‘Extreme Ownership’ Will Ensure Veterans Online Shopping Benefit Success
On Veterans Day 2017, we will have the opportunity to welcome back as many as 13 million discharged Veterans to their military family via the Veterans online shopping benefit. As we look forward to this landmark date, I am reminded of the book, “Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALS Lead and Win,” by former Navy SEALS Jacko Willink and Leif Babin.
The highly decorated Veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom say in the book that through their hard-fought victories in war, they learned that extreme ownership at every leadership level is the most important factor in whether a team succeeds or fails.
At the Exchange, from associates at headquarters to sales associates in the field, “extreme ownership” should describe the posture we all take to ensure the rollout of the Veterans online shopping benefit is a success. The reasons failure is not an option are substantial.
As the retailer to our Nation’s Warfighters, we cannot fall short in our efforts to exceed Veterans’ expectations on Nov. 11 and every day after, otherwise the Exchange could lose the relevancy and credibility we have worked so hard to build for so many years.
Director/CEO Tom Shull greets an associate during a visit to the Pacific Region.
The Exchange is getting a historic opportunity to significantly increase the number of e-commerce customers through the Veterans online shopping benefit. That means having so many new customers shopping on our website will give the Exchange more purchasing power through better pricing and product assortment, thus improving the shopping experience for all customers.
We project the Veterans online shopping benefit will generate $8 million annually upon program maturation within three years. These added earnings would go to military Quality-of-Life programs, such as Army child development centers, Air Force outdoor recreation and affordable school lunches overseas. Without this additional funding, these programs could likely suffer significant financial hardships because of the continual drawdown of troops.
For these reasons, and to provide the Veterans with the rich and rewarding shopping experiences they deserve, we have launched full-frontal assaults on the challenges of putting in place the required business capabilities, from technology and distribution-center upgrades to associate training and inventory planning.
The Exchange and our sister exchanges have invested more than $50 million in the most modern infrastructure so that our behind-the-scenes technology is ready to begin serving millions of new customers this Veterans Day. This investment will ensure our Veterans find the online store easy to navigate and guides them effortlessly to the products they desire at the lowest prices.
“Support from all associates is valued to make the Veterans online shopping benefit a success. You can spread the word by telling your family and friends who are Veterans about the new online benefit.”
Once an order is placed, the customer expects merchandise with best-in-class delivery. To make that happen, we’re strategically rolling out additional ship-from-store operations around the world—with a goal of 58 operations by Nov. 11—so online orders can be delivered quicker from the Exchange closest to the customer rather than from a distribution center halfway across the country.
Still, much work remains. We must continue to have unparalleled teamwork across the entire organization between now and Veterans Day to prepare for potentially 13 million new customers.
For instance, at the store level, every active duty service member who is shopping our brick-and-mortar stores today will become a lifetime online customer, and we must treat them as one. Unlike any other time in our history, every customer becomes a “lifer.” Therefore, the great shopping experiences we create for current customers enhances their close emotional ties to their Exchange. It is a determining factor in whether they will continue shopping with us online as Veterans.
Support from all associates is valued to make the Veterans online shopping benefit a success. You can spread the word by telling your family and friends who are Veterans about the new online benefit.
A heartfelt thanks to those of you who have already taken “extreme ownership” by investing in many hours of sweat equity, rebounding from setbacks and finally achieving the victory in seeing the approval of the Veterans online shopping benefit! That said, now the most relevant and hard work comes—to turn the approval into a cherished benefit for our Veterans. I am honored to be a member of a team of true professionals who keep their eyes on the mission: to welcome home all Veterans who have honorably served our great Nation.
One team! One fight!
Director/CEO Tom Shull meets with Scott AFB Base Commander Col. Lenderman, along with General Manager Ralph Kleeman, Central Region SVP Ken Brewington and Regional VP Paula Gunderson.
