By Levi Farrell, A.C.E
In the business world, we all must live by the budget. Everything has to be put in a category; dipping into the uncommitted fund is a no-no. In the pest control world, we typically get lumped into facility services like lawn care, waste management, and snow removal. We have always been perplexed by this. I know, I know, everyone thinks what they do is extremely important; stick with me and let me explain.
Finding an insect outside is nothing to be surprised about. Finding an insect inside the building, depending on its type and location, may make you a little more worried. Finding an insect in your product stream, now you have a reason to be extremely concerned. You could be looking at a facility shutdown to treat. Your customer finds an insect in your product; now we have a big problem. This could lead to unexpected returns, having to credit a customer the product cost, or the complete loss of a customer. Worst case scenario, your customer’s customer, a friend, sibling, spouse, or child finds an insect. The blank has hit the fan. Soon a post goes on one of the endless amounts of social media sites. If it becomes bad enough, it becomes a Brand Damaging Event.
We take pride in all our customers, big or small, that we partner with. Your products are in our houses, garages, cupboards, and refrigerators. At each service, we do not have a mindset of how we manage the pests at this facility. It is how we protect your brand from ever experiencing that Brand Damaging Event.
Pest Management does not fit into any one of the boxes on a budget sheet. There are veins that connect to everything. Marketing, quality control, loss prevention, customer relationships, and operations. We understand no one can or should write a blank check, but consider the ramifications if you are so bound to a budget that your sole reason for not making the right decision is money. An estimated $220 billion, yes with a B, was lost just in food crops last year. We do not like to live in the world of the worst-case scenario; no one wants to be around that all the time. We do, however, need to be realistic. Pests are great at what they do; they got their Latin name “pestis,” which translates to plague. Keep all of this in mind the next time you think “It’s not in the budget”. Especially if you are having issues, it may be time to rethink that budget number. It is definitely time that Integrated Pest Management gets its own box on the budget sheet.
We have all heard that by 2050, give or take 10 years depending on who you’re listening to, we won’t be able to grow or produce enough food to feed the population. I think we have plenty; we just need to do a better job of protecting it.