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1) When I first called the 1-800-TRUGREEN number last spring and signed up for the lawn service, they said that they would core aerate before they did anything else (and they said that it was included in the price)... So I Ok'd the service for 2010 season and waited....TruGreen did not do any aerating...So I tried to call the 1-800 number for 2 weeks, and they kept telling me that the computer system was down and that they couldn't help me; "Call back in a week...." That started to make me angry. So, I emailed them saying that I just wanted to cancel. Then I get a call from the local branch manager, or whoever he was for the local branch [Pontiac-Waterford, Mich.], and he told me that aerating was not included in the regular application price. He said that he would take care of the issue and would aerate for free, but it wasn't standard. He said that he would have it done at the end of the season because the ground was too dry and hard by now. (We were into summer at this point.)

2) TruGreen did not ever put any Crabgrass Preventer down, which I would assume is standard in the spring, so they spent the next 4 visits mainly fighting my crabgrass. I was told it is better to prevent crabgrass, than to get rid of it, once it gets established. That being said, why didn't they do it in the first place after I signed-on with them?!?!

3) So in the fall, I get a note on my receipt stating that they recommended an aeration and gave me prices. So I thought that this was a misunderstanding and called the local manager back... He doesn't respond after a week, but I do get a call from a salesperson who wants to sell me an aeration. So I vent at her, she talks to her boss, who says that we never had such an agreement (which I guess makes me a liar)... They offer me a good deal to aerate, and I take it.

4) Then I asked when will they be coming out next (after they aerate) because I would like to put grass seed down (which I had already previously purchased). They said in about a month and now (Sept) was a good time to put down the seed... which I do....And 3 days later TruGreen comes back out with liquid fertilizer spray and also kills the grass seed that I planted. I called the office to complain yet again, and get put on an indefinite HOLD. Interestingly, s standard "apology slip" was inserted with my last receipt, which explains that all the calls that customers make to their local office actually go to a centralized office in TEXAS, so that in reality you are talking to a switchboard operator that is working for a company called: Convergys. They in-turn pass on all of these customer's calls to the local office.

5) Then I get calls every day (I am not sure at this point if its the local office or Texas call center) wanting to "make it right" and give me a good deal on seeding, and I say that I am not interested... So they start calling my wife. She tells them "NO". Then they actually say "How about we just come out, do the seeding, leave you a bill and you can pay us whenever you feel like it"... What is that?!? [This is truly nothing more that a veiled invitation to be sent to a collections agency.]

In all fairness, except for missing the first crabgrass preventer, the guy applying the lawn treatments did a good enough job. I was all the other issues that caused my issues with TruGreen.

From a customer service stand-point I find that TruGreen's focus is as a ''marketing company'' that is intent on constantly leaving notes and calling to pile-on more services.[Corporate Bottom Line?] My distinct impression both at the door, and over the phone is that their employees are a bunch of SANDBAGGING SALESMEN that are constantly hounding you to buy more services. I used to work in customer services, and so I suspect that every TruGreen employee has a weekly up-sell quota that they are pressured to hit. Needless to say, I can't imagine anything that TruGreen offers me will be enough to try them ever again!

Lastly, I WAS seriously considering going with a local company called "Masters Green" in 2011, but then I had numerous people tell me that Master's Green is actually owned by TruGreen, and that they too have poor customer service, and high pressure sales tactics! They are all owned by a parent company called ServiceMaster, which is in turn owned by a private investment group called: C.D & R. (Yes, I have done my research, unfortunately AFTER THE FACT!

LESSONS LEARNED: Find a small local mom & pop lawn care company that actually cares about customer service, and doesn't constantly bug you to buy more stuff, also get a contract and beware of Auto Renewal (services that they will continue to roll-over year after year.)

Location: Monroe, Michigan

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