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I was an employee at Tru Green/Chem Lawn for 3 + years in the New York region. They are a corrupt company.

The customer Service reps do nothing but lie to the customers under directions of management. Last fall for instance they seeded a 1 acre property with one bag of seed when several should have been used. When the customer called to say that his lawn looked bare. The branch manager responded with " we do not guarantee the seeding.

What a bunch of thieves. I am so happy that I no longer work there, I now sleep better at night knowing I don't work for a company that rips off the consumer.

There were hundreds of other instances of dishonest business practices that went on there while I was employed with Tru Green. They should call themselves Tru Thieves !!!

Location: Milford, Connecticut

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Guest

TIPS TO FIX TRUGREEN: 1] No gimmicks nor extra discounts to get new customers. Sell the value of the service.

2] No telemarketing. Stop pushing services that customers don't want or need. Stop harassing people to always buy, buy. buy.

Before they tell you "bye"! 3] diagnose first...then treat the problem. 4] Stick with slow-release fertilizers in the heat of the summer (Jul & Aug) to stop fert burning lawns.

Emphasize and increase the use of organics. 5] Understand that customers can and will educate themselves.

Guest

You folks have all said a mouthful here! I quit working for that shady scam company after 3 years of working in a Branch office.

I just couldn't take it anymore. The way that we were conditioned to lie and ripoff the customers just broke my spirit! Because of this company's fraudulent ways, I had to get out to keep my self-respect intact! The big TruGreen scam in the front office was what we did to our "Cred Bal" customers towards the end of the season.

You see, some customers would have a "Credit Balance" status on their account because they over-paid. Over-payments by customers usually occurred by accident. And as such, most customers were not aware that they had extra money on account because of their unintended overpayment. Customers could also accrue a Credit Balance status if they prepaid, and then later on skipped or canceled some application(s).

In this situation, proper company procedure was to notify the customer of the overpayment/excess money on their account and issue a refund for the same. Instead, an act of fraud would actually be perpetrated when, (usually in late summer or fall), TruGreen would pad the customer's account by adding extra services that would be covered by the extra money that was on their account. And the customer would not be the wiser as to what we were doing most of the time. Worse yet, if TruGreen was overloaded with work, behind budget, or short-staffed, then management would add "ghost" (nothing) applications to Credit Balance accounts.

This ghost app would innocuously show up on customer's account history under the GM's employee number with the code "PNP" (posted-not produced), as there wouldn't actually be anything done. One year the Ops Mgr pulled some of the Techs into his office, (a few at a time), and told them to just fill out the invoices of the "Cred Bal" customers as if they actually did them, but then just ghost (skip) those properties. Since those customers didn't owe TruGreen any money, (we already had their payment), they would not know what we were doing. After awhile, (maybe the next season), customers would eventually realize they were getting more applications, then what they were originally getting.

Let's face it. Trugreen can only pull the wool over their customers eyes for just so long before they realize what's happening. Then customers will never have TruGreen back on their lawn, no matter how many Post Cards they send or phone calls they make! All is not well in TruGreen Land!

It amazes me that the Attorney General has not shut TruGreen down for all its sketchy bushiness practices! HEY TRUGREEN!

Just go rape a beehive why don't ya!!! :x

Guest

I worked for TruGreen. Even though the pay was good I quit, and I also let them know that they are crooked!

For example; Their policy is "No customer is allowed to cancel!" So, if I had a customer I couldn't save, and wrote a cancel, they would refuse to enter it into the computer. The problem here, is that I went to several "customers" homes who were very pissed that I even showed up there, because they said they told Trugreen to cancel all services several times! I could go on for awhile about all the short-changing that they expect their employees to do! What took the cake was that in sales training, (all employees are required to sell), we were told to sell a 8 or 9 step treatment program, which included a free winterizer.

When we asked what product was used for winterizing, managers said to use anything! "We just say that, to make it sound good, as that's what customers want to hear!" Improtant note: The inside training that I received on paper was very good. However, the actual field training out on the truck was crooked! It was all about walking very fast with the spreader output set very low.

They do *** poor work! With the training on paper we are to use a calibration (gap) gauge for the spreader. In the actual field training, no such thing....just guess.... I got a gauge, but was never told what number setting to go by.

TruGreen also has questionable billing practices. This was at the Midland, TX office.

Guest

I am done with TruScam after this year. They treat both employees and customers like ***.

The work/life "Balance" is about 85% work and 15% life. Employee morale is low, and turnover is high. There are tons of customer complaints on www.ripoffreport.com And employee complaints on www.glassdoor.com I would never recommend anyone work for TruGreen nor hire their services. They operate like a drug addict that wants to get "high" now, and will deal with the crash later on when it happens.

The good managers can't manage because Corporate Bosses have their hands tied. Customers wonder why they get such bad service, it's because TruGreen is a Corporation that over-works and underpays its employees. I would just love to see the CEO go on the TV show "Undrcover Boss".

Until then, pass the word to BOYCOTT TRUGREEN!!!!!! :( :x :sigh

Guest

I'm currently employed at a Branch in NJ/PA area, they are total scammers. They lie about services calls, while they guarantee free service calls within 48 hours they push the date of the next application in order to charge them and not do it free.

They harass customers with constant calls, even if they're on the do not call list. All they care about is replacing their canceled customers with new ones, even the lawns they've serviced for 5 or more years are covered in weeds because of the pay structure to the applicators, they simply put a flag in the lawn and never treat it. They teach there sales reps to lie to the customers and get sales no matter what it takes.

They also treat employees like slaves the average employee works about 55 hours a week while only earning $30,000 per year, not to mention the constant abuse, for example only paying $0.21 per mile while expecting workers to use there own vehicle. It's 2011 $0.21 per mile doesn't even cover the gas, these *** don't even take into account wear and tear of the vehicle because they don't care because they are constantly turning over employees.

Guest

I am sure there are branches out there that have a good managerial staff that does truly care about the customers. It's just like McDonalds you have your good ones and your bad ones.

I did happen to work for a bad one myself in Tampa.

The problem there was the salesmen. They consistently oversold the product and caused customer expectations to become unobtainable.

Guest

I worked there in the NJ region for 2 1/2 years. I quit due to there lies and scamming of the customers.

Guest

Looks like another letter from a disgrunted employee. We have a trend this week. Now tell me why were you fired.

Guest
reply icon Replying to comment of Guest-30779

OK....So why do you automatically ASSUME that every ex-employee that posts a complaint on this site must have gotten fired? Just re-read the original post and he cleary says that he is "so happy that he no longer works there." I am a former T.G.

employee myself only because I QUIT after 4 years for the very same reasons stated above! Employees are definately disgruntled. At least you got that much right!

The problems with "'TruGroan'" that employees post on here are legit. Both employee and customer turnover are very high due to all the problems in dealing with this company!