Orkin Named to Training Magazine's Top 125 for 12th Straight Year

Training magazine recognized Atlanta-based Orkin as a Top 125 company at its annual awards banquet Feb. 3 in San Diego. Orkin, a pest control leader for more than a century, ranked No. 55 in 2014, and is the only pest control company in the Top 125. This is the twelfth consecutive year the pest control company received a Top 125 ranking. Orkin is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Rollins Inc., a nationwide consumer services company (NYSE: ROL).

According to Training magazine, the Top 125 ranking is based on several statistics such as total training budget; percentage of payroll; number of training hours per employee program; goals, evaluation, measurement, and workplace surveys; hours of training per employee annually; and detailed formal programs. The ranking is determined by assessing a range of qualitative and quantitative factors, including financial investment in employee development, the scope of development programs, and how closely such development efforts are linked to business goals and objectives.

“In 2013, Orkin launched a new marketing campaign, ‘Pest Control Down to a Science,’” said Greg Baumann, vice president of Rollins training and technical services. “In conjunction, the training department redesigned the technical training to better emphasize the scientific basis of Orkin’s inspection, treatment and communication strategies. All field employees take a final exam, which we also redesigned to ensure Pros understand the concepts.”

The training department also launched new residential and commercial sales training curricula that emphasize the use of new field-level technology for incoming account managers. As the class progresses, students apply what they are learning via role plays, activities in simulated environments and other exercises. On the last day of class, the account manager delivers a customized proposal with a combination of sales tools available – an iPad presentation, digital pictures and inspection report.

In addition, Rollins Learning Center, a multi-million dollar training facility in Atlanta, is the pest control industry’s premier distance and hands-on training center. Its internet-based, state-of-the-art live interactive distance learning system reaches employees worldwide. The training is self-paced, so students can reread or rewatch a segment as many times as necessary to grasp the material. The 20,000-square-foot facility includes simulated environments for hands-on training during classroom instruction for branch manager trainees and management development school, commercial account manager and residential sales inspector classes.