Think Pest Control Is Vital With Social Media? Here's Why.
Remember the days when, as owners and managers, we worried about the unhappy customer that may tell several friends if they had an unpleasant experience at your business? Remember the old saying " A picture is worth a 1000 words". Today with social media and cameras on every device the new saying maybe "A picture is worth 10,000 customers and total destruction of your business". This is why pest control has to be a priority and your pest provider has to be a partner and responsive to your immediate needs.
Social Media Statistics
Of the possible posts listed below, which will have the most potential reach?
1. "My server at XYZ restaurant was very unpleasant"
2. Picture of dirty silverware at XYZ restaurant.
3. Video of a mouse in the dining room at XYZ restaurant.
4. "Our room at XYZ hotel was dirty and bed linen was dirty following our check in"
5. Picture of a bed bug on the sheet at XYZ hotel.
It is 40 times more likely that the visual posts will get shared more and have the most potential reach and can do the most damage to your business. This is why pest control today has to be more than just the bug person who comes in and sprays for 10 minutes and gone each month. It has to be about finding solutions to pest issues and eliminating the risk to your business.
Tips to use when evaluating your pest provider in the age of social media.
Does my provider communicate with the staff while on property? As a pest operator, I want to speak with maintenance, dishwashers, housekeeping staff in passing. They are more likely to know of any sightings during the last month in their areas and trigger me to stop and look deeper for a potential issue.
Does my provider provide a thorough inspection and preventative treatment while on property? Is equipment being pulled out for inspection? Are they asking for keys to access locked areas?
If you have a current issue, is your provider performing additional services to eliminate the problem or just coming out on the next regular service visit?
Does your provider give you feed back on structural, storage, and sanitation issues that could potentially lead to pest issues? Does your provider revisit these each service and give feedback if these issues were resolved?
Do you see the same pest technician each month or does your provider tend to have a lot of turnover? Longevity of your technician in the account normally allows them to have a pest knowledge history of the location and quicker resolution of problems.
How quick does the pest provider respond when you have an issue? Are they quick to call back and schedule service or do they not respond and show up several days later to address the concern?
In foodservice, is your provider trying to perform service while your staff is prepping for the day or worse, while your business is in operation? Does your provider have keys and codes to perform service when not in operation? In foodservice there is no way a pest provider can perform a proper service during operation. Why? Many product labels prohibit application while food is being prepped. Also, it is impossible to pull equipment for inspection while they are being used to prep for the day. This allows harborage areas for pest to become major issues prior to being found.
Do you feel the technician servicing your location has been properly trained by your pest provider or do they seem to not understand when you are asking questions pertaining to your pest program.
Does your technician take time to review their service with you after completion each month or do they just ask for a signature on a report?
If your location is serviced with a key, does your provider call prior to service to get details of possible issues each month and give you a follow up call the next day to review the service and findings.
In closing, in the age of social media, the term pest control is from the time of rotary phones. Today your pest service has to be about pest resolution, pest prevention and quick responsiveness to issues.
If you have any additional questions, Epituer Pest Solutions, LLC can be reached at 865-363-1155 or click here.
Epituer Pest Solutions, LLC services Knoxville and surrounding areas of East Tennessee.