How to Choose an Extermination Company
The first step is to ask friends, family and neighbors for recommendations. The only way to judge the customer service of an exterminator is to ask someone who has done business with them. These recommendations will also help evaluate the effectiveness of the company’s methods and techniques. If no one has any recommendations, then check with a referral service like Angie’s list. In any case contact several companies for an estimate.
Arrange face to face meetings. Meeting the exterminator in person is the only way to answer some questions. Did their vehicle look professional? Was it clean and well-marked? Does the representative look and act professional? Did they arrive on time? Did they call to notify you of a time change? How informative and helpful were they? Or were they more focused on making the sale?
Ask enough questions to allow you to understand each company. How long has each exterminator been in business? Are they licensed with the state? Are they willing to provide documentation to these items? Ask about their technicians. Have they been screened? How much training do they have? Typically each technician is required to attend annual training.
It’s important to ask if the exterminator is insured. Ask for a certificate of insurance. Lack of insurance is a serious problem and says the company is not truly professional. Avoid pest control companies that can’t or won’t furnish such a certificate. Also ask whether the company belongs to any professional associations. These trade associations offer several benefits to their members. And membership is another clue to the professionalism of the company.
Ask how the company typically solves pest control problems. This is an important question. A professional exterminator will not limit their answer to pesticides alone. A knowledgeable representative will also discuss ways to prevent infestations, such as eliminating sources of food and shelter and ways to prevent pests from entering the home.
How will the firm react if you have a sudden insect infestation? You would expect the company to say they would come in quickly to knock down the infestation. Ask what steps they would take to insure the infestation does not reoccur. The exterminator should be able to talk about the life cycle of pests and what they will do to break the life cycle and prevent re-infestation.
Finally, ask about their pricing. How do they compare with other exterminators you’ve interviewed? The point of asking for several bids is to learn enough about each company to make a reasonable comparison. While price is certainly a factor, it’s not the only factor. It may not even be the most important factor. Also compare the companies on the basis of how professional they are, how knowledgeable they are and what level of customer service you believe they can provide. Understanding these factors will allow you to make a reasonable decision.
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