[LESSON LEARNED] Our Small Business Got Hit With a Pest Issue Here’s What We Did Right and Wrong

We run a small logistics and fulfillment business. Like many small operations, we wear a lot of hats inventory, payroll, client relations, facility upkeep you name it. Pest control was never high on our priority list. until it had to be. A few months back, we noticed ants near the break area. Then came rodent droppings in one of our storage zones. When a supplier asked if we had pest protocols in place, we realized just how behind the curve we were. Here’s what we did right, what we did wrong, and what we’d recommend to other small business owners: What We Did Right: 1. Acted Quickly: Once it was clear this wasn’t a one off issue, we didn’t waste time with half measures. We hired a licensed commercial exterminator with warehouse experience. 2. Picked the Right Pest Control Approach: We avoided the “spray and pray” method. The company we chose used Integrated Pest Management: they sealed entry points, used non-toxic monitoring traps, and focused on long term prevention, not just chemicals. 3. Made It Routine, Not Reactive: We now have regular inspections and a staff checklist for pest related reporting. It’s a fixed part of our operations budget, not an emergency expense. 4. Listened to Our Employees: It was a floor employee who first flagged the ants. In the past, we might’ve brushed that off. Now, we take early signs seriously and encourage staff to speak up immediately. What We Did Wrong: 1. Waited Too Long to Act: We ignored early signs, and that delay cost us some product loss, workflow disruption, and a lot of cleanup. 2. Underestimated the Speed of Spread: By the time you see pests, you probably have a real issue. Waiting just a couple of weeks made containment a lot harder. 3. No Protocol in Place: We had no pest response plan. Nobody knew who to notify or what to do. We’ve since built pest response into our facility SOPs. Lessons Learned: If you run any commercial space warehouse, café, office, whatever don’t assume you’re immune to pest issues. They can show up fast and spread faster. Having a professional Exterminators pest management plan has saved us time, protected our stock, and even helped during compliance inspections. It’s one of those operational details that shouldn’t be an afterthought. Hope this helps someone else avoid what we went through. Happy to answer any questions or hear how others have dealt with similar challenges.