From analyst to department leader: Jessica David from 1-800 Radiator
As Supervisor of Supply Chain Management for 1-800 Radiator & A/C, Jessica David’s inventory management success comes from keeping franchise owners and customers top of mind.
Jessica David orchestrates a complex aftermarket car parts inventory system as Supervisor of Supply Chain Management for 1-800 Radiator & A/C. She draws on her decades of supply chain expertise and customer service to help franchisees delight buyers with the right radiators, fans, compressors, and more.
Jessica’s career started as a greeter in a retail Verizon store and then grew to inventory and operations consulting for seven locations in the San Francisco Bay area. That led her to more supply chain-related roles, including inventory planning for Coca-Cola in Northern California.
Her journey at 1-800 Radiator & A/C started with an entry-level inventory analyst position in 2022: “In this role, I got to know as much of the business as I could, and now I'm managing the inventory department. I’m happy to take on the promotion and more responsibility.”
Putting customers first means taking care of franchisees
Jessica keeps a laser focus on supporting franchise owners, a critical part of distributing aftermarket parts to auto stores, repair facilities, and service stations. Her team leads an innovative inventory recovery program, which is important to improve franchise owners profitability while ensuring they have the right product on the shelf when the customer calls. Understanding the connection between franchise profitability and companywide success, Jessica’s department analyzes cash flow issues, identifies locations with growth potential, and provides clear recommendations based on each owner’s unique situation.
Ensuring a healthy supply chain means making sure warehouses have the stock customers want. Jessica said, “I often tell owners that when customers call, you want to have the parts they need so you stay top of their list.”
It isn’t just how Jessica coaches owners. She listens to what franchisees need and offers creative solutions.
“I know each owner is invested in their business, but may not always have the budget to act on all of our recommendations,” explained Jessica. “That’s when we help owners stretch their money by optimizing spending and working through offloading slow and dead inventory to replace with top moving inventory.”
Accountability delivers on promises
Simultaneously balancing what's best for all parties is not always easy. Finding the right approach means holding herself, her team, and franchise owners accountable. Jessica explains that it’s about being clear on expectations, hitting timelines, and following through on promises.
When franchise owners participate in the inventory recovery program, they agree to a weekly meeting where they commit to placing orders while on the call with Jessica’s team.
“We’re at our best when we’re honest about any gaps in a franchise’s performance and hold owners accountable to their commitments,” said Jessica. “At the same time, I own the commitments that I make to the franchisees.”
The shared accountability is making a difference. Jessica created a tracker to measure each franchise’s week-by-week progress.
“Showing an owner their week over week progress from when they started the program really moves the needle and keeps them engaged in working with us,” she explained.
Taking on new challenges and gaining more skills
From a welcoming onboarding experience to ways to stretch her public speaking skills, Jessica attributes the company’s positive environment as key to her work happiness. “It’s easier to succeed here, because anyone here is willing to help you if you just raise your hand,” she said. “The general support from our leadership has been unreal compared to any other place I've ever worked.”
Leaders supported Jessica when she made the initiative to join calls with other departments to get more exposure to the business, ultimately helping her better understand the analytics and sales teams’ functions and the impact on inventory.
When she had a chance to speak at the annual conference, she was initially nervous. With encouragement from her leaders, she overcame her fears and presented at the event. “I feel victorious,” shared Jessica. “Everything that used to make me nervous seems not as scary because I pushed myself to do the impossible—speak in front of a large crowd. Now I’m braver about trying other new things and ready to pivot to the next challenge.”
Thriving in a collaborative culture
Jessica’s success at 1-800 Radiator & A/C can be attributed to many things, including her own work ethic and willingness to say yes to new opportunities. But she often credits it to something outside herself: the culture of the company.
“Honestly, this is one of the best places I've ever worked,” Jessica reflected. “I feel like I’ve grown, and there hasn't been one day where I haven't loved my job and the people I work with.”