Join us for an insightful journey into the heart of the beauty industry’s retail supply chain. In this episode of Supply Chain Now, sponsored by Microsoft, hosts Scott Luton and Kevin L. Jackson delve into the intricate world of beauty retail with special guest Caroline Troit, Senior Vice President, Salon Centric, for L’Oreal.

Listen in and discover why the retail supply chain is the lifeblood of the beauty industry, powering the seamless delivery of products to millions of independent stylists and salon owners and explore how innovation, sustainability, and the relentless pursuit of efficiency are shaping the future of beauty retail supply chains.

Get ready to uncover the strategies and insights driving retail success in the dynamic world of beauty, in this episode, as we hear directly from a leader at the forefront of the industry, Caroline Troit.

Intro/Outro (00:03):

Welcome to Supply Chain Now, the voice of global supply chain. Supply Chain Now focuses on the best in the business for our worldwide audience, the people, the technologies, the best practices, and today’s critical issues, the challenges and opportunities. Stay tuned to hear from those making global business happen right here on Supply Chain Now.

Scott Luton (00:32):

Hey, hey. Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you may be. Scott Luton and the one and only Kevin L. Jackson with you here on Supply Chain Now. Welcome to today’s show. Kevin, how you doing today?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:42):

I think I’m all right. How’s my face?

Scott Luton (00:45):

You look great, man.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:46):

You got to look good for this type of show.

Scott Luton (00:49):

It’s true, folks, we got a great show. Very interesting show here today. Unique show, I call it as we feature a rock and roll leader from out in industry and we dial it in on the intersection of supply chain, retail, technology, leadership, all in the beauty industry.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (01:04):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (01:04):

So, stay tuned for a very informative, enlightening, and entertaining conversation with a big guest today. Kevin should be a great one, huh?

Kevin L. Jackson (01:11):

Yes, absolutely. You know I’m a little light on the beauty salon but, you know, this is going to get me up to speed.

Scott Luton (01:18):

I’m telling you, it’s an intriguing conversation we’ve got teed up here today. And today’s episode, we should say, is presented in partnership with our friends over at Microsoft who’s doing some pretty cool things in the industry, helping to move us all forward successfully. More on that a bit later. All right. So, Kevin, I’m going to go ahead and introduce our incredible guest here today. You ready?

Kevin L. Jackson (01:38):

Yes, I’m on board.

Scott Luton (01:40):

Well, let’s make it happen. Our guest today is a proven leader with a strong track record of accomplishing big things in the beauty industry. She’s held various leadership roles at L’Oreal where she has successfully managed large scale operations and supply chain functions for multiple divisions and brands.

 

Scott Luton (01:57):

Intro/Outro (00:03):

Welcome to Supply Chain Now, the voice of global supply chain. Supply Chain Now focuses on the best in the business for our worldwide audience, the people, the technologies, the best practices, and today’s critical issues, the challenges and opportunities. Stay tuned to hear from those making global business happen right here on Supply Chain Now.

Scott Luton (00:32):

Hey, hey. Good morning, good afternoon, good evening, wherever you may be. Scott Luton and the one and only Kevin L. Jackson with you here on Supply Chain Now. Welcome to today’s show. Kevin, how you doing today?

Kevin L. Jackson (00:42):

I think I’m all right. How’s my face?

Scott Luton (00:45):

You look great, man.

Kevin L. Jackson (00:46):

You got to look good for this type of show.

Scott Luton (00:49):

It’s true, folks, we got a great show. Very interesting show here today. Unique show, I call it as we feature a rock and roll leader from out in industry and we dial it in on the intersection of supply chain, retail, technology, leadership, all in the beauty industry.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (01:04):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (01:04):

So, stay tuned for a very informative, enlightening, and entertaining conversation with a big guest today. Kevin should be a great one, huh?

Kevin L. Jackson (01:11):

Yes, absolutely. You know I’m a little light on the beauty salon but, you know, this is going to get me up to speed.

Scott Luton (01:18):

I’m telling you, it’s an intriguing conversation we’ve got teed up here today. And today’s episode, we should say, is presented in partnership with our friends over at Microsoft who’s doing some pretty cool things in the industry, helping to move us all forward successfully. More on that a bit later. All right. So, Kevin, I’m going to go ahead and introduce our incredible guest here today. You ready?

Kevin L. Jackson (01:38):

Yes, I’m on board.

Scott Luton (01:40):

Well, let’s make it happen. Our guest today is a proven leader with a strong track record of accomplishing big things in the beauty industry. She’s held various leadership roles at L’Oreal where she has successfully managed large scale operations and supply chain functions for multiple divisions and brands.

 

Scott Luton (01:57):

Our guest has expertise in supply chain management extends well beyond North America as she has held leadership positions in L’Oreal’s London and Paris offices where she successfully tackled a variety initiatives.

 

Scott Luton (02:22):

Get this, Kevin, integrating new brands, increased distribution center capacity and implemented cost saving strategies and a whole lot more. Now, well known for her ability to drive collaboration, upskill teams and lead through challenging times. I can promise you you’re all in for a real treat, learning from our guest here today.

 

Scott Luton (02:42):

Hey, Caroline, how you doing? I’m

Caroline Troit (02:44):

I’m doing great. Thanks for having me today. I’m both excited and honored.

Scott Luton (02:50):

We are — we’re really excited as well. We all really enjoyed the last appearance you had on logistics with purpose. And hey, Kevin, we have got an outstanding conversation here today with Caroline, huh?

Kevin L. Jackson (03:02):

Oh, yes. I’m looking forward to it, actually. This is one of the areas I find myself light in. So, you know, supply chain for salons, I mean, that sounds like it’s really complex, actually.

Scott Luton (03:17):

Oh, we got the right person, Caroline, right? We’re going to get Kevin informed and up to speed on the wonderful world of the beauty industry, especially where supply chain comes into the equation. But before we get there, Caroline and Kevin, I got a little fun warmup question for Caroline here today because we did our homework and we understand that when you’re not moving mountains in global supply chain, you love to run and swim. So, I’m going to ask you, Caroline, what’s been one of the most picturesque places in the world where you’ve been able to take a run or swim a few laps?

Caroline Troit (03:47):

Yes. So, I love Corsica. I don’t know if you guys have been there, but nothing is like Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. And there I can both run and — in beautiful, like, surroundings with the mountain and the sea and the Mediterranean flowers. And then you get super, super hot and then just dive in the sea. There is nothing like that in my life.

Scott Luton (04:15):

Oh, man.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (04:15):

Oh, wow.

Scott Luton (04:17):

Kevin, that’s quite a picture.

Kevin L. Jackson (04:17):

That is really nice.

Scott Luton (04:18):

Yes.

Kevin L. Jackson (04:19):

Yes.

Scott Luton (04:20):

Now, Kevin, have you been to Corsica?

Kevin L. Jackson (04:22):

Actually, I have not been to Corsica. I’ve been to a lot of other islands in the Mediterranean when I was in the Navy. But when I thought about that question, I was thinking about a location that was relatively close to Corsica.

Scott Luton (04:38):

1. Do tell. Do tell.

Kevin L. Jackson (04:42):

So, I mean, as many of you know, I was in the Navy and I was on an aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt. I was a runner in high school and in college, but as you get older, your knees kind of get bad. But I did get an opportunity to run along the coast in Nice, France.

Caroline Troit (04:58):

It’s pretty close. That’s right. On the other side. But you’ve got other side.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (05:04):

And I loved it.

 

Caroline Troit (05:05):

Corsica is still much beautiful than Nice. I just thought.

Scott Luton (05:08):

Really?

 

Kevin L. Jackson (05:09):

Oh, yes. But I really enjoyed it, you know. I didn’t do any swimming, but the run was just beautiful. I did bike. I did do, like, a century while I was there. So, I rode my bike along the French Riviera and it was beautiful.

 

Caroline Troit (05:24):

Nice.

Scott Luton (05:24):

Well, thanks to you both for making me feel so inadequate and not visiting either of those places, but I’ll put it on my list. But Caroline, thank you so much for sharing. Can’t wait to get into our conversation here today. And Kevin, looking forward as always, to your contributions. We got a great show teed up.

 

Scott Luton (05:40):

So, I want to first to get into as we, kind of, level set the conversation here today I want to talk more about L’Oreal, the world’s largest cosmetics company where some 90,000 team members, a.k.a., I think you all refer to them as L’Orealians. Did I say that right, Caroline?

Caroline Troit (05:56):

Yes, we did say that, L’Orealians.

 

Scott Luton (05:57):

Close?

 

Caroline Troit (05:58):

Yes.

Scott Luton (05:58):

I love that.

 

Caroline Troit (05:59):

You got that.

 

Scott Luton (06:00):

So, these 90,000 L’Orealians have been passionately focused on creating beauty for over 110 years now. So, tell us a little bit about the company and then about your role as well, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (06:10):

Yes. So, I have the pleasure of running the supply chain for Salon Centric and I’m going to talk to you mostly about Salon Centric. You know, L’Oreal, you just said it. They’re mostly known for the brands, right? We have 36 brands, number one beauty company in the world. Amazing brands like luxury consumer division. We — you can find us everywhere.

 

Caroline Troit (06:32):

Now, Salon Centric is the only retailer that L’Oreal owns. Salon Centric was actually a retailer that was created by L’Oreal in 2008, and it’s pretty large, right. We have, all in all, 870 stores between our own stores, franchises and subdistributors. So, we retail for hair, professional product mostly and some beauty professional. So, you’ve got to have your license before you can buy from us. So, Kevin and Scott, you got to work on your license. So, you got to be a professional.

 

Caroline Troit (07:09):

And our customer ships very omnichannel, which is of course the new ways of shopping. So, they go online, they go in store, they do a bit of both. And what I find super interesting is that this is a customer that is mostly an independent. This is a passionate tire list mostly that orders our product. There’s been a shift in our used to be bigger salons, but there’s been a shift and it’s more and more independent stylist.

