Pest Control and Bug Exterminator Blog

Sun Tzu’s book “The Art of War” has made it’s way into the hands and minds of great and powerful men and women though out history.  Some argue that the book may have actually been mis-titled and perhaps the word “War” is better substituted with “Strategy”

Either way, true principles of business, relationships, tactics, management, and strategy can all be found within Sun Tzu’s writings.  He was a great teacher. But clearly I am not the first to think so, and with new translations being reproduced every so often Sun Tzu’s writings have become immortal.

So today’s post was inspired by the following:

The Concept of “Interests” in Sun Tzu’s “The Art of War”

http://www.china-defense-mashup.com/?p=6390

Very good read and the general idea is to define your goal and keep your eye on the target, or “interest”.

Unfortunately, or fortunately, I got an error when leaving my response, and as I hate to loose my thoughts I decided to post it here instead.

“American military thought flies in the face of these principles.” @acs

I think the problem with the American interest is that it is not a singular interest shared by the whole. It is much easier for a dictator to go to war than a democracy.

… not that I am an expert.  I only deal with battling little bugs and setting up a bulwark to keep the pests out.

But great post. One’s interest and intent should always be clearly defined.

Thos003
-Don’t mind me I am just a pest control guy.

thos003 General Pest Control bug control, business, exterminator, pest control

I’ve been using Bulwark for many years and have referred your services many times over. Rest assured, I will continue to do so…You guys rock at customer service!

Debbie S.
Austin, Tx

Bulwark has shown that it understands the needs of its customers. I was impressed when I needed to cancel my service due to our financial restructuring, Bulwark did not try any “arm twisting” salesmanship in order to keep my service on-going. Now that our finances are “back on track”, I had no hesitations on letting them fulfill my exterminating needs.
Mauricio M
San Antonio, TX

Bulwark has been taking care of our property, inside and out, for the past 3 years or so. They’ve taken care of our routine bug maintenance as well as special problems that have cropped up. They were able to take care of a fire ant problem in one visit last year. John was here today to take care of an ant problem we were having. He came during the earlier part of the time slot assigned to us, which was wonderful. He took care of everything quickly and professionally. He even took off his shoes before coming into the house without me even having to ask.

Robin P.
Raleigh, NC

Bulwark believes that pest control is about taking care of the little things. …(pun intended)

Pest-Control-Stories General Pest Control ant control, bug control, pest control

Okay, I feel just a little bad about this phone conversation I had yesterday.  A guy calls and says that he is with Google Places wanting to verify my info, in reality he was with “Local Splash”.  He began his practiced speech…..

<a few seconds later>

“….So we can get you on the maps!”

“Where am I currently on the maps?”

“I don’t know… Let’s look…. Humph… Well we will 100% guarantee you a position at all times on the first page so you don’t have to worry about whether your there or not.”

“But I am already on the maps…. Where did you get my number?”

“From a list at the local library…But we are a full fledged SEO service.”

“SEO service?  Do you know who Matt Cutts is?”

“Uh…Does he work for Local Splash?”

“I’m sorry, but  I’m good… But uh…Good luck with the next guy.”

I actually felt sorry for this guy as I hung up the phone…

SEO Litmus Test – Do you Know Who Matt Cutts is?

If you don’t know the name of the guy who heads up the army that could wipe your website from off the face of the cyberworld than you won’t be leading my troops into battle.  Not that Matt Cutts is really out to get everyone, but if you cross his team then you will get it.  When I started SEO I didn’t know who he was.  I hired SEO teams, I have since had to learn to evaluate those teams and the work.  I have fired SEO teams. Word of advice, if you get a call on the phone for SEO run this litmus test.  If they can’t answer that question then you are running a higher risk.

Twitter Litmus Test – How to Determine who to Follow?

