A technological answer
Technology plays an increasing role in many aspects of DHL’s operations. For example, onboarding associates has been simplified by creating tools that mimic the design of popular smartphone interfaces, which helps new associates onboard faster with applications that are more intuitive because the tools are familiar to most people.
DHL has also found ways to use robotics to create greater efficiencies, which helps associates during its busiest times. Sureddin says collaborative robots are now in use in the company’s operations. They cut down on the distance associates need to walk during their shift by coming to associates who can then place products on them.
“It not only helps us with offsetting the amount of people we need during peak season, it also is more enjoyable for our hourly associates,” he says. “It’s easier when you’re doing vision picking or you’re doing collaborative robotics, and it helps us make sure that we’re delivering for our customers. There’s less mistakes, quicker onboarding, better productivity. These are all things that are leading to a better customer solution for our end users.”
With technology evolving daily, DHL is constantly investing in and working on new tools to make processes even better.
“And we will continue to evolve those,” Sureddin says. “That’s some people’s full-time job. That’s all they do is focus on new technologies that we can deploy for our people to use or deploy in our operations.”
DHL casts an eager but careful eye to the market, scouting for innovations that are not only useful, but can also be integrated into its systems.
“For it to be really cost-effective and to work for our associates and for our customers, it’s really got to be integrated into our tools,” he says. “It’s constant. It does not stop. And that’s something that companies need to be focusing on is, what are you doing to accelerate digitalization?”
Sureddin says DHL uses a multi-supplier, multi-vendor strategy because while a technology might be compelling to DHL, it’s also likely compelling to another company.
“We don’t have a one manufacturer vendor/supplier strategy,” he says. “We have a multi-strategy where we’re partnering with several companies and deploying these tools.”
For DHL, success starts with engagement and culture. Hiring and retention mean having cost-competitive, total compensation packages constructed not just with wages in mind, but with consideration toward flexibility, training and development, and community involvement.
“People want to work for a company that’s doing things right,” Sureddin says. “They’re about the environment and they’re about giving back and communities. You want to work for a company like that.”
Takeaways:
- Streamline and centralize processes to get uniform results.
- Employees want more than a paycheck, so consider compensation more broadly.
- Make technological improvements that ultimately add value for end users.
The File
Name: Scott Sureddin
Title: CEO, North America
Company: DHL Supply Chain
Born: San Antonio, Texas
Education: Bachelor’s of Business Administration, Texas Tech University
What was your first job? I worked in warehousing distribution as a case picker. I worked in a warehouse picking cases.
What did you learn from that job? Well, that’s why I’m in this industry today. What I realize is I really enjoyed just the hourly associates and I felt like I did a good job of understanding what the manager wanted and what the hourly associates wanted. So I felt like I had a really good understanding and a passion and empathy for what was trying to get done.
What’s the best business advice you’ve ever received or something that you always are trying to follow? Be good to people.
If you weren’t a CEO, is there a job you would like to try? I think an airline pilot was always something that I thought about back in the day.
Where might someone find you on the weekend? I like to go to the lake. I like lake activities like surfing, wakeboarding, skiing. And I like golf.
