Description

In this episode of Chain Reaction Podcast, host Michael Ostroumov sits down with Dan Pass, the Supply Chain and Logistics Lead at Ann Summers, to explore the operational evolution driven by customer experience. Dan shares his unconventional entry into the logistics industry, shaped by necessity and fueled by a hunger for process improvement. Over a career spanning two decades, he moved from warehouse floor roles to executive leadership, gaining expertise in ERP systems, WMS solutions, and procurement.

Dan details how his role expanded post-COVID to include direct oversight of customer service, fundamentally shifting his approach to supply chain management. He discusses transforming last-mile delivery from a cost-and-efficiency focus to a holistic “customer delivery experience” strategy, and underscores how networking, collaboration, and AI-driven solutions are vital to the future of logistics. This conversation is a masterclass in agile thinking and cross-functional leadership.

Guest Bio

Dan Pass is the Supply Chain and Logistics Lead at Ann Summers, where he plays a pivotal role in managing logistics, procurement, and customer service. With over 25 years of experience spanning WMS integration, international sourcing, and process automation, Dan has helped navigate Ann Summers through transformative periods including the COVID-19 pandemic and rapid e-commerce scaling. His recent foray into customer service leadership has deepened his systems thinking, blending operational excellence with customer-centric strategies.

Takeaways

• Logistics careers often begin unexpectedly but evolve through opportunity and drive.
• Early experience with WMS and ERP systems can shape a comprehensive supply chain perspective.
• COVID-19 forced a rapid shift to e-commerce fulfillment, changing logistics priorities overnight.
• Customer service integration reshapes how logistics leaders think about upstream decisions.
• Peak volumes during the pandemic tested warehouse flexibility and tech infrastructure.
• Collaboration between logistics and customer service improves the end-to-end delivery journey.
• Final mile delivery strategy should focus on customer experience, not just cost and timing.
• Networking is essential in a fast-evolving industry; peer learning drives innovation.
• Horizontal collaboration across retailers is ideal but challenged by risk and trust.
• Technology, including AI and trusted third-party platforms, can reduce collaboration friction.
• There is potential in ad hoc warehousing and logistics resourcing, but platforms are lacking.
• Embracing technology enhances job security and effectiveness in modern supply chains.

Chapters

00:00 Welcome and Introduction to Dan Pass

00:21 Dan’s Journey into Logistics

01:57 Early Career in WMS and ERP Systems

04:29 Joining Ann Summers via K3

05:05 Leading Through COVID-19 and E-commerce Expansion

07:21 Taking on Customer Service Leadership

08:24 Reframing Logistics with a Customer-Centric Lens

11:07 Customer Delivery Experience Transformation

13:22 Integrating Logistics with Customer Communications

14:28 AI and Automation in Customer Service

16:48 The Challenge and Promise of Horizontal Collaboration

18:22 Carrier and Final Mile Innovation

19:34 Blue Sky Thinking: Shared Packaging, Labor, and More

22:27 Risk Factors in Collaborative Logistics

26:15 How Technology Enables Collaboration

28:26 The Future of Human-AI Hybrid Logistics

30:18 Looking Ahead: Optimism and Strategy at

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Dan Pass

Michael Ostroumov