Have you tried to search for a pest control company lately? Every piece of advertising you see states how they are certified or licensed but what does that really mean? Do you know?  Do you even care? How does it affect who you need to call? Isn’t everyone required to have the same thing?

For starters If someone isn’t certified, licensed, and chartered, they are doing the work on the side illegally. If they cannot even be bothered to take the 1st rudimentary step, they probably won’t be around next week when you still have a problem. The rest of us legitimate businesses have to pay our dues. The TDA (Tennessee Department of Agriculture) requires anyone who wants to work in pest control to have a certification and have or work under someone with a license. That licensee must then have a charter, another tax. This is designed to ensure you the citizen consumer that we know what we are doing. It is supposed to protect you. But it doesn’t. The state certification requirements are a joke but it is the 1st step to becoming a legitimate operation.

The certification is a test and a tax. It’s all about the tax everywhere. Now to be fair, the test isn’t too easy and does require some study to pass. Many don’t pass it. But does that knowledge translate into wisdom? The wisdom to apply the knowledge is where the magic happens. For a license you must have been in the industry for 3 years, take a harder test, and you guessed it… another tax. The difficulty and scope of the entrance exam still does not translate to dead bugs at your home. I have known many people who passed the requirements but I would not trust to walk and chew gum at the same time. Next, that licensee has to pay another tax in the form of a Charter in order to operate a pest control business and legally purchase professional products. The laws are different between states so this is specific to Tennessee.

     The state does a fair job of making sure we all get our CEUs (continuing Education Units) to maintain our certifications. However, often times these classes are sales pitches for new products or regurgitating tired old information that should be fully understood within the 1st 6 months. Well, I guess its par for the course we have been accustomed to with the government machine. We all complain about how inefficient and corrupt the government is but we turn around and expect the government to ensure things for us. Then we are supposed to trust these sureties? How does that even begin to make sense?

Every company touts how they are licensed and certified in their advertising because it is supposed to mean something to you. However I would bet you had no idea before reading this what it actually meant. Realizing the reality of the situation, I wanted to go beyond the state minimums. That’s why I earned my ACE. That’s why I earned my AIB. That’s why I spend hours learning about bugs. That’s why I get called when the minimal requirement guys couldn’t fix it. It takes more than passing a test to be good at your job. The certifications were not meant to be a master’s degree but so many treat it that way. Pest control should be called a practice like doctors or lawyers because I can never know it all. I am always learning and improving. In this business a technician has no clue what he is doing until about 5 years in. That is where the growth begins, where the true understanding starts. The road to mastery has no end. The journey is ever long and rocky but it is a rewarding one.

Why should you care?

I have seen so many houses and customers lives drastically improved with the elimination of their pest problem. The houses are cleaner, smell better, and the emotional health of the customer improves. It’s the broken window theory. If one window is broken the rest get broken because the value has declined.  The same applies to your house. If you have roaches, why bother picking up the trash? Who cares the sink is full of dirty dishes because we can’t get rid of the roaches anyway. It exponentially gets worse. When the bugs are gone most people see light at the end of the tunnel and start taking pride in their living space. This can only be possible by going beyond the state required minimum. I don’t want to be minimum. If you have had trouble getting results out of your exterminator, try a Pest Control Operator.

(865) 455-8571