Crowned theย UKโs best seaside resort in 2018, Torquay is a Mecca for tourists, attracting well over one million staying visitors plus nearly four million day visitors each year.
With seaside views to die for, award-winning beaches, a wealth of attractions and warm weather, itโs no wonder Torquay is regarded as one of the top places to holiday in the whole of Britain.
However, with such popularity comes great competition between local businesses. Hotels, B&Bs and restaurants in particular rely almost entirely on tourism. As such, all need to ensure their good reputations remain intact if they are to continue to attract visitors through the front door.
Unfortunately, as with all busy seaside towns, Torquay is not immune to pest problems. Rats and mice make a healthy living in the town, exploiting the abundance of food waste and dropped litter that consumers and food outlets leave behind. Bed bugs too, can be a big problem for businesses in the hospitality industry where reputations are hard won but easily lost. The last thing any business in Torquay wants to deal with is plummeting trade as a result of pests. That is exactly what will happen though, if they donโt take the measures necessary to prevent infestations. Itโs essential for all Torquay businesses to seek commercial pest control contracts to protect their reputation and their livelihood.
Pest Problems in Torquay
Pest infestations can have a truly devastating impact on businesses in the travel and tourism trade. As well as damage to property, goods and food, pests also cause serious damage to a businessโ reputation. In the age of social media and online review sites, any business that suffers from a pest control issue will find their problems widely publicised – very quickly.
Bed bug pest control, for example, is no small matter for hotel and B&B owners in Torquay. Online reviews left by guests complaining about bed bugs at a number of Torquay hotels can be easily found on TripAdvisor. Today, more people than ever before consider such reviews before making a booking and news of a bed bug infestation will not endear an establishment to anyone.
By equal measure, negative reviews can ruin reputations almost instantly โ especially if they concern pest infestations.
Without employing ongoing commercial pest control services from reputed local professionals, businesses leave their good names in a permanent state of risk.
Last year, SWNS.comalso reported the story of a honeymooning couple complaining they had been โeaten aliveโ by bed bugs during their stay at a Torquay hotel. The couple said that they didnโt get any sleep and โstayed awake scratching all night.โ Subsequently, they took to Facebook to air their complaints and post photographs of the bites and rashes they sustained. Eventually, the local press picked up the story, bringing the news to even more people and tarnishing the hotelโs reputation further.
Why Pests Are Bad for Business
Nothing puts customers off more than a pest problem. Bed bugs in hotel rooms. Rats in restaurants. Ants in retail stores. They all spell disaster. Today, customers make no qualms about sharing their experiences online. This means that even a small pest issue can have a major impact on a companyโs ability to attract new business once the news starts to spread. The only reliable solution is to employ the services of local commercial pest control professionals to ensure your premises is kept pest-free at all times.
Be it to deal with bed bugs, rats, mice, cockroaches, ants or any other pest species, commercial pest control is an absolute must โ especially for businesses that rely on the tourist trade.
Pest-related reputation damage will inevitably lead to fewer people choosing your establishment over a rivalโs and loss of business equates to a decrease in revenue. In addition, there is the serious matter of public health and safety that must be considered.
Nearly all pest species are carriers of a number of different bacteria and diseases. Saliva, urine and droppings from rodents and cockroaches, all present health risks, some of which โ such as salmonella and hantavirus โ can be very serious indeed. If any of your customers become ill as a result of coming into contact with contaminated food or other materials, you may end up facing a compensation claim and an environmental health investigation. This can lead to hefty fines and even temporary or permanent closure in severe cases โ not to mention the additional reputational damage that will inevitably result.
Another way in which pests can hurt a business is through damage to a buildingโs infrastructure. Rats and mice will chew through wood, concrete, metals and electrical wiring, causing damage that is expensive to repair. You may even have to close your business to make these repairs, during which time you will be losing revenue, which could prove extremely costly if the closure needs to take place during a busy tourist season.
Torquay Commercial Pest Control Solutions
For businesses in Torquay that rely on good online publicity to compete for trade, commercial pest control solutions are nothing short of essential.
The good news is that business owners in Torquay can put an end to all their pest control concerns immediately with Baroque Pest Services part of Safeguard. With over 30 yearsโ experience designing and implementing bespoke commercial pest control solutions for businesses in Torquay, Baroque Pest Services is the number one choice for business owners looking for a fast and effective service that delivers peace of mind.
Baroque Pest Services serves all kinds of industries including: Bars, Pubs, Cafรฉs, Restaurants, Hotels and B&Bs, as well as Nursing Homes, Factories, Warehouses and Organic Farms.
Our service begins with a free survey and risk assessment of your commercial premises. We will then tailor a commercial pest control contract that suits your businessโs precise needs.
Contact your local pest control specialist today for a free quotation.