Ohio - 4/02.  I was employed by Terminix as an “inspector” for one year.  In truth, I was expected to sell termite control to any homeowner I came into contact with.  The pressure to produce a sale bordered on abuse.  Each day began with a review of the previous days’ activity.  The sales manager or branch manager would berate each and every inspector for his or her shortcomings and threaten dire consequences for failing to improve their “numbers.”  After failing to fleece enough folks, I was reassigned to pest control sales.  Even so, I understood that termite sales were the primary goal. Senior citizens were an especially inviting target; they usually owned their home and could be easily frightened by the prospect of serious damage to their most precious possession. If they did not have the money, easy financing was available.  In fact, we were instructed to never show a cash price for termite control, but rather to write up a finance agreement with prepaid annual premiums included as the first gambit.

I take pride in the fact I would not mislead potential customers.  I did my best to reduce prices whenever possible, even though it exposed me to constant criticism and threats of termination. The atmosphere was so vile that I was physically ill for months. I finally sought medical care and counseling.  I have a new job with a wonderful company.  My health is returning to normal, and I can finally sleep without major sedation.  My heart goes out to those still suffering at the hands of those [expletive deleted].

Texas - 4/02.  I am so excited to find your site!  I have been in the pest control business in Texas since 5/89. I quit working for a small, local pest control company (Dallas Pest and Termite) when ServiceMaster bought it. To this day, most consumers don’t realize that Dallas Pest is a division of Terminix.  They will fire Terminix and hire Dallas Pest never knowing they are one and the same.  Now, they are trying to buy the current company I work for, Bizzy Bees Pest Control. The company is being sold against the will of all the employees and the minority owner.  His father-in-law happens to be the majority owner and wants to sell.  We are fighting it tooth and nail.  Terminix’s plan, if they buy us, is to keep the Bizzy Bees name and once again mislead the public into thinking it’s not them.  We will not lie down on this. A lot of people in the pest control business are good, honest, hard-working people; and we also consider it an insult what Terminix and other companies like them have done to the consumer and the reputation of all honest, upstanding pest control professionals.

? - 2/02.  My husband is an employee of Terminix.  They took over the company he worked for about two years ago, and it has been a nightmare ever since.  It came as a shock to the employees, and they were told to sign a contract with them immediately or go home. We have children to support; and, of course, he didn’t want to lose his job.  Well, he has been lied to about everything and threatened weekly about getting fired.  He cares about customers, which is a sin to Terminix. They are MONEY HUNGRY, and all they want are numbers.  I hope my husband will find another job soon.  I now know what he has to endure every day to feed his family.  I owe him an apology, because I really didn’t think a company could be this bad.  I am opening my eyes today and hope he will open his!!! Please keep up this site, and I hope it will become known worldwide.  I am glad I found it!

? - 1/02.  I can only speak of the termite department of Terminix; and if the customers truly knew what was going on, they would be surprised. I work for Terminix as a termite tech. I have been with the company two years and work for a branch that is under the corporation.  First, I would say to any Terminix customer with a termite contract: if you have an inspection done and the tech has a termite hazard survey form filled out, explains what it is for, and needs  you to sign it, DO NOT.  Whatever is put on this form can affect you if you end up with termites and damage.  Terminix will use this form to get out of paying a full-damage claim. Second, if you have Sentricon with Terminix, I feel for you.  Odds are the tech is not doing the job. Sentricon is a great product and very effective if the job is done right. Dow Chemical owns Sentricon and was a watchdog over how Terminix was working with it.  Not anymore.  Terminix broke strings with Dow telling them Terminix would continue to buy Sentricon from them but Dow could no longer tell Terminix how they would use it.  So, now, without the watchdog, there goes your Sentricon. I worked doing Sentricon sites for a year straight.  My supervisor and branch manager did not care that I was very concerned about how other techs were doing the work.  It was just get it done. The only good news if you have Sentricon with Terminix is you have a protection policy on your home, and odds are you will need it.  There are so many things I could tell you about Terminix.  None are good.  Run from them; hide if you can. God be with you if you are a Terminix customer.

Web mistress note: This is the second time I've heard Dow and Terminix are at odds. The first time, I heard Dow broke the strings with Terminix over the Sentricon issue.  I disagree with the above employee's assessment that Sentricon works; and I emphatically disagree a Sentricon protection policy with Terminix provides any protection.  Rather, I’m convinced a Sentricon protection policy with Terminix provides nothing more than a false sense of security while the critters continue gorging and inflicting damage on homes.

England - 1/02.  I am a former employee who left the company due to the lack of respect for management who simply rip off all of their clients.  Do you know they offer a money-back guarantee for missed inspections? Please spread the word as 30,000 visits were missed in the UK last year, meaning over one million pounds stirling is owed to customers which will never be returned to them unless they ask.  I say tell the whole world to ask for their money back if they have missed a visit.

Arkansas - 1/02.  My husband worked for Terminix in Arkansas. Bad experience with that employment.

Indiana - 1/02.  Just started at Terminix as an inspector in “training.” I hate salesmen but my unemployment ran out and need something.  I have been given the big “making money” speech.  Right now, I am on a draw and hope to have another job before I am told to go out and sell.  I have been very optimistic for the past two weeks; and when I first was told about Sentricon and actually saw one, my first thought to myself was, “people actually pay $1500 to $2000 to rent this...” I sure wouldn’t.