Choosing a Wildlife Control Firm in Ohio
We like educated customers, and believe that our transparency will help with your decision making process.
1) The first step in choosing a pest company, identify who you are dealing with. This industry is dominated by large conglomerates, and foreign entities that buy pest companies and operate under local names. Also, some operations farm out leads to third parties via listing websites. Look for multiple names for the same company, dozens of similar websites, generic names, and multiple phones numbers. We are independently owned, have our own employees, and have a single phone number.
2) Using Google, search the phone number of the company you may be considering. On occasion some business owners may operate under multiple DBA’S as well as company names. While this may not be a problem, it is good information to know if you want to receive multiple quotes from two unaffiliated businesses.
3) Very Important – never hire a contractor without BOTH Liability Insurance AND Workers Compensation Insurance. Some people are self employed and may not have workers comp which protects everyone in the case of personal injury. This is essential to protect your assets. Request that a certificate of insurance be emailed or faxed in advance.
4) Choose an expert in a field. Teams that specialize, gain a deeper understanding of the trade. Don’t settle for a name that suggests that they specialize. Investigate the breadth of services offered and see if they truly specialize. We only handle mice & bat control issues.
5) Is the company a member of the National Wildlife Control Operators Association (NWCOA)?
6) Online reviews can become misleading, investigate the username of online reviews. It’s normal to suspect someone affiliated with the company may be writing some reviews. Most reviews allow you to click on the username and further investigate and view their posts. Also, realize that not all reviewers have the same expectations as you.
7) Did the person handling the phone calls make you feel comfortable work with? In addition, are you aware of who will be handling your account? Have your phone calls been answered and returned in a prompt and professional manner? Many wildlife control companies operate as a single individual, this can affect the quality and promptness of the phone calls, customer concerns as well as behind the scenes chores. Responsiveness is usually affected in these situations. We have full time staff dedicated to phone support. Our Team Bios
8) Is the wildlife control firm your investigating properly licensed to handle animals? The Ohio Division of Wildlife requires all companies and service technicians to carry a Commercial Nuisance Wild Animal Control License. Our Trapping License #NT-13-611.
9) Is the company your investigating licensed to be carrying and applying pesticides? Often times we investigate homes for bats. However upon these inspections a common occurrence is the evidence of mice. Most would agree its best to hire a company that has the option to handle these common but unforeseen problem. Our License #103704.
10) If you are doing research based on guarantees or warranties, be sure to have it faxed or emailed over in advance. Be sure to carefully review the language in order to make sure you are in agreement with both the terms and any possible disclaimers. One such example is how comprehensive our bat exclusion agreement is, potential entry points that may be inadvertently missed during the exclusion process are covered under our agreement. This is stark contrast with competitors that may only guarantee “actual repairs”, thus another fee being charged for the missed areas on the first visit. Read about our commitment.
11) Does the company your investigating physically go into the attic of your home to complete a full inspection. In addition will the company provide a written inspection report for your records? Attics of homes are the most prevalent space where evidence of bats and mice can found, neglecting this space can be a serious problem. You simply can not inspect the attic fully by peeking into the opening.
12) In the wildlife control industry a service fee for an on-site inspection is customary. Be mindful of companies that offer free services. This can be a warning sign of an inexperienced wildlife control operator or that a company is having difficulty obtaining customers.
Thank you for reading all of this information. Give us a call, you will be glad that you did!