Pest portal: modern technology connects consumers and service providers

Technological bells and whistles are all the rage, and we do love our bells and whistles. That is, until we find that they provide little to no value. We believe that technological advancements in pest management are helping to improve the efficacy and efficiency of public and private real estate and facility management professionals. These advancements will be on display at the 2014 Northeast Buildings & Facilities Management Show & Conference, taking place this month at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center. Braman Termite and Pest Elimination will be showcasing their "Premier Customer Portal", designed specifically to meet the needs of busy facility management professionals in all segments of the marketplace. Technicians at Braman have been serving the southern New England market for over 100 years and maintain an edge against the competition - and pests of all kinds - by adopting state-of-the-art technology solutions to improve efficiency and the customer experience. Braman's software and mobile application connects building and facility managers and related professionals to account information around the clock. Show attendees are invited to booth #226 to participate in live demonstrations of software that connects service providers and customers with real-time data, including: * Access to service history * Ability to view and schedule services * Detailed inspection reporting * Material application records * Pest trend reports * Conditions and deficiencies * Email alert management * Billing and payment information The "Premier Customer Portal" enables quick and easy access to service reports, trend reporting and diagrams, billing and payment history and secure online payments. Additionally, the software also tracks time spent at each site by recording the service through a "time in" and "time out" option at the beginning and end of each visit. The ability to completely document each service visit provides transparency, clearly communicates value and improves the customer experience. For those with larger responsibilities or responsibility for multiple locations, email alerts can be set up based upon your personal priorities and thresholds. If you would like to know about each insect, that can be arranged. But more likely, you wish to know only when a pattern develops that might call for your personal attention. These advanced service and reporting tools are also increasing efficiency for the pest management professional. Braman technicians use mobile technology to create a virtual map of each facility to clearly mark areas that have been inspected and measure any previously documented problem during subsequent visits. This knowledge can translate into cost savings for customers as we learn more about where our efforts should be concentrated. Though technology is constantly evolving, Braman's responsibility to its commercial customers has not wavered in over a century of service in the southern New England market. With experience serving a variety of settings, including education, health care, hospitality, manufacturing, retail, residential and more, Braman has developed a reputation for providing safe and sanitary pest management solutions. Braman Termite and Pest Elimination is a family-owned and operated business that has been serving commercial and residential customers across southern New England since 1890. A number of the staff have degrees in entomology or biology, and all technicians are licensed, certified and insured. A wide range of services include inspection, pest identification and consultation; integrated pest management programs (IPM); one-time treatments and preventive programs; ASI, AIB, USDA, SQF, NOP and FDA mandated programs; LEED compliant programs; bird management; termite elimination; mosquito control; industrial weed control; and fly control and bioremediation. Braman is a member of the National, New England and Connecticut Pest Management Associations and recipient of the coveted NPMA QualityPro and GreenPro designations. Michael Bensche is the director of marketing of Braman Termite and Pest Elimination, Agawam, Mass.