Leave Something On The Bone – Sick Pay, Benefits, Medical Coverage in the Pest Control Industry

Great write up by Gerry, I would have assumed that most pest control companies offered. Gerry suggests that the pest control industry should be inline with offering sick pay, benefits and medical coverage. I applaud him on that. Gerry is quite the visionary. He brings a different perspective to the pest control industry with his background. He seems to possess a superb business sense and it shows with how he treats his customers and his employees.

I agree with him. It would be ideal for pest control companies, and all companies, to offer more and take care of their employees. Even offer the most they possibly can. But I hesitate to allow an outside entity to mandate how a business must run. How a business should run and how a business must run are entirely different. I see huge negatives to the government interfering with business. A government agent may not take into consideration all of the other factors associated with that business. Just because it sounds good and looks good doesn’t mean that it is good. Shouldn’t the government leave more on the bone for the business owners to divide up? (read Animal Farm again before answering that question)

Besides, I hold to a belief that the “Good Guys” will always win. Yes, call me an optimist, but its survival of the fittest. A company that offers more, and rewards employees based on their performance will have better employees and in turn a better company. Evolution. The guy that does it better, faster, bigger, or whatev-er will win. What you aim for in those wins will determine longevity. The winner of a battle doesn’t always win the war.

I believe in free commerce. I believe that an open market is best for all. I believe in Capitalism. Capitalism often equal optimization. It turns the will of invention and forward thinking. Just as I have balked at the “Green Pest Control” green washing of many companies.  But in the end, a healthier safer pest control service will win… not simply because of a title, but because of a reality.

Back to leaving something on the bone….. In the end, maybe we should consider raising a bigger cow, a bigger Purple Cow, and then there will be more to spare for all on the farm.

Thanks Gerry for your thoughts.  Its always a pleasure reading your blog.

ThomasB General Pest Control Family Pest Control, Green Pest Control, industry standards, optimism, pest control, pest control companies, pest control company, pest control industry, purple cow

We want to say thanks to Gerry over at Heart’s Pest Control in San Diego, for posing such a great question in his pest control post.
Read Family Business vs. A Business of Family

Do you work for a family business or a business run like a family?

We feel the same way here at Bulwark. Yes we are a privately owned pest control company and there are a lot of blood family members in the company, but we feel that everyone who works at Bulwark is part of the Bulwark Family. Read Less is More and you will start to get a glimpse of what we claim as Our Culture. Its actually funny to try and explain some of our company to outsiders because they don’t have a clue usually as to what I am talking about… We have “drivers” to reward performance… I guess most people call them “bonuses”. We have “District Leaders” to mange our teams… or “team leaders”… I know for most it may seem small these differences, but when you live it and breathe it then you feel the difference.

We hope that this extends beyond our employees and out to our customers as well. Its a mutual understanding of how we both benefit one another. We take care of our customers bugs and they keep food on our tables. Fair, equal exchange… AND EVERYONE WINS!

Its great to work for a “Family Business”.

ThomasB General Pest Control bug control, Family Pest Control, industry standards, insect control, San Diego Pest Control

They Can copy our Service but it will not be same.

The products, the equipment, and the techniques may all be the same, but they will never have OUR PEOPLE. Our people are really what makes our service.  They are the face of our company. They are the voice you hear on the phone.  Excellent people make an excellent company.  Our people make up the Bulwark Family.  They make up our culture.  They come to trust one another and work as a team.

Further, since other companies are the ones copying they will never have the edge.  For our people, Bulwark means change.  Bulwark is constantly listening to our customers, listening to our managers, listening to our team leaders, listening to anyone that has a good idea, and implementing those ideas to make a better system.  Welcome to the Bulwark 2009 Model!  Our business in 2009 is not the same as 2008.  And next year we will role out the 2010 Pest Control Model.

So how do know which companies are different? How do you choose a pest control company?

Well… Wouldn’t you rather have an original Picasso over a copy?

Bulwark, the orginal pest control service.

p.s… This post came about because an office staff of ours took a call the other day.  The gentleman seemed very interested in our service and was asking all kinds of questions.  What kind of products do you use? Is your product safe for dogs?  Where do you treat? What are your mixed rates? Do you use baits for ants?… In fact the call went on for 20 minutes.  The caller then abruptly ended the conversation and said he would call back later.  Our office staff called to follow up with the “customer” later that same day only to get an voice mail, “Hi this is Joe Loss from Unpresentive Pest Control….” (Names changed to fictitious names to not embarrass our competitors.)

