Best Training Practices

Training is a big part of a good pest management company. This includes initial training for new technicians as well as ongoing training to maintain licensing and to improve skills. Since I have been involved in training for many years, I thought I would share some things that I have found that help training be more successful.

BE RELATABLE. For me, relatability starts with being yourself and sharing stories from your own work experience. Rather than just focusing on a principle to follow, why not share a time where you applied that principle and it mattered? Not only is the principle more effectively taught but those you are teaching also get some insight into your views, thoughts and personality. They often will begin to share their own experiences and become more interactive in the learning process. In addition, the things you share establish the expectations and culture of your company. Sometimes stories may seem like tangents from the main topic, but I believe they also give a chance for a person to have a quick break from facts and terms to just listen and absorb information in a way they may remember better. Appropriate stories are also a good way to add some humor to the training process. You may be able to relate a mistake you made and what you learned, maybe share an unexpected pest encounter, or many other incidents that may be humorous but have a lesson to be learned from what happened.

BE HANDS-ON. Look for opportunities to get outside the classroom as much as possible. In the state I train in there is a significant amount of classroom training time required for new technicians. One way to make this more hands-on is to go look at equipment they may use rather than just talk about it. Better yet, demonstrate its use, then let them practice. In a termite-heavy area where I work, we can often find termites to look at on our business property and often a couple of species of ants too. It is so much better to look at a pest rather than just describe them. It may also be useful to rotate classroom and field training. We usually do classroom training twice a week for new hires and allow them to go to the field for the other three days.

BE REAL. By this, I mean be honest and straightforward with what you teach. If you are not sure about a question, don’t be afraid to say I don’t know. Often you can share some thoughts about a topic but there may not be a definitive answer to be given. Also, when asking technicians to follow certain procedures, sharing “the why” behind the process helps it make more sense, not just because “I told you to do it this way.”

As you train technicians, let them know some of the things they may run into in their day-to-day work. They will see living conditions that are tough. Some homeowners and commercial managers may have expectations that are hard to meet. They will have some days when their schedule doesn’t work because of delays, weather or many other reasons. They also will get to meet and know some wonderful clients who will come to consider them as almost family. They will hear about people’s experiences overcoming challenges that will be inspiring.

I always want technicians to know if they come across a situation that is morally or ethically uncomfortable for them to please talk to their managers and determine if some adjustment can be made. No one wants to be miserable in their work, and I want them to know they can be open about concerns they have. At the same time, just because a certain client is a little difficult to deal with doesn’t mean they may not be asked to do the best they can as some challenges are normal on any pest route.

BE PROGRESSIVE. There are numerous online tools now available. One I have found useful is setting up practice state tests on one of the online classroom quiz programs. Our technicians take these practice exams that are similar in format to upcoming state exams. In test prep classes technicians enjoy competing for the highest score. I have these tests set up where they can be repeated multiple times on their own in preparation for exams. There are lots of new things that can be done with artificial intelligence in the development of training materials or visual aids. These new tools are great but still need to be balanced with your own abilities and personality. They are there to assist but shouldn’t take over the training. Always be open to new ways to share ideas. Some of the best tips I have picked up have been from something one of the service technicians I was teaching said. I have been able to use these in future trainings.

BE SINCERE. Finally, be sincere in your attempt to help others in their careers. There is the old saying “I don’t care how much you know until I know how much you care.” Not every technician is going to thrive in this industry, and some are easier to train than others. Ultimately, if you are not invested in really trying to help them as people wherever their work path may lead, training will be more difficult. One of my favorite things is to see is a technician pass a state exam, start their own route, turn in their first lead, and maybe just find their place in a career that is fulfilling to them and provides for their families. This is success for me and makes training efforts very rewarding.