Article Featured in Franchising World Magazine

According to a Salesforce survey, nearly 60% of the workforce claims they receive no workplace training. This gap in essential education can lead to inefficiencies on the job, limited business growth and, in some cases, property damage or personal injury.

Considering the possible risks associated with inefficient training, pest control companies must do everything they can to follow standard training practices. Well-trained teams yield more satisfied customers and more revenue, leading to exponential growth for franchise owners.

Efficient training in the pest control industry needs to cover three areas of interaction: interaction with the public, interaction with the product and interaction within the business itself. Consistent training in these areas and cross-training on other aspects of the business will maximize productivity and growth.

Partnering with an established pest control franchise can give entrepreneurs a proven training framework that optimizes training procedures and sets them up for successful business interactions on day one. From training for field technicians to establishing operations, franchise owners have more support and guidance than they would when starting an independent business.

Training for customer interaction

A pest control franchise’s field technicians are often the only people that customers see. Without the proper training, customers may get the wrong impression of the company. A negative first impression hurts repeat business and ultimately affects the franchise’s bottom line.

Best practices established by franchisors guide franchise owners on how to train team members for client interaction by clearly teaching about the protocols surrounding:

• How and when to arrive on the job before they start working.
• How to accurately communicate the purpose of their visit.
• What language to use for potential upselling opportunities.

Those first interactions can make the difference between a one-and-done or lifelong customer for a franchise. When a team has all the information on what and how they need to communicate with the public, it opens the door for better customer relationships. And pest control franchisors can provide entrepreneurs with the relationship-building tools that are the cornerstone of any service-based company.

Training for proper product use

Sending an untrained technician into the field could result in more than a negative brand impression – improper use of the chemicals and pest control tools can come with severe consequences. For example, improperly mixed formulas may result in harmful chemical exposure if mixed too heavily and may be ineffective if mixed too lightly, resulting in callbacks or refunded treatments. 

Pest control franchises have years of proven success in managing products and know what business owners need to teach their teams for repeat success – a tool that isn’t readily available for independent business owners. Implementing these training strategies minimizes potential issues by:

• Giving technicians the information they need to properly handle materials.
• Instructing team members on how to set up and run their equipment. 
• Demonstrating where and when to treat a property to maximize effectiveness.

While some of these tasks may seem like second nature to seasoned veterans, new hires need the basics to achieve success. Efficient training on the product and procedures ensures that company standards are being met and provides consistent service for customers, job after job. 

For entrepreneurs looking to own a pest control company, joining a franchise can give them a jumpstart by having these ready-made strategies from the beginning.

Training for internal interaction

When team members don’t understand how to interact with each other, it causes bottlenecks and miscommunication that hinders progress. When entrepreneurs join a pest control franchise, they are provided proven operational guidelines that help new franchise owners avoid operational missteps. Some examples of internal training may include:

• How to manage work requests and workflow management software.
• Where to find information on upcoming jobs and inventory data.
• Who to contact when customers have questions they can’t answer.

Understanding the processes that make a franchise run more efficiently is crucial to achieving growth. When team members work in sync and take ownership of their positions, franchise owners can focus their efforts more on marketing their brand than solving internal issues.

Pest control franchises offer proven training models

Joining a pest control franchise gives entrepreneurs access to ready-made training programs that empower teams and provide consistent results. These built-in strategies make it possible for franchises to hit the ground running with teams and operations training that work. It doesn’t matter if a new owner has decades of experience in the industry or is just starting on their entrepreneurial journey, the franchise training model helps drive opportunities growth and financial freedom.

Michael Moorhouse is president of Mosquito Shield, America’s trusted provider of effective residential mosquito and tick control service. Mosquito Shield, part of the Five Star Franchising platform of home service brands, was ranked the #1 franchise in pest control by Entrepreneur in 2023, 2024 and 2025.