Pest controller unveils technology to track rodents roaming around buildings
Rentokil hailed a “new era in pest control services” as it launched a tie-up with Google that will enable customers to track rodents online.
The pest control firm already has 20,000 digital traps across 12 countries. The new technology, developed with PA Consulting, now means that the traps can be connected to an online portal via Google’s cloud platform.
The traps will send a message to a command centre the instant a rodent is caught and Rentokil technicians will be alerted so that they can update customers.
“This is the ‘Internet of Things’ in action,” said Rentokil chief executive Andy Ransom.
Dan Rossner of PA Consulting called it “an exciting and challenging opportunity”. He added that it would “enhance its customer experience in a digital world".
The technology will be rolled out to new and existing business customers from the final quarter of 2016.
“Rentokil’s vision is to be able to offer its customers predictive advice and connected solutions which, for instance, map weather patterns with rodent behaviour or map swarms of insects as they cross territories,” Rentokil said.