 

Caroline Troit (07:36):

So, they run their own business. They don’t run on a lot of cash. So, we have to have a super excellent supply chain because they’re really relying on us for the service they’re going to do tomorrow from the product that they ordered yesterday.

 

Caroline Troit (07:51):

So, I’m in charge of the supply chain group, that’s like about 600 people. From planning to the customer experience team, that’s how we call them, to the distribution team. And mostly my focus, you know, as it should be is the transformation and how we make our service always better. So, focus on speed, like I just said, we improved our speed and now we can service all our customers, 70%, in less than two days. Very focused on the tech as well.

 

Scott Luton (08:20):

Oh, man.

Kevin L. Jackson (08:20):

Wow. That’s amazing. I don’t have my license, but I have two nieces that do have their license. And the thing I really like about what you just said is the focus on small businesses because these are independent beauticians. They are running their own business and timeliness and receipt of product. And the ability to have a supplier that’s responsive is critical. And I really like the approach that you’re, sort of, highlighting there. Less than two days for any delivery.

Caroline Troit (08:53):

Yes, we think about it — we like to say — or I like to say we’re a bit business pantry, right? They can’t have inventory, so we’re the inventory. They just need it, like, ship, like, instantly, you know, for tomorrow.

Scott Luton (09:05):

So, like, Kevin, I love how Salon Centric as part of L’Oreal group is really powering entrepreneurs globally. I love that you mentioned how you are been focused on transformation. You also referenced how your customer profile has been evolving over the years. And Kevin also picked up on two days, two days, speed, speed and more speed.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (09:24):

Speed, yes.

 

Scott Luton (09:26):

And, you know, taking care of that customer. And when you mentioned omnichannel, to my brain, there’s lots of different definitions for that. But, you know, meeting the customer where they want to interact with the brand and when and how. And it seems like that clearly has been a big important aspect of your transformation there at Salon Centric, Caroline, is that right?

Caroline Troit (09:45):

Yes, that’s very right. And it’s 1.4 million customers. So, it’s a big business, you know, at Salon Centric. And we got to do it right for the 1.4 million customers.

Scott Luton (09:55):

That’s right. Entrepreneurs out there making it happen for their customers. All right. So, let’s talk about the powerful company culture that’s behind what you just described, that incredible mission and the culture that empowers that and allows you to make that happen. So, when it comes to the company culture there at Salon Centric and L’Oreal, what are some of your favorite elements of that?

Caroline Troit (10:16):

1. So, I guess I’ll speak mostly of L’Oreal. I’m what we call a L’Oreal baby. So, I’ve been put four years in L’Oreal as, kind of, a lifetime, right? I mean anecdotally, I actually left the company at some point. I left for two years and then I came back because I missed it. I think it does show the power of that culture.

 

Caroline Troit (10:38):

So, what I like, personally, about the culture in L’Oreal is the passion and the vibe. You know, when I was in this other company, it was great. I had a super experience. It was very lean. Things were efficient. My role was well scoped. But I love in L’Oreal. You know, the passion, the high energy. People have bold dreams, big ideas, while still being very hands-on and practical and knowing their business. We like to say, you need to be a little bit of a poet and a farmer in L’Oreal and it’s very true. Everything you do, you need to be hands-on, hands in the mode, I would say sometimes, but also always, like, innovative and entrepreneur and everybody has that passion and that high energy.

 

Caroline Troit (11:23):

Our mission is to create the beauty that moves the world. That’s how our CEO coined it. And it’s about giving confidence to people, you know, everyone in the world and empowering them to be their best and their authentic staff. And of course that, you know, means that in our company culture, it puts a lot of emphasis on people, on ethics, on the planet, right, because about doing it right in every way, right.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (11:53):

Yes.

 

L’Oreal (11:53):

Yes. And sustainability, of course, for us in operation is very front of mind. We got to reduce the CO2 by 50% by 2030, and most of these goals are with operation team. So, it’s really exciting to see the operation and supply chain team really focused on that mission outside of their supply chain scope.

Scott Luton (12:12):

So, Carolina, just so before I go to Kevin, just so you know after you expounded on what it’s like to be part of the team, I’ve just — I’ve applied for my license at Salon Centric because I want to be part of the beauty that moves the world. Really, that was a beautiful answer to touch on of variety of aspects of what I’ll call supply chain beauty, right? From sustainability to empowering people to be their full authentic selves, as you mentioned. I mean, gosh, Kevin, what stood out to you though?

Kevin L. Jackson (12:39):

You know, the passion really stood out to me. But with respect to culture, it seems to me that the culture within L’Oreal matches the culture of your customers, 1.2 million customers. Because being in beauty, being a beautician, being a hairstylist, any of that has to be a passion, and you have to really want to love to do that. And for such a huge global company, your ability to match the passion of your entrepreneurs that you support, to lift them up, really. That’s really impressive.

Scott Luton (13:20):

Agreed, agreed. Quick follow up to some of what you touched on there, and I love the bold dreams and big ideas. But in a practical, let’s get stuff done type manner. I love how you described that, Caroline. Speaking of bold ideas and bold plans, you’ve got some big targets, ambitious targets when it comes to sustainability, right? Could you share that really quick before we move on?

Caroline Troit (13:39):

Yes. I mean, like I said, we have to reduce our carbon emission by 50% between 2016 and 2050. So, just that in itself is a very big goal. It’s broken down by, like, many, many different KPIs. And I guess, you know, for me in my scope, the two most important one that I’m going to call is reducing the carbon emission in transportation, obviously by 50%. And we do a lot of consolidation and work on our network to be able to achieve that.

 

Caroline Troit (14:11):

And the second one is no waste. You know, like, we have a large catalog, a large, you know, distribution network. We got to be on top of our inventory because we allow no waste. It’s a rule in L’Oreal, we need to reduce the waste.

Kevin L. Jackson (14:25):

Wow.

Scott Luton (14:26):

Kevin, if any — you know, Caroline’s got quite a track record for making things like this happen. So, I can’t wait to check back in a couple years. I bet she’s going to beat that target. We’ll see, I don’t want to sign you up, Caroline, for any too aggressive targets. But Kevin —

 

Caroline Troit (14:38):

No pressure, Scott. No pressure.

Kevin L. Jackson (14:39):

No pressure.

Scott Luton (14:41):

Hey, you’re moving mountains to get that done. And I get that kind of kidding aside, but Kevin talk about passion, passion also for doing the right thing and making some really big, aggressive sustainability gains too, right?

Kevin L. Jackson (14:53):

Yes, and I really want to point out that what Carolina is talking about is very difficult, especially in the retail marketplace because it’s about packaging. And especially in the beauty industry, plastics is a huge part of the packaging and the shipping. And that’s really the only way they’ll be able to lower their carbon footprint is by addressing the packaging and reducing the use of plastics. So, this is a huge challenge, especially in a supply chain world.

Caroline Troit (15:30):

Yes, and one of the key things, you know, that we do is new product introduction because we have always a constant turnover of product. So, we have these processes and, kind of, rules as well that every new product needs to be with a lower, you know, amount of plastic, lower impact on the planet. So, that’s a well-established process now that’s helping us, you know, achieve this roadmap.

Scott Luton (15:56):

I love that, Caroline. You know, baking a more circular type of thinking into product development. That’s a critical part of how we can accomplish these big goals together, really across industry.

 

Scott Luton (16:08):

All right. So, you mentioned earlier, because I want to get to the human factor. Me and Kevin Love talking about the human factors as much as we like talking supply chain and technology. And I know you’re passionate as well, very passionate about the human factor and global supply chain. I think you mentioned about 600 folks make up the supply chain team there at Salon Centric at L’Oreal. So, when it comes to building these high performing teams that you’re so well known for, what are some of your key thoughts? What are some of your proven approaches to building teams that win?

Caroline Troit (16:33):

Yes, I mean, first I would say we manage a lot of people in supply chain, generally speaking, right? And I have a huge appreciation for the leaders around me, the leaders I manage that, you know, often I think they do such a better job than I ever would because it’s not easy to manage a distribution center that has, you know, 400 people. They work on a 9:00 to 5:00 shift. And you got to keep them always happy and, you know, engaged. So, you know, I give a lot of kudos to the supply chain leader from being such fantastic and showing true leadership, really.

 

Caroline Troit (17:09):

You know, I tell you a story that really got me into a L’Oreal and into supply chain is when I joined the company, the head of the plant where I was, brought me and, like, did a full tour of me and, you know, he really showed so much care and love to me not knowing me. You know, he treating me, like, really, like, his daughter. He was really, like, an example for me and how, you know, I think about the human factor in everything I do at the end of the day, it’s about treating the people like they were family, you know.

Scott Luton (17:39):

I love that.

Caroline Troit (17:39):

You know, high performing team, for me, it’s two simple things that I think about. And everybody’s got their own. But for me, I think a high performing team is a high level of transparency and directness and they can challenge each other and they have no secret, you know, at least that’s what I’ve seen when I’ve, you know, been even part of a high performing team. I think that’s super important, and, you know, one thing I always keep in mind.

 

Caroline Troit (18:05):

And the second one is, you know, having high standard. And, you know, at the end of the day it’s how we all achieve things that we never thought we could and being proud of it, right? So, it’s also about this, elevated standards within the team. And, you know, again, being able to challenge ourself first starting with us. You know, being very accountable and then as a whole team.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (18:28):

Wow.

Scott Luton (18:28):

So, Kevin, I loved all of those main points. And I’ll go to the first one as Caroline was talking about, the colleague that kind of took her in and gave her a tour, and really focused on treating folks like team members like family, right? Family first. Family first. That transparency and that directness that she mentioned is so powerful, especially in teams that need to move fast and be right often. And then of course, not watering down standards, right, that’s one of the final things she mentioned. That’s really important when it comes to building high performing teams, as well as leading and managing high performing teams. But your thoughts there, Kevin?