The first thing I do when I get a follow: I will look through their tweets to see if they are just blasting links, or if they are actually communicating with others.  I will follow people that provide good information and links after meeting them in real life.  I will follow people that engage me in conversations via twitter.  I follow people I want to endorse.  I unfollow people I don’t want to endorse any longer.

Social Media Litmus Test – What’s the Online Conversation?

Social media isn’t for everyone and just because many companies are jumping on board doesn’t make it right for all companies.  What people are most desiring online is communication.  Social media is communication. A telephone, a fax, face to face, email, blogs, all of these facilitate a conversation.  All of these are a type of social media. Just as much as you hated a “Win a trip to Disneyland” fax blast from the past, this new age of social media is about engaging people, not blasting your horn. Too many salesmen want to just talk TO you, not WITH you. Don’t hit me up with a bunch of solicitations.  You may ruin any chance you had.  If you choose to engage me than learn to listen.  I will tell you exactly what I want.  If you say you can deliver then I will proceed to drill you on what I want and how you are going to deliver it. I have no problems with a well thought out plan of engagement and I will give some of my time to listen to you.

By the way, I am just a pest control guy.  I learned my tenacity from a spider.  I learn that better businesses listen, from books like J.D. Powers, “Satisfaction”, I learn better SEO from reading legit SEO blogs, and books like “The Blueprint to SEO” and “The Art of SEO”. I am happy to share what I can.  You are welcome to disagree, share, or joke about anything I post… so long as I know you are listening to me and not just talking to me.

thos003 General Pest Control bug control, business, exterminator, matt cutts, pest control, pest control guy, SEO, SEO Litmus Test - Do you Know Who Matt Cutts is?

Walnuts have been called a super food before, but Are you Forgetting something?

Super Food attributed to Fighting Flu and Increasing Memory and Learning... in mice.

Better down a couple more of these Scooby Snacks. According to the report given on July 10, 2010 at the International Conference on Alzheimer’s Disease (ICAD) in New York, mice that eat walnuts are showing results that suggest walnuts could improve brain function. The research however is only being carried out on mice. (Thus the reason your pest control guy found it first) Mice that included walnuts in their diet showed “significant improvement in learning, memory, emotional regulation and motor coordination compared to the mice with no walnuts in their diet.” However, we cannot conclude that it will have the same results in humans, until we have had further studies.

Read Full Article Here

But don’t be shy in trying this out.  The Walnuts possess many other Super Food attributes.  The are high in antioxidants, with a good dose of healthy fatty acids, and a sprinkle of copper.  According to one super food diet you should grab a handful of these nuts each and every day!

How many should I eat per day?
Grab your nutcracker and eat six.

http://lilypink.wordpress.com/2010/01/18/superfoods-diet/

_

Bulwark Exterminating is happy to endorse the walnut. All Natural, totally nutty, and wrapped in a lot of potential.  That’s a pretty big package for one small nut.

…And you may want to reconsider using walnuts in your mouse traps.  You’d only be helping your enemy get smarter.

Pest-Control-Stories In the News baits, Crazy math, mice, mind control, pest control, super food

thos003 General Pest Control bug control, exterminator, pest control

As we recently posted, we are currently sending out our customer surveys for 2010.  We send surveys to all of our active customers.  The surveys require about 200 man hours just to get them sent out. They will require close to the same when inputting the surveys.  And they will require many more hours of manger’s time reviewing and ultimately improving.

Setting a bench mark isn’t always easy.  It requires that individuals take a real look at where they are in relation to where they want to go. These measurements will determine future evaluation of where one has been.  All in all, these numbers are a true statement of progression or digression. Our previous posted score for the surveys was that of 2007. We had a customer referral rate of 94%.

94% of Customers surveyed in 2007 and 2008

Meaning of all the customer surveys we received back from our active customers, 94% Answered the survey “Yes” for “Would you recommend Bulwark’s pest control service to a friend?” This was higher then all previous scores. In 2008 the difference was 1/10th of a percent so we left the score.

Bulwark Exterminating’s 2009 survey warrants a new title.

