<ARTICLE>                     5
<LEGEND>
               THIS SCHEDULE CONTAINS SUMMARY FINANCIAL INFORMATION
               EXTRACTED FROM THE SERVICEMASTER QUARTERLY REPORT TO 
               SHAREHOLDERS FOR THE PERIOD ENDED MARCH 31, 1999 AND
               IS QUALIFIED IN ITS ENTIRETY BY REFERENCE TO SUCH 
               FINANCIAL STATEMENTS.  
</LEGEND>
<CIK>                           0001052045                     
<NAME>                          THE SERVICEMASTER COMPANY
<MULTIPLIER>                    1000
       
                                         
<PERIOD-TYPE>                   3-MOS          3-MOS
<FISCAL-YEAR-END>               DEC-31-1999    DEC-31-1998
<PERIOD-START>                  JAN-01-1999    JAN-01-1998
<PERIOD-END>                    MAR-31-1999    MAR-31-1998
<CASH>                          31,488         32,860               
<SECURITIES>                    54,592         64,459               
<RECEIVABLES>                   471,808        347,342               
<ALLOWANCES>                    41,159         31,971              
<INVENTORY>                     63,810         57,364               
<CURRENT-ASSETS>                795,393        662,262               
<PP&E>                          578,626        419,845               
<DEPRECIATION>                  302,177        237,076               
<TOTAL-ASSETS>                  3,445,809      2,698,231               
<CURRENT-LIABILITIES>           714,131        627,132               
<BONDS>                         1,412,177      1,379,936               
<PREFERRED-MANDATORY>           0              0               
<PREFERRED>                     0              0               
<COMMON>                        3,102          2,807               
<OTHER-SE>                      1,180,235      546,060               
<TOTAL-LIABILITY-AND-EQUITY>    3,445,809      2,698,231               
<SALES>                         0              0               
<TOTAL-REVENUES>                1,115,062      981,788               
<CGS>                           0              0                      
<TOTAL-COSTS>                   899,815        794,797                                   
<OTHER-EXPENSES>                136,619        117,218            
<LOSS-PROVISION>                0              0
<INTEREST-EXPENSE>              21,948         24,095               
<INCOME-PRETAX>                 60,301         49,113
<INCOME-TAX>                    24,692         19,843
<INCOME-CONTINUING>             35,609         29,270
<DISCONTINUED>                  0              0
<EXTRAORDINARY>                 0              0
<CHANGES>                       0              0
<NET-INCOME>                    35,609         29,270
<EPS-PRIMARY>                   0.12           0.10
<EPS-DILUTED>                   0.12           0.10