Remote monitoring possesses the potential for pest management professionals to introduce a time and cost-saving tool to clients seeking to embrace the technology of the future when it comes to rodent and wildlife management.
While concerns over costs to transition from traditional trap and monitoring devices to those equipped with remote sensor capabilities are the chief concern of many clients, many PMPs believe the technology will be a viable option for high-value clients.
“Remote monitoring can provide PMPs and their clients with a better grasp on what the concept of true rapid response means and how to measure the impact of their rodent management programs,” says Scott McNeely, president of McNeely Pest Control in Winston-Salem, N.C.
McNeely says accounts required to have mandated regulatory compliance certification from U.S. FDA and USDA – food-processing and pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities – are prime candidates for remote monitoring.
“Facilities-processing or handling long-term storage of high-value commodities including nuts, spices and tobacco might be willing to invest in remote monitoring,” says McNeely.
In one of the accounts where McNeely tested remote monitoring – a packaging facility for a pharmaceutical company with a food grade rodent management program – he saw the opportunity to gain time efficiencies on his service calls.
“There was low rodent pressure in the facility – only a few captures over a two-year period – and we were checking traps twice a month,” says McNeely. “In this instance, remote monitoring could help us better assign our technician’s time at the plant to focus on pest exclusion and other preventive measures.”
The veteran PMP says the response from the high-end commercial clients where he has tested remote monitoring is similar – they are impressed with its capabilities but cost remains a concern.
“They will tell me, ‘Remote monitoring sounds great and we’d love to have it but how much is it going to cost?’ says McNeely. “If it was a value-add to their existing service agreement they would be all for it.”
As with any new technology McNeely feels remote monitoring pricing will eventually stabilize over time and if properly marketed can provide both operational and financial benefits to pest management professionals.
Rollins’ Dr. Mark Beavers, managing director – technical services, safety and health, says commercial clients will figure how to fit remote monitoring into their budget once they see the benefits.
“Cost concerns are a driver right now but as demand widens, pricing should come down and acceptance will grow,” says Beavers. “Certain segments will adopt faster than others.”
When talking with clients about remote monitoring, Beavers puts himself in their shoes.
“If there was a catch the night after a regular service call and the rodent sat there for one to two weeks, or even more, waiting to be removed, I, as the client, would not be happy,” says Beavers. “But if there was a way for me and my pest management service provider to be informed and immediately respond to a catch, it would make a compelling argument to invest in remote monitoring technology.”
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Remote Monitoring: The Technician of the Future?
Could remote monitoring be the technician of the future? While the idea that remote monitoring technology could replace a well-trained technician might be a stretch, it does give the industry something to chew on.
Scott McNeely, president of McNeely Pest Control in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, wonders if the industry will look at remote monitoring as the automated worker of the future and could it help the industry with its long-standing effort to recruit and retain quality technicians and lower labor costs.
“Like many service industries we (pest control) spend a lot of time and resources recruiting and training qualified technicians,” says McNeely. “Could we use remote monitoring to help companies that can’t find enough good technicians?”
McNeely sees a scenario where pest control companies will weigh the benefits of a $90 per man hour cost vs. a remote monitoring device to achieve the same results. He says that could balance the playing field when it comes to costs and allow PMPs to offer remote monitoring as an added-value service to clients.