So a competitor called and found out what we used… We’re not too worried about it.

ThomasB Bulwark Family, pest control companies industry standards, insect control, pest control, pest control companies, pest control company, pest control industry, pest control joke, pest control products

Have you ever gone out and bought a new car thinking “this new car is awesome and I am the only one that’s driving it!” and then over the next few weeks it seems that your brand new unique car is popping up all over the place?  In fact, it seems that almost every other car is your same model!

Once we become aware of something or once its on our mind we start to notice it everywhere.  Well Green Week had its lasting impression and it seems now that everywhere I look Green is the thing!  Starbuck’s coffee cup holders has a tag about being made from recycled post consumer waste.  Residence Inn has a line at the end of the reservation about Green Your Hotel Stay. Learn More and Donate Now >> . Green is Everywhere and its GREAT!!!

Despite my little disappointment from the Green Pest Control Conference’s lack of definition on what it means to be green, I am generally optimistic about the direction the world is heading in.  Every little bit counts.  Every raindrop adds to the flood.  So the one extra piece of paper you put into the recycling bin is a good thing.  And Pest Control companies that have already being doing the right thing, the “Green Pest Control Service”, should pat themselves on the back and keep moving forward towards a greener world.

Bulwark is Green and Getting Greener!

ThomasB Environmentally Friendly bug control, Environmentally Friendly, go green, Green Pest Control, Green Pest Control Conference, industry news, industry standards, starbucks coffee

Bed bugs have become a major concern for pest control companies.  Calls for bed bug service are pouring in around the nation.  The National Management Control Association says they’ve seen a 71% increase in bed bug related calls.  New York reported that bed bug infestations increased 34% during the past year. Where are these bed bugs coming from?  Why are bed bugs on the rise?

Authorities want to point fingers at international travelers.  They believe that individuals traveling abroad bring back the pests in clothes and in suit cases. Travelers within the US may also pick up these pests from hotels that are frequented by international travelers and bring them home. But what’s even more frightening is that idea that these bed bugs are moving out of the bed and into couches, airplanes, and movie theaters! …YIKES!

After a 50 year slump these bugs are back with a vengeance.  And Pest Control companies are perplexed on how to solve the problem.  They don’t fall under general pest control treatments.  Realistically it takes special equipment and several interior treatments to rid a home of bed bugs.  Plus its recommended that residents wash all of their laundry around the same time to kill of any bed bugs that are hiding in clothes. And according to pest control companies that attended the recent EPA: National Bed Bug Summit ,”Residents are a problem and are sometimes unwilling to cooperate or engage in behaviors to manage pests”  ….Residents are a further nuisance because… “Preventative and ongoing inspection is necessary to address the problem, … residents and property managers  do not  cooperate  or do not consider pest inspections to be a priority” The conclusion therefore is that IPM which integrates the residents doesn’t work.

It seems that ultimately those in attendance still don’t have a solid solution for controlling bed bugs.  They made suggestions like “Property managers must be certified pest control operators to treat their own properties.” to ideas like “Pest Control Companies should be certified in bed bugs and there should be a national accrediting body for those pest control operators.”  In the end, the biggest complaint from PCOs was that the EPA has restricted the use of products that use to work for bed bugs. So it seems they believe the only solution using the current products is a program that both the residents and PCOs can work together on and both share some of the burdens of failure or success. Needless to say,  “We need to educate the public” was among the better solutions they came up with at the summit. So at least they all seemed to agree on one thing… There is a Bed Bug Epidemic and that the public needs to know about it.

But don’t worry they plan on holding another Bed Bug Summit to further discuss the problem and possible solutions.

Read EPA’s Full report here: http://www.epa.gov/oppfead1/cb/ppdc/bedbug-summit/partic-recom.pdf

Bed Bugs 2009 summit was held April 14th.

New bed bug site that proves useful and interesting: www.bugsinmybed.com 1/12/2010

Got Bed Bugs?

