There is a significant amount of effort associated with accreditations that are worthwhile – if there isn’t they are probably not worth the paper they are written on

One of the best decisions we’ve made at Cleankill was to enter the world of Investors in People. From the start, we knew how important it was to invest in and retain our staff, and Investors in People seemed like it could help with this. Another reason was that very few pest control companies had the accreditation and we knew it would be a great differentiator.

The thing I like best is that you are allocated an assessor who gets to know you and your business. It’s their job to guide you through the process and gather information from everyone in the company. This forms a very clear picture of what you need to do and why, in order to move your company forward. As a Director, the feedback you receive from staff through the process is invaluable and often heart-warming. 

For example: “How do you improve on perfection? I personally feel it is the best company I’ve ever worked for. It literally is.” 

And “You get people from all walks of life with problems as pests don’t discriminate. I love solving people’s problems and get
a great buzz out of it. Cleankill is the best firm I’ve ever worked for.”

At the end of the process you receive a comprehensive report and find out whether you have reached the required level. Seventeen years ago we started with the initial accreditation and in 2017 achieved Gold – one of my proudest moments since the company was started. But just because you have achieved Gold it doesn’t mean you keep it forever. We had to apply to retain our Gold status which we successfully did in 2020. When we reached Gold, a Platinum category was launched – just so we don’t rest on our laurels!

The cost? Well for us it was around £5,000 which may seem expensive for a small business – but I estimate that it costs around £4,000 to recruit a new member of staff – and then a lot more than that by the time you have factored in the training required! So if we do everything we can to retain staff and Investors in People helps with this, then it’s worth every penny.

On top of staff retention, Investors in People gives us a wonderfully positive thing to talk to customers about and shout about in any PR – especially as we were the first pest control company in England to achieve the Gold standard. Our reputation is incredibly important to us and, again, Investors in People is part of our work to position the company as professional and trustworthy – very important when people are trusting you to enter their home or property and deal with sometimes distressing and disturbing pest situations.

So is it worth the effort and expense? Most definitely yes! 

For a free pest control survey email info@cleankill.co.uk or call 0800 056 5477