One of the most frustrating feelings in my work is walking up to the front door of a long standing customer and seeing drill marks in the slab, that I didn’t put there! I have to admit each time I see it I have to take a minute before I ring that bell and I look. look again, scratch my head and just wonder why they got a termite job from someone else not me? It’s not like my trucks say ‘Just pest control’ and my goodness if I say it once to a client I say it 1000 times. “We do termite work as well!”
Part of me wants to ask the customer why they chose somebody else but I hardly ever do right then and there, it’s been done already and I really don’t want an awkward situation for something I can’t change. That doesn’t mean I don’t find out because by law a sticker needs to be posted when a treatment is performed on something permanent in the home and most companies around here put theirs on the electrical panel or hot water heater. Later on or the next time I see them I might just bring it up and I almost always get the same response. “I didn’t know you did termite work” they exclaim with a surprised look.
I suppose some truly don’t realize and later on feel bad but what I think happens most often is salesman canvassing the neighborhoods do there job better than I’ve done my own. Then after the sale is made and the job is done the people hope I won’t notice and are perhaps relieved if I stay silent on the issue. My opinion has always been that it’s their money and if they choose me that’s great but if in their minds they feel XYZ offers them something better then have at it. Still I would at least like to have the chance to give them an estimate.
I’ve tried many things over the years to rectify the situation and it’s not easy to say how many I’ve saved with my efforts. I’ve told them time and time again that I look for termites while treating, all of my literature say it and I’ve even put magnets on every refrigerator stating my name and services. Now I can probably count on one hand every year the times it happens but still it is very aggravating and I’d love to hear of a sure fire way that I can get that to zero.
If there’s something that you know of or do I’d love to hear it. Post a comment below if you have this problem too and what works for you. I think we could all benefit from hearing different ways to exclaim to the world, “I do termite work.”
