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Trugreen in trouble?

23K views 90 replies 35 participants last post by  Trees Too 
#1 ·
There is an article in lawn and landscape about another CEO at trugreen resigning....their 3rd since 2011

We all have our opinions on this company but they have been great at getting people to think about lawn apps. It has made it easier for me to sell to customers since trugreen has done the mass marketing.

So what do you think this does to the overall market. Are they in trouble? Most of us are in the middle of our programs and wonder if the struggles of trugreen will cause more customers to jump ship. Will they be cutting even more cost to save money while the results drop even more?
 
#4 ·
I get a few mad trugreen customers calling now and again. Never much luck converting them over, because usually they are mad because they were quoted a lowball price, then the yard looks like crap because the tech cuts corners, then they want me to fix it all for the same low price. No Thanks.
 
#5 ·
Have to agree with inzane here, trugreen customers want miracle results at that same trugreen price - and when you tell them it'll be about double or more than what trugreen charges (and less apps) they drop their jaw with disbelief, and then i have to tell them stay with trugreen if you want that kind of price and that is the only real concern, but if they are more concerned with their lawn and real results, they'll call someone who knows what they are doing better than trugreen does.
 
#6 ·
From what ive heard, its likely they will file for bankrupcy. Hopefully they will pull out fine - what other viable exit strategy is there for us larger cos with thousands of actives?
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#7 ·
Our lawn care is currently a thriving and profitable industry, I doubt this will put them out, they have just been forced to cut the fat over the past several years. Had a lawn DR. Go under in my area several years ago , I would say they had similar market share here as trugreen , there was a huge rush of new and some upset customers(many who prepaid) looking for new service providers, unfortunately I was fully booked at the time and couldn't take advantage.
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#8 ·
They are a sinking ship. They really don't have much going for them. Their customers are not happy their employees are not happy and they do crap work. I hope they continue to stay in business and we will just continue to pluck their customers away and continue to grow at a sustainable rate.
I have no respect for a company that works in the wind and rain just to get the work done.
We are eating their lunch and I would hate to see my primary source of new customers go out.

:)
 
#9 ·
i'm sure most of you know, but this year their prices went up dramatically...we definitely picked up a few because of it...i think it was a stupid move, because they got where they are for being low ballers, many know that they suck at what they do, but the price was right...now they suck at what they do, and the price is on par with everyone else, so they are shooting themselves in the foot

funny someone mentioned about spraying in the rain...my dad years ago hired trugreen to do our lawn before i offered spraying and they did the exact same thing, sprayed in the rain, and it didn't work, so he had to call them back...trugreen is a terrible company, i have 0 respect for them, they are basically the only company that i will talk **** on to a customer
 
#10 ·
They are doing a better job around here again. It tends to run in cycles though. Probably has to do with changes in the techs that maintain this area. I've never gained much from them as far as conversions but they create a lot of awareness which generates calls to me.

I'd sure hate to lose them as part of my advertising plan...maybe they'll qualify for a government "bailout". :usflag:

:laugh:
 
#11 ·
.

I think we all need to realize True Green is both the BEST & WORST thing to happen to the Green Industry.

BEST because they not only started and build the Home Lawn Care Business what it is today. They also lobby the EPA heavy on our behalf against Granola Nut Tree Huggers.

WORST because they took a Great Idea with great marketing and Equipment and used untrained low paid people who don't care to do the work.

Ted is saying TG/CL is doing a good job in his area. That I believe because sharp people are smart enough to use TG/CL as a Training Ground for going into business themselves. But most of TG/CL employee are fresh off the street and pushed to produce to the point they don't care. Yes a 3 CEO doesn't surprise me. But the problem is not with upper management so much as They don't have and can't keep good employees in the trenches.

IMHO they need to raise prices which will lose customer and then untrained employees. Then concentrate on building a Trained staff that is paid enough so they stay.

BTW I am using a former TG/CL Cab Over spray truck. My biggest problems with that truck are plumbing repairs that were made with carbon steel instead of stainless steel. I believe I have found all those cheap repairs and corrected those problems.

.
 
#12 ·
I agree with pretty much everything you posted Ric...except. Chemlawn was the one that brought the "awareness" of commmercial lawncare to the public. Trugreen just bought into it by grabbing the name 16 or 17 yrs ago. I started doing this for a Chemlawn franchise in 1990. We worked hard but they took pretty good care of us. Ecolab bought and owned it for a short while when the Duke's got out and it wasn't long until they sold to Trugreen (Servicemaster Corporation). They immediately closed down the Corporate offices and Turf Research Center in Columbus, Ohio and it was a downward spiral from there. I can remember the first meeting with them and thinking to myself "I've got to get the F out of here!"...which I did shortly after.

