Serving Memphis, Cordova, Germantown & Collierville TN
Why HOMEWORK never ends?
Just when your kids are getting out of school and the thought of no more nights of endless homework seems to be within reach, I have to deliver a “little” bad news. Did you know that the termite is called the ‘silent destroyer’? It is called this, because it is able to hide and thrive in homes without leaving outward signs of damage. Unfortunately this is also their swarm season (hopefully you read our last blog and you know what that means – if not, shame on you) and for a brief period the ravenous creatures may make themselves visible. Usually termites don’t make themselves visible until you either see a swarm or worse, find their damage. So I’m going to explain, hopefully, your last homework assignment of the season.
You’ve realized that you don’t have a termite contract in place – WHAT NEXT?
This is where the “homework” session starts. Think about this. When you select a TV, you go to several big box stores so you can “ooh & ahh” and try and explain to your wife why you need a 65” 4K, curved screen, PIP, Smart TV (isn’t that an oxymoron? Has a TV ever really made anyone SMART?) that delivers 4x the resolution of full HD. Or maybe you’re trying to explain to your husband why you need a super capacity, 3 door French style refrigerator (that has 20% more capacity than your standard French door refrigerator) that has internet connectivity, and a door in door crisper because “fresher is better”. But when you realize that you both forgot to set up termite protection for your home (get ready, scary facts coming at you) and that termites do more damage annually than all tornadoes, floods and earthquakes combined*, so many times you just pick up the phone and check the price (by the way the average termite contract costs less that both of these items listed above that you will probably get rid of in three years in order to get the next latest greatest thing you can’t live without).
The company that provides the services is important – WHY?
Securing termite protection is an investment, and unlike the products above, it isn’t going to be replaced in three or four years. You’re entering into a partnership with the company since they will come out and be on your property one to four times a year. Knowing who you’re dealing with initially can save you money and time. You want a company that you can grow with. I’m not saying anything negative about new start-up companies. We were one, over 40 years ago, but do take the time to ask a few questions, regardless of the size of the company.
TURN-OVER – How often are employees replaced, more specifically, salesmen, technicians and the manager over your account. These are all key people you’ll be dealing with over the life of your contract, which is as long as you live in your home. Keep in mind, these are the people that you’ll be letting on your property and into your home on occasion, depending on the service. This should be a key factor in your decision. AAA has grown, and on occasion we will add new technicians. Thankfully our turnover rate for the last 10 years or so has been almost nil. In fact, I’ve tried to fire Bari Eiseman several times but she keeps coming to work, what can you do? Plus, our core group has more than 15 years of working together. In fact, we saved Memphis during the floods of 2010, when we filled all the sandbags by ourselves at the Pyramid parking lot. In fact, I guess you could say we brought the Bass Pro Shop to town by saving the Pyramid. Okay maybe we had a little help in sandbagging and we didn’t attend all the high level meetings associated with securing Bass Pro, but you do need to pay attention to what your salesman is telling you. If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.
What should you look for in a guarantee?
Guarantee is also a huge factor. Make sure you ask the salesman to explain what is covered and what is not and then READ your contract. If you need an attorney to help you read your termite contract, then you probably need to keep doing your homework.
The end is in sight…When you’ve done your homework and you’ve asked friends or teachers who they use, read reviews, visited their website, Facebook page and you’ve read your contract, then you can finally choose your company. Sit back and turn on that 65” inch TV and settle down for some crisp vegetables, because as we all know “fresher is better” and pray that a commercial for a 75” 5K TV doesn’t come on.
