DVIDS – News – CUSTOMER FOCUS: DeCA assesses mission, 2021 vision progress, adjusts direction to work harder for customers in 2022

By Keith Desbois, DeCA Public Affairs Specialist

FORT LEE, Va. – “We have made great progress this first year. We must now assess where we are and adjust our path based on what we have learned, as well as the dynamics of our rapidly changing environment.

That’s what DeCA Director and CEO Bill Moore told the agency’s top executives who gathered for the agency’s transformation summit at its headquarters in mid-December. The event evaluated the agency’s performance in its year-long vision to be “THE grocery provider of choice for our eligible customers – providing vital benefit exclusively to our military community and their families.”

This year, the focus remains on the customer, but with lessons learned from the lingering pandemic. The vision encompasses ways that will better serve the military community by focusing on customers while saving them money on their groceries.

“2021 has been another challenging year due to the ongoing pandemic in ensuring our customers have the items they want and need,” Moore said. “Moving forward and adjusting our focus, we will be working harder with our industry partners to ensure we have a steady distribution of products and the staff available to put them on our shelves, also providing a great customer service.”

The agency’s mission statement, “to provide a vital benefit of the military compensation system that provides groceries at significant cost savings to improve quality of life and readiness”, focuses on the agency’s priority to provide savings to customers in accordance with the congressional mandate. Leaders discussed each of DeCA’s six existing Lines of Effort (LOEs), created to determine how the agency can better serve customers and improve the shopping experience.

Moore noted that DeCA has achieved major successes in information technology and workforce investment LOEs. The agency was able to offer Commissary CLICK2GO online ordering and payment services in all stores around the world. DeCA has also enhanced its training and customer service components to ensure that employees have more opportunities for advancement within the organization, while providing them with the tools they need to provide service to first class customers.

Some of the most challenging LOEs were in logistics and supply chain. Ongoing shortages of product and delivery trucks due to the pandemic have made it difficult to keep inventory on store shelves. The group noted that these issues affect grocery stores nationwide and are not unique to the commissioner. Different ideas to combat the problem, such as supplying more trucks as well as delivering products directly to stores, were discussed.

Another area DeCA will focus on is customer outreach. This effort focuses on expanding the customer base by educating and holding informational events to attract more new customers – veterans with disabilities – to stores. The agency also wants to put more emphasis on customer feedback by better responding to feedback provided through the Commissary’s annual customer service survey and the ForeSee customer feedback tool.

Looking to the future, DeCA strives to anticipate emerging customer needs and do what it takes to be THE grocery provider of choice for eligible customers.

“The pandemic has taught us that customers are looking for more convenient ways to shop,” Moore said. “We learned from our focus group of new young single enlisted service members that they value convenience more than price and want healthy, inexpensive options. One of our top priorities moving forward is providing them with convenient and healthy meals while saving them money shopping at their commissary.

“Look for Commissary CLICK2GO delivery services where you live, near base, on base and even in your barracks,” he added. “Look for other dietitian and nutritionist approved meal planning solutions to ensure you and your family are mission ready. Find choices, prices and a modern shopping environment that’s not only better than we’ve ever been, but as good as we have to be to be your favorite grocery supplier.
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About DeCA: The Defense Commissary Agency operates a global chain of commissaries providing groceries to military personnel, retirees and their families in a safe and secure shopping environment. Commissars provide a military advantage, saving authorized customers thousands of dollars annually on their purchases over similar products at commercial retailers. Reduced prices include a 5% surcharge, which covers the costs of building new stores and upgrading existing ones. A vital part of supporting military families, and an important part of military pay and benefits, commissioners help prepare the family, improve the quality of life for U.S. service members and their families, and help recruit and to retain the best and brightest men and women to serve their country.