I still have several colleagues from those days that I see at meetings and training courses. Some have gone to work for other companies, some went into business for themselves but NONE of them work for Trugreen anymore. They were all hard working, well trained people that could not deal with Trugreen's "brand" of business.
 
#13 ·
I agree with pretty much everything you posted Ric...except. Chemlawn was the one that brought the "awareness" of commmercial lawncare to the public. Trugreen just bought into it by grabbing the name 16 or 17 yrs ago. I started doing this for a Chemlawn franchise in 1990. We worked hard but they took pretty good care of us. Ecolab bought and owned it for a short while when the Duke's got out and it wasn't long until they sold to Trugreen (Servicemaster Corporation). They immediately closed down the Corporate offices and Turf Research Center in Columbus, Ohio and it was a downward spiral from there. I can remember the first meeting with them and thinking to myself "I've got to get the F out of here!"...which I did shortly after.

I still have several colleagues from those days that I see at meetings and training courses. Some have gone to work for other companies, some went into business for themselves but NONE of them work for Trugreen anymore. They were all hard working, well trained people that could not deal with Trugreen's "brand" of business.
Ted

Thank you for the Correction. I got into the spray business about 2000 while going back to college for Horticulture in my late 50's. This is my second vocation. Therefore my knowledge of Chem Lawn is not good. I will agree that True Green is a better name in todays Tree hugging world. Like all technical trades you can make what you want out of it. While I would not want to work for True Green at my age, they can offer a sharp person the opportunity to learn the Business. I have watched different techs come and go from TG, some have done excellent work. Most have Not. IMHO Service Master has no respect for Lawn Care Professionals and think any fool can just spray yards. What sets you and me a part from TG hose jockeys, is our EDUCATED EYE. We see and react to problems the Hose Jockey misses.

.
 
#14 ·
I have never seen so many independents in the Tampa area as I have now. This is great. They will not do any lawn for 19.99 which is TG's legacy price. The improvement in quality shows as well. I just hope it doesn't turn dog eat dog like the mowing scene. But even that has shown a dramatic improvement this year. These are really nice rigs too. Cabover bodies, multiple reels, backpacks and tilt hitches hauling permagreens and the like. Professional wraps and graphics. I could only imagine the company some of the sharpies on here could build up if given proper backing and allowed to design their own training and programs. It would be the nail in the coffin for TG. I've had a few "I told you so conversations" this year already.
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#16 ·
It has been monsoon rainy around here this spring. Rained nearly every day in May. I could not spray anything for weeks. But, TG was out working. I am like "that is just not ethical"
It is Amazing the difference in the morals of the independents and the Big Box people. Friday had no rain, but the ground was so saturated I would not spray. I lost a whole week of Production because of Tropical Storm Andrea. I bet the Big boys didn't lose two days. They can't financially afford too. They operate on Big Volume, lower Margin because of a large over head. I charge more and have almost no over head to speak of. Of course I don't do their volume either.

Unfortunate the Big Box people are slowly but surely buying out the small guy. Not necessarily TG/CL but Truly Nolen and Massey here in Florida. Truly Nolen at least tries to educate their techs and doesn't do bad work. However the bottom line rules and they do cheap on Fert as the price raises. Massey Just Bough out a 4,000 account low ball operation near me. They raised Prices on out of contract accounts. I know because of the Tire Kicker call I have gotten. They have not operated in my area long enough for me to form a accurate opinion, But I have heard things I don't like about them.

.

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#17 ·
The ONLY point to business is earning a return for the share holders. Once that is realized, every subsequent decision is simply made by asking, does this make me or my shareholders more or the most money.
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#18 ·
The ONLY point to business is earning a return for the share holders. Once that is realized, every subsequent decision is simply made by asking, does this make me or my shareholders more or the most money.
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Yes but TG is making short term decisions instead of looking at the long run. They market heavy then lose as many customers as they gain because their work sucks. They are a great marketing company, too bad they can't keep customers. Maybe if they paid their Techs they could get and keep good people.

I know of a TG branch some where in Florida where I could buy chemical out the back door cheap. Once again employee loyalty should be number one so they don't steal.

.
 
