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If it’s Critical, Back It Up! Part#2

Posted by Andrew Greess on Nov 18, 2014

Pest equipment fails when you are using it. This is when you can least afford downtime. This is also the time when your customer’s pest pressure is greatest so they may be less willing to tolerate delays. Demand for repair services is greatest – there may be a delay in getting a replacement.

What do we do about creating a backup plan?

  1. Identify critical equipment. Review your equipment by vehicle, by service, by technician to identify the most important tools.
  2. Develop a backup plan for each critical item For some items it may be easiest to buy a replacement. For more expensive items, you may have to get creative. Look through that pile of used equipment in the corner and see if you can create something valuable out of it. Keeping a trailer in reserve can be cheaper than keeping an extra vehicle in the fleet.
  3. Review your plan. Review your backup plan annually to ensure it is still applicable. Test the backup equipment periodically to ensure it is functioning properly. Don’t assume that equipment sitting in the corner for years is still going to work.

A little time spent identifying critical equipment and developing backup plans will save time, money and stress during your busy pest control season.