Do-It-Yourself Bed Bug Control

kennetht Bulwark Family, General Pest Control, Health Risks, Uncategorized bed bug epidemic, bed bugs, EPA, General Pest Control, health, industry news, industry standards, IPM, management, pest control, pest control companies, service

It has been a while since my last blog entry.  These past few months have been extremely hectic for me.  My wife and I have had a new baby (#5), I am furthering my education, and I am fortunate to have a job which is continually offering interesting challenges.  At Bulwark Exterminating our culture is in a constant state of flux–operating tirelessly to achieve the big objective: The Most Productive Highest Quality Service Company In The World.

I have been reflecting upon 2008 and I can hardly believe that we are about to enter a new year.  It is amazing how time flys when you are having fun!  The current economic and foreign policy predicaments that the US are currently facing has negatively affected many Americans attitudes about the future; yet fortunately I have seen many who are willing to remain optimistic, while patiently anticipating an eventual economic upswing, and ultimately a more tolerant world.

It especially easy to be grateful for something during a time of its respective scarcity.  I have personally been extremely grateful for my employment, my spouse’s health, the health of my children, -their safety, and the stewardship of great leaders.  The United States of America is facing many critical challenges that are inherently deduced when the survival of American Values are to be pitted against stoic and mundane American economic policy.  To put things in perspective I will highlight the fact that although Americans have been facing a sluggish economy; Americans continue to find a way to give to charity.

Although at Bulwark Exterminating we have always appreciated our customers, there is, at least in my mind, a heightened awareness towards customer satisfaction.  No marketing is better than positive word of mouth.  There should be no greater advocate of a service; than he/she who is offering the service.  As one who was in need of employment–I am grateful for a small business with a big heart whose willingness to hire a “green” technician with a red fire desire to learn a trade has ultimately allowed me to provide for a young upstart family.

Then again, as a medium-sized business behind a philosophy of “promote on performance,” Bulwark extended a “stewardship” to me which encompassed managing those who would follow in my footsteps…to ensure excellent customer service while offering the latest pest control technologies within a proprietary service.  As a service manager I wanted our customer’s to be happy: With empathy each customer was given the best I have to offer; and I trained our technicians to offer the best.  I took a keen interest in pest control; I took it upon myself to try and master the pest control trade; while absorbing the wisdom offered from Bulwark’s great leaders.  My studies led me to this conclusion:  Before Bulwark Exterminating was in the Pest Control Business, it was in the “People Business.”

This is my blog and these are my thoughts.  I am personally grateful for “Bulwark.”  I am professionally grateful to all Bulwark Exterminating customers who have allowed us the privilege of attending to their pest control needs. To the greatest Pest Control Technicians in the business…Thank you…

Ed Sakugawa…”Thank you for your continuous efforts in the Las Vegas East Area.”

KT

kennetht Bulwark Family, General Pest Control bug control, bulwark pest control, exterminating, industry standards, insect control, management, pest control company

– Monday, August 04, 2008

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1, 2008 — On July 25, Wildlife Services (WS), a program within the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the National Pest Management Association (NPMA) to strengthen its cooperation and coordination on wildlife damage involving nuisance birds.

“The National Pest Management Association always has been an important partner for Wildlife Services,” said Bruce Knight, under secretary for USDA’s marketing and regulatory programs. “This agreement will ensure an even stronger relationship between our organizations by working together to address problems caused by nuisance birds, such as European starlings, house sparrows and pigeons.”

The agreement culminates more than a year of discussions between WS and NPMA and establishes regular meetings and communication between the two organizations while recognizing WS responsibility for the control of invasive species.

Under this agreement, entities and individuals seeking assistance with nuisance bird problems will continue to have the choice of using pest management companies or seeking WS help to respond to damage concerns. WS will not actively seek to become involved in the control of nuisance birds in areas where pest management companies have the established capacity to meet consumers’ needs. The MOU complies with the 2008 Farm Bill Manager’s Statement encouraging APHIS to enter into such agreements with private industries.

WS actively researches and develops contraceptive agents and other control techniques for birds, such as pigeons and geese, and will provide training to the NPMA on new techniques as they are developed. The NPMA, with more than 5,000 members, was established in 1933 to support the pest management industry’s commitment to protect the public’s health, food and property.

Source: USDA

kennetht General Pest Control exterminating, Exterminators, industry news, industry standards, pest control companies, pest control company

A new word for the Pest Control Jargon page is calibration.  Calibration can simply be defined as the comparison of desired output and real output; and that adjustments are made so that real output equals your desired output.