#19 ·
I worked for them and our branch was number one in the country with best retention. Most of the techs worked there 20+ years. Problem is they hire kids that simply don't care and are not old school hard workers. As im sure a lot of you know its hard to find good help and with a company that has 250 branches that's a lot of employees. They just picked up all Brickman accounts and prices have gone up and they invested in better products such as slow release fert, dismiss ect. I defend them because the branch I worked for provided quality service. Rather than me bashing them because I no longer there I have a working relationship and it has worked out well.
 
#20 ·
I worked for them and our branch was number one in the country with best retention. Most of the techs worked there 20+ years. Problem is they hire kids that simply don't care and are not old school hard workers. As im sure a lot of you know its hard to find good help and with a company that has 250 branches that's a lot of employees. They just picked up all Brickman accounts and prices have gone up and they invested in better products such as slow release fert, dismiss ect. I defend them because the branch I worked for provided quality service. Rather than me bashing them because I no longer there I have a working relationship and it has worked out well.
This is good to hear. Florida is such a difficult state to get your CPO license in and rightfully so. The opportunity for an ambitious young worker is limited especially if the hort degree route isn't available to them. I have a couple of young guys I would love to see get in on the ground level and learn their way to a license and eventually their own gig. No time in my life for that route anymore so I will be dependant on hiring quality, trained individuals and paying them for their knowledge. Currently I sub it all out to another private firm, but would eventually like to keep it in house.
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#23 ·
TG sucks around here too...I love seeing them spray in the wind and pouring rain.

Around here they also do lawn mowing, they lowball worse than two drunks on a Murray mower from Walmart and their quality is the worst. The city here is about to fire them.
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#24 ·
TG Chemlawn and TG Landcare are no longer one and the same, in regards to the mowing comment.

Be happy if you have a national in your market. They pump up the awareness with massive marketing campaigns, creating demand, then they so far oversell/underdeliver that they leave hordes of customers out searching for what was promised. Unauthorized or ghosted apps, burns, jamming everything into a 4 week schedule to get extra apps in at the end of the season, constant telemarketing additional services, etc. etc. should give you plenty of opportunity.

But they still created the demand.

I've heard the drums pounded heralding the demise of Chemlawn and now TG about every other year for the past 25, through disastrous changes of ownership, oddball acquisitions and more. Yet, they're not only still here, they're still number 1. I wouldn't hold your breath on that changing..lol
 
#25 ·
TG Chemlawn and TG Landcare are no longer one and the same, in regards to the mowing comment.

Be happy if you have a national in your market. They pump up the awareness with massive marketing campaigns, creating demand, then they so far oversell/underdeliver that they leave hordes of customers out searching for what was promised. Unauthorized or ghosted apps, burns, jamming everything into a 4 week schedule to get extra apps in at the end of the season, constant telemarketing additional services, etc. etc. should give you plenty of opportunity.

But they still created the demand.

I've heard the drums pounded heralding the demise of Chemlawn and now TG about every other year for the past 25, through disastrous changes of ownership, oddball acquisitions and more. Yet, they're not only still here, they're still number 1. I wouldn't hold your breath on that changing..lol
I agree 100% with this post and think it adds to my first post to this thread. But once again the oversell/underdeliver is a matter of untrained Employees who are under paid or on a commission that causes them to Lie, Cheat and Steal from both the Company and the Customer. How many post here have been a bout TG/CL Ghosting application (invoice without service) to make the daily bonus?? How many posts were about being under cut by TG/CL because the salesman under measures the Property to make the commission??

IMHO TG/CL is top heavy and consider the worker as cheap commodities that can be replaced. I think their Equipment even shows that in the fact it is very Idiot Proof. (BTW I own a former TG/CL Isuzu) Spray techs only need a Driver License and the ability to find an address.

TG/CL does create a demand and they do keep or satisfy a certain group of people. I have run into those people and you have too. They are only concerned that their weeds are some what green and the Price is low. I think in that case I/we over produce quality that the customer never perceives. So yes there is a place for TG/CL current level of service.

.
 
#26 ·
I think their Equipment even shows that in the fact it is very Idiot Proof. (BTW I own a former TG/CL Isuzu) Spray techs only need a Driver License and the ability to find an address.
This statement caught my eye. Isn't it good to make things as easy for your guys as possible? I try to idiot proof everything -- even for myself. Its so much easier to do all of the "heavy thinking" things at the shop and keep everything KISS simple when I'm on the lawns.
 
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