Last year’s customer satisfaction rose across the board, but Bulwark was suprised at just how much the percentage changed. The score moved 3 percentage points and went from 94% to 97%.

97% Recommended. 100% Guaranteed

The increase in customer satisfaction was attributed largely to proactive retention measures, new customer welcome calls, follow-up calls on callbacks, and tech service improvements. In a year when most numbers meant a down economy, Bulwark was able to buckle down and work on keeping customers happy.  With a 3% improvement, Bulwark employees have received a huge pat on the back.

Bulwark currently service 50,000 plus customers through out the United States. While Bulwark’s customer count pales in comparison  to other national pest control companies, Bulwark is satisfied overall that close to 50,000 homes would recommend Bulwark’s pest control services to a friend.

Customer Satisfaction is becoming Customer Conversion

Taking care of customers and putting them first turns customer in to “Sneezers” as Godin in Purple Cow puts it.  Being good just isn’t good enough these days.  Smart consumers know the difference between good and “Great.” Disneyland is iconic for providing a “Disney Experience”.  They understand that putting smiles on their customer’s faces is what brings in more and more customers, year after year.  The day that Disney stops worrying about their Princesses catering to the dreams of little girls is the day Disneyland looses it’s savor.  J.D. Powers knows that a company that listens to the consumer and gives the consumer what they want plus a little more, is a company mastering customer conversion. Customers that are wowed to the point that they become “advocates”.  These advocates become Facebook fans.  Those Sneezers become twitter followers. Customer Converts are infectious and spread viral word about companies they love. Spreading the love via a recommendation makes a friend happy.  It makes the giver happy when the friend is treated well.  And the business is happy, because one happy customer is now two happy customers. Win-Win-Win.

We hope that you will call the Bulwark Pest Control team in your area and experience the difference yourself.

Bulwark Exterminating is

97% Recommended & 100% Guaranteed.

Call Bulwark Pest Control today.

kennetht Bulwark Family 97% Recommended, customer conversion, customer statisfaction, pest control

Phoenix Roach Pest Control By Bulwark Exterminating. Cockroaches are not a favorite dinner topic, but they sure do enjoy eating your leftovers. Call Bulwark.

Cockroaches Found in Phoenix

American Roaches, German Roaches, Oriental Roaches, and a few other roaches are found reproducing by the thousands, and millions in the city of Phoenix. Have a roach problem? Call Bulwark today.

Peoria Pest Control AZ

PestControlPhoenix General Pest Control, Uncategorized bug control, Bulwark Exterminating, Cockroaches in Phoenix AZ, exterminator, Peoria Pest Control AZ, pest control, Phoenix Cockroach Control, Phoenix Pest Control, Phoenix Roach Control

Tulsa Bat Removed by Tulsa Pest Control

Bat Removal

Bats may be a nuisance to people, both emotionally and physically, especially within a home. The bat will normally inhabit dark places in your home. They are most likely to be found in the attic, walls, basement, and the soffits. A bat will take up residence if any places on the exterior of the home will let them in and the environment suits their needs. If you have been having problems getting rid of these flying animals here are some suggestions to assist your bat removal endeavors.

Bat Proofing Services

There are many wildlife control companies that offer bat exclusion or proofing services to home owners. The companies not only remove the animals from your home, they also offer exclusion services to prevent future issues. These services enable you to have a home that will not allow bats back in after a bat removal service has been performed. There are many companies that provide these services, but not all of them present the quality of services that you expect. The top bat control services should be able to provide some kind of guarantee. The services should start with an assessment of your home from top to bottom. The thorough assessment will enable the service provider to locate areas of use by the bats and potential areas they could find their way back into your home. Thus the wildlife control professional will provide a proper and complete solution to resolve the bat problem you are suffering from.

