2020 is winding to a close, and we’re sure that many of you – like our team here at deBugged – can’t wait to see the back of 2020! Because it’s been such an extraordinarily difficult year for so many people, we thought we should ensure that our last blog post for the year was a cheerful one.
So we asked our wider Marketing team to share some of the funniest pest control questions and stories from the year with us, so that we could share them with you:
1. Our call centre agents:
Our call centre agents get asked some funny pest control questions over the phone…
Q: There’s a rat in my kitchen, what am I gonna do?
A client called in for a quotation for a rodent treatment for her home. The average client is interested in the pricing and the form treatment will take, but not this client. She wanted to know from me why a mouse would make a home in her oven warmer drawer? And she kept wondering how long the mouse had been living there because she had never used her warmer drawer!
She started wondering if she should go through the entire house and check things that she hadn’t used in a while to see if the mouse’s relatives were shacking up in other items in her home. Whilst the client was trying to make light of the situation I could hear there was an undertone of paranoia because while I was trying to give her the pricing and explain the procedure to her, she kept going back to why the mouse would make a home in her warmer draw. I found it very funny….
Q: Mouse in my house!
A client called in requesting a rodent treatment and while I was going through the telephonic quotation, providing pricing, and explaining the procedure, the client kept asking me as to what he could do in the meantime because he can’t sleep knowing there’s a mouse wandering around his home.
While I tried to provide various interim solutions to keep him calm until a technician could get there, he kept on asking me “Do you promise that the mouse will not bite me in my sleep?”
I tried to reassure the client by giving him some insight into to rodent behaviour – and this did seem to calm him down a bit, but it was clear the client had a real phobia of rodents.
Fun fact: the fear of rodents is called Musophobia.
Q: Maybe cats?
A client called in and wanted to know if we could kill his neighbour’s cats. He said – and I quote – “I wont tell if you don’t!” Needless to say we declined!
2. Our Marketing Manager Lemay: Flying goggas everywhere!
After Johannesburg got its first proper rain of the season my home was struck by 3 waves of alates (flying termites). I am not being dramatic by saying “waves”…
For 3 nights in a row I had swarms of alates coming into my home; night 1 through the open door; night 2 crawling under the door; and night 3 frantically flying into my kitchen window with one or two making their way under the door.
Each of the 3 nights my family and I frantically collected and disposed of the goggas to make sure they didn’t find our home as inviting and comfortable as we do – we all know the amount of damage termites can cause. A close encounter indeed and I’m happy to report we haven’t seen activity since!
(Luckily I have my colleagues at Rentokil to provide professional pest control services, or just to support me during these ‘episodes’ 🙂
3. Our Business Development Lead Caleb: Fancy a milkshake?
Humans are not the only creatures to enjoy a milkshake. This cream soda flavour picture will have you green with envy!
4. Our Marketing Analyst Peta: Gone batty?
I was watching a horror movie one night only to notice out of the corner of my eye two weird, black, claw-like legs (or were they arms) slowly creeping over the top of my bedroom mirror. First the claws, then two big black googly eyes.
In true female fashion, I screamed my head off and set it into flight mode. It was a bat! I ducked under the covers not wanting it to get into my hair or suck my blood (because that’s what the myth says, right? Wrong – read our blog on bat basics to find out). On a serious note, no bats or humans were injured during the incident – the bat let itself out through an open window.
PS. This story is adapted from a friend’s real experience, just exaggerated a bit, for dramatic effect.
Want to hear more of our pest control stories?
It’s been great keeping you informed through our blogs this year, and we wish you a wonderful pest-free holiday season.
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