Office Tenants' Threshold For Pest Problems Is Low

Office building pests are very common: far more than half of office workers have seen a pest in the last year. Tenants of office buildings have a very low tolerance for pests and rodents in their workspaces. Most workers don’t report pests on the first sighting, but the turnover of tenants in buildings with pest problems is very high. Many office tenants will wait until someone else mentions the issue before reporting their own experiences, which may mean that building managers may be unaware of issues until they escalate to the point where valuable employees have already left.

Companies take these types of complaints by their employees very seriously, and will leave a building if a pest issue is not dealt with promptly and thoroughly. To keep your tenants happy, it’s important to maintain open lines of communication and respond quickly to all complaints. Hiring a professional pest control team and communicating your actions taken with tenants will help building owners and managers maintain good relationships with tenants and reduce costly turnover.

Respond Promptly

Tenants in office buildings spend as much time at their desks as they spend at home, so they want to know building management takes any reports of pests very seriously. It’s important to respond as quickly as possible to any complaints. Call a pest control expert immediately and tell your tenants you have done so. Make sure to have a professional inspect your premises within twenty­-four hours, if possible. Invite the reporting tenant to join you on a walk through of the unit with building management and/or a professional to point out where the pests have been reported.

Pest problems are likely to cause dissent among workers in any office. Responding quickly to any reports will help keep employees calm and reduce the likelihood of your tenant leaving the building.

Communicate

Research shows that tenants will start looking for new office space quickly if they feel their pest complaints are not being dealt with by building management. One of the best ways to show that you are being proactive about any pest issues in your building is always to inform your tenants when a pest control technician is coming on a service call. If the technician comes to their unit after hours and the tenant is not aware, there is a danger that the tenant will feel as if building management are not doing anything about the pest issue.

The tenant does not necessarily have to be there every time a technician comes; however, you should offer this as an option. Meeting the technician may make tenants more confident in the solution and give them the opportunity to receive first-hand advice on prevention strategies. This will be beneficial for you as well, as tenants involved in ongoing prevention of pests will help keep them away in the future.

Even if a tenant cannot be present for an inspection, it is wise to always communicate in writing what steps are being taken by your building management team during a pest infestation and afterwards. Follow up with your tenants, especially any of them who have made reports about pests. Communicate -- again in writing -- any prevention advice from your pest control professional, ask that tenants report any further sightings, and send reminders periodically even after the pests are gone to make sure your tenants are still aware of the prevention strategies.

Are you concerned about pests or rodents infesting your building? Do your employees and tenants know how to react to an infestation sighting? Contact JP Pest Services for a free commercial consultation today. Our experienced professionals can eliminate pests from your facility and keep them from gaining access to your building.