Sealing Gaps, Holes, and Voids around the Home

If your home attracts bats, then there are openings that need to be tightly sealed. Openings larger then ¼ inch are considered possible entry points for bats to enter your home. Bat Exclusion consists of ensuring all these types of openings are sealed to prevent further entry of bats.

Bat Cones to Get Rid of Bats

After the home is sealed and all that remains are the entry points the bats are using, bat cones are installed tightly over the openings. Bat cones or one-way-doors are intended to let a bat that has entered your home to leave, and they will not be able re-enter the house once the bats have passed this device. Otherwise you can construct your own eviction device out of used caulk tubes by the removal of the applicator and installing the tube over the entry. Cones are ineffective if the bat exclusion steps have not been performed to the greatest attention to detail. Wildlife control suppliers normally sell bat cones online. This method of bat removal is approved by bat conservation organizations, and bat control experts. Performed properly this method will get rid of the bats within a couple of weeks. Why so long? Not all bats leave the first night and it takes time for them to decide to leave. Bat cones are a humane method of getting rid of bats.

Bat Droppings Removal and Ectoparasites

Bat droppings may cause health issues to the occupants of the home, and possible insulation damage cause by excessive urine and droppings. The droppings of the bat may host significant dangers such as ectoparasites and histoplasmosis. Handling or disturbing bat guano should be done with care and bio-hazard professional should be contacted to provide removal of the bat droppings safely. Last but not least are the ectoparasites, such as fleas, mites, lice and ticks to name some that reside with the bats. Fleas, ticks, and mites should be addressed by a Professional Pest Control Operator; I recommend this so when the hosts (the bats) are removed they are not left behind to find a new host, such as you the home owner.  It is not uncommon for bats and other rodents to cause a flea infestation.

vamoosevarmint General Pest Control bat control, bat removal, pest control, Tulsa Pest Control

Are your pests under control?

Pest control is any process or method used to “control pests”. The once popular terms of exterminator and extermination have become the softer more gentle term of pest control.  Perhaps to become more socially acceptable, but the new term is more accurate.  Exterminating ants in their entirety is not likely.  Controlling ants is achievable.  Keeping pests out of a home with regular pest control service is attainable.  Keeping bugs from infesting a structure is do-able.  Exterminating every roach in the city is not realistic.

History of Pest Control -

Some believe that pest control has its roots in agriculture. (Pun intended) Humans need to keep crops free from pests. Insects can destroy crops. Herbivores will clear the farmer’s field. In order to maximize food production, pest control was implemented to protect the harvest from ants, crickets, moths, grasshoppers, rats, mice, gophers, rabbits, beetles, and the list can go on. But pest control, probably goes back to before agriculture.  A hunter would still need to protect his food from vermin.  Storing food in a sack hanging from a tree to keep raccoon, coyotes, or other prehistoric pests from eating your dinner would be a pest control method.  But at the core, I still believe that man has never wanted to cohabitate with creepy crawling things like spiders, roaches, and scorpions.  So beyond the need to control pests there is simply a desire to live without pests.

Pest Control:

Preventive measures to fortify an area against potential unwanted species .

Ideology of Pest Control Methods

While a majority of people may not want to live with pests, I also believe that most don’t wish total annihilation of the insect kingdom.  Bugs are an essential part of the food chain, and the break down, consumption, and recycling of matter in general.  Eliminating all pests from the world may seem ideal for some, but the re-percussions of such a mass extermination may destroy the world all together. So pest control methods today are used to protect specific areas with an attempt to limit the effects to the target pests.  Others believe the most ideal form of pest control is that of “making your home less desirable to the pests.” They propose that keeping a home clean and  minimizing the potential for providing food and water for pests will keep pests from wanting to invade your home. Unfortunately certain pests will eat just about anything.  Roaches are not picky eaters. A roach will make human hair, fingernails and toenails their staple food if needs be. Little Black Ants survive on plants, so any interior plant make an inviting meal. Termites eat wood. Crickets eat cotton, silk, and wool. Silverfish and firebrats consume glue, wallpaper paste, bookbindings, paper, and photographs. Lice, fleas, and ticks are pests that live on mammals. Human homes are pretty inviting to pests.

