2002 RESIDENTIAL TECHNICIAN OF THE YEAR: Rebecca Cade

Pest control companies always stress the importance of customer service, but for Rebecca Cade, the 2002 Residential Technician of the Year, taking care of customers is second nature.

Cade has been a residential service technician the last 24 years for Cook’s Pest Control’s Memphis, Tenn., office. Throughout her tenure at Cook’s, Cade has earned the respect of her customers, coworkers and managers with her daily dedication to her route.

Knowledgeable, dependable, innovative and endearing are all qualities of Cade, but what really separates her from other service technicians is her ability to develop relationships with her customers.

"I like being able to get out and I love working with people and helping people — I love my job," Cade said.

Although her route has changed throughout the years, Cade has maintained many of the same accounts for the last 24 years. Thus, many of those same customers view her as friend and share their family’s experiences.

"She’s just a warm and friendly person and her customers truly like her and many of them share their lives with her," said Jeanne Primeaux, manager, Cook’s Pest Control, Memphis, Tenn. "She knows their kids, pets and things like that. If she encounters an elderly or sick person she makes them feel like the most important person in the world. She’s just a very caring person."

BREAKING NEW GROUND. The Memphis Cook’s Pest Control office has become a model in terms of having female service technicians. According to Primeaux, numerous technicians from the Memphis branch are female. But that was not always the case.

In 1978, Cade became the second female hired by Hill-South Termite Control (which was later purchased by Cook’s Pest Control). Cade had been working as a computer operator at the Memphis Credit Bureau when she learned about the company from her brother-in-law, Emmet Epps, a former technician.

"I applied to work in the office and they asked me if I wanted to be a service technician," Cade said. "After they explained to me what I would be doing I decided to give it a shot."

Cade credits Charlotte Ward, whom she shadowed her first few weeks on the job, in-house training from Cook’s, as well as correspondence courses from Memphis State University and Purdue University, for teaching her the trade. Still, there were certain parts of pest control that took some getting used to.

"Dealing with cats was difficult for me," Cade recalls with chuckle. "I’m much better now but I used to have a big fear of cats. There was one incident where a cat ran me into the attic."

Having customers accept a female technician was also an initial challenge for Cade.

"They thought I was a little girl and that I would not do a good job, but once I showed them I could do it, it worked out fine."

PUTTING HER STAMP ON SERVICE. After learning her responsibilities and getting settled in, Cade began putting her own signature on customer service.

Cade developed a routine that ensures she is providing customers with standout service.

"I tell my customers to call me in 2 to 3 weeks if they have any problems and if I don’t hear back from them I will call them back," Cade says.

This is not a company-wide policy, but one that Cade says has helped alleviate problems one might encounter on a route.

"I’ve found that customers will call back whether they have a problem or not," Cade says.

But customers rarely have problems with Cade’s work, largely because she has kept up with changes and technology. When Cade started in pest control, baseboard spraying was the norm for many types of work. Now, baits and exclusion techniques have replaced baseboard spraying in many of the same situations.

"She is very knowledgeable regarding the pest profession but always has an open mind and a willingness to learn," Primeaux says. "She is a creative technician who seeks knowledge and is willing to use new techniques to solve familiar pest problems."

And then there are some things that cannot be taught. By her very nature, Cade is an engaging, friendly person who always has a smile on her face. It’s a quality that makes her approachable to both her customers and coworkers alike.

Cade is always willing to share her knowledge with new technicians, according to Primeaux. "When they have a question they go to her for advice. She has a lot of little techniques for dealing with customers and gaining their confidence," Primeaux says. "Other technicians ride with her to pick up her good habits. She is willing to go the extra mile with anything they do. When we hire new technicians we try to find people like Becky."

At Cook’s, technicians are in charge of collecting payments. Again, having a friendly demeanor and developing relationships with her customers has helped Cade excel at this aspect of the job. Another way Cade generates money for the company is by retaining her customers.

"When money is tight they might not cancel because they’ll remember Becky helping them a long time ago," said Martin Knight, district manager, Cook’s Pest Control.

ACTIVE IN HER COMMUNITY. Despite working many hours, Cade has always found time for her family, which includes Alexander Cade, her husband of 13 years, as well as daughters Kiva, Tomeka and sons Minuard and Alexander Jr.

Cade has been actively involved in her children’s organizations, such as Boy Scouts of America and Girl Scouts of America. In addition, she has held numerous leadership positions within her church.

In many ways, Cade has two families — her own family and her work family.

"I love working for Cook’s and I love my customers," Cade says. "I feel very blessed."

An Exclusive Club

Rebecca Cade’s hard work and determination have paid off her in a number of ways, including becoming a member of the Cook’s prestigious President’s Club in 2001.

 In order to become a member of the President’s Club, Cook’s employees must meet a number of stringent goals, including having a limited number of cancellations/skips and good collection record.

The program was initially set up for Cook’s sales representative but has since been expanded to include technicians. What makes Cade’s accomplishment all the more impressive is the fact that she has been able to meet her goals while running a route that has 200 accounts.

Cade is only the 17 person from the Memphis, Tenn. office to become a part of the President’s Club and only the fourth woman ever from the Memphis office to earn this performance level achievement.

A Unique Perspective

Rebecca Cade has been able to succeed as a woman in a male-dominated profession, but she will be the first to tell you that she couldn’t have done it alone. A number of women in pest control have assisted Cade throughout the years. When she first arrived at Cook’s, Cade shadowed technician Charlotte Ward for three weeks to learn the ropes.

In fact, Cook’s Pest Control Memphis, Tenn. office is unique in that more than half of its route technicians are women.

Jeanne Primeaux, pest control manager for the Cook’s Memphis branch, says her office has had a lot of success using women technicians.

“Women are often the ones home when technicians visit an account and I think it is more natural for them to deal with another woman,” Primeaux said.