Rodent Monitoring: A Proactive, Preventive Approach

Across the pest control industry, pest control companies are beginning to stick their toe in the water with a variety of available rodent monitoring technologies. RK Environmental, a pest control company that works to protect the food and pharmaceutical supply chain and their facilities from pests like insects, birds and rodents, has been at the forefront of incorporating smart technology into every facet of their business. Always working hard to deliver more value to their internal and external clients, RKE leverages technology to provide unparalleled value.

Jessica Coronato, vice president of business development for RKE, describes this transition best when saying, “It wasn’t that long ago when food facilities had someone walk around and manually record temperatures in different parts of food production, such as refrigerators or storage areas. Now temperature checking has been fully automated through technology, and we see pest monitoring equipment working the same way. We encourage clients to leverage their financial resources to get the best value for their dollar. Why pay someone to manually check a trap when technology can do that? The technology can work in conjunction with expert service professionals providing deep dive preventive inspections, while supporting a food safety management system or a zero-tolerance environment like the pharmaceutical industry. This allows specialists to spend their time conducting more detailed inspections, rather than using up valuable time on busy work.”

At a large food production facility in Georgia recently, RKE specialists were hard at work installing about 300 iQ rodent monitoring devices from Bell Laboratories.

These state-of-the-art devices are part of RKE’s overall strategy to identify pest challenges before they happen at their clients’ facilities, in combination with utilizing a proactive and preventive approach to mitigating pest challenges.

And while RKE’s team is comprised of highly professional and skilled licensed specialists, the 24/7 iQ multiple catch mouse sensing traps could not have been easier to install at the facility.

“The setup itself was seamless and quite pragmatic. Our team quickly learned the technology and Bell was a true partner in supporting us with the few questions that came up along the way,” expressed Jon Grell, vice president of operations. “So far, the feedback has been overwhelmingly positive. Our client loves the enhanced inspection approach while having pest management protection and continuous diagnostics. In other words, they like knowing that our team is bringing the best possible solutions and value during every service.”

Technology brings unrivaled value to food safety and works best when it is able to solve both short- and long-term challenges for clients, which ultimately strengthens the professional work an expert specialist provides.

RKE has embraced advanced, high-tech products, like iQ devices, to ensure that time and focus is spent in the best way possible for their clients.

“Our team of experts are servicing their designated facilities, often weekly, and it is critical that he or she is able to utilize all of their expertise and convert that into a meaningful deliverable to a client,” Coronato said. “This technology allows us to live by the principles of preventive controls by conducting detailed inspections identifying any storage, sanitation, food safety, structural and safety risks, preventatively. Collaborating with each client in a consultant fashion, it is important for our specialists to see beyond trap checking and to use their knowledge and expertise to stay ahead of pests and their associated risks.”

Top quality work is always a reflection of job satisfaction, combined with flawless execution and embracing technology, to be better today than yesterday.

Providing unparalleled value to the food industry has also shown to elevate employee engagement and job satisfaction. With the majority of traps at facilities not typically having rodent activity, specialists can save their backs and knees by receiving automated trap activity on their cell phone once at the building.

“Staying at the forefront of technology with products like iQ is a win-win for RKE and our clients,” said Coronato. “Our clients benefit from time-stamped, compliant data, plus a more customized inspection tailored to meet a client’s precise needs; and our employees can actually spend their time utilizing their expertise and training, instead of checking empty traps.”

With a focus on technology, employee education and innovation, RK Environmental is committed to being the expert in pest management and food safety consulting by continuously raising the bar.

Having a willingness to try new products and adapt programs for clients sets them apart.

Whether 300 smart traps are deployed at a facility in Texas, or 88 smart traps are being deployed at a facility in New Jersey, RKE is relentless in the pursuit to find new opportunities every day, ensuring their business is not like any other, while also setting the highest standard in food safety and pest management solutions.