Dive Brief:
- The Home Depot is maintaining its focus on professional contractors and connected in-store and online experiences as it navigates an uncertain economic environment, executives said on a Q3 2024 earnings call Tuesday.
- The home improvement retailer created the pro customer experience manager role, which is dedicated to helping store teams build relationships with the “most important” pro customers, according to Ann-Marie Campbell, senior EVP at Home Depot.
- The company is also expanding the product assortment in supply chain centers located near customers in an effort to improve delivery speeds on a wider array of products, according to President and CEO Ted Decker.
Dive Insight:
Home Depot is catering to its pro customers to drive sales as high interest rates and economic uncertainty weigh on home remodeling projects. The retailer is upgrading in-store and online experiences, particularly in its 17 "pro ecosystem" markets.
“When we think about it across the entire ecosystem, we want to have a great experience outside the store, and we want to have a great experience inside the store,” said Campbell, who is in charge of U.S. stores and operations, The Home Depot Canada, The Home Depot Mexico and outside sales and service.
“So, we have to be working on these initiatives simultaneously,” she said.
Pro sales continued to outpace DIY customer sales during the quarter, according to Billy Bastek, EVP of merchandising. Additionally, contractors who engaged with Home Depot’s dedicated pro ecosystem were the strongest performers among that group.
“We are focused on continuing to improve our interconnected retail experience, whether it is our faster delivery speeds, our more relevant and personalized search results or our enhanced product review summaries powered by AI, all of which are leading to greater purchasing confidence for our customers,” Bastek said during the call.
Pro customer experience managers will play an important role in building great experiences. The role’s responsibilities include ensuring stores have the right items on hand for pro’s needs and the right number of associates at the dedicated pro desk during peak shopping hours, according to Campbell.
Investments in inventory, delivery and supply chain in the 17 pro ecosystem markets have paid off, according to Chip Devine, SVP of outside sales. He singled out investments in the sales team as particularly important.
“We are super pleased with the engagement of our team in-store to drive just a great experience for that in-store pro,” Hector Padilla, EVP of U.S. stores and operations.
