McCloud Services is dedicated to education

The importance of training comes from the top down at McCloud Services.

McCloud Services President Chris McCloud (right).
Photo: McCloud Services

“Learning is a lifelong endeavor, and we attempt to provide an educational ‘journey’ for our team members to help them develop and master their trade,” says Chris McCloud, president of McCloud Services, South Elgin, Ill. “No matter how good we believe we are, I always think we can do a better job.”

The family-owned company provides pest management services to commercial clients serving the food-supply chain of custody, retail, healthcare, hospitality and residential markets. It was founded in 1904 and has had some clients since the 1930s. Employing well-trained and highly skilled technicians enables the company to provide the highest quality pest management service possible, he says.

Training includes monthly sessions in the office, McCloud U online classes, field-coaching ride alongs with members of the company’s technical and management team and offsite seminars and conferences such as Purdue University’s integrated pest management (IPM) course, the University of Kentucky Pest Control Short Course and AIB International’s programs for those in the food industry. Plus, all new employees attend McCloud Academy.

“We understand everyone has three basic learning styles — visual, auditory and kinesthetic — and we include various educational tools to support each one,” he says. “Ultimately, we understand that hands-on [kinesthetic] field training makes the biggest difference in the success of our specialists.”

At McCloud Services, training is not limited to its pest management professionals (PMPs), however. The company educates its clients, too.

More than 20 years ago, it launched its Pest Invasion seminar with its clients in mind. The now-annual event teaches clients about IPM, helps them meet regulatory requirements, explains ways to reduce brand and consumer risk and demonstrates how to drive customer satisfaction.

“It has evolved into a blend of IPM and food-safety training, which helps stimulate conversation between the food community and PMPs,” McCloud says. “When both parties understand we share a common goal of protecting food — and IPM is a core element in food safety — it helps support a stronger partnership.”

Sending trained specialists to its accounts ensures the company fulfills the commitment it makes to its clients.

“Our service specialists are the face of our brand, the face of the industry and the front line of our company,” he says. “We continue to remind our team of our ‘why,’ which is protecting health, property, food and the environment.”

McCloud Services

Headquarters: South Elgin, Ill.
2015 revenue: $30 million
Projected 2016 revenue: $32.5 million
Projected 2016 Increase: 7 percent

Top 3 Business Tips:

1. Identify the “why” that drives your business, and communicate it to your team.
2. Take care of your people and your customers.
3. Get to know successful entrepreneurs and ask for their objective feedback about your business. Ask challenging questions, and accept that you might not have all the answers. Much of the R&D is based on the “rip off and duplicate” concept.

Managing Editor Diane Sofranec can be reached at dsofranec@northcoastmedia.net or 216-706-3793.