevent this from happening.

Another common way to get bed bugs is to buy used furniture at garage sales, antique shops or resale shops. Furniture is rarely inspected and bed bugs can easily hide in furniture cracks. Once inside your house, the bed bugs will multiply. People need to understand that bed bugs are not a cleanliness issue. Bed bugs are a people issue.

Thos003: A lot of bugs go dormant during the cold seasons. What about bed bug?

Do you expect bed bugs to die down for the winter?

Griffin: Living in a cold weather climate, we typically see insect activity dramatically decline in the winter. However, with bed bugs we do not anticipate a drop in activity. Bed bugs are on the rise across the country and Michigan has just scratched the surface of the bed bug issue. With the cold weather, people will be spending more time indoors, where it’s warm. Bed bugs live where people live, so the cold weather does not affect them.

Thos003: Wow, Christmas coming up soon and a lot of travelers.  How will this affect bed bugs?

Kids are coming home from college; people are traveling to visit family and friends, and bringing bed bugs with them. We expect to see a spike in bed bug activity about 45-60 days after the holidays. This is about the amount of time it takes for bed bugs to multiply to a significant infestation level.

What can one do to protect themselves while traveling?

Griffin: When traveling, people need to be vigilant. If they’re staying in a hotel, inspect the room before you bring your luggage to the room. When doing an inspection, bring a bright flashlight. Look for insects the size, shape and color of an apple seed. Bed bugs also shed their skins as they grow, so you may see some casings. Pull back the bed sheets and check the mattress for small rust stains, bed bug excrement, about the side of a pencil eraser. Look under the mattress, inside the end tables and most importantly, behind the headboard. If you can take the headboard off the wall, do it. Hotels can change out bedding and mattress, but usually don’t switch the headboard. If there are no bed bugs behind the headboard, you can be reasonably sure your room does not have bed bugs. If you see any signs of bed bugs, ask for another room nowhere near the room you just came from…or check out of the hotel.

We also tell people not to place luggage on the bed or floor. Keep it as far away from the bed as possible. When traveling, our team puts luggage in the bathtub. We also travel with large zip-lock clothing bags and put all dirty and unworn clothes into the bag. When you get home, immediately dump the contents of the bag into your clothes dryer and turn it on the hottest setting for at least 30 minutes. Don’t overload the dryer though. You need the hot air to circulate. Vacuum your luggage and then store it in your garage or basement, away from where you sleep. Be sure to remove the vacuum bag, double bag it and throw it away. I know all of this seems excessive, but it is well worth the hassle. Getting rid of bed bugs can be very expensive.

Thos003: That is some great advice.  I’ve got some of my own precautions I use when traveling.  The bit about keeping the luggage away from the bed and floor is priceless. But honestly never considered placing it in the tub. Thanks!  I am sure there are lot of people searching the internet right now for some tips on controlling bed bugs.  Lot of good and some bad advice online as well.  Are there some other resources people should use online for bed bug advice?

Griffin: Yes. Be proactive before you travel, check out www.bedbugregistry.com and www.tripadvisor.com. On these sites, consumers report bed bugs. BedBugRegistry is straight forward. However, on TripAdvisor, you will need to search by city name and key words “bed bugs”, and then read the consumer comments. If a property is listed or a consumer comments about bed bugs, you may want to stay somewhere else.

Thos003: Awesome. And while these precautions may seem extreme, getting a bed bug infestation in my own home isn’t something I would ever want to experience. So again, great advice.  I would also add one more tidbit for the holiday season, send all of your new clothes through a dry cycle when you bring them home from your Christmas Shopping.

Learn more about bedbugs on www.GriffinPestSolutions.com webpage about Bed Bugs.

Related Bed Bug Articles:

Don’t let the Bed Bugs Bite, or ruin your mattress

The Beginning of the Bed Bug Epidemic

Bulwark’s marketing department spent last Friday night with the Phoenix Suns for their third annual #SunsTweetup event.  Early access to pre-game shootaround.  Club seating.  Tour of TV productions trucks parked right next to all the players’ vehicles.  Tweetup t-shirt.  And post-game chat session with the Suns’ Jared Dudley.  Here’s all the evidence.

We arrived 2 hours before tip-off to get an up-close look at both teams warming up.

After the team’s introduction we were ready for some basketball, in club seating no less!

During halftime we were treated to a little VIP access on the production side of things. Suns’ staff member, @SunsDigitalDiva took us down for a tour of the TV broadcast trucks. Audio, video, lighting, camera direction, statistics – it all happens here.

And of course we couldn’t pass on getting a few up-close shots of the player cars in the parking lot. Is that the coach’s car by its lonesome?!?

The Portland Trailblazers ended up winning that game. Oh well! After the game our Tweetup group got on a 1-on-1 session with Suns Forward Jared Dudley. Dudley is a consistent tweeter either talking about life in the NBA or where the best eateries are around town.

And thanks to our friend @SunsWebmaster, we were able to get our customized @JaredDudley619 t-shirt in his hands right before our very eyes. The tweet we put on his shirt reads: “I was having a good day but after I heard @jrich23 Spartans lost to Iowa my day got a whole lot better. Maybe next year.” (@Jrich23 is Dudley’s Suns teammate Jason Richardson, who played college ball for the Michigan State Spartans)

All in all, it was a great night with great people.  Thanks to the Suns crew and Jared Dudley for all their hard work and effort.  Here’s one last picture from the Suns’ official Planet Orange page.  View the rest of the gallery as well.

Common advice in the online world of advertising, marketing, and blogging is to “Be an authority.”

SO what does it mean to be an online authority?

Since in the world of pest control it’s about the little things, let’s break this down on a grammatical level first.

Auctor – The latin root for author, and the same root that Auctoritas is based on. Auctoritas is the latin base for the english word authority.

While the word author has many applicable meanings here, as in originator, creator or founder, one may easily over look the root of the word which meaning references plant cultivator. There is a quick and easy gap to bridge to ownership, but the latin root then changes to auctoritas. In a legal sense auctoritas, could also be the document giving ownership of land. In the English language, auctoritas is the root for authority.  Not surprising that the two words (author and authority) are still written very similarly.

Simply put, the bases for being an “Authority” begins with being an author. Being an original creator of content.  To create unique content. To be recognized as a resource in your field. Auctor also refers to “one who originates or proposes a thing” or as it hints to an auctor as a tutor, or a teacher.

While it may seem that no new and amazing information is being discovered on a daily bases in the world of pest control, being a teacher and an authority would also involve the perpetuation of knowledge through simply sharing what one knows.  And in sharing adding new light to the subject. So how can I add to the conversation is part of being an authority. Pest control may not be the most exciting subject. But creating an environment where pest control professionals and those wishing to learn about pest control can share and commune is something to be passionate about.

Further the individual that just found a black widow is engaged and interested in learning more. There is a satisfaction to providing an online resource to these individuals. And what may be old news to us is new and exciting to them. Just last night, Chuck and I had a fun conversation about black widows!

http://twitter.com/ChuckReynolds/status/11984977537269760<.cite>

And if you believe that your topic is old, over done, or even too common, then look to the latest love song for inspiration. Love is old, over done, and too common, but for someone who is just discovering it or an artist passionate about it, love is all the rage. Each new song could be viewed as the same unoriginal theme of love, but to those that feel it, share it, and sing it, that new song is anything but unoriginal. And the singer that authors that love song is on route to become an authority.