Testing and Training

QualityPro strives to ensure that employees of accredited companies have the knowledge and understanding necessary to provide consumers with a science-based, effective, and least risk professional pest management service.

As part of the accreditation process, all technicians and sales employees must either pass the QualityPro exam or go through a certified training program, as detailed in Standard 4.1 below.

The QualityPro exam proves an individual’s knowledge on pest biology and control, as well as consumer relations, safety and professionalism. Employers value the exam’s ability to prove their training program and, throughout the industry, professionals take pride in knowing they have passed the QualityPro exam.

STANDARD 4:1 - TRAINING & TESTING OF CUSTOMER-FACING SALES OR TECHNICAL SERVICE EMPLOYEES

QualityPro Customer-facing Sales or Technical Service Employee Training & Testing

The Company must adhere to the following with regard to all employed customer-facing sales or technical service employees:

Option 1: QualityPro Examination at www.npmapestworld.org/your-team-tools/online-learning-center/qualitypro-courses-and-exams

Upon application to QualityPro, existing employees: 100% of the company’s customer-facing sales or technical service employees must take and pass the QualityPro examination within 6 months of the company’s application for QualityPro accreditation.
Following accreditation, newly hired employees: 100% of the company’s customer-facing sales or technical service employees must take the QualityPro examination within 6 months of their dates of hire.
Following accreditation, change in role: if an employee changes jobs within the company to a customer-facing sales or technical service role and has not previously passed the QualityPro examination, the employee must take the QualityPro examination within 6 months of starting their new role.
If a new employee has taken and passed the QualityPro examination previously, the certificate of completion is transferable between employers. Earned certificates can be viewed at npmaqualitypro.org/certificates.

The QualityPro exams are administered online and are available 24/7 on any device. Upon the successful completion of the QualityPro exam, the employee will be provided with a personalized certificate of completion.

Option 2: QualityPro Approved Training

Upon application to QualityPro, existing employees: existing customer-facing sales or technical service employees will complete any training modules added through the QualityPro training approval process within 6 months of the training program’s QualityPro approval.*
Following accreditation, newly hired employees: 100% of the company’s customer-facing sales or technical service employees must complete the company’s QualityPro approved training program within 6 months of their dates of hire. *
Following accreditation, change in role: if an employee changes jobs within the company to a customer-facing sales or technical service role, the company must ensure the employee has received all parts of the QualityPro approved training within 6 months of starting the new role. Any previously completed modules do not need to be repeated.*
If an employee has passed through a company’s QualityPro approved training program, a certificate of completion generated from the previous employer’s system is non-transferrable between employers.

*Proof of completion of the QualityPro examination referenced in Option 1 does satisfy the employee’s training requirements for this standard.

A company is eligible to get its training program QualityPro approved for Option 2 if it has:

A dedicated training contact
A learning management system (LMS) that documents all steps of the training process and delivers some of the content
A training program that includes, but is not limited to, all of the training topics covered in the most current version of the QualityPro Training Manual:
- Customer Service
  - Appropriate Behavior
    - Attitude
    - Appearance
    - Communication Basics
    - PPE
    - Sexual Harassment
  - Driving
    - Professional Driving
    - Company policies
  - Communication Basics
    - Verbal & Written
    - Resolving Customer Complaints
    - Telephone Etiquette
  - Sales
    - Techniques
    - Tactics for Technicians
  - Pesticide Application Techniques
    - IPM
    - Insecticide Bait
    - Rodenticide Bait
    - Crack & Crevice
    - Void
    - Spot
    - Space
    - Direct Broadcast
    - Compressed Air Sprayer
    - Power Sprayer
    - Duster
    - Rodent Bait Stations
    - Calibration
    - Formulation
    - Maintenance & Repair
  - Pesticides
    - Toxicity & Hazard
      - Risk (Toxicity & Exposure)
      - Labels
      - SDS
    - Pesticide Safety to Reduce Technicians’ Exposure
    - PPE
      - Respirators
      - Eye Protection
      - Gloves
      - Other PPE
    - Protecting People & the Environment from Pesticides
      - Spills
      - Drift
      - Disposal
    - Behavior, Biology, and Management of Pests
      - Ants
      - Rodents
      - Flies (not mosquitoes)
      - Cockroaches
      - Bed Bugs

For employees hired on or before 12/31/2018 at companies accredited before 7/1/2018:

In states without required salesperson/technician testing requirements, the company must ensure that 100% of its salespeople/technicians have taken and passed the QualityPro examination within six months of application for the QualityPro Program.

Newly hired salespeople/technicians must take the examination within 6 months of their date of hire.
If a salesperson/technician has taken and passed the QualityPro examination, credit for the examination is transferable between employers.

In states with required examinations for salespeople/technicians, the company must ensure that all technicians are in compliance with state requirements.
If, for state certification or licensing, an individual passes a state examination which QualityPro deems adequate to meet QualityPro standards, he or she is exempt from taking the QualityPro examination.
States where certified service technicians do not need to take the QualityPro examination: AZ, CA, CT, GA, IA, ID, IL, IN, KY, LA, MA, ME, MI, MN, MT, NE, NH, NM, NV, NY, OH, OR, OK, RI, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, VA, VT, WA, WI.
States where certified salespeople do not have to take the QualityPro Exam: CA, GA, HI, IN (if making pesticide use recommendations and treatment specifications), TN, SC, WA.
States where termite technicians do not need to take the QualityPro Exam: DE & NJ.

Note: In the case of a valued employee who is employed prior to the company receiving the QualityPro accreditation and who fails the examination, the employer has the option to sign a statement vouching for the employee’s technical competence. The number of employees exempted under this provision may never exceed 10% of the sales/service technician employee base or one employee, whichever is greater. This exception does not apply to employees who are hired after a company earns the QualityPro accreditation. If a new employee does not meet these training requirements, they must be accompanied in the field by a qualified employee until such time as they meet these requirements.