Ahome is the biggest investment that many people make. You purchase it with the future in mind. You plan to make countless memories there. But the sinking feeling you get in your gut when you find out that a pest could be eating that home is a memory most people would rather forget.
Tim Elliott, Kansas (and Missouri) state-certified master technician at Augustine Exterminators, Overland Park, Kan., understands. That’s why his priority is to provide quality service and do it honestly. “I pride myself on how quickly we can get out there,” he said. “If I can’t be out there that day, I’ll be out there the next.”
SIGNATURE INSPECTIONS. As soon as he’s on site, it’s time for a thorough inspection. He starts in the basement, looking at the sill plate and where the front stoop would be. He checks spider webs. According to Elliott, people don’t knock the webs down as often as you’d think, so they’re a great place to find termite swarmer wings.
He’ll also inspect the garage, checking the expansion joint around the perimeter and the garage door casings. Outside, Elliott looks at the foundation line, keeping an eye out for anything that could be rotting within 10 to 15 feet — tree stumps, piles of wood and posts buried directly into the ground can all attract termites. He’ll dig into suspicious soil and mulch, often discovering termite workers foraging in the ground.
“There’s been many times where boom, there they were,” Elliott said.
He recalled one particularly challenging job. The customer had already been sold and serviced multiple ineffective termite treatments when they called Augustine. Elliott was able to find several points of entry and activity, so they treated. But he was called back out the next year when swarmers appeared. The job also had some unique obstacles — they couldn’t drill into the slab because of expensive tile work, and the areas beyond the slab were nearly inaccessible. Elliott, however, was determined to find the source.
“After almost an hour of inspecting, I decided to pull off the HVAC register,” he said. “There I found a mud trail. We were able to treat that spot and have had no activity since.”
Elliott’s expertise — especially on tough jobs —isn’t lost on the rest of the team at Augustine. In fact, that’s what manager Thad Butler said stands out the most about Elliott.
“We always say that you learn something new in this industry every day, regardless of how long you have been in the business,” said Butler. “I firmly believe that is a true statement, but Tim’s expertise in inspecting and treating for termites is about as close as you can get to knowing it all. His professionalism, coupled with his good-natured personality and communication skills, help Tim successfully explain to his customers the nature of their problem and how Augustine can help remedy the issue.”
When it comes to treatment, Elliott’s go-to is Termidor. “We’re the only company in town with the Termidor HP system. It’s fantastic,” he said.
Elliott recommends full liquid treatments when he finds termite shelter tubes in multiple areas of a property. If the termite activity is limited to just one area or he recommends a preventive service, bait stations (with a possible spot treatment) are a great option. “There’s so many different, intricate variables for each situation that dictate treatment methods,” he said.
ADDED RESPONSIBILITIES. Throughout his years with Augustine, Elliott has gotten so good at termite work, that he’s training new staff.
New hires typically start with meetings and slide shows, but when they hit the field, Elliott is their first stop. During those first ride-alongs, the new technicians get a lot of information.
“I talk and talk the first couple of days, but on day three I’m pumping out questions and role-playing as a customer,” Elliott said.
After about a week, the new technicians can start getting hands-on experience with inspections and bait stations.
In addition to training new technicians, he holds an annual class to keep current technicians up to date. Elliott also has trained corporate accounts and homeowner associations. He’s found that keeping them informed on what goes into inspections and treatment — and what they’re paying for — makes for a happier customer.
HOW HE GOT HERE. Today, he’s at the top of his field, but like many pest control professionals, Elliott stumbled into the industry. He was in college majoring in business with a minor in art, with plans to transfer to a school in Kansas City.
“I didn’t sign up quite as quickly as I should’ve,” he laughed. “But my buddy worked at Augustine. He said, ‘Come up here, we need a guy. You can work here until you get it all figured out.’”
That was in 2005, and Elliot has been with Augustine ever since. “It’s a great, family-owned company that treats us very well,” said Elliott. “I told Chris Augustine, ‘You’ve got me until I retire.’”
Elliott credits the leadership team at Augustine for getting him established in pest control; however, he quickly found he enjoyed the work too. After a stint working at an office job during school, Elliott knew cubicle life wasn’t for him. But working in termite control, he found that every day is completely different.
“It’s the hunt. It’s the thrill of going out and finding what other people couldn’t find,” said Elliott. “There’s been many times where I’ve gone out to an inspection for a second opinion, and I found something that someone not so thorough couldn’t find.”
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