Smithville Spotlight: Kevin B., Warehouse Technician

Our technicians in the field work to connect Hoosiers every day to what matters. A crucial part of that process is ensuring they have the supplies and tools they need. That’s the task of Kevin B., Smithville’s Warehouse Technician. We spent a day learning more about him and his role at Smithville. Before we got started for the day, we got to know Kevin by asking him some hard-hitting questions to get to know him better:

• Hometown: Union, KY
• Favorite TV Show: When not watching Cincinnati sports he enjoys watching Game of Thrones as well as binge watching Friends and The Office
• Favorite Movie: The Sandlot
• Favorite Food: Lasagna
• Best Part of Working at Smithville: Working for a great company who continually helps to serve our community
• Dream Vacation Destination: Ireland
• Favorite quote: “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” II Corinthians 5:17

The busiest times are 8-9 AM and 4-5 PM as technicians are getting ready to head out or return for the day. A normal day involves receiving in deliveries, organizing stock, and managing purchase orders and paperwork. Another task is using the forklift to move deliveries and inventory, although he wouldn’t let me behind the wheel (something about safety).

We started our morning in the Ellettsville warehouse. This day was planned to deliver supplies and perform inventory at remote locations. Our route took us to Brownsburg, Lizton, Sharpsville, and back to Ellettsville. All in all, we ended up traveling 230 miles! With a wide service area, it’s even more important to make sure remote technicians have what they need so customers don’t experience delays in getting service. Kevin explains the importance of managing inventory: “Shortly after joining the company, my main goal was to begin implementing new inventory strategies for our warehouse. Once I was able to complete a steady and accurate flow at our warehouse, it was time to focus on our remote locations. Recently, I began traveling monthly to our remote locations; including Lyons, Sharpsville, and Lizton, Indiana. By doing so, I’m able to maintain a more accurate inventory count of all locations.”

Another big goal was getting everyone on board to understand the importance of inventory. “One way to maintain a more accurate warehouse was by communicating with our technicians. We were able to come together and find a way to keep track of our inventory. I created a section in our warehouse where our guys can ‘grab and go.’ For other areas, I created a sheet where the techs can mark off what they are taking for our records.” Gaining buy-in has led to more accurate inventory counts and a better customer experience.

His passion for organization and constant process improvement serves him well in his role. He’s also a member of Smithville’s Wellness Team and is helping to motivate and encourage employees to live a healthier life.

Follow us on Instagram (@MySmithville) for the next Smithville Spotlight as we look forward to sharing our story with you.