"Tunnel Vision" Can Be Costly

Tunnel vision is a phrase used to describe people that can only see one thing. It is akin to the saying “the light at the end of the tunnel,” where people see a goal coming closer as they travel through the tunnel. We should be committed to the second saying, while carefully avoiding the first.

The pest control industry has many technicians who operate with tunnel vision. Is this their fault or is the environment in which they work to blame? We often push them so hard that they are not given the time to look around as they work through the “tunnel” of pest control.

TECHNICIAN VISION. I’ve seen instances recently where tunnel vision has been rather obvious. I don’t believe it was necessarily the technician’s fault, but perhaps it was a shared effort of management and field personnel. Many training programs today emphasize that while in the field, technicians need to take the time to incorporate various IPM techniques. This approach to pest control requires attention. That is, find the source, use the biology and habits of the pest to determine the best control method and use innovative approaches. Whoa Nelly! When do they have time to do this?

When I’m called in on a consulting contract I have to determine what is happening with the account. I ask myself, “Why are we not getting control? Where are these bugs coming from?” More often than not, the problem is not that difficult to solve. I don’t really consider myself any more knowledgeable than the PCO. What’s really happening is that you are asking for some fresh eyes on the subject — someone who may see something you don’t.

Look at this process in terms of writing. Not everyone can write well. I write these columns and then they are edited by some excellent writers, people whose profession it is to get the meaning out. When you write, review grammar, spell check, etc., you have a computer to make your job easier. Still, you end up reading something over and over and you tend to skip over some small details. I have written articles, reviewed and edited them, come back weeks later, read them again and found things wrong. Why didn’t I see the mistakes earlier? We sometimes refer to this as being too close to the subject.

Pest control is similar to the writing process. We often get caught up in the daily pressures of work. We review control programs and can’t see the obvious — we are guilty of tunnel vision. An example of this is baiting indoors. As we develop newer methods or formulations of baits for ants and cockroaches, we seem to have lost sight of the things that “brought us to the party.” Pest control is not a one-product solution. We are allowing our technicians to become “bait jockeys.” I am sure of the following: Our service contracts cover a lot of insects and other pests that cannot be controlled with baits. So what do we do for them? Our “tunnel” is filled with cockroaches or ants and that is all we see. The “thrill of the kill” is achieved by watching roaches eat bait and die and having bait guns strapped to our hips like “pest cowboys” riding in to save the day. Meanwhile, the fly problems worsen and maybe ants find another way in. We blame this problem on sanitation. That’s true, but isn’t there another answer? Maybe it’s time to look at the problem with new eyes.

DAUNTING CHALLENGES AWAIT. In the April issue of PCT, one of the issues in Richard Kramer’s column criticized activists because they want no pesticides used. Believe it or not, this is a situation that has already happened, and there will continue to be more of these situations. In all probability, PCOs will not do the work — others will be hired to do the job. For example, Washington D.C. recently hosted a “Rat Summit” because of the rat problem in the city. Recently in Maryland, a high school cafeteria was shut down because of roach and mouse infestations. The cafeteria reopened a week later after maintenance fixed holes and cleaned the cafeteria. Where do they think the mice went? They said they would use traps and chemicals when or if mice or roaches are sighted — but there was no mention of a professional PCO involved.

But the answer is not to use more chemicals. One could argue that we have not found this option too successful since there are 1.25 billion rats residing in the U.S. So what else do we have to rely on? The answer is the “good technician.” But many PCOs complain about the lack of qualified workers. It is hard to compete for labor when the prospective employee can make more money in a job that doesn’t require him or her to fill out paperwork, communicate with customers or get themselves dirty crawling under a house.

PROVIDE THE NEEDED LIGHT. To some, the tunnel is getting a little longer and a little darker. It is up to us to brighten the future. We have to acknowledge that in order to operate in the future, better-trained technicians will be needed. The one piece of equipment all technicians require is the flashlight, and we will have to teach them to use it. After all, if you’re in a tunnel with a flashlight that works, you can see more than just the light at the end.