Orkin Inc

We have used Orkin for several years, and they usually come on random/​unpredictable days while we are at work. They are pretty good about addressing pest issues if you first point them out by calling in (i.e., if there are ant hills, don’t expect them to notice), so not really a complaint there. However, I was home one day when they came and was astounded to see that they did not pull anything out away from the house when they spray — they just spray over the top of everything. That would include the barbeque, the cat’s food and water, door mats — anything within 18″ of the house walls. The month before, our cat had been very sick for no apparent reason — couldn’t keep anything down for about a week — and I began to wonder if this was not the cause. So I called in to quit the service, and the operator apologized and said she would have the technician call me back and work things out to my satisfaction if I would stay on. He did call back, and I asked that he please call ahead so we could remove items or move items out from the house before he came. So I came home from work one day and there was a slip from Orkin on my door saying they have been there — no call ahead. I forget what exactly happened — I think the guy called about a half hour before he came, which did not help since I was at work. I called Orkin again and tried to quit. The technician called me back again and begged me to keep the service. I agreed ONLY if he would agree to call ahead the NIGHT BEFORE and NOT COME unless he got in touch with somebody at my house. Things went along pretty well until a a week ago. The technician called and and said he would be coming the next day, so we got everything prepared — and he never came. We left everything out away from the house for a couple of days just in case he came a day or two afterward, but a big wind storm came up, so we had to bring things back up against the house again. Then yesterday I came home from grocery shopping to find the technician unwrapping his spray hose, getting ready to spray. I asked him why he did not come the week before when he said he was coming, and he said he had an emergency — which I can certainly understand, but how about a phone call to reschedule? I asked him why he did not call ahead this time, and all he had to say was, «I’m sorry.» I told him that was the last time he was coming! I don’t know if this guy is typical of all the Orkin techs, but I’m done with Orkin as a company. They have little respect for their customers’ property or animals, and do not honor their committments. All they seem to care about is making sure that teatment happens (to heck with whether the customer likes it or not!), and getting on to their next client.