Defense Logistics Agency has customer service component

This is the 27th installment of a series highlighting the various individuals and entities at Marine Corps Logistics Base-Albany.

MCLB-ALBANY — The Marine Corps prides itself on responding rapidly when the call comes. For this, it needs the Defense Logistics Agency’s supply chain management to stay ready and capable.

As with any operation, there is the potential for issues to occur. Someone is needed to sort that out, which is where Brenda Olds, the DLA customer support representative for Marine Corps Logistics Command and Marine Corps Systems Command South, comes in.

“Anywhere there is a military base, you are going to see someone like me,” Olds said.

Olds has been in her current role for 13 years, interacting with DLA customers on all levels, attending meetings to understand their needs and explaining DLA capabilities. There are hundreds of military personnel working in support of DLA, and when someone has a problem somewhere in the supply chain process, they can call any of the agency’s customer service representatives.

A DLA handbook includes help desk information, and contact information for all the customer services liaison.

“I can get calls from Japan,” she said. “I may get calls from anywhere. I am advertised as the Marine Corps (contact), but anyone who calls me I am going to help them.

“I answer questions and direct them to what they need.”

Olds is one of those representatives, working largely with LOGCOM, Marine Corps Logistics Base Barstow and Marine Corps Support Facility Blount Island as the corporate face of the agency. Her job is to be embedded with the customer, so when a supply order is put into the system and there is an issue with it, she knows what to do and how to address it.

“I help the customer understand those systems,” she said. “I can go into the system and look into the history. I take care of customer complaints and issues.”

It is the job of the DLA to fill the orders, and they are distributed to one of the agency’s depots — one of which is in Albany — before they are shipped to their destination. What is included in the transaction is information on where the order should go, but sometimes shipments go to a place that was not intended.

It is Olds’ job to figure out what happened to a lost shipment, including tracking it and potentially helping the customer file a claim. Her typical day includes “lots of meetings,” and she spends about 30-40 percent of the day answering emails — making a point of staying as accessible as possible.

“The customer can get frustrated if they don’t contact you right away,” she said. “Being responsive is a very important thing.”

The current challenges DLA faces is connected to the reality that wartime operations have slowed, so the agency as well as the Marine Corps are focused on determining the appropriate level of forward-stocked assets and on eliminating unnecessary inventory — which requires extensive research and coordination to ensure proper inventory levels are maintained.

“The last thing you want to get rid of is something you need or may need again,” Olds said.

From Olds’ desk, one of the biggest challenges is educating customers on the DLA process in a way that is effective. Some may be new to the process, or simply not have an accurate understanding of how it all works.

First, a representative needs to understand where the customer is coming from. For that job, a person needs to be good at getting themselves out there, building relationships and interacting with people.

“(The most challenging part) is understanding or finding out what the issues are,” she said.

The mission of the DLA requires a large presence, and there is a need to be out in front with the customers so the warfighter can adequately be supported without the warfighter worrying too much about issues on the supply management end.

“Anything we can do to take the stress off the Marines (is our job),” Olds said. “There are constant efforts going on to improve. We are looking for a better way to support the warfighter.”

“My job is to connect the dots and (make sure) the customer has what they need for what is going on at the time.”

Jennifer Parks