Maintaining a commitment to pest management in the face of economic adversity. By: Greg Baumann I With three decades of industry experience, Greg Baumann, who is currently senior scientist and vice president of technical affairs for the National Pest Management Association, previously owned Pro-Tech Pest Management and worked for Hershey Foods Corporation. Mr. Baumann is a veteran industry spokesperson and has provided expert commentary for CNBC, ABC News, The New York Times , The Washington Post and USA Today , addressing residential and commercial pest management. If you have turned on the news, read the newspa-per or if you are truly brave, checked your 401(k), you are fully aware of the economic challenges facing the U.S. and Canada. Foreclosures continue to increase. Unemployment continues to rise. Consumer confidence is at an all-time low. Suffice to say, our economic issues are real and have led to dramatic cuts in many budgets. When budgets are decreased due to the economy, facility management often bears the brunt of many cost-cutting measures. And these cuts go far beyond beautification programs and landscaping. Facility managers are asked to do far more with far less, making their job much more diffi-cult and demanding. This is especially true when considering pest prevention and management. Why pest prevention must be sustained There is no facility management issue that is so immensely vital yet so often overlooked by those making yearly budgeting decisions as pest prevention and management. When searching for areas in which to “save,” pest control emerges as a likely candidate for budgetary reductions, and even elimination, for commercial properties. Questions and comments such as the following will be made at budget meetings across the nation in 2009: • What is the worst that can happen? A wasp’s nest? • What is one mouse? Every property struggles with one or two mice, right? • There is absolutely no way we could have termites. • If the employees keep the kitchen clean enough, we should be just fine. At first, these all may seem like reasonable arguments, especially when considering your yearly budget. For so many, pests and rodents are viewed as simply a “nuisance” — something to be dealt with seasonally. However, as facility managers, when reflecting upon your own experience and your past work with professional pest management services, you for more info Visit www.cmmonline.com and type in search keyword: NPMA . For more information on related products, visit www.cmmonline.com , select SUPPLIER SEARCH from the main navigation bar, and enter keywords: Pest control . Photo courtesy of National Pest Management Association 32 CM/Cleaning & Maintenance Management ® • March 2009
CMM – Archives Mar 2009: 32
