Challenges Of Bed Bug Control In Business Settings
Bed bugs can be a nightmare, no matter where you find them. However, when it comes to controlling bed bugs in business or commercial settings, the stakes are a little higher and the fight arguably more challenging. There are good reasons why Bed Bugs in Commercial Settings Present Unique Challenges. However, by partnering with the right pest control professional, you can conquer this challenge, protecting your business and your bottomline.
Why Are Bed Bugs So Beastly In Business Settings?
According to Judy Black, MS, BCE, CP-FS, vice president, North America Technical Services, Rentokil Steritech, “There are three things that differentiate residential from commercial work: the level of customer cooperation; the amount of clutter; and, level of vigilance.”
Not only that, but businesses have a reputation to protect and even a single small bed bug can bring it down.
Bed Bugs Are Bad For Your Brand
Bed bugs are bad news for business, more so than private residences. As Black explains, “There’s a brand reputation concern in commercial settings that you don’t have in residential settings.”
No matter what goods or services you offer, the existence or even rumor of bed bugs on site is damaging to your brand. Customers are quick to judge and the tiniest bed bug has the power to wreak bigtime havoc on your business’ reputation. It’s unfair, given that bed bugs easily and almost invisibly travel between residential and commercial properties. Even the most diligent and responsible business owner could find his or establishment plagued by bed bugs, without warning.
But, make no mistake, most customers won’t care why or how bed bugs arrived at your business. No explanation from you will likely stop them from spreading the news and even taking to online review sites, like Yelp, to express their disgust about your bed bug situation. And while the saying “any press is good press” might be true in some instances, it is definitely not when bed bugs are involved. Recovering from bad, bed bug-related reviews is an uphill battle, one best avoided however possible.
Third Party Interference Complicates The Battle Against Bed Bugs
The existence of a third party is another complicating factor in the fight against bed bugs that doesn’t exist when we’re talking about residential pest control. For example, if you have issues with bed bugs in your home, it’s between you and your pest control professional to get rid of them. But, when it comes to bed bug control in business settings, business owners are up against “a third-party factor: guests; patients; and movie goers, among many others,” says Black.
Naturally, this complicates matters.
Often, it’s the third-party presence that actually introduces bed bugs into a business in the first place. Think about the revolving door of guests seeking hotel accommodations on a daily basis. These people are coming from all over the place, toting luggage behind them, and sometimes non-paying guests in the form of bed bugs hitching a ride. These bed bugs will find cozy spots in the sheets and mattresses of hotel rooms and likely attach to the next round of guests via their clothing, baggage, or other personal belongings.
Brace Your Business Against Bed Bugs
The bane of bed bugs to a business is a vicious cycle. However, as a business owner, there are things to you can do to fight back effectively. The most comprehensive approach to keeping bed bugs out of your business involves partnering with a pest management professional for consistent monitoring and, if necessary, treatment of your professional space.
Request a free consultation for keeping bed bugs out of your business. We’re here to help you strategize an effective plan and successfully secure your business from the threat of bed bugs.