Calibration is very important to a Pest Control Technician.  Applying the chemical as efficiently as possible requires that his/her equipment be fully calibrated.  The effectiveness of the pest control treatments may have a lot to do with the technicians ability to calibrate chemicals and chemical applicators.  Calibration ensures that the chemical has been diluted and spread properly/evenly over a desired space.  Calibration also prolongs the use of valuable tools and equipment that technicians use by prolonging equipment lifespans.  At Bulwark we use Power Sprayers to treat the perimeters of our customers’ homes.  Non calibrated “rigs” would lead to motor burn out, hose damage, or nozzle failure.

KT

kennetht General Pest Control, Terms/vocabulary exterminating, industry standards, insect control, pest control companies, pest control industry, pest control service

Integrated Pest Management (IPM) is sometimes referred to as a total science that encompasses the basic principles that guides the perception of the right way to approach pest control and pesticide application. The ultimate goal of Integrated Pest Management should be to identify conditions that are conducive to unwanted pest presence, the measurement of tolerable pest thresholds, and the best way to control pests in a manner that is the least destructive to the environment.

We can better identify conditions that are conducive to an unwanted pest presence by recognizing the three aspects that make up Integrated Pest Management.

The three parts of Integrated Pest Management are:

• Environment
• Insect/Pest
• Food Source

The goal is to see how our homes play out relative to these three components of Integrated Pest Management. Integrated Pest Management is a science that focuses itself on these three factors and how they specifically can be applied to any specific property. For example I will give you my IPM perspective towards controlling scorpions. First and foremost I look for environmental factors that are conducive to scorpions and/or scorpion activity. I look for construction nearby which may have removed the scorpions previous habitat, or perhaps may have disturbed the current habitat and encouraged migration. Secondly, I would look for the introduction of new landscaping, and particularly types of agriculture used as a natural habitat for the scorpion. Furthermore, does the customer have various water sources, pool, poor drainage, etc?

Does the customer have a lot of make shift harborages for scorpions; firewood, old washer and dryer, kids toys, un-maintained brick walls/fencing? What type of (gravel/rock) landscaping are they utilizing? There are many different things that although artificially created produce an environment that scorpions are naturally attracted to.

In addition to environmental conditions, (and probably after recommending that nothing sit up against the house for at least 2 feet) I would focus on food sources. Although controlling the scorpion’s food source may be a good idea, I am always cautioned by my respect for their antiquity. The fact is that scorpions have been around for millions of years and have over the ages developed the ability to survive under the direst circumstances. Scorpions eat various insects; ensuring that you eliminate the scorpion’s prey of choice can help control an unwanted scorpion population. Divulging from my scorpion perspective to help add emphasis to the “food source” aspect of Integrated Pest Management I would like to quickly point to fruit flies. I would often run into customers who would complain about fruit flies and come to find out they have a huge pomegranate tree in their backyard with fully ripened fruit dotted throughout the problem area. The IPM way would be to remove the fruit (food source) and in turn, remove the pest.

The final aspect would be to look at the insect/pest or in this case the scorpion. The nature of this pest may justify more drastic measures because of the type of danger a scorpion bite poses to humans. Secondly, the threshold of scorpion tolerance is very low (as opposed to a fruit fly, where tolerance can be significantly higher). I have not met a person who could tolerate sharing their home/yard with scorpions. I would always recommend that every precautionary measure be taken when it comes to scorpion control.

The general theme surrounding Integrated Pest Management is that overall there may be a progressive approach that you can take to pest control that in some cases may not utilize pesticides or is more environmentally friendly. Sometimes changing environmental factors within your control can eliminate/control various pests. Desert Landscaping as opposed to Green Grass is conducive to different insects/pests. Sometimes controlling the availability of food sources; dog food, dog poop, fruit trees, wood, etc. will help prevent the unwanted pest who prey on your unsuspecting food sources. Finally, look at the insect and identify a threshold of tolerance. Insects/Pest all have its own implications on our environment. Nature’s equilibrium rests upon a delicate balance that requires the participation of all natural living beings and their life processes.

kennetht General Pest Control, Terms/vocabulary industry standards, IPM, management, scorpions, spiders