Training Schedule

Purpose

This schedule gets new staff from zero to confident on phones and in ServiceM8 within 4–5 days (8 hours/day). It blends self-study, guided practice, mock calls, shadowing, and assessments. Staff are encouraged to read each SOP section independently, ask questions anytime, and escalate blockers to the Team Leader (Day 1) or the shadowing buddy (Days 2–4).

  1. Overview & Principles
  2. Day 1 — Foundations & Orientation (Team Leader)
  3. Day 2 — ServiceM8 & Booking Jobs (Shadow Support)
  4. Day 3 — Edge Cases, Complaints & Retreatments
  5. Day 4 — Scheduling Depth & Mock Calls
  6. Day 5 — Supervised Live & Sign-Off (Optional)
  7. Independent Study Checklist
  8. Mock Call Matrix & Scoring
  9. ServiceM8 Practical Tasks
  10. Shadowing Plan & Roles
  11. Daily Quizzes & Assessment Gates
  12. Resources (Read These Pages)

Overview & Principles

  • Milestone-based: Progress only when gates are met (see Section 11).
  • Independent first: Trainee reads the relevant SOP page before each block.
  • Coach in the moment: Short feedback after every exercise or call.
  • Record everything: Log mock calls, scores, and practical checklists.
  • Ask early: Team Leader on Day 1; shadow buddy on Days 2–4; anyone can run mock calls.

Day 1 — Foundations & Orientation (Team Leader)

Goal: Understand our services, call flow, and basic ServiceM8 navigation. Two guided mock calls by end of day.

 

Time Activity Method Read/Use Outcome
09:00–09:30 Welcome & Setup TL walkthrough Remote Staff Training, Office Setup Logins, tools ready, expectations set
09:30–10:15 Services & Categories 101 Self-study + Q&A Service FAQ’s, Pest Prevention Tips Knows key services & when to use them
10:15–10:30 Break — — —
10:30–11:30 Inbound Call Flow Read + demo Inbound Calls, Templates & Scripts Understands greet → scope → options → close
11:30–12:15 ServiceM8 Overview Hands-on Booking Jobs (overview only) Find clients, open Dispatch Board, view Job Card
12:15–13:00 Lunch — — —
13:00–14:00 Script Practice Read aloud + tweaks Templates & Scripts Comfort using our tone & phrases
14:00–15:00 Guided Mock Calls (2) TL plays caller Mock Call Matrix Scores recorded; quick coaching
15:00–15:15 Break — — —
15:15–16:30 ServiceM8 Tour: Job → Quote basics Hands-on Booking Jobs Create a practice job & add quote lines
16:30–17:00 Quiz + Plan for Day 2 10-min quiz + review Sections covered today ≥85% target; gaps noted

Day 2 — ServiceM8 & Booking Jobs (Shadow Support)

Goal: Run the full booking process in ServiceM8 and complete 4–6 coached mock calls tied to real system entries.

 

Time Activity Method Read/Use Outcome
09:00–09:20 Calibration Quiz Self-test Inbound Calls, Booking Jobs ≥85% before moving on
09:20–10:40 Booking Pathways (A–D) Hands-on with buddy Booking Jobs Create jobs via Dispatch, Book a Quote, Create Quote, Add Customer First
10:40–10:55 Break — — —
10:55–12:15 Confirmations & Reminders Set templates Booking Jobs (Section: Confirmation) Immediate confirm + 48h SMS + 24h email + ETA SMS
12:15–13:00 Lunch — — —
13:00–14:30 Mock Calls (4) Buddy/TL as caller Mock Call Matrix Tie each call to a real ServiceM8 entry
14:30–14:45 Break — — —
14:45–16:30 Quote → Convert → Schedule Hands-on workflow Booking Jobs Convert accepted quote; schedule correctly; assign right tech
16:30–17:00 Reflection & Coaching Debrief — Identify 1–2 focus areas for tomorrow

Day 3 — Edge Cases, Complaints & Retreatments

Goal: Handle objections, early callback requests, and warranty timeframes; run 6–8 scored mock calls.

 

Time Activity Method Read/Use Outcome
09:00–09:20 Calibration Quiz Self-test Handling Complaints, Retreatments/Callbacks ≥85% target
09:20–10:30 Objections & Pricing Logic Study + drill Templates & Scripts, Service Pricing Clear, confident responses
10:30–10:45 Break — — —
10:45–12:15 Retreatment Windows & Evidence Case studies Retreatments/Callbacks Knows 4–6 week guidance; photo evidence request
12:15–13:00 Lunch — — —
13:00–15:00 Mock Calls (6) Buddy/TL as caller Mock Call Matrix ≥4.0/5 average; record scores
15:00–15:15 Break — — —
15:15–17:00 ServiceM8 Practical — Accuracy Pass Checklist run ServiceM8 Practical Tasks 100% critical steps; ≤2 minor errors

Day 4 — Scheduling Depth & Mock Calls

Goal: Resolve scheduling conflicts, assign the right technician, run 8–10 scored mocks, and prepare for supervised live calls.

