The Home Depot supply chain network has undergone a transformation in recent years to incorporate strategic omni-channel elements and physical security controls. Mike Combs, director of asset protection, global supply chain at The Home Depot, has played a critical role in supporting the operation’s development and growth since he joined the company in 2008.
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In a feature interview for the May–June 2017 issue of LP Magazine, Jim Lee, executive editor, chatted with Combs to get an idea of the various disciplines and responsibilities within the Home Depot supply chain network. In the article, Combs talks about how the Home Depot supply chain teams function together to manage safety and drive down shrink numbers:
First of all, we make sure that we have an open feedback loop with our store partners. For every trailer that gets to the store, we have a feedback loop electronically that allows them to rate how we’re doing on that truck and give us any feedback. The process includes a mechanism for us to respond to that. Our AP team owns the audit process and the teams that conduct the audits, which gives our store partners a peace of mind that it is an unbiased effort.
The other thing we do is welcome our store partners to come into our locations at any time. We have district and retail meetings where they can come in and watch our process, see what we’re up against, and give us insight into how they think differently. And vice versa—we send groups of people from the supply chain into the stores. Sometimes it’s training for our people, and sometimes it’s the other way around where we’re trying to educate or train new store or district associates that might need some help. I think that kind of partnership has really helped.
Check out “Building a Supply-Chain AP Team from Tee to Green” to learn more about how the Home Depot supply chain teams solve problems and deliver results. You can also check out the other articles in the May–June 2017 issue of LP Magazine. Not yet subscribed? No problem – register here for free.
This post was updated July 20, 2017.
