Gavin Wilson, Technical and Marketing Manager for Liphatech ANZ, outlines the points to make when selling rodent control services to customers.
Integrated rodent management is a comprehensive approach that minimises potential rodent outbreaks. It’s not just about treating infestations, but taking measures to prevent them from happening in the first place. For example, sealing all entry points into the building, maintaining good hygiene practices and trapping/baiting. Educating customers about the serious potential outcomes from rodent outbreaks is a great way to sell professional rodent prevention measures, which can be a very profitable add-on.
Here are some of the key points pest management professionals can relay to customers to highlight the importance of taking preventative measures against rodents.
Health risks
Firstly, rodents are notorious carriers of dangerous diseases, such as leptospirosis, hantavirus, Salmonella, and the plague. They can transmit these illnesses to humans and pets through their droppings, urine, saliva, and bites, as well as through contaminated food and water sources.
In domestic environments, rodent infestations can compromise the health of family members, particularly vulnerable groups such as children, elderly individuals, and those with weakened immune systems. In commercial settings, especially in industries like food production, hospitality, and healthcare, the consequences of poor hygiene due to rodent infestations can be catastrophic. Outbreaks of disease or contamination can lead to legal liabilities, loss of customer trust, and closure of operations. Residential customers don’t want their families falling ill, while commercial customers don’t want to compromise their hygiene standards. Effective rodent management minimises these risks by ensuring a clean and safe environment.
Damage to property
Secondly, rodents are highly destructive creatures that gnaw on various materials, including wood, plastic, and electrical wiring which can lead to significant damage. Their constant chewing is driven by their need to wear down their ever-growing incisors which must be kept from becoming too long.
In homes, this can mean ruined furniture, structural damage, and fire hazards caused by chewed electrical wires. In commercial environments, the stakes are even higher, as rodents can damage machinery, storage containers, packaging, and raw materials. Warehouses, manufacturing plants and retail spaces are particularly vulnerable, with financial losses potentially running into thousands of dollars. An integrated rodent management program helps prevent such damages, saving both homeowners and business operators from costly repairs and replacements.
Food contamination
Thirdly, rodents are a major threat to food security and will contaminate food items with droppings, urine, and hair. In domestic settings, this can result in wasted food, increased grocery bills, and potential health risks. For businesses in the food industry, the consequences are even more severe, with rodent contamination leading to spoilage, product recalls, regulatory fines, and damage to the brand’s reputation.
Rodent management programs in commercial kitchens, restaurants, and food storage facilities ensure that food products remain safe for consumption. A management program also helps businesses comply with health and safety regulations, avoiding penalties and legal actions. Commercial operations arguably pay the biggest price for rodent infestations, which can disrupt workflows, cause equipment failures, and lead to lost productivity.
Business reputation
Lastly, for businesses, customer complaints and negative online reviews can quickly erode public trust and damage the brand’s reputation. In industries like hospitality and retail, where customer satisfaction is paramount, rodent management is crucial for maintaining a positive image and ensuring repeat business.
An investment for the future
While investing in an integrated rodent management program may seem like an expense to a customer, it is ultimately a cost-saving measure. When talking to customers, pest management professionals can outline how taking preventative rodent control measures can save them headaches in the future. Spending time to upsell an ongoing rodent management program provides benefits to the customer, and incremental and ongoing sales to the pest manager. Regular customer contact also allows the pest manager to build the relationship with the customer.
An integrated rodent management program will typically consist of high quality baits (for monitoring and/or control) used alongside robust hardware such as stations and traps. Liphatech has been discovering new active ingredients and bait formulations for rodent control since the 1960s. Its active ingredient bromadiolone is used in three rodent baits: Maki Block, Maki Wrapped and Resolv Soft Bait. Difethialone, also discovered by Liphatech, is used in Generation Block and FirstStrike Soft Bait. A range of Liphatech rodent control hardware solutions are also available from local pest control distributors.
Gavin Wilson, Technical and Marketing Manager ANZ, Liphatech