Kevin L. Jackson (19:03):

Well, you know, a high-performance team, they care about each other. What sort of stood out for me is when Caroline said she got the tour of the plant and she felt like she was the gentleman’s daughter, right? It was real care came out. And this was a very initial meeting. And it just seems, to me, that this is a huge family of almost 2 million people around the world that really care about each other and lift each other up and really support the dreams and aspirations of small businesses everywhere.

Scott Luton (19:38):

Well said, Kevin. As you’re sharing that, Caroline, it made me think of authenticity comes to mind.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (19:44):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (19:44):

Right? And keeping it real with the team. That goes back to how one of you all’s missions there is powering your customer’s authentic selves. So, there’s a very common theme here, which I love. Your final thoughts, Caroline. I’m going to switch over to a couple topics in global supply chain management that Kevin and I get all that right when it comes to your team building approach.

Caroline Troit (20:02):

Yes. No, totally. You know, one more thing that actually really matters to me, and it’s in the spirit of caring, is making sure everybody can set their own boundaries, right? We work so hard and we are so passionate in L’Oreal, it’s intense job as well. It’s something I learned, you know, through my life and career is I got to set good boundaries because otherwise I could be working day and night on my team too. So, that’s something I really encourage them to do. For me, I swim every morning. For somebody else, might be something else. But it’s really important, like, you know, you got to set yourself some clear boundaries and be happy. Whatever you do, right, be happy in life, be happy in work. And to do that, you’ve got to, you know, make sure you have that time for yourself.

Scott Luton (20:46):

Well said. And, you know, your boundaries may be different than your colleagues’ boundaries, which may be different than, you know, other team members’ boundaries. And I love how, you know, you swim in the mornings. That’s one of your boundaries, right? Your team knows it. And I think setting these personal boundaries are so important to working successfully on great teams these days.

 

Scott Luton (21:03):

All right. Kevin and Caroline, I can’t wait to get into these global supply chain management topics. And we’re going to start with something we talk about all the time. But in the invisibility, you know that I would argue is quickly, very quickly becoming table stakes, it seems. But as we’ve talked about, I don’t know, 3,000 times we’ve got to have the solutions that visibility brings to the equation. Caroline, your thoughts there?

Caroline Troit (21:26):

Yes. So, that’s a topic I’m really excited to talk to you about. So, for me, you know, I’ve worked in L’Oreal in many different jobs. And now in this role in Salon Centric, what I found so powerful is I get to see the end to end, right? I get to be connected directly with our customers and get all these insights and then carry them on to manufacturing. A lot of our products are manufactured in our own plant, and that’s, like, so powerful.

 

Caroline Troit (21:53):

And we use a tool that’s called NPS. I mean, I’m sure other companies use that net promoter score, and that every day I get the rating, the comments from the purchase, and the supply chain services that our customer got. And that, to me, was a game changer in how, you know, we manage our supply chain.

 

Caroline Troit (22:14):

And I used to be called, like, the queen of KPIs, right. We love KPIs. It’s excited, aren’t we. We have hundreds of KPI and I think I — sometimes we get it a bit too complicated. I certainly did. And this was a game changer because I actually think, you know, the only KPI that’s really relevant is this NPS. Just focus on the customer and all the priorities can be derived from that, right, because we can do so many things.

 

Caroline Troit (22:40):

But the name of the game is being able to be focused on a few important things that will make a difference. And this NPS comments and results really give it to me like traits, you know. So, we’ve made that, like, really a tool and cascaded down to all the teams.

 

Caroline Troit (22:55):

So, now the operatives on the floor in the distribution center, they can see, you know, what the customers say about the packing. You know, they get those comments, oh, my parcel was so well packed. Bravo. And the opposite, you know, when something goes wrong, they get to see precisely and it’s connected, like, directly to the order so we can really narrow it. So, they can see, oh, that was wrong. OK. And they take it very personally, you know. I think it’s also great to engage the people. So, talk about visibility. I think that’s a great way to do it.

Scott Luton (23:25):

I love it —

Kevin L. Jackson (23:26):

All hail. All hail the queen of KPIs.

Scott Luton (23:29):

Kevin, you beat me to it. You beat me to it. I was going to say, I think I was an ABBA tune, the queen of KPIs. I think ABBA’s saying about that.

 

Scott Luton (23:38):

But, you know, Kevin, kidding aside, I love Caroline’s sense of humor.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (23:43):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (23:43):

I mean passion, business, we’re going to get results. We’re going to build a great team. We’re going to have each other’s back and treat people like family. But it all comes with a nice sense of humor. Caroline’s the type of person that I’d love to work for, but Kevin, what you hear there when it comes to visibility and her passion there?

Caroline Troit (23:57):

Careful what you wish for, yes.

Scott Luton (24:02):

Good point. Good point, clearly.

Kevin L. Jackson (24:03):

Good point, yes. What I’m sort of hearing as a focus on that last mile, logistics must be very complex because you’re delivering to entrepreneurs. They aren’t, you know, in a — maybe some of them are in big stores, but many of them in small shops, many of them are maybe working from home or they work at their client’s home. So, that last mile of delivery and logistics, I mean in order to keep your net promoter score high, you really have to focus on the little details. So I applaud you.

Scott Luton (24:40):

No doubt. Of course, that goes back to the complexity behind making these big sustainability gains, right —

 

Kevin L. Jackson (24:45):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (24:45):

— by a mile, I’ll tell you what. All right. And the NPS, folks out there maybe listening or watching us, net promoter score, Google it. If it’s new to you, that’s OK. We’re all new to things, but it can really have a powerful impact on your team, whether it’s a big one or a small one.

Kevin L. Jackson (24:58):

Oh yes. One thing I’d like to add too is a shout out on data. This is a data-driven operations in the supply chain and the queen of KPIs understand the importance of data. Not only that, she knows how to leverage that data to make sure that her customers are satisfied.

Scott Luton (25:20):

That’s right. All right. That title’s going to be the gift that keeps on giving, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (25:24):

That was a known title. My point was not — I got one KPI and its NPS. No more queen of KPI.

Scott Luton (25:32):

Instead of, like —

 

Caroline Troit (25:33):

Hundreds of KPIs.

 

Scott Luton (25:34):

— billboards and billboards of KPIs —

 

Caroline Troit (25:36):

Exactly.

 

Scott Luton (25:36):

— focusing in on —

 

Caroline Troit (25:37):

Exactly.

 

Scott Luton (25:38):

Yes, well said.

Kevin L. Jackson (25:39):

The one important one —

Caroline Troit (25:41):

So, queen of KPIs.

Scott Luton (25:43):

Well, let’s do this. Let’s all — I want to talk about silo busting. You know, what’s old is new again. Global business deal still has a ton of silo busting to do. Your thoughts on the importance of breaking down organizational and functional silos and how to do it, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (25:59):

Yes, yes. And, you know, being in a big company, it’s hard, you know. And it’s something that, sort of, keeps me awake at night, right? In a company of 90,000 people, there’s no way you can be connected with everybody. So, you know, there’s always going to be some type of silo.

 

Caroline Troit (26:16):

Now, what I think what L’Oreal does successfully is that they empower the business units to have enough autonomy and enough innovation capabilities, the entrepreneur. And that forces us as operation because we structured very much in that way to remain very customer centric and business centric. And I think that’s really important and that’s how we go about, you know, competing, you know business in an environment that is incredibly volatile.

 

Caroline Troit (26:45):

Now, of course the balance is still, supply chain is technical, right? So, we can’t be operating in that silo and not know what everyone else is doing. So, it’s also about leveraging the — what we call our network of expertise and pulling, you know, the experts from all around the world so we don’t reinvent the wheel.

Scott Luton (27:04):

One of the biggest challenges we have timelessly on one hand, but on the other hand, in this rapidly changing environment where we have all this data being able to empower, as you said, Caroline, the business units by extension. The team members, right, to make decisions confidently and quickly and accurately and successfully. And we’re going to fail sometimes, right. But I think in an inseparable part, Kevin, of really breaking down silos as best we can, even with, you know, small businesses or really big companies like Salon Centric at L’Oreal, empowering employees at such a critical part of that. Kevin, your thoughts.

Kevin L. Jackson (27:41):

You know, that empowerment requires communications, and that’s really the only way you can have all the different organizations within this large company to be both successful, independent, and in concert with the other, you know, 90,000 people that are trying to fulfill their own aspirations.

 

Scott Luton (28:04):

Yes.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (28:04):

So, communication is critical. You know, you’ve talked a bit about the technology you’ve used, but you’ve also talked about how you care about the people and both of them. Both of them are critical.

Scott Luton (28:15):

Yes. Hey, Carolina, we’re going to — we’re going to talk about technology and the ongoing revolution here in just a second. Picking up on what Kevin was talking about, communication. I would argue as well and get your take if you’d agree. We often hear about these islands of excellence, right? These islands of excellence where certain units are so well, but they keep it in their silo or on their island.

 

Scott Luton (28:34):

And I think part of the critical communication that Kevin was talking about that made me think, hey, when one unit does really, really well, let’s share that and cascade it across the organization so we can all win. Is that pretty critical from where you sit?

Caroline Troit (28:46):

Yes, for sure. For sure. I mean, yes. I guess in L’Oreal we’re pretty connected. We have, like, metrics organization, obviously. So, you know, I’m very connected with, like, the head of the global supply chain professional division in France, and then connected with the function head. And then that forces us to communicate, right?

 

Scott Luton (29:09):

Yes.

 

Caroline Troit (29:09):

So, everyone does, you know, the offsite or the town hall and that keep the communication flowing. But you’re right, you know, that’s kind of the only way to inspire ourself and not reinvent the way we live on an island for sure.

Scott Luton (29:22):

Right. And that keeps those bold dreams and big ideas, keeps them in motion, right, across the organization.

Caroline Troit (29:27):

Yes. And you know, and we still believe in the in-person. I’m just going to say that, too. We work remotely as well in L’Oreal, obviously, but we believe in in-person, you know, meetings, and we do a lot of that. And that helps the communication. We meet people that otherwise, you know, you would not necessarily connect with because you don’t have, like, an operation reason to be.

