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Rhode Island - 5/06. I was employed by Terminix for seven long, gruesome years. What a fabulous experience... NOT. Learning how to screw costumers over, and then finding out as an employee you also get screwed. There was one report filed that used the term "Splash & Dash." In Rhode Island, we call it "Dog & Pony." That all means let's see how much material we can't use. Let's save money on our P & L this month. The branch needs to do well. That explains after seven years as a Pest Technician why I was never paid crap. Terminix and Service Master, their parent company, are the ultimate joke. I was considered a Senior Technician and Associate Mentor. During the seven years of employment I was always told that I would get paid for my mentoring, or training of new technicians, and I never saw a dime. After confronting my branch and service manager, I was told that the pay was retroactive.."You'll get it coming to you..." My branch manager always said, "I'll call Payroll..." He was a lying fool.
I could go on for hours and hours, pages and pages of incidents that I could report about Terminix. My service manager would say to me, “You have a Pest Start to do today, but we don't have any materials; so just go and fake it and collect the money." I also, in the seven year span, would bring up the question, “Why don't I get any paid vacation or holiday time when the technicians perform all the work? Why don't we get a single thing?” But at the end of the year when the numbers look good and the branch is one of the so-called "branches of the year," which is another joke, the branch and service manager get to go to Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or Miami... the hard-working technicians get bull----. I have never worked for a more corrupt company like Service Master/Terminix. If the residents of Rhode Island only knew how much they were getting ripped off, they would be appalled. In closing, I just wanted to add my two cents, because I too was ripped off by Terminix.
Wichita, Kansas - 5/06. I worked at Terminix in Wichita, Kansas, for seven years. In that time, I have seen this company hire people in at more than older employees were making. They do not care about their employees, all they care about is what they make. They did away with my job as a termite inspector after seven years and put my duties on the sales and service people. They told me I could take an office job or take unemployment; so at 57 years old, I took the office job; but the pressure was too much. People calling in daily with complaints, and the managers would not take any calls about them. Customers are billed 90 days in advance of their termite renewal contract. They are suppose to have a home inspection before this money can be claimed as I was told by the branch manager; but when the printouts were given to me of the people that had paid early, I was told to enter them as being done even though they were not, then they would send them a postcard saying they had tried to get ahold of them even though they had not even called them. I do have this proof on paper -- dates and names. I don’t know how this company survives the way they operate. I have seen people go and do termite treatments that they did not have a clue how to do it. Ii have seen treatments done that were only partial but charged for the full treatment. I sent an e-mail to the manager in Oklahoma about this fraud they did on customers and as usual what I got was a phone call telling me I was just another unhappy employee wanting to get even. Well, they are right. They should be held accountable for their actions. They boasted about making a billion dollars in 2005, and I can see how by sticking it to the poor consumer that enlist their services. Thank you for letting me share my grief with you. Anybody that pays one hundred to three hundred dollars a year for termite protection and only gets a termite inspection for that and then don’t even get that deserves better. Also, the bait systems they would install had gone unmonitered for six months at a time. There were people calling in requesting the system be pulled from the property but never happened. Not only did they steal from the customer, but they stole from Dow Agro by putting in bait systems on houses or apartments they could not stop the termite infestation with by the chemical treatment; so they gave it to them without scanning it in so Dow would not know about it, and they wouldn’t have to pay. This company is about as low as is comes.
California - 1/06. My husband was employed by them for two years; and during that time we went through hell, dealing with mandated demotions because he was the only technician with a Branch II license, and dealing with their health insurance that they misrepresented. Anyways, a few months ago, a former co-worker told my husband that they were all awarded some money from a class-action lawsuit. My husband was never contacted about this. Do you know of any lawsuits that awarded to employees in the Arcata, California, branch? Any info would be helpful.
? - 1/06 - Beware of this company. Inspectors are not licensed to do WDIRs (realtor inspections). I now work for a company that FOLLOWS THE LAWS and CARES about their customers and EMPLOYEES!!!! All Terminix wants inspectors to do is SELL SELL SELL!!! They push out their good home inspectors for new people off the street during every swarm; these people don't know anything about the job!!!!
Masassas, Virginia - 12/05. I worked for Terminix in Manassas, Virginia, for two years. The incompetence that we technicians had to deal with was disgusting. Many times, we had no supplies to properly do our jobs. In the summer of 2004, we were actually using plain water at customers’ homes since management did not order the materials we needed. The really bad thing is that we collected payment for these "services" when they were rendered. I listened to customer complaints about the company from day one. Customer service did not exist. The customers were treated rudely and given the runaround more often than not. It's a shame that such a well known "trusted" company treats their customers with such deceit and disrespect. As a consumer, I would not use or recommend Terminix to anyone.
