The first, and probably most important. It can be used to educate the public about mosquito control practices and methods as well as what your program encompasses. You can use the moment to explain the life cycle of the mosquito and to instruct the public in what they can do to help in the control of mosquito populations. A lot of complaints are a direct result of poor maintenance practices around the home or business. An example would be old tires around a building or a boat that has become filled with water and debris in someone's backyard.
Complaints are also an excellent source for finding unknown or new mosquito breeding habitats.
Many breeding areas are located in areas that are unknown to an agency or they are located on private property where an inspector would be hesitant to explore. These areas might never be located if a complaint did not bring them to the attention of an agency. A complaint can also help determine the parameters for future adulticides. An example would be a new development in an area that previously did not require mosquito control. Many agencies also use numbers of complaints to determine when to adulticide established areas.