Pestworld Magazine Focusing on the Business of Pest Management
A well-known adage says, “People don’t leave organizations, they leave managers.” While the data shows it’s is a bit more complex than that, there is no question that managers play in integral role in the success of an organization. Many companies promote from within to give their employees a rewarding career path to stay on in the company. In a pest management firm, this means a person’s career may start with a focus on handling pest problems and conclude with a focus on handling people problems. That’s a big shift in expertise. QualityPro resources can ensure your training program is at a national level.
Within six months, you want salespeople and service professionals to have the basics down. One of the 16 QualityPro standards has to do with salesperson and technician training. We ensure sales and service staff who work with customers have the basic knowledge needed by requiring they pass the QualityPro exam at www.npmatraining.org. The exam covers the basics of customer service, pests, pesticides and safety. It is a great way to conclude your company’s basic training program, allowing employees to prove their knowledge at a national level. They receive a certificate of completion that is respected throughout the industry. We’ve heard QualityPro accredited companies have found success by keeping set testing schedules and moving new hires through the program in blocks in order to ensure completion and build a sense of camaraderie among testing classes of employees.
A higher step in a pest management career path is to earn the Associate Certified Entomologist or Board Certified Entomologist designation from the Entomological Society of America. These credentials mark a point in a person’s career when they have gained both advanced knowledge of entomology and experience in the field. Learn more at www.entocert.org/ace-certification.
QUALITYPRO ACCREDITATION & CERTIFICATION
- QualityPro Exam for Sales & Service Employees in the US
- QualityPro Exam for Sales & Service Employees in Canada (English)
- L’examen QualityPro Canada (Français)
- QualityPro Manager Training
- QualityPro Pest Management in Food Processing & Handling Facilities Exam
- GreenPro Exam
- QualityPro Schools Exam
- Stop School Pests Exam
“Many companies promote from within to give their employees a rewarding career path to stay on in the company. In a pest management firm, this means a person’s career may start with a focus on handling pest problems and conclude with a focus on handling people problems.”
One common career path then leads the professional into management, shifting the focus from pests to people. To prepare employees for this transition, QualityPro has a manager training (also available at www.npmatraining.org). Particularly relevant to teambuilding are the modules “Managing Your Peers” and “Coaching for Success.” “Managing Your Peers” covers subjects including balancing friendships with business relationships, maintaining confidentiality and setting the tone for the workplace—focusing on creating a day-to-day environment in the company to foster trust, professionalism and effectiveness among members of the team. “Coaching for Success” covers the nuts and bolts of setting team members up for success, focusing on solutions-oriented coaching, recognizing and dealing with performance issues, keeping document trails to meet QualityPro HR standards and troubleshooting issues when all management best practices fail.
To integrate these resources into your team’s training plan, contact [email protected].
QualityPro is administered by the Foundation for Professional Pest Management, an independent organization that has been developing good business practices and standards since 2004. Designed specifically for pest management companies in the U.S. and Canada, we are proud to certify over 500 of the best companies in the pest management industry. QualityPro is endorsed by the National Pest Management Association (NPMA).
