Call centers are often in the news for their impressive or poor call completion rates, customer satisfaction numbers, or mergers with outside entities to further advance their technological offerings; readers do not typically hear about facility cleanliness.
That is, in fact, the case with one call center in Tucson, Ariz., reports Tucson News Now. The local news organization's latest report concerning APAC Customer Services Inc. stated that the Pima County Health Department had issued the company a "notice of violation", following an inspection of its Tucson call center that revealed live bed bugs on office chairs, and inside various parts of its Research Loop location.
The Health Department issued the violation notice this past Tuesday, July 15, Tucson News Now says. This, however, is not the first time that the Research Loop has been searched for bugs. Anonymous reports from workers in the area reportedly prompted the Health Department to check on the facility in May. They did so, and after calling in pest control company Truly Nolen to remove the bugs, they closed the complaint and considered the matter dealt with.
Compaints arose again this month, though, and the Health Department once again investigated the matter. It is not clear that Truly Nolen's actions in May were enough to clear out the existing problem at that time. The company reportedly sent in dogs to find the bugs, and the report says the company removed some office chairs to help remove the bugs from the building.
This month, Health Department inspectors investigated areas of the Research Loop that include the Accredo billing, Patient Services, CDC, and Expres Script operations. The group reportedly found bugs in the areas the CDC and Expres Script employees occupied, in addition to those found in APAC Customer Services' area.
Bed bugs will attach to almost anything that humans occupy. They want to be near living hosts, so office chairs that APAC Customer Service employees occupy seven days a week are prime locations for them. The company's working schedule complicates the matter of spraying the location for bugs. An APAC spokesperson commented on the issue and apparently hopes to resolve the matter in short order.
"We are aware of the situation at our site in Tucson," the spokesperson said. "We are working with Public Health and a recognized pest control company to address and resolve the situation as quickly as possible."
The Health Department said in its violation notice that steam cleaning and vacuuming the area could help eliminate the problem and prepare the office before pest control was able to spray.
Edited by Adam Brandt