 

Caroline Troit (29:47):

But in the corridor, the coffee machine, so many good conversations, you know, happen that feeds — no, it’s true. And then we do travel still a little bit too. So, we see what’s happening on the other end of the world. For me, traveling to, you know, my vendors, my distribution centers, the plants. It’s critical. I get so much out of it every time I do it. I’m very excited. I’m going to visit finally a UPS sorting center on Monday. I’m excited for this.

 

Scott Luton (30:14):

All right.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:15):

Oh, it’s that relationship. Building that relationship, but not only internal to L’Oreal, but to your partners in business.

Scott Luton (30:23):

Yes, well said. Now, are you able to communicate a little bit as you’re swimming those laps and get a couple of conversations in there? I don’t know.

Caroline Troit (30:30):

That’s a challenge. We need to invent some technology here. Kevin, I need your help. I would love to do that.

Scott Luton (30:36):

Yes, Kevin.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:36):

I’m there. I’m there.

 

Scott Luton (30:37):

Help us out.

Caroline Troit (30:39):

The pool is where I get my best ideas too.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:41):

Oh, OK.

Caroline Troit (30:42):

As an introvert, you know, everybody’s different. But I’m introvert, so that time for myself is where I get the best idea and make the best plan also.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:51):

All the inspiration.

Scott Luton (30:54):

Yes. For me, it’s in the shower, kind of, similarly —

Kevin L. Jackson (30:57):

While you’re singing ABBA, is that what it is?

Scott Luton (30:58):

Yes, that’s right. Yes. How’d you know, Kevin? I need to follow Caroline’s lead though and get into the pool and get some healthy exercise. We’ll see if we can put that in action.

Scott Luton (31:07):

All right. So, Caroline, we’re talking — you just challenged Kevin to help us out and develop some new technology. That’s where I want to go next, right? Because it’s, really, this is such a remarkable time. You know, I believe it’s always a remarkable time in the world of supply chain. But goodness gracious, this ongoing supply chain technology truly revolution that’s been taking place for a while now. What breakthroughs in this regard have really caught your attention, Caroline?

Caroline Troit (31:30):

I just think this is a unique moment for supply chain. Where the A.I., particularly, is really going to game change and revolutionize what we do in a very good and positive way. I’m super excited about it, you know. For so many years I had all supply chain is the role of the future. And I don’t know if I truly believed it myself. Now I believe it. I believe it. Yes, because —

 

Scott Luton (31:56):

Love that.

 

Caroline Troit (31:57):

— I mean, there was a time where we were looking for data, right. We wanted to have the sellout so we can do a better forecasting. Now, we have so much data. Me at Salon Centric, I have so much incredible, rich customer data and really impressive.

 

Caroline Troit (32:14):

Now, you know what A.I. is enabling us to do is to really get from the data so many good insights to respond, to make the best, to reduce the low value added work. There’s so much potential. Think about — you know, one of our biggest challenge, obviously, is assortment. And assortment is critical to optimize inventory, reduce the waste, optimize the business, get more sales. But assortment with the gazillions of SKUs that we have and the deep distribution, it cannot be done without the technology.

 

Caroline Troit (32:48):

But now with the technology, it’s something we could, you know, adjust day in, day out. Same for managing our distribution center with visual and A.I., you know, using the videos, there’s so much we can do. Digital twins to improve our productivity, to improve quality. I dream — I don’t have that, but I dream about having pictures of each parcel before they go out so I can screen —

 

Kevin L. Jackson (33:11):

1. Yes.

 

Caroline Troit (33:11):

— if they have damages and if they have no shortage. And then customer experience. So, our customer experience team is where we expect to have the biggest transformation. And really, you know, change them from being in charge of transactional work and transactional communication to the customers, to being business drivers, you know, as we like to call it.

 

Caroline Troit (33:33):

It can meet the moment that matters with the customer. So, take these every few minutes that they’re going to talk to the customer with the help of technology. They can really have the right conversation instead of just solving a very transactional problem. So, so much potential and the potential of also reducing so much low value added work that we still have. You know, we love excel spreadsheets in supply chain, but many people do, but not everybody does. And, you know, that’s going to be something that’s really going to help us too. So, super excited about this moment.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (34:05):

Wow.

Scott Luton (34:05):

Yes, I can tell, and I am too. Kevin, what was your favorite part of Caroline’s response when it comes to the supply chain technology revolution?

Kevin L. Jackson (34:13):

You know, I really wanted to jump on all of that, right? So, what did I hear? I heard sensors at endpoint that could collect information and data. I heard computer vision so that you can inspect these packages to make sure that they’re going out as they should. I heard blockchain or digital ledger technology to make sure you understand the pedigree of the data. And I heard using data to create actionable insights, leveraging artificial intelligence so that you wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the data. That you could focus on the most important aspects of the data and implement actions and take actions that would address maybe issues or problems.

 

Scott Luton (35:06):

Yes.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (35:06):

And I also heard that don’t be afraid of the technology. So many people are afraid of things like artificial intelligence. They think they’re coming to take my job. But what I heard from Caroline is embracing technology to make your work better, to be able to be more efficient in what you do so that you could set those boundaries and build those relationships within company and with your ecosystem partners. So, I don’t know if you said any of that, but that’s what I heard.

Scott Luton (35:45):

I think — well said, Kevin, is what I think. You know, two things stuck out to me. And, again, I see a lot of common themes throughout this conversation we’re having. Going back to focus, right? Caroline talked about the power of focus and the power of — instead of looking at 3,000 metrics, let’s look at one. How about that?

 

Scott Luton (36:02):

And, you know, using technology in an organization like Salon Centric and the L’Oreal group, the greater global organization. You’ve got tidal waves of data and leaning on innovative technology to really find those signals that you got to be looking for so you can make better decisions rather than try to go through the whole sandbox of information.

 

Scott Luton (36:22):

The other thing I heard that I really liked, she talked about how they’re leveraging technology to shape and make conversations a lot more effective rather than just transactional. You know, business has to be done. So, transactions are important. Sometimes those conversations have to be had, but bring more value to the table and to really take customer experience to the next level, leveraging technology there to change the conversations we’re having. Caroline, I think that’s brilliant.

Caroline Troit (36:45):

And we shouldn’t be scared. I mean, this is going to be making everyone’s job so much more interesting. Think about those customer service representatives that are, you know, solving issues. Instead of that, they can, like, drive business and create value to their customer. Isn’t that more interesting? Yes.

Scott Luton (37:05):

Yes, yes, yes.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (37:06):

Absolutely.

 

Scott Luton (37:07):

And to our listeners and viewers out there, hey, I’m going to pick up on this, don’t be scared, don’t fear, because that’s a really important quality. If you’re any conscious about all these changes taking place in technology and what’s going to be replaced, hey, if you lean into change and embrace it and volunteer and learn new things, there’s no better insurance policy for your career. And by the way, you get to learn new cool things every day, you know. Write your own ticket.

Caroline Troit (37:31):

Yes, that’s one thing I heard that also caught my attention. You want to be the best learner those days. You just want to be the best learner. So, as things change, you know, it’s OK. We don’t know everything. I mean, I — program A.I., I feel very bad about it. I mean — but I do want to try. But, you know, like if we can at least try to learn that’s what’s happens, I think.

Scott Luton (37:53):

Excellent point to, kind of, wrap here today, Caroline. I love that. So many cool things you are doing. Impactful, changing the business, right? Taking care of customers. And as that continues to evolve, taking care of team members while you take care of business and you build new dreams and bring them to fruition. It’s such a great story here today, Caroline.

 

Scott Luton Scott Luton

1. How can folks — Kevin, I’m going to get your patent, the key takeaway here in just a moment. But I want to make sure folks can connect with Caroline Troit, senior vice president, Salon Centric Integrated Supply Chain with L’Oreal Group. Caroline, how can folks connect with you?

Caroline Troit (38:26):

Well, I’m in the obvious LinkedIn team. I’m there like everybody else. And yes, let’s stay connected. Thank you to you for animating our group of supply chain passionate people. I love what you guys are doing. And thank you for doing it and bringing us all together.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (38:43):

Thank you.

Scott Luton (38:43):

Caroline, hey, we’re working on our licenses, too. So, we’ll see you again really soon. But — Caroline Troit, again, senior Vice President, Salon Centric Integrated Supply Chain with L’Oreal. Thanks so much for being here, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (38:56):

All right. Thanks to you both. Much appreciated.

Kevin L. Jackson (38:59):

Thank you.

Scott Luton (39:00):

All right. Kevin, that was quite a conversation, just like we promised folks. So, before we get into a couple final questions I’ve got for you, what is your key takeaway from today’s discussion?

Kevin L. Jackson (39:10):

Well, I really love the way they had a focus on a small business. It’s family to them, but they’re leveraging technology to really, you know, take stock of that last mile of the supply chain, that delivery so that they can make their customers, these entrepreneurs look good.

Scott Luton (39:32):

Yes, I love that. They’re empowering those bold dreams and big ideas for all of their entrepreneurial customers out there. So — all right. before we go, Kevin, we just got to talk about some of the really cool things that Microsoft is doing out there in the exciting world of retail. What you got?

Kevin L. Jackson (39:48):

Yes, absolutely. You know, the Microsoft Cloud is really focused on elevating the shopping experience. They want to transform it through data analytics and store technology to strengthen those customer relationships. You know how Caroline was really focused on relationships.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (40:07):

So, they’re building a real time supply chain to create resilient and sustainable supply chain by connecting data access across your entire ecosystem. And she’s going to be mad at me, but no, Caroline, she was talking a lot about how data supported her decisions. I really liked that. And Microsoft understands the importance of empowering the store associate to equip the workforce with retail solutions that improve productivity, collaboration, and customer satisfaction. Caroline was focused on that product score, right, to make sure that all her customers were satisfied.

