ComplaintsforBell Laboratories

• Initial Complaint

  03/12/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I purchased contrac all weather blox pest control to control mice in my attic. Bell laboratories manufactured said product on May 3, 2019. Last november I noticed small beetles on my carpet, and I called ***************** in ********** ******* and they identified them as flour beetles. The bait that Bell laboratories sold to do it yourself pest control was invaded by these beetles and therefore when I bought them from do-it yourself pest control they caused and infestation of beetles in my attic. ***************** charged me $1,260,00 to control the problem. I reached out to Bell laboratories and told them about the problem, I talked to a lady named ****** and she told me that they checked on their sample and found no beetles. I told her that I still have the tub the bait blocks came in and it was infested with the beetles. She asked me what I wanted, and I stated that the right thing to do would be to reimburse me for the $1,260.00 at the very least and she called me back in a couple of days and said they could not do that.

  Business response

  03/22/2022

  I am reaching out regarding the above complaint filed by ********************. I can confirm that ******, a
  senior member of my customer service team, did speak with him on January 18, 2022, and then again on
  January 20, 2022.
  Based on the information provided and the subsequent internal investigation that was completed, we
  were able to determine that the product produced by **** did not have and would not have produced an
  infestation without factors beyond Bells control having been introduced. As a result, ****** let Mr.
  ******** know that we were unable to provide any financial assistance for the infestation.
  Our Quality Control Process
  To help you better understand how this decision was arrived at, it is necessary to explain a bit about our
  quality control process and the procedures used to prevent this type of situation from occurring
  (especially with our products that do use food grade ingredients such as the rodenticide purchased by
  ********************).
  First, **** employs an extensive infestation prevention program. The full details of this program are
  documented in the attached pdf, but the most important and relevant aspects of this program can be
  articulated as follows:
  1. Inspection of all incoming materials prior to being allowed into our facility
  2. Thorough cleaning and maintenance standards of both the production and storage areas
  (beyond what would typically be found in similar production facilities)
  3. Regular process of fogging facility to ensure any unseen insect or larva are proactively
  eliminated
  4. Production samples of all products are collected and retained for 3 full years (to ensure that
  they can be directly evaluated should an incident such as this occur)
  Key Facts and Dates
  Based on our conversations with ******************** and subsequent internal investigations, the key facts
  and dates of the product in question have been determined as follows:
  1. Based on the information provided by ******************** from the product packaging, we were able
  to determine that the product was manufactured on May 3, 2019.
  2. He also indicated that the product was purchased from a pest control supply company (Do It
  Yourself Pest Control).
  
  3. And from this we were able to determine that the product itself was sold by **** to this
  company on July 2, 2019.
  4. ******************** further indicated in his call with ****** that the product was then used in his
  home in November of 2021.
  This means that the product was 2.5 years old before it was used. While the product should generally
  still be effective (even at that age), that is an extremely long time for it to have been in inventory at the
  supplier (most suppliers have inventory 6 months or less). Because we cannot determine under what
  conditions the product was stored when it was in the custody of the distributor or the customer, Bells
  only remaining means of confirming if the product it shipped was the cause of the infestation is to refer
  to the retained samples from that exact batch of production done on May 3, 2019.
  Examination of Retained Samples
  Those samples were retrieved, examined for any evidence of infestation and photographed (photo
  attached). As you can see from the image, there were three different sets of samples (each containing 4
  blocks) retained from that specific production run back on May 3, 2019. Each set was opened, inspected
  and a representative block from each was placed outside of the package for the photo. There is no
  evidence of any infestation (larvae, beetle or otherwise) which would have been found in these had the
  insects been introduced during any portion of the receipt and/or production of the product by ****.
  Summary
  Once product goes outside of Bells chain of custody, the only way for **** to be sure that a problem did
  not occur from Bells production and/or materials used in its production, is to refer back to the retained
  samples. These samples are stored indoors, but aside from being kept in the sample packets, there are
  no special measures used. Ultimately this is how we are able to definitively know that an issue that may
  have occurred with our product was the result of Bells direct involvement in its production. That is why
  we are able to be so adamant that the problem encountered by ******************** had to have been
  introduced when the product was outside of Bells chain of custody.
  While we are very empathetic to a problem that ******************** seems to have had to address, we can
  confirm that the product produced by **** did not contribute to that situation. Other factors would
  have been involved in order for that to occur.
  Sincerely,
  
  *********************
  Customer Service Director

  Customer response

  03/22/2022

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [Please type your response here.]
  
  Regards,
  
  Evidently ****** at **** Labs misunderstood.  I noticed the problem with the beetles in November 2021.  I bought the tub of bait on July 15, 2019 and dispersed it in my attic shortly thereafter.  So the product was fresh and not old as was stated in the rebuttal from **** Labs.  I still have the unused bait with the dead flour beetles in the original tub if they want to examine it.  And ***************** would be happy to speak to them if they want to.  Their number is ************ and the manager's name is Levi.  

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