Ask about the Technician's Competency Training Certificate and License
Most Pest Control companies offer services and boasts of their market share. Are the Service technicians well trained? Some companies train their technician by just letting them go and put them to work. A good technician must be able to correctly identify the specific pest from the rest. Technician's must have undergone training from the authorities in Pest Management such as the National Committee on Urban Pest Control (NCUPC). They must undergo competency training covering the Biology of Insect-Pest, Identification of Household, Structural and Stored products Pest, Proper usage of pest control equipment's and most important of all is the Safe handling of Pesticides. Sad to say, most companies don't have a Professionally trained and Licensed Technician. Only the owner of the Pest control company is licensed and not the Technician. They would just say "Technician's are under the direct supervision of a licensed PCO. We'll have you seen the licensed owner go with their Technician's during their routine job and supervise them? If the Pest control guy tells you they are licensed, ask them to show you their license and or certification. If they can't show it then probably you have to look for another company.
Don’t trust that the pest control technicians are licensed simply because they tell you they are. It is best to do your own research on this matter. Ask the company you are interviewing for their license numbers, and then verify them with the organization that gave the certifications. Remember, pest control licensing regulations vary. For more information on where to check the licenses for your particular area, you can call the Nat'l Committee on Urban Pest Control at (02) 484-0208.
Don’t make the mistake of thinking that all certificates and licenses are created equal. Agricultural Pest is different from Urban Pest. Research each license and certification individually, and feel free to call the licensing agency to ask them about their requirements. Below are some questions you may want to ask when researching a license or certification for a company you are interviewing:
1. Is this license or certification obtained by simply paying a fee?
2. Does this certification require a certain number of hours of practice or education to earn?
3. Does the contractor have to do anything in order to maintain this license or certification?
4. How often does this license or certification expire?