 

Time Activity Method Read/Use Outcome
09:00–09:15 Calibration Quiz Self-test Scheduling Jobs, Booking Jobs ≥85% target
09:15–10:45 Scheduling & Assigning Hands-on Scheduling Jobs (routes, skills, duration) Conflict-free schedule; correct tech match
10:45–11:00 Break — — —
11:00–12:30 No-Show Prevention Template setup Booking Jobs (Confirmations), Getting Great Reviews All reminders live; review request workflow ready
12:30–13:15 Lunch — — —
13:15–15:30 Mock Calls (8) Buddy/TL as caller Mock Call Matrix ≥4.0/5 average across rubrics
15:30–15:45 Break — — —
15:45–17:00 Readiness Review Debrief + plan PH Staff Assessments Clear go/no-go for supervised live calls

Day 5 — Supervised Live & Sign-Off (Optional)

Goal: Take 5–10 live calls with supervisor on standby; meet pass marks and get signed off.

 

Time Activity Method Read/Use Outcome
09:00–09:20 Warm-up & Targets Checklist Assessment Gates Focus areas set
09:20–12:15 Supervised Live Calls (5–7) Supervisor shadow All SOPs Rubric scoring recorded
12:15–13:00 Lunch — — —
13:00–15:00 Supervised Live Calls (3–5) Supervisor shadow All SOPs ≥4.0/5 average; zero critical errors
15:00–16:00 Final Practical Check ServiceM8 checklist ServiceM8 Practical Tasks 100% critical steps
16:00–17:00 Sign-Off & Next Steps Review + certificate PH Staff Assessments Pass/Plan agreed; schedule follow-ups

Independent Study Checklist

Trainees: before each block, open the relevant page and skim the headings first.

  • Inbound Calls → Scripts, discovery questions, objection phrases
  • Booking Jobs → Pathways (A–D), categories, reminders, assigning techs
  • Scheduling Jobs → Dispatch Board, conflicts, duration rules
  • Handling Complaints → Empathy, triage, escalation, logging
  • Retreatments / Callbacks → 4–6 week guidance, evidence/photos
  • Getting Great Reviews → Timing, wording, links
  • Service Pricing & Service FAQ’s → Ranges, when to quote, prep/safety
  • Pest Prevention Tips → Quick advice to share with clients
  • Templates & Scripts → Phone, email, SMS templates
  • PH Staff Assessments → Gates, rubrics, pass marks

Mock Call Matrix & Scoring

Run with Team Leader or any experienced staff. Rotate scenarios; record scores each time.

Scenario Focus Pass (≥4.0/5 avg) Notes
Residential – General Pests Scope, options, booking Tone, clear choices, correct category/duration Send confirmations immediately
German Cockroach Heavy Intensive + follow-up Set prep; book revisit timing Manage expectations
Termite Inspection Licensed tech, access notes Right category; correct duration Quote workflow ready
Commercial Venue Site survey vs treatment Book quote visit first Capture opening hours
Complaint/Callback Empathy, educate timeline Evidence request; 4–6 week rule Decide revisit or wait

ServiceM8 Practical Tasks

Complete these hands-on tasks each day; assessor signs off when accurate.

Task Daily Target Critical Errors (Fail)
Add/verify client without duplication 2 clients/day Creating duplicates; wrong contact
Create jobs in 3 pathways (A–C) 1 of each/day Wrong category; wrong date/time
Assign correct technician All jobs Unqualified tech assigned
Confirmations & reminders All jobs Missing immediate confirm or 48h/24h
Quote → Convert → Schedule 1 workflow/day Losing data; not converting

Shadowing Plan & Roles

  • Day 1: Team Leader primary support; runs first mocks and signposts resources.
  • Days 2–4: Shadow buddy (rotating staff). Either TL or buddy may run mock calls.
  • Daily huddles: 10 minutes at start and end for questions and blockers.

Daily Quizzes & Assessment Gates

  • Quiz gate: ≥85% per module before moving on.
  • Practical gate: 100% of critical ServiceM8 steps (≤2 minor errors).
  • Mock call gate: Average ≥4.0/5; no 1/5 in any rubric category.
  • Readiness for live calls: All gates met + supervisor confidence.

Resources (Read These Pages)

Open and read as needed during each block:

  • Remote Staff Training
  • Office Setup
  • Inbound Calls
  • Booking Jobs
  • Scheduling Jobs
  • Handling Complaints
  • Retreatments / Callbacks
  • Getting Great Reviews
  • Service Pricing
  • Service FAQ’s
  • Pest Prevention Tips
  • Templates & Scripts
  • PH Staff Assessments