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Commissioned by Orkin and developed by three firms specializing in satellite broadcasting and digital content delivery, the system creates a live “virtual classroom” for Orkin’s employees across the country. While satellite television networks have been available to businesses for years, Orkin TV is the first to deliver interactive video on-demand (IVOD) to the classroom, through a system that also allows employees to play back past programming (much like digital video recorders found in many homes) and participate in past broadcast events. Furthermore, IVOD participation is tracked and recorded in Orkin’s learning management system.
Orkin Satellite Television’s distinguishing features include:
- Interactive Video-on-Demand – Orkin’s branches will have the ability to play back past programming stored on each receiver’s hard drive. While viewers of “on-demand” video are not able to communicate live with the instructor, they can respond to questions in real time and view survey results.
- Integrated Satellite Receiver and Site Controller – Allows viewers to communicate with instructors in real-time – as if in a live classroom – and respond to survey questions via a site controller keypad. Results are tabulated and displayed immediately.
- Direct-to-Monitor Broadcasting – One of the features of the system is that programs are delivered to TV monitors that are dedicated to use by the satellite system – an important benefit for Orkin’s workforce, many of whom do not have access to a computer.
Orkin is using the satellite training system to add interactive distance learning to its award-winning employee training programs. The system will help Orkin save time and monetary resources related to traditional employee training, as new hires will no longer have to travel to the company’s Atlanta headquarters for initial training sessions or wait for an instructor to visit their region. And, the time needed to make a new employee productive will be cut in half.
“This technology addresses a critical need for companies like ours that are growing steadily across many different regions,” said Orkin president and COO Glen Rollins. “We’ll be able to maintain the highest training standards while reaching more people, more often, and at a lower cost – regardless of their location.”
Ramiro Banderas, Orkin’s director of media services and Orkin TV, noted, “By adding the video on-demand component to our training, we’re able to start training new technicians just days after they’re hired. Before, it would take six to eight weeks to teach them the skills necessary to be productive and ready to work. Now it will only take three to four.”
Plus, because the training sessions are broadcast live to the branches and recorded digitally for on-demand playback, Orkin trainees receive consistent, uniform messaging from the company’s best instructors, said Craig Goodwin, Orkin’s director of training. This benefit is also useful for special announcements from company executives – in the event of good news and emergencies.
“This system allows us to communicate at the speed of business,” added Banderas. “For the first time in Orkin’s history, we can reach out and touch nearly every employee immediately.”
All three technology firms involved played a vital role in pioneering the groundbreaking system. GlobeCast, a subsidiary of France Telecom, developed the platform for satellite delivery. One Touch Systems, Inc. and Helius, Inc. collaborated to create the satellite receivers equipped with hard drives for digital video storage and software applications for the viewer response capabilities.
Orkin launched the network on January 20 with a nationwide address from Orkin, Inc. President Glen Rollins; the company’s first two-week satellite-based training sessions kicked off the following Monday. To date, Orkin TV reaches more than 320 locations, giving employees in every region access to the interactive technology.