Scott Luton (40:56):

Yes, well said. Using technology to empower the queen and the rest of the royal family of KPIs that make things happen. I love that, Kevin.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (41:04):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (41:05):

All right. What a great conversation here today. Let’s make sure folks can connect with you and find Digital Transformers out there. It’s a real popular series, Kevin.

Kevin L. Jackson (41:12):

Oh, yes. Absolutely. I mean, we’re exploding. And on our next version of Digital Transformers, we’re going to be highlighting the importance of artificial intelligence. Well, we look at that all the time because it’s really driving digital transformation across every industry. So, don’t miss it.

Scott Luton (41:31):

Don’t miss it at all. I hope to sit down and interview your digital twin out there doing big things in the A.I. space soon. But I — kidding aside, Kevin, always a pleasure. And folks, find Digital Transformers wherever you get your podcasts from.

 

Scott Luton (41:43):

Folks, big thanks to all of our listeners and viewers across the globe. What a great conversation here today. Big thanks to Caroline Troit with Salon Centric and L’Oreal. Big thanks to our collaborative partners, as we’ve mentioned over at Microsoft, helping us to bring these wonderful, inspirational stories and leaders like this one to our global audience.

 

Scott Luton (42:01):

Kevin, always a pleasure to knock out these conversations with you.

Kevin L. Jackson (42:03):

No, thank you very much. I really enjoyed. This really hit the mark.

Scott Luton (42:07):

Oh, it sure did. But listeners, folks, you aren’t off the hook. All right. The challenge now falls to you. You got to take something from this conversation, at least just one thing, and put it into action. Your team’s ready to do business different and be more successful. Empower them, change the business, transform the business, and we’ll all be better off.

 

Scott Luton (42:25):

So, with all of that said, on behalf of our entire team here at Supply Chain now, Scott Luton challenging you and all of our listeners to do good, to give forward and to be the change that’s needed. And we’ll see you next time right back here at Supply Chain Now. Thanks everybody.

Intro/Outro (42:39):

Thanks for being a part of our Supply Chain Now community. Check out all of our programming at supplychainnow.com and make sure you subscribe to Supply Chain Now anywhere you listen to podcasts. And follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. See you next time on Supply Chain Now.

guest expertise in supply chain management extends well beyond North America as she has held leadership positions in L’Oreal’s London and Paris offices where she successfully tackled a variety initiatives.

 

Scott Luton (02:22):

Get this, Kevin, integrating new brands, increased distribution center capacity and implemented cost saving strategies and a whole lot more. Now, well known for her ability to drive collaboration, upskill teams and lead through challenging times. I can promise you you’re all in for a real treat, learning from our guest here today.

 

Scott Luton (02:42):

Hey, Caroline, how you doing? I’m

Caroline Troit (02:44):

I’m doing great. Thanks for having me today. I’m both excited and honored.

Scott Luton (02:50):

We are — we’re really excited as well. We all really enjoyed the last appearance you had on logistics with purpose. And hey, Kevin, we have got an outstanding conversation here today with Caroline, huh?

Kevin L. Jackson (03:02):

Oh, yes. I’m looking forward to it, actually. This is one of the areas I find myself light in. So, you know, supply chain for salons, I mean, that sounds like it’s really complex, actually.

Scott Luton (03:17):

Oh, we got the right person, Caroline, right? We’re going to get Kevin informed and up to speed on the wonderful world of the beauty industry, especially where supply chain comes into the equation. But before we get there, Caroline and Kevin, I got a little fun warmup question for Caroline here today because we did our homework and we understand that when you’re not moving mountains in global supply chain, you love to run and swim. So, I’m going to ask you, Caroline, what’s been one of the most picturesque places in the world where you’ve been able to take a run or swim a few laps?

Caroline Troit (03:47):

Yes. So, I love Corsica. I don’t know if you guys have been there, but nothing is like Corsica in the Mediterranean Sea. And there I can both run and — in beautiful, like, surroundings with the mountain and the sea and the Mediterranean flowers. And then you get super, super hot and then just dive in the sea. There is nothing like that in my life.

Scott Luton (04:15):

Oh, man.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (04:15):

Oh, wow.

Scott Luton (04:17):

Kevin, that’s quite a picture.

Kevin L. Jackson (04:17):

That is really nice.

Scott Luton (04:18):

Yes.

Kevin L. Jackson (04:19):

Yes.

Scott Luton (04:20):

Now, Kevin, have you been to Corsica?

Kevin L. Jackson (04:22):

Actually, I have not been to Corsica. I’ve been to a lot of other islands in the Mediterranean when I was in the Navy. But when I thought about that question, I was thinking about a location that was relatively close to Corsica.

Scott Luton (04:38):

1. Do tell. Do tell.

Kevin L. Jackson (04:42):

So, I mean, as many of you know, I was in the Navy and I was on an aircraft carrier, USS Theodore Roosevelt. I was a runner in high school and in college, but as you get older, your knees kind of get bad. But I did get an opportunity to run along the coast in Nice, France.

Caroline Troit (04:58):

It’s pretty close. That’s right. On the other side. But you’ve got other side.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (05:04):

And I loved it.

 

Caroline Troit (05:05):

Corsica is still much beautiful than Nice. I just thought.

Scott Luton (05:08):

Really?

 

Kevin L. Jackson (05:09):

Oh, yes. But I really enjoyed it, you know. I didn’t do any swimming, but the run was just beautiful. I did bike. I did do, like, a century while I was there. So, I rode my bike along the French Riviera and it was beautiful.

 

Caroline Troit (05:24):

Nice.

Scott Luton (05:24):

Well, thanks to you both for making me feel so inadequate and not visiting either of those places, but I’ll put it on my list. But Caroline, thank you so much for sharing. Can’t wait to get into our conversation here today. And Kevin, looking forward as always, to your contributions. We got a great show teed up.

 

Scott Luton (05:40):

So, I want to first to get into as we, kind of, level set the conversation here today I want to talk more about L’Oreal, the world’s largest cosmetics company where some 90,000 team members, a.k.a., I think you all refer to them as L’Orealians. Did I say that right, Caroline?

Caroline Troit (05:56):

Yes, we did say that, L’Orealians.

 

Scott Luton (05:57):

Close?

 

Caroline Troit (05:58):

Yes.

Scott Luton (05:58):

I love that.

 

Caroline Troit (05:59):

You got that.

 

Scott Luton (06:00):

So, these 90,000 L’Orealians have been passionately focused on creating beauty for over 110 years now. So, tell us a little bit about the company and then about your role as well, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (06:10):

Yes. So, I have the pleasure of running the supply chain for Salon Centric and I’m going to talk to you mostly about Salon Centric. You know, L’Oreal, you just said it. They’re mostly known for the brands, right? We have 36 brands, number one beauty company in the world. Amazing brands like luxury consumer division. We — you can find us everywhere.

 

Caroline Troit (06:32):

Now, Salon Centric is the only retailer that L’Oreal owns. Salon Centric was actually a retailer that was created by L’Oreal in 2008, and it’s pretty large, right. We have, all in all, 870 stores between our own stores, franchises and subdistributors. So, we retail for hair, professional product mostly and some beauty professional. So, you’ve got to have your license before you can buy from us. So, Kevin and Scott, you got to work on your license. So, you got to be a professional.

 

Caroline Troit (07:09):

And our customer ships very omnichannel, which is of course the new ways of shopping. So, they go online, they go in store, they do a bit of both. And what I find super interesting is that this is a customer that is mostly an independent. This is a passionate tire list mostly that orders our product. There’s been a shift in our used to be bigger salons, but there’s been a shift and it’s more and more independent stylist.

 

Caroline Troit (07:36):

So, they run their own business. They don’t run on a lot of cash. So, we have to have a super excellent supply chain because they’re really relying on us for the service they’re going to do tomorrow from the product that they ordered yesterday.

 

Caroline Troit (07:51):

So, I’m in charge of the supply chain group, that’s like about 600 people. From planning to the customer experience team, that’s how we call them, to the distribution team. And mostly my focus, you know, as it should be is the transformation and how we make our service always better. So, focus on speed, like I just said, we improved our speed and now we can service all our customers, 70%, in less than two days. Very focused on the tech as well.

 

Scott Luton (08:20):

Oh, man.

Kevin L. Jackson (08:20):

Wow. That’s amazing. I don’t have my license, but I have two nieces that do have their license. And the thing I really like about what you just said is the focus on small businesses because these are independent beauticians. They are running their own business and timeliness and receipt of product. And the ability to have a supplier that’s responsive is critical. And I really like the approach that you’re, sort of, highlighting there. Less than two days for any delivery.

Caroline Troit (08:53):

Yes, we think about it — we like to say — or I like to say we’re a bit business pantry, right? They can’t have inventory, so we’re the inventory. They just need it, like, ship, like, instantly, you know, for tomorrow.

Scott Luton (09:05):

So, like, Kevin, I love how Salon Centric as part of L’Oreal group is really powering entrepreneurs globally. I love that you mentioned how you are been focused on transformation. You also referenced how your customer profile has been evolving over the years. And Kevin also picked up on two days, two days, speed, speed and more speed.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (09:24):

Speed, yes.

 

Scott Luton (09:26):

And, you know, taking care of that customer. And when you mentioned omnichannel, to my brain, there’s lots of different definitions for that. But, you know, meeting the customer where they want to interact with the brand and when and how. And it seems like that clearly has been a big important aspect of your transformation there at Salon Centric, Caroline, is that right?

Caroline Troit (09:45):

Yes, that’s very right. And it’s 1.4 million customers. So, it’s a big business, you know, at Salon Centric. And we got to do it right for the 1.4 million customers.

Scott Luton (09:55):

That’s right. Entrepreneurs out there making it happen for their customers. All right. So, let’s talk about the powerful company culture that’s behind what you just described, that incredible mission and the culture that empowers that and allows you to make that happen. So, when it comes to the company culture there at Salon Centric and L’Oreal, what are some of your favorite elements of that?