? - 12/05 - Was told during an interview and subsequent meetings with a Terminix Branch Manager that I would receive a base pay in addition to 20% of the route that I was to take over. The money sounded great, so I left my job and went to work for them. After riding with the other technicians, I quickly realized through conversation that the base salary was taken back once the commission on the route surpassed it. Then, I received a healthcare package that simply blew my mind.....$460.00/mo.? I have a friend who has his own business and is self-insured, and he pays less than this which leads me to believe that ServiceMaster contributes nothing to their health plan.
Well, thank God I didn't burn my bridges with my old job; because I am happily employed again with them.....a thousand dollars or so poorer from my month with Terminix but nonetheless employed. After reading many of the posts with regard to improper applications and the like, I do have to give credit to the Terminix branch that I worked for briefly.....they did follow the laws and did their best to help their customers.
Northern California - 12/05. Was ordered to apply chemical in rainy weather, or lose my job.
Illinois - 11/05. I have spent a great deal of time going through this site and have to agree with 99% of the complaints. As a recent former employee I disagree that the techs are not trained properly. We all were properly trained at the branch I worked in. The problem is the policy of getting new customers at the expense of old ones. We were expected and ordered to work late nights and weekends. Myself and several others put in over 72 hours per week. This policy will cause service to suffer no matter what industry you’re in. We (techs) at this branch still tried to do the utmost for our customers on our routes. This is where my problems started. See, I was fired for getting injured. It was two days until the end of the month and the push was on. All acounts had to be satisfied regardless of customers’ wants. I was doing an outside treatment (I was unable to contact customer), and I tripped over their kids toys in the weeds and fell off a 4-foot retaining wall and landed on my side on still more toys. I hurt but finished out the month. On the next Monday (the new month), I was unable to finish the day. I had to cancel the appiontments I had and head to the doctor. The pain increased so bad that I was unable to fully push the brakes in the sevice truck. I had to idle home from another town. I followed the rules and notified the office. It took a week of tests and 4 specialists to find the extent of my injuries. I now have a hiatal herniea and torn ab. muscles (inoperable). If they go in and operate, they say I will not be able to lift anything heavier that a gallon of milk. But if it heals on its own, I might gain back some of the streagth. My branch manager (while still under doctor’s care) announces to the company during a meeting that I was terminated for missing work. I was not told by the manager for three more weeks and was repeatedly lied to by the office. If it wasn't for several coworkers calling me (everyone in the meeting), I would not have found out until I tried to return to work. I also learned that the Illinois at-will law that was designed to protect workers actually protects the company. I am unable to sue for wrongful termination, but I am suing for workers’ comp. They never let me file with the office saying I didn't qualify for short-term disability. The way they treated me has opened the eyes of the other techs. They are leaving as soon as they can. Many have already quit. This (naturally) isn't going to help the service in this branch. Three more techsare about to leave and join the four of us.
Indiana - 11/05. Bravo!!!!! As a former employee who was also kicked around for doing the job "correctly," I applaud this site!!!! Open your eyes, people. Terminix is a rip off. To all of you who plan on going ahead with Terminix, I suggest you make your salesman "work" for his contract.
El Dorado, Arkansas - 10/05. I am a former employee of Terminix, and I think that the company and it's "MANAGERS" do not care about customers or employees. They are all about "self." I was "laid off” due to the budget (I was told that there was not enough money in the budget to pay me for the next quarter, that was over a year ago. I guess the money is still not in the budget. God has blessed me with a much better job pay wise and management wise.) When I asked the manager about my final check when it was not correct, he told me that I should get an attorney to sue the company. Yeah, the manager at one of Terminix's braches advised me to sue. I worked 40 hrs. every week and on one occasion I was only paid for 18 hrs. I was a single mom and 18 hrs just don't get it. It took them 2 weeks to pay me. Terminix claims that they acknowledge God in all that they do. One of God's commandments says: “Thou shall not lie.” I think that they need to stop saying that.
Virginia - 9/05. I am a former Terminix "Inspector" Sales Associate. I was 10th in the region after my first 5 months in the field. I prided myself on the fact that I went out of my way to get the consumer the best possible price. I rarely sold the termite bait products to consumers, although they were the products we were instructed to push. The bait products are overpriced and take time to be effective (Sentricon & Advance). Our Region Manager came into the sales room one morning and told us that we were to sale the "Bait" for $2 less a foot than what the rate card showed. This was good news, it made the product financially viable for alot of customers. In the month following, I sold bait at a 3 to 1 bait to liquid ratio and I felt good about selling it. Around that time, the Region Manager informed us that he made a mistake and the "Bait" was not to be sold at that price, or we would not be paid commissions on those sales. We were assured that we would be paid commission on the sales prior to that day. The commissions were not paid, I addressed this with our branch manager and was again assured that it was no problem he would take care of it. I gave one-month’s notice after accepting an offer in another field. It has been three months since the bait incident, and I still have not received commission for those "Bait" sales. Once I brought up small claims court and a warrant in debt, I was threatened with arbitration. The sad thing is, they know they owe me that money. Now that I’ve moved on, they feel they can ignore me and I’ll just go away. I have lost alot of respect for all of those involved. |
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