Home Depot 2000 Annual Report Download - page 10

“A customer called to ask questions about the price of large quantities of commodity
products. He was just looking for information – not exactly sure how he was going to end
up doing the project. I asked him what he was doing, and he explained that he was trying
to figure out how to convert a warehouse into office and storage space. Clearly, he needed
to create a floor with appropriate load weights. So he faxed over a rough picture of what
he envisioned. I developed a set of specifications for him and we worked out a solution.
Twenty phone calls and eight faxes later, he bought the project from Home Depot and now
we have a life-long customer.”
– Geoff Highfield
The professional contractor represents about 30% of our business today and, with the strength of our Pro
Program, is the fastest-growing customer segment for the Company. At the end of fiscal 2000, 165 stores
were offering pro-specific product assortments, credit programs and enhanced will-call and delivery services
through a pro desk staffed by associates dedicated to the pro customer.
We expect to expand the Pro Program to more than 600 additional stores in fiscal 2001 and 2002, com-
pleting the rollout. As we’ve launched this initiative, we’ve learned how to improve it. We’ve gained effi-
ciencies in the time and investment necessary to get stores ready to concentrate on pro customers. With a
higher average purchase and shopping frequency, the pro customer is a great source of consistent growth,
building sales and margin in existing markets.
Computer-savvy pros in selected markets can also use our new Internet service to fulfill ordering, delivery
and billing from the job site or an office.
pro customers are already
PROFESSIONAL
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