Caroline Troit (10:16):

1. So, I guess I’ll speak mostly of L’Oreal. I’m what we call a L’Oreal baby. So, I’ve been put four years in L’Oreal as, kind of, a lifetime, right? I mean anecdotally, I actually left the company at some point. I left for two years and then I came back because I missed it. I think it does show the power of that culture.

 

Caroline Troit (10:38):

So, what I like, personally, about the culture in L’Oreal is the passion and the vibe. You know, when I was in this other company, it was great. I had a super experience. It was very lean. Things were efficient. My role was well scoped. But I love in L’Oreal. You know, the passion, the high energy. People have bold dreams, big ideas, while still being very hands-on and practical and knowing their business. We like to say, you need to be a little bit of a poet and a farmer in L’Oreal and it’s very true. Everything you do, you need to be hands-on, hands in the mode, I would say sometimes, but also always, like, innovative and entrepreneur and everybody has that passion and that high energy.

 

Caroline Troit (11:23):

Our mission is to create the beauty that moves the world. That’s how our CEO coined it. And it’s about giving confidence to people, you know, everyone in the world and empowering them to be their best and their authentic staff. And of course that, you know, means that in our company culture, it puts a lot of emphasis on people, on ethics, on the planet, right, because about doing it right in every way, right.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (11:53):

Yes.

 

L’Oreal (11:53):

Yes. And sustainability, of course, for us in operation is very front of mind. We got to reduce the CO2 by 50% by 2030, and most of these goals are with operation team. So, it’s really exciting to see the operation and supply chain team really focused on that mission outside of their supply chain scope.

Scott Luton (12:12):

So, Carolina, just so before I go to Kevin, just so you know after you expounded on what it’s like to be part of the team, I’ve just — I’ve applied for my license at Salon Centric because I want to be part of the beauty that moves the world. Really, that was a beautiful answer to touch on of variety of aspects of what I’ll call supply chain beauty, right? From sustainability to empowering people to be their full authentic selves, as you mentioned. I mean, gosh, Kevin, what stood out to you though?

Kevin L. Jackson (12:39):

You know, the passion really stood out to me. But with respect to culture, it seems to me that the culture within L’Oreal matches the culture of your customers, 1.2 million customers. Because being in beauty, being a beautician, being a hairstylist, any of that has to be a passion, and you have to really want to love to do that. And for such a huge global company, your ability to match the passion of your entrepreneurs that you support, to lift them up, really. That’s really impressive.

Scott Luton (13:20):

Agreed, agreed. Quick follow up to some of what you touched on there, and I love the bold dreams and big ideas. But in a practical, let’s get stuff done type manner. I love how you described that, Caroline. Speaking of bold ideas and bold plans, you’ve got some big targets, ambitious targets when it comes to sustainability, right? Could you share that really quick before we move on?

Caroline Troit (13:39):

Yes. I mean, like I said, we have to reduce our carbon emission by 50% between 2016 and 2050. So, just that in itself is a very big goal. It’s broken down by, like, many, many different KPIs. And I guess, you know, for me in my scope, the two most important one that I’m going to call is reducing the carbon emission in transportation, obviously by 50%. And we do a lot of consolidation and work on our network to be able to achieve that.

 

Caroline Troit (14:11):

And the second one is no waste. You know, like, we have a large catalog, a large, you know, distribution network. We got to be on top of our inventory because we allow no waste. It’s a rule in L’Oreal, we need to reduce the waste.

Kevin L. Jackson (14:25):

Wow.

Scott Luton (14:26):

Kevin, if any — you know, Caroline’s got quite a track record for making things like this happen. So, I can’t wait to check back in a couple years. I bet she’s going to beat that target. We’ll see, I don’t want to sign you up, Caroline, for any too aggressive targets. But Kevin —

 

Caroline Troit (14:38):

No pressure, Scott. No pressure.

Kevin L. Jackson (14:39):

No pressure.

Scott Luton (14:41):

Hey, you’re moving mountains to get that done. And I get that kind of kidding aside, but Kevin talk about passion, passion also for doing the right thing and making some really big, aggressive sustainability gains too, right?

Kevin L. Jackson (14:53):

Yes, and I really want to point out that what Carolina is talking about is very difficult, especially in the retail marketplace because it’s about packaging. And especially in the beauty industry, plastics is a huge part of the packaging and the shipping. And that’s really the only way they’ll be able to lower their carbon footprint is by addressing the packaging and reducing the use of plastics. So, this is a huge challenge, especially in a supply chain world.

Caroline Troit (15:30):

Yes, and one of the key things, you know, that we do is new product introduction because we have always a constant turnover of product. So, we have these processes and, kind of, rules as well that every new product needs to be with a lower, you know, amount of plastic, lower impact on the planet. So, that’s a well-established process now that’s helping us, you know, achieve this roadmap.

Scott Luton (15:56):

I love that, Caroline. You know, baking a more circular type of thinking into product development. That’s a critical part of how we can accomplish these big goals together, really across industry.

 

Scott Luton (16:08):

All right. So, you mentioned earlier, because I want to get to the human factor. Me and Kevin Love talking about the human factors as much as we like talking supply chain and technology. And I know you’re passionate as well, very passionate about the human factor and global supply chain. I think you mentioned about 600 folks make up the supply chain team there at Salon Centric at L’Oreal. So, when it comes to building these high performing teams that you’re so well known for, what are some of your key thoughts? What are some of your proven approaches to building teams that win?

Caroline Troit (16:33):

Yes, I mean, first I would say we manage a lot of people in supply chain, generally speaking, right? And I have a huge appreciation for the leaders around me, the leaders I manage that, you know, often I think they do such a better job than I ever would because it’s not easy to manage a distribution center that has, you know, 400 people. They work on a 9:00 to 5:00 shift. And you got to keep them always happy and, you know, engaged. So, you know, I give a lot of kudos to the supply chain leader from being such fantastic and showing true leadership, really.

 

Caroline Troit (17:09):

You know, I tell you a story that really got me into a L’Oreal and into supply chain is when I joined the company, the head of the plant where I was, brought me and, like, did a full tour of me and, you know, he really showed so much care and love to me not knowing me. You know, he treating me, like, really, like, his daughter. He was really, like, an example for me and how, you know, I think about the human factor in everything I do at the end of the day, it’s about treating the people like they were family, you know.

Scott Luton (17:39):

I love that.

Caroline Troit (17:39):

You know, high performing team, for me, it’s two simple things that I think about. And everybody’s got their own. But for me, I think a high performing team is a high level of transparency and directness and they can challenge each other and they have no secret, you know, at least that’s what I’ve seen when I’ve, you know, been even part of a high performing team. I think that’s super important, and, you know, one thing I always keep in mind.

 

Caroline Troit (18:05):

And the second one is, you know, having high standard. And, you know, at the end of the day it’s how we all achieve things that we never thought we could and being proud of it, right? So, it’s also about this, elevated standards within the team. And, you know, again, being able to challenge ourself first starting with us. You know, being very accountable and then as a whole team.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (18:28):

Wow.

Scott Luton (18:28):

So, Kevin, I loved all of those main points. And I’ll go to the first one as Caroline was talking about, the colleague that kind of took her in and gave her a tour, and really focused on treating folks like team members like family, right? Family first. Family first. That transparency and that directness that she mentioned is so powerful, especially in teams that need to move fast and be right often. And then of course, not watering down standards, right, that’s one of the final things she mentioned. That’s really important when it comes to building high performing teams, as well as leading and managing high performing teams. But your thoughts there, Kevin?

Kevin L. Jackson (19:03):

Well, you know, a high-performance team, they care about each other. What sort of stood out for me is when Caroline said she got the tour of the plant and she felt like she was the gentleman’s daughter, right? It was real care came out. And this was a very initial meeting. And it just seems, to me, that this is a huge family of almost 2 million people around the world that really care about each other and lift each other up and really support the dreams and aspirations of small businesses everywhere.

Scott Luton (19:38):

Well said, Kevin. As you’re sharing that, Caroline, it made me think of authenticity comes to mind.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (19:44):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (19:44):

Right? And keeping it real with the team. That goes back to how one of you all’s missions there is powering your customer’s authentic selves. So, there’s a very common theme here, which I love. Your final thoughts, Caroline. I’m going to switch over to a couple topics in global supply chain management that Kevin and I get all that right when it comes to your team building approach.

Caroline Troit (20:02):

Yes. No, totally. You know, one more thing that actually really matters to me, and it’s in the spirit of caring, is making sure everybody can set their own boundaries, right? We work so hard and we are so passionate in L’Oreal, it’s intense job as well. It’s something I learned, you know, through my life and career is I got to set good boundaries because otherwise I could be working day and night on my team too. So, that’s something I really encourage them to do. For me, I swim every morning. For somebody else, might be something else. But it’s really important, like, you know, you got to set yourself some clear boundaries and be happy. Whatever you do, right, be happy in life, be happy in work. And to do that, you’ve got to, you know, make sure you have that time for yourself.

Scott Luton (20:46):

Well said. And, you know, your boundaries may be different than your colleagues’ boundaries, which may be different than, you know, other team members’ boundaries. And I love how, you know, you swim in the mornings. That’s one of your boundaries, right? Your team knows it. And I think setting these personal boundaries are so important to working successfully on great teams these days.

 

Scott Luton (21:03):

All right. Kevin and Caroline, I can’t wait to get into these global supply chain management topics. And we’re going to start with something we talk about all the time. But in the invisibility, you know that I would argue is quickly, very quickly becoming table stakes, it seems. But as we’ve talked about, I don’t know, 3,000 times we’ve got to have the solutions that visibility brings to the equation. Caroline, your thoughts there?

Caroline Troit (21:26):

Yes. So, that’s a topic I’m really excited to talk to you about. So, for me, you know, I’ve worked in L’Oreal in many different jobs. And now in this role in Salon Centric, what I found so powerful is I get to see the end to end, right? I get to be connected directly with our customers and get all these insights and then carry them on to manufacturing. A lot of our products are manufactured in our own plant, and that’s, like, so powerful.

