Sam Griffin: Personalizing Supply Chain Solutions for Clients

Sam Griffin is a Supply Chain Coordinator in our Customer Solutions Group. He started at FIDELITONE about a year ago as an intern and became a full-time employee this fall. Sam’s role is unique in that it spans across our entire Path to Loyalty™ process. He helps to design and implement solutions for our clients from start to finish.

Please describe your role at FIDELITONE.

I work in our Customer Solutions Group. There are two main areas I work in – solutions design and project management support.

What does a typical day look like for you?

My work varies day to day. It’s working across departments, coordinating and gathering inputs for solutions or ongoing projects. I collaborate with different groups of people, leverage their input to personalize FIDELITONE’s solutions for our clients’ customers. After implementation, we audit our client programs to ensure they deliver the specific results that we’re measuring against and adjust based on changes in their business.

What do you enjoy most about working at FIDELITONE?

The people I work with and the environment. I’m a young guy, and I work with people who have a lot of knowledge and experience in the industry and are willing to share that with me.

How did you get your start in supply chain?

I studied at the University of Wisconsin. My major was marketing and I added a supply chain specialization minor my sophomore year. I took a few classes that I thought were really unique and cool. I liked how logistics and supply chain are now becoming a focus for every business.

What about the future of logistics excites you the most?

Supply chain and logistics have become a larger focus in last decade or so. I’m excited to see what changes in the next decade or two. If you went back 30 years and tried to explain white glove delivery, it wasn’t on anyone’s radar.

What was your experience like as an intern?

I interned in the Customer Solutions Group. My focus as an intern was on solution development with a lot of the same people I’m working with now. There was a lot of learning about what FIDELITONE and the industry as a whole offer and how each piece fits together. I learned how to take a client’s problems and see how we can make a solution to fit their needs. What the client wants is what we aim to provide.

How do you use FIDELITONE’s process and tools to deliver the right output for clients?

A lot of it is understanding our different teams and how they can contribute to the design. We rely on the expertise of each department. For example, for racking, we go to operations and say “Here’s what our product is. From your experience, what’s the best way to store this product?” We also look at industry standards or what we’ve done for other clients to determine the best solution.

Helping clients determine the best shipping point for a fulfillment center is another example of personalizing our services. We ask a lot of questions and gather data to understand the needs of their business. There may be an initial desire to locate a fulfillment center in a specific city, but after analyzing inbound/ outbound freight costs, transit times, and local labor markets, another location may rise to the top. We’re a fresh set of eyes for the client, and we dive deep into data analytics.

FIDELITONE recently acquired Remar and you’re working on the integration project in Nashville right now. How’s that going?

It’s a great opportunity to bring on a new company and expand our knowledge about building solutions. Remar has their own set of expertise. We get to play to the strengths of both groups. We’re fortifying our existing capabilities and bringing on some new ones.

How do you see yourself growing in the next year?

I’ve looked into some certificates on the project management side. I’d also like to branch out into other areas of the business. I’m still evaluating to see where I want to go from here. Something that has really helped me is getting experience from so many different angles of the business.

What are your interests/hobbies outside of work?

I went to the University of Wisconsin so I’m a big football and hockey fan. I used to play hockey for many years, and I still get out on the ice once a week. I also listen to a lot of music. I recently got a record player as a gift. Fun fact: FIDELITONE started as a manufacturer of needles for record players back in 1929.

Share a unique fact about yourself!

I’ve shaved my head three times to support cancer research through St. Baldrick’s Foundation.

What sets FIDELITONE apart from the competition?

I think it’s really the customer focus we have from start to finish. We’re unique in building solutions from the ground up for each client.

What FIDELITONE value do you most connect with and why?

Collaboration. As someone who’s relatively new to the company and industry, there’s a lot to learn from the people here with more experience. That collaboration has been super helpful at the start of my career.

What would you recommend for someone who wants to start a career in supply chain?

The biggest thing for me is being adaptable and being able to work on your feet with changes coming at you all the time. Everyday I’m working on something different with different people. The industry will continue to evolve. The ability to adapt and deal with a rapidly changing industry is important.

Passionate team members like Sam are the reason why FIDELITONE is a great place to work. We truly appreciate their hard work and dedication to providing outstanding client experiences.

Are you interested in joining the FIDELITONE team? Learn more about career opportunities.