The holiday season can bring many guests into your hotel. That means more revenue. But holiday guests can bring something else that could cut into your revenue and hurt your reputation: Bed bugs. Today, we're talking about the threat bed bugs present and what you can do to guard against them.
Are Bed Bugs a Big Deal?
Bed bugs can be a serious problem if you're not ready for them. The worst strategy you can take is to react to bed bugs when they appear. This can lead to many issues:
- A guest could get a cold response from an employee and feel as though their safety and comfort aren't important.
- A guest could take to social media and drag your name through the mud because their issue was not addressed professionally.
- All it takes is one bed bug review to turn potential guests away and put your business on a list of places to avoid.
Bed Bug Response
All of the negative problems bed bugs can create may be avoided by having a well-trained staff that knows how to properly educate guests. This education will also let your staff understand these bugs better and prevent employees from quitting for unnecessary reasons.
- Bed bugs don't infest dirty places. They live anywhere they can get a blood meal. The infestation isn't due to a lack of proper housekeeping.
- Bed bugs come in on guests and remain in rooms by accident. They did not get in from the outside due to a lack of exterior pest control.
- Bed bugs are not known to spread illness but they do cause some people extreme anxiety and they can leave painful welts on the skin. This is a delicate matter.
- If bed bugs are found in a room, they are likely to be isolated to that room, especially when hotel staff works diligently to detect warning signs.
When bed bugs are found, it is okay to move a guest to another room that is not adjacent, above or below the infested room. This room should be provided at no cost, and consider throwing in something small as a complimentary gift. This can take the sting out of the inconvenience your guests feel for having to move and settle the unsettled feelings they may have for having found bed bugs in their room.
How Pinnacle Solutions Helps
We offer businesses in Kansas the highest level of commercial pest control. We are a Copesan Pest Solutions partner and a QualityPro Certified pest control provider. When it comes to protecting hotels and motels from bed bug infestations, we take a proactive approach that includes:
- Staff training. Your staff is your frontline defense against bed bugs. We make sure all staff members know what bed bugs look like, what signs they leave, and where these signs may be found.
- Routine inspections. Bed bugs aren't always easy to find. Your housekeeping staff can tear beds apart every time they service a room and bed bugs can still infest. These insects can be in furniture, under carpet edges, behind baseboards, in wall outlets and also inside wall voids. Routine inspections from a licensed and experienced professional can give you the added support you need to catch a bed bug problem quickly.
- Targeted treatments. We have a wide range of treatment options for bed bugs and our service team members know what is needed for the best results. Often, bed bug infestations can be handled without any disruption to other guests. Treatments are targeted and discreet.
For more information about commercial bed bug service in the Greater Topeka area, reach out to Pinnacle Solutions today. We can help.