 

Caroline Troit (21:53):

And we use a tool that’s called NPS. I mean, I’m sure other companies use that net promoter score, and that every day I get the rating, the comments from the purchase, and the supply chain services that our customer got. And that, to me, was a game changer in how, you know, we manage our supply chain.

 

Caroline Troit (22:14):

And I used to be called, like, the queen of KPIs, right. We love KPIs. It’s excited, aren’t we. We have hundreds of KPI and I think I — sometimes we get it a bit too complicated. I certainly did. And this was a game changer because I actually think, you know, the only KPI that’s really relevant is this NPS. Just focus on the customer and all the priorities can be derived from that, right, because we can do so many things.

 

Caroline Troit (22:40):

But the name of the game is being able to be focused on a few important things that will make a difference. And this NPS comments and results really give it to me like traits, you know. So, we’ve made that, like, really a tool and cascaded down to all the teams.

 

Caroline Troit (22:55):

So, now the operatives on the floor in the distribution center, they can see, you know, what the customers say about the packing. You know, they get those comments, oh, my parcel was so well packed. Bravo. And the opposite, you know, when something goes wrong, they get to see precisely and it’s connected, like, directly to the order so we can really narrow it. So, they can see, oh, that was wrong. OK. And they take it very personally, you know. I think it’s also great to engage the people. So, talk about visibility. I think that’s a great way to do it.

Scott Luton (23:25):

I love it —

Kevin L. Jackson (23:26):

All hail. All hail the queen of KPIs.

Scott Luton (23:29):

Kevin, you beat me to it. You beat me to it. I was going to say, I think I was an ABBA tune, the queen of KPIs. I think ABBA’s saying about that.

 

Scott Luton (23:38):

But, you know, Kevin, kidding aside, I love Caroline’s sense of humor.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (23:43):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (23:43):

I mean passion, business, we’re going to get results. We’re going to build a great team. We’re going to have each other’s back and treat people like family. But it all comes with a nice sense of humor. Caroline’s the type of person that I’d love to work for, but Kevin, what you hear there when it comes to visibility and her passion there?

Caroline Troit (23:57):

Careful what you wish for, yes.

Scott Luton (24:02):

Good point. Good point, clearly.

Kevin L. Jackson (24:03):

Good point, yes. What I’m sort of hearing as a focus on that last mile, logistics must be very complex because you’re delivering to entrepreneurs. They aren’t, you know, in a — maybe some of them are in big stores, but many of them in small shops, many of them are maybe working from home or they work at their client’s home. So, that last mile of delivery and logistics, I mean in order to keep your net promoter score high, you really have to focus on the little details. So I applaud you.

Scott Luton (24:40):

No doubt. Of course, that goes back to the complexity behind making these big sustainability gains, right —

 

Kevin L. Jackson (24:45):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (24:45):

— by a mile, I’ll tell you what. All right. And the NPS, folks out there maybe listening or watching us, net promoter score, Google it. If it’s new to you, that’s OK. We’re all new to things, but it can really have a powerful impact on your team, whether it’s a big one or a small one.

Kevin L. Jackson (24:58):

Oh yes. One thing I’d like to add too is a shout out on data. This is a data-driven operations in the supply chain and the queen of KPIs understand the importance of data. Not only that, she knows how to leverage that data to make sure that her customers are satisfied.

Scott Luton (25:20):

That’s right. All right. That title’s going to be the gift that keeps on giving, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (25:24):

That was a known title. My point was not — I got one KPI and its NPS. No more queen of KPI.

Scott Luton (25:32):

Instead of, like —

 

Caroline Troit (25:33):

Hundreds of KPIs.

 

Scott Luton (25:34):

— billboards and billboards of KPIs —

 

Caroline Troit (25:36):

Exactly.

 

Scott Luton (25:36):

— focusing in on —

 

Caroline Troit (25:37):

Exactly.

 

Scott Luton (25:38):

Yes, well said.

Kevin L. Jackson (25:39):

The one important one —

Caroline Troit (25:41):

So, queen of KPIs.

Scott Luton (25:43):

Well, let’s do this. Let’s all — I want to talk about silo busting. You know, what’s old is new again. Global business deal still has a ton of silo busting to do. Your thoughts on the importance of breaking down organizational and functional silos and how to do it, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (25:59):

Yes, yes. And, you know, being in a big company, it’s hard, you know. And it’s something that, sort of, keeps me awake at night, right? In a company of 90,000 people, there’s no way you can be connected with everybody. So, you know, there’s always going to be some type of silo.

 

Caroline Troit (26:16):

Now, what I think what L’Oreal does successfully is that they empower the business units to have enough autonomy and enough innovation capabilities, the entrepreneur. And that forces us as operation because we structured very much in that way to remain very customer centric and business centric. And I think that’s really important and that’s how we go about, you know, competing, you know business in an environment that is incredibly volatile.

 

Caroline Troit (26:45):

Now, of course the balance is still, supply chain is technical, right? So, we can’t be operating in that silo and not know what everyone else is doing. So, it’s also about leveraging the — what we call our network of expertise and pulling, you know, the experts from all around the world so we don’t reinvent the wheel.

Scott Luton (27:04):

One of the biggest challenges we have timelessly on one hand, but on the other hand, in this rapidly changing environment where we have all this data being able to empower, as you said, Caroline, the business units by extension. The team members, right, to make decisions confidently and quickly and accurately and successfully. And we’re going to fail sometimes, right. But I think in an inseparable part, Kevin, of really breaking down silos as best we can, even with, you know, small businesses or really big companies like Salon Centric at L’Oreal, empowering employees at such a critical part of that. Kevin, your thoughts.

Kevin L. Jackson (27:41):

You know, that empowerment requires communications, and that’s really the only way you can have all the different organizations within this large company to be both successful, independent, and in concert with the other, you know, 90,000 people that are trying to fulfill their own aspirations.

 

Scott Luton (28:04):

Yes.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (28:04):

So, communication is critical. You know, you’ve talked a bit about the technology you’ve used, but you’ve also talked about how you care about the people and both of them. Both of them are critical.

Scott Luton (28:15):

Yes. Hey, Carolina, we’re going to — we’re going to talk about technology and the ongoing revolution here in just a second. Picking up on what Kevin was talking about, communication. I would argue as well and get your take if you’d agree. We often hear about these islands of excellence, right? These islands of excellence where certain units are so well, but they keep it in their silo or on their island.

 

Scott Luton (28:34):

And I think part of the critical communication that Kevin was talking about that made me think, hey, when one unit does really, really well, let’s share that and cascade it across the organization so we can all win. Is that pretty critical from where you sit?

Caroline Troit (28:46):

Yes, for sure. For sure. I mean, yes. I guess in L’Oreal we’re pretty connected. We have, like, metrics organization, obviously. So, you know, I’m very connected with, like, the head of the global supply chain professional division in France, and then connected with the function head. And then that forces us to communicate, right?

 

Scott Luton (29:09):

Yes.

 

Caroline Troit (29:09):

So, everyone does, you know, the offsite or the town hall and that keep the communication flowing. But you’re right, you know, that’s kind of the only way to inspire ourself and not reinvent the way we live on an island for sure.

Scott Luton (29:22):

Right. And that keeps those bold dreams and big ideas, keeps them in motion, right, across the organization.

Caroline Troit (29:27):

Yes. And you know, and we still believe in the in-person. I’m just going to say that, too. We work remotely as well in L’Oreal, obviously, but we believe in in-person, you know, meetings, and we do a lot of that. And that helps the communication. We meet people that otherwise, you know, you would not necessarily connect with because you don’t have, like, an operation reason to be.

 

Caroline Troit (29:47):

But in the corridor, the coffee machine, so many good conversations, you know, happen that feeds — no, it’s true. And then we do travel still a little bit too. So, we see what’s happening on the other end of the world. For me, traveling to, you know, my vendors, my distribution centers, the plants. It’s critical. I get so much out of it every time I do it. I’m very excited. I’m going to visit finally a UPS sorting center on Monday. I’m excited for this.

 

Scott Luton (30:14):

All right.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:15):

Oh, it’s that relationship. Building that relationship, but not only internal to L’Oreal, but to your partners in business.

Scott Luton (30:23):

Yes, well said. Now, are you able to communicate a little bit as you’re swimming those laps and get a couple of conversations in there? I don’t know.

Caroline Troit (30:30):

That’s a challenge. We need to invent some technology here. Kevin, I need your help. I would love to do that.

Scott Luton (30:36):

Yes, Kevin.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:36):

I’m there. I’m there.

 

Scott Luton (30:37):

Help us out.

Caroline Troit (30:39):

The pool is where I get my best ideas too.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:41):

Oh, OK.

Caroline Troit (30:42):

As an introvert, you know, everybody’s different. But I’m introvert, so that time for myself is where I get the best idea and make the best plan also.

Kevin L. Jackson (30:51):

All the inspiration.

Scott Luton (30:54):

Yes. For me, it’s in the shower, kind of, similarly —

Kevin L. Jackson (30:57):

While you’re singing ABBA, is that what it is?

Scott Luton (30:58):

Yes, that’s right. Yes. How’d you know, Kevin? I need to follow Caroline’s lead though and get into the pool and get some healthy exercise. We’ll see if we can put that in action.

Scott Luton (31:07):

All right. So, Caroline, we’re talking — you just challenged Kevin to help us out and develop some new technology. That’s where I want to go next, right? Because it’s, really, this is such a remarkable time. You know, I believe it’s always a remarkable time in the world of supply chain. But goodness gracious, this ongoing supply chain technology truly revolution that’s been taking place for a while now. What breakthroughs in this regard have really caught your attention, Caroline?

