Is A Pest Elimination Contract Necessary?

Once I got a call from a little old lady, and when I finished the inspection of her home, she asked me about the carpenter ants in her basement. I confirmed there were cobwebs but that I saw no signs of carpenter ants. The lady went on to explain that another pest control company had come to her home and said the cobwebs were a direct sign of carpenter ants. So where were the ants?

I followed up with a statement and a question; first, I saw no signs of carpenter ants caught in the cobwebs, and second, did the pest control technician ask you to sign a contract and get sprayed every three months?

She put her head down and said yes.

Make Sure A Contract Is Your Best Option

You see, most companies make their money by signing residential homes on a contract. These companies go to the extent to pay their technicians based on commission or each time they get another client to sign a contract. Thus, you can see how tempting it would be for a technician to distort the truth to pad their paycheck.

I can’t tell you how many clients have said this exact thing to me. They had no pest or a minor and easily fixable problem, yet were encouraged to sign a contract.

At Sweeney’s Pest Elimination, I have set the bar high. We always solve the problem as permanently as possible. And we don’t treat a problem that doesn’t exist. Money is not the reason why we are in this business.

When You Need Us, We Are There for You

I always remind our customers, “When you need us, we are there for you. And then you don’t need us again until you do.”

Honesty and integrity all the way.

Does an Upstate New York Customer Need A Contract?

So, for our customers (or future customers) if you are a residential homeowner in Central New York State a contract is probably not in your best interest. That is, except for homes built with a stacked stone foundation where there is no permanent way to mouse-proof the house.

Why do Central New York homeowners not need a pest control contract? Because bugs hibernate in the wintery cold months, so there is nothing to spray. And the proper time to take care of a mouse problem is in November.

Annual Preventative Services

Now we do provide prevention services that many of our customers take advantage of every year; spring preventative bee treatments, spring preventative spider treatments, cleaning gutters, and fall preventative treatments covering Cluster Flies, Asian Lady Beetles, Box Elder Beetles, and Stink Bugs.

Each of these services has to be done yearly, as there is no permanent elimination solution. For example, people who have bees or are allergic to bees will require annual preventative treatments because each year bees will start new nests.

When a Pest Control Contract is Best

On the flip side, there are businesses where a contract is best. For example, if you own a restaurant, a feed mill, a grocery store, or any business where you are getting a lot of goods and services with people coming and going.  

Contracts can be beneficial for a specific group of customers, but they are not necessary for everyone. Be sure to do your homework before being persuaded that a contract is your only step for preventing pests. And if you’re in Upstate New York and within our care boundaries, call Sweeney’s Pest Elimination to ensure you are working with the best in pest elimination.

Remember, “When you need us, we are there for you. And then you don’t need us again until you do.”

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