Pesticides have been developed to provide structures a force field made of products that are engineered to target pests, not mammals. Pest control products today are checked and tested by the EPA. Strict requirements most be meet in order for a pest control product to be labeled for general use. EcoSmart products are designed to break down over time, to have low impact on the environment.

So if you’d like a pest-free environment, cleaning your home is a good step, but ultimately it won’t be enough once bugs have found your home. Further, once an ant has scouted out a new food source and brought in the ant cavalry, those marked marching lines will remain for up to year. Regular pest control service is intended to prevent pests from infesting a given area. Pest control emergencies can be avoid if homeowners would maintain a bulwark around their home that protects them and wards off insect intruders.  Do-it-yourself pest control methods can be implemented successfully if the individual is consistent and persistent in their treatments. But certain pests will require more.

Pest-Control-Stories General Pest Control ants, bug control, Crickets, insect control, pest control, roaches, scorpion control, spider control, spiders

Pest Control Company, Bulwark Exterminating LLC, Receives Military Award from Staff Sergeant A. J. Richards.

Recently Bulwark Exterminating was nominated for an ESGR award by Staff Sergeant A. J. Richards. The ESGR award is given to employers of Guard and Reserve soldiers where the servicemen feel that the employer goes above and beyond the basic responsibility’s an employer has to their Reserve employees. The law requires those that employ Military Reserve and similar to abide by additional requirements, such as holding a position for those that serve while they are gone on military leave.  Further, they must work with mandatory military training, requiring them to allow military employees un-scheduled days off. Because of these requirements there are good reasons for employers to not hire reservists. Bulwark on the other hand gladly  hires military personnel.  The owners feel a great respect for those that serve to protect our country and our freedoms.

For this reason Staff Sergeant Richards nominated Bulwark and Adam for the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve award. Here is his statement:

I have been in the National Guard for the last nine years and have had many employers. I had heard that there was a way to nominate your employer for an award through the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR). But until recently I had never worked for a company more deserving. I started working for Bulwark Exterminating in 2007 as an door to door sales men and even though I struggled with that job they always had a supportive team to mentor me. After the summer they provided me with a job servicing homes in southern Utah while I finished school. After school despite my performance in the door sales field they offered me a job in their newly formed call center in Phoenix AZ. The offer was too good to turn down so I packed up the family and headed down. I have missed work many times to fulfill my commitment with the guard and Adam has always made sure that my family and I had all that we needed while I was gone. Beyond that the Bulwark family has taken my family in as their own so while I’m away I don’t have to worry about my wife and kids needing anything. This is something that is priceless if you have ever been in that kind of positions. Adam continues to support me and my service in the Guard and often encourages me to do all I can to advance in my military career even at the risk of loosing me “one of Bulwark’s top employees” (per my supervisor), for extended periods of time.

The ceremony was held at a Marie calendars in downtown Phoenix and was hosted by “The Military Order Of The World Wars” Phoenix Chapter. The chapter is made up of retired military members from Colonel down. Adam Seever was nominated by Abenadi Richards an employee that works in the Bulwark Exterminating Call center. If you contacted Bulwark anytime in the last three years for new service there’s a chance you spoke to him. Abenadi says that the influence of the people that he works for not only has helped him to become a better person but also a better soldier. He said that skills that he has learned as an employee for Bulwark has taught him to be a better leader in his military duties as well.

Bulwark even received an additional honor from the speaker when he complimented Adam and Bulwark’s pest control service with  “and they do good work too.  They service my home.” The owner was very touched by the award and the sincere compliment of the speaker.

View more Award Photos on Facebook

If you are a military family then please ask about Bulwark pest control Military Discount.

Pest-Control-Stories In the News award, In the News, pest control, Phoenix Pest Control