Caroline Troit (31:30):

I just think this is a unique moment for supply chain. Where the A.I., particularly, is really going to game change and revolutionize what we do in a very good and positive way. I’m super excited about it, you know. For so many years I had all supply chain is the role of the future. And I don’t know if I truly believed it myself. Now I believe it. I believe it. Yes, because —

 

Scott Luton (31:56):

Love that.

 

Caroline Troit (31:57):

— I mean, there was a time where we were looking for data, right. We wanted to have the sellout so we can do a better forecasting. Now, we have so much data. Me at Salon Centric, I have so much incredible, rich customer data and really impressive.

 

Caroline Troit (32:14):

Now, you know what A.I. is enabling us to do is to really get from the data so many good insights to respond, to make the best, to reduce the low value added work. There’s so much potential. Think about — you know, one of our biggest challenge, obviously, is assortment. And assortment is critical to optimize inventory, reduce the waste, optimize the business, get more sales. But assortment with the gazillions of SKUs that we have and the deep distribution, it cannot be done without the technology.

 

Caroline Troit (32:48):

But now with the technology, it’s something we could, you know, adjust day in, day out. Same for managing our distribution center with visual and A.I., you know, using the videos, there’s so much we can do. Digital twins to improve our productivity, to improve quality. I dream — I don’t have that, but I dream about having pictures of each parcel before they go out so I can screen —

 

Kevin L. Jackson (33:11):

1. Yes.

 

Caroline Troit (33:11):

— if they have damages and if they have no shortage. And then customer experience. So, our customer experience team is where we expect to have the biggest transformation. And really, you know, change them from being in charge of transactional work and transactional communication to the customers, to being business drivers, you know, as we like to call it.

 

Caroline Troit (33:33):

It can meet the moment that matters with the customer. So, take these every few minutes that they’re going to talk to the customer with the help of technology. They can really have the right conversation instead of just solving a very transactional problem. So, so much potential and the potential of also reducing so much low value added work that we still have. You know, we love excel spreadsheets in supply chain, but many people do, but not everybody does. And, you know, that’s going to be something that’s really going to help us too. So, super excited about this moment.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (34:05):

Wow.

Scott Luton (34:05):

Yes, I can tell, and I am too. Kevin, what was your favorite part of Caroline’s response when it comes to the supply chain technology revolution?

Kevin L. Jackson (34:13):

You know, I really wanted to jump on all of that, right? So, what did I hear? I heard sensors at endpoint that could collect information and data. I heard computer vision so that you can inspect these packages to make sure that they’re going out as they should. I heard blockchain or digital ledger technology to make sure you understand the pedigree of the data. And I heard using data to create actionable insights, leveraging artificial intelligence so that you wouldn’t be overwhelmed by the data. That you could focus on the most important aspects of the data and implement actions and take actions that would address maybe issues or problems.

 

Scott Luton (35:06):

Yes.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (35:06):

And I also heard that don’t be afraid of the technology. So many people are afraid of things like artificial intelligence. They think they’re coming to take my job. But what I heard from Caroline is embracing technology to make your work better, to be able to be more efficient in what you do so that you could set those boundaries and build those relationships within company and with your ecosystem partners. So, I don’t know if you said any of that, but that’s what I heard.

Scott Luton (35:45):

I think — well said, Kevin, is what I think. You know, two things stuck out to me. And, again, I see a lot of common themes throughout this conversation we’re having. Going back to focus, right? Caroline talked about the power of focus and the power of — instead of looking at 3,000 metrics, let’s look at one. How about that?

 

Scott Luton (36:02):

And, you know, using technology in an organization like Salon Centric and the L’Oreal group, the greater global organization. You’ve got tidal waves of data and leaning on innovative technology to really find those signals that you got to be looking for so you can make better decisions rather than try to go through the whole sandbox of information.

 

Scott Luton (36:22):

The other thing I heard that I really liked, she talked about how they’re leveraging technology to shape and make conversations a lot more effective rather than just transactional. You know, business has to be done. So, transactions are important. Sometimes those conversations have to be had, but bring more value to the table and to really take customer experience to the next level, leveraging technology there to change the conversations we’re having. Caroline, I think that’s brilliant.

Caroline Troit (36:45):

And we shouldn’t be scared. I mean, this is going to be making everyone’s job so much more interesting. Think about those customer service representatives that are, you know, solving issues. Instead of that, they can, like, drive business and create value to their customer. Isn’t that more interesting? Yes.

Scott Luton (37:05):

Yes, yes, yes.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (37:06):

Absolutely.

 

Scott Luton (37:07):

And to our listeners and viewers out there, hey, I’m going to pick up on this, don’t be scared, don’t fear, because that’s a really important quality. If you’re any conscious about all these changes taking place in technology and what’s going to be replaced, hey, if you lean into change and embrace it and volunteer and learn new things, there’s no better insurance policy for your career. And by the way, you get to learn new cool things every day, you know. Write your own ticket.

Caroline Troit (37:31):

Yes, that’s one thing I heard that also caught my attention. You want to be the best learner those days. You just want to be the best learner. So, as things change, you know, it’s OK. We don’t know everything. I mean, I — program A.I., I feel very bad about it. I mean — but I do want to try. But, you know, like if we can at least try to learn that’s what’s happens, I think.

Scott Luton (37:53):

Excellent point to, kind of, wrap here today, Caroline. I love that. So many cool things you are doing. Impactful, changing the business, right? Taking care of customers. And as that continues to evolve, taking care of team members while you take care of business and you build new dreams and bring them to fruition. It’s such a great story here today, Caroline.

 

Scott Luton Scott Luton

1. How can folks — Kevin, I’m going to get your patent, the key takeaway here in just a moment. But I want to make sure folks can connect with Caroline Troit, senior vice president, Salon Centric Integrated Supply Chain with L’Oreal Group. Caroline, how can folks connect with you?

Caroline Troit (38:26):

Well, I’m in the obvious LinkedIn team. I’m there like everybody else. And yes, let’s stay connected. Thank you to you for animating our group of supply chain passionate people. I love what you guys are doing. And thank you for doing it and bringing us all together.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (38:43):

Thank you.

Scott Luton (38:43):

Caroline, hey, we’re working on our licenses, too. So, we’ll see you again really soon. But — Caroline Troit, again, senior Vice President, Salon Centric Integrated Supply Chain with L’Oreal. Thanks so much for being here, Caroline.

Caroline Troit (38:56):

All right. Thanks to you both. Much appreciated.

Kevin L. Jackson (38:59):

Thank you.

Scott Luton (39:00):

All right. Kevin, that was quite a conversation, just like we promised folks. So, before we get into a couple final questions I’ve got for you, what is your key takeaway from today’s discussion?

Kevin L. Jackson (39:10):

Well, I really love the way they had a focus on a small business. It’s family to them, but they’re leveraging technology to really, you know, take stock of that last mile of the supply chain, that delivery so that they can make their customers, these entrepreneurs look good.

Scott Luton (39:32):

Yes, I love that. They’re empowering those bold dreams and big ideas for all of their entrepreneurial customers out there. So — all right. before we go, Kevin, we just got to talk about some of the really cool things that Microsoft is doing out there in the exciting world of retail. What you got?

Kevin L. Jackson (39:48):

Yes, absolutely. You know, the Microsoft Cloud is really focused on elevating the shopping experience. They want to transform it through data analytics and store technology to strengthen those customer relationships. You know how Caroline was really focused on relationships.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (40:07):

So, they’re building a real time supply chain to create resilient and sustainable supply chain by connecting data access across your entire ecosystem. And she’s going to be mad at me, but no, Caroline, she was talking a lot about how data supported her decisions. I really liked that. And Microsoft understands the importance of empowering the store associate to equip the workforce with retail solutions that improve productivity, collaboration, and customer satisfaction. Caroline was focused on that product score, right, to make sure that all her customers were satisfied.

Scott Luton (40:56):

Yes, well said. Using technology to empower the queen and the rest of the royal family of KPIs that make things happen. I love that, Kevin.

 

Kevin L. Jackson (41:04):

Yes.

 

Scott Luton (41:05):

All right. What a great conversation here today. Let’s make sure folks can connect with you and find Digital Transformers out there. It’s a real popular series, Kevin.

Kevin L. Jackson (41:12):

Oh, yes. Absolutely. I mean, we’re exploding. And on our next version of Digital Transformers, we’re going to be highlighting the importance of artificial intelligence. Well, we look at that all the time because it’s really driving digital transformation across every industry. So, don’t miss it.

Scott Luton (41:31):

Don’t miss it at all. I hope to sit down and interview your digital twin out there doing big things in the A.I. space soon. But I — kidding aside, Kevin, always a pleasure. And folks, find Digital Transformers wherever you get your podcasts from.

 

Scott Luton (41:43):

Folks, big thanks to all of our listeners and viewers across the globe. What a great conversation here today. Big thanks to Caroline Troit with Salon Centric and L’Oreal. Big thanks to our collaborative partners, as we’ve mentioned over at Microsoft, helping us to bring these wonderful, inspirational stories and leaders like this one to our global audience.

 

Scott Luton (42:01):

Kevin, always a pleasure to knock out these conversations with you.

Kevin L. Jackson (42:03):

No, thank you very much. I really enjoyed. This really hit the mark.

Scott Luton (42:07):

Oh, it sure did. But listeners, folks, you aren’t off the hook. All right. The challenge now falls to you. You got to take something from this conversation, at least just one thing, and put it into action. Your team’s ready to do business different and be more successful. Empower them, change the business, transform the business, and we’ll all be better off.

 

Scott Luton (42:25):

So, with all of that said, on behalf of our entire team here at Supply Chain now, Scott Luton challenging you and all of our listeners to do good, to give forward and to be the change that’s needed. And we’ll see you next time right back here at Supply Chain Now. Thanks everybody.

Intro/Outro (42:39):

Thanks for being a part of our Supply Chain Now community. Check out all of our programming at supplychainnow.com and make sure you subscribe to Supply Chain Now anywhere you listen to podcasts. And follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, and Instagram. See you next time on Supply Chain Now.