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A game of two halves

Cleankill - 'Company of the Year' at British Pest Management Awards, courtesy of Pest Magazine

They say an active mind makes a happy person and, after last week, I think I can concur.

It was a week that certainly required a lot of focus because, in addition to running an expanding pest control company, we also had two very important exhibitions and two award ceremonies. It’s at time like this that you realise how important having a good team around you is!

Firstly, the exhibitions – one as an attendee and one as an exhibitor and sponsor.

PestEx is a trade show for everyone involved in the pest control industry. Held over two days and every two years, it attracts thousands of visitors from all over the world and has something for everyone involved in the management of pests. We attended on the first day, 20th March, which handily coincided with the British Pest Management Awards (BPMAs), so we didn’t have any mad sprints across London to get to the 4pm start.

Organised by the British Pest Control Association, the BPMAs celebrate excellence in the management of pests. Those who read my last blog will know we were lucky enough to be shortlisted in four categories – ‘Team of the Year’, ‘Company of the Year’, ‘Unsung Hero’ (yours truly) and ‘Young Technician of the Year’ (Oliver Roe).

Being shortlisted among such distinguished company was a real achievement for Cleankill, so we weren’t too downhearted when we didn’t win in either the Young Technician or Team categories. On a personal level it was lovely to be awarded a Highly Commended in the ‘Unsung Hero’ category but, of course, our happiest moment was when Cleankill’s name was read out as the winner of ‘Company of the Year’.

Obviously, a certain amount of celebrating had to be undertaken, as the awards, and this award in particular, are a tribute to the hard work of the whole team. A company like Cleankill is not built on the success of one person, it is a collective effort with everyone contributing.

The next day, Jon and I were up early to get to Uckfield, East Sussex, and the Network Express East Sussex Marketing Expo. These are great events – business expos that incorporate a gaming theme to help break down barriers and encourage networking. We’ve been so impressed by previous events that we are Keynote Sponsors this year.

These events normally finish at around 3pm. This gave us plenty of time to get to the Copthorne Hotel Effingham Gatwick for the annual Gatwick Diamond Business Awards. On the website and in previous blogs I have detailed our ups and downs at these awards, so we waited with bated breath to find out if we would be toasting success or drowning our sorrows. 

This year was not to be our year! Despite being finalists in two categories – ‘Best Employer’ and ‘Business Person of the Year’ (me, again) – we had to settle for being the bridesmaid and let others take the limelight.

Were we downhearted? Well, it would be a lie to say we didn’t want to win as we pride ourselves on our employment record and staff relations. I certainly feel we expect a lot from our staff, in terms of dedication, attitude and application, but I also think we reward and support our employees in a way many companies don’t. I was looking at some recent statistics produced by the Institute of Leadership and Management which showed 34% of employees are currently planning to leave  their jobs because they feel undervalued and dissatisfied with the opportunities for advancement.

I’m glad to say we have very low staff-turnover rates, so we must be doing something right!

What you must remember when you don’t win at these awards, is that you are up against the best. There are over 45,000 businesses operating in the Gatwick Diamond region and so it is hardly surprising you don’t win awards every year. What you should always remember, is the fact you have been shortlisted among these companies is an honour and a privilege, in itself. 

So yes, last week was a game of two halves. There were times when we were ‘over-the-moon’ and times when we were ‘sick-as-a-parrot’, but at the end of it, we knew we’d done a little bit more to get the name of Cleankill recognised among potential customers and our peers.

For more information on Cleankill’s award-winning pest control services, click here.

Picture courtesy of Pest Magazine