Archived FLOW TEAM ISSUES AT MY STORE

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Oh and we do a "push all" for the truck. I prefer this because it keeps your floor more full. When i look at my backstock % its usually about 60% completion, so that means about 40% of blackline is going out to the floor instead. The backroom is not waiting for backstock either, because once they are done with the pulls, the team is already bringing back backstock. The only downside is the flow team have to handle more boxes but its not an issue. We will keep bulk quantities separate though.
 
@FloorReplenishor there is a power point they sent us on exactly how to do it but every store that is still on it is allowed to tweak it up. The reason I say "still" is because there is some stores that couldn't handle it and got off the process. It can be a challenge to execute and can eat up a lot of payroll if not executed right. But if executed right, your store will look amazing everyday. Right now at my store we have certain areas that look amazing everyday and some that aren't, the ones that aren't are usually poor performing TMs, which is being worked on. The process helps them stick out like a sore thumb unlike the wave. But the biggest challenge is not overspending payroll, right now we are overspending because of some productivity issues and some scheduling issues and by this I mean not scheduling some people long enough. Some areas can be done in about 4-5 hours (strays, push, and zone) and some areas take more like 6-7, it's all dependant on wants on the truck.

Now more on your other questions
  • On the line we have 1 unloader, 2 on the front, 2 on back, 2 pallet pullers, and usually me or one of the other TLs side by side with the unload team to help push the line. If you are not able to be back there, then it's probably a good idea to have another person to push the line. That can be the difference of about 30-45 minutes cut off your unload time. It on average takes anywhere from 2:30-3:30hrs. At first it will take longer because the team will have to get use to not having so many people on the unload process.
  • Once unload is done, they pull all the remaining pallets to the floor, 1 person stays to clean up the remaining stuff in the truck. Once all that is done, they take their break. There shift is usually 4 hrs, so they will stay to help push for a little or just go home early.
  • On the floor you have about 26-28 (29-32 total including truck people) We have one person in every area, some nights we have to shift people around to cover other areas or to help in heavier areas.
  • Backroom has about 6 people every night. You can have less if your dayside is doing manual CAFs but we stop doing them because it took up a lot of payroll and it was hard to manage.
I love the process because you can have more accountablity with individuals based of their zone, backstock, and timelines and you can recognize the ones that execute they area right, plus the store will look amazing, better then most stores that i have seen, but we are overnight, so it's easier to get things done without distractions. An early AM process would be more of a challenge but still doable.
What I love in my store...the flow team is expected to do the 4x4 every truck day....and they are not given extra hours to offset what they spent doing it ....then they get fussed at for going over on payroll and not getting the truck pushed.
It will be hard to actually have them 4x4 zone, they can but that would mean probably giving every TM a 7-8hr shift, which would be 200+ hrs spent per truck. We get about 170-185 per truck but spend a little more. I would recommend just having a small team specifically for 4x4, like 2-3 people.

If you have any other questions let me know....
 
6 AM times sound so foreign to me.

Our flow team starts at 4 AM to unload the truck and are SUPRISE TO be done by 10:30...never happens.
 
Our flow team is also now responsible for backing up the lanes, doing in-stocks, zoning, pulls and 4x4'ing.
Well there's your problem. Flow team goals don't take any of this extra work into account. You have X hours allotted to do X hours worth of work. Start adding work (X+Y) & they need to add hours too.
X==X
X=\= X + Y

I understand Flow responding for backup. There is absolutely no reason why flow can't respond like the rest of the morning teams. Zoning as well. Not perfecting a whole aisle but you should be stocking neat and you could pull an item forward here and there. 4x4s and instocks.. NO. You dont have time for that.
 
@FloorReplenishor there is a power point they sent us on exactly how to do it but every store that is still on it is allowed to tweak it up. The reason I say "still" is because there is some stores that couldn't handle it and got off the process. It can be a challenge to execute and can eat up a lot of payroll if not executed right. But if executed right, your store will look amazing everyday. Right now at my store we have certain areas that look amazing everyday and some that aren't, the ones that aren't are usually poor performing TMs, which is being worked on. The process helps them stick out like a sore thumb unlike the wave. But the biggest challenge is not overspending payroll, right now we are overspending because of some productivity issues and some scheduling issues and by this I mean not scheduling some people long enough. Some areas can be done in about 4-5 hours (strays, push, and zone) and some areas take more like 6-7, it's all dependant on wants on the truck.

Now more on your other questions
  • On the line we have 1 unloader, 2 on the front, 2 on back, 2 pallet pullers, and usually me or one of the other TLs side by side with the unload team to help push the line. If you are not able to be back there, then it's probably a good idea to have another person to push the line. That can be the difference of about 30-45 minutes cut off your unload time. It on average takes anywhere from 2:30-3:30hrs. At first it will take longer because the team will have to get use to not having so many people on the unload process.
  • Once unload is done, they pull all the remaining pallets to the floor, 1 person stays to clean up the remaining stuff in the truck. Once all that is done, they take their break. There shift is usually 4 hrs, so they will stay to help push for a little or just go home early.
  • On the floor you have about 26-28 (29-32 total including truck people) We have one person in every area, some nights we have to shift people around to cover other areas or to help in heavier areas.
  • Backroom has about 6 people every night. You can have less if your dayside is doing manual CAFs but we stop doing them because it took up a lot of payroll and it was hard to manage.
I love the process because you can have more accountablity with individuals based of their zone, backstock, and timelines and you can recognize the ones that execute they area right, plus the store will look amazing, better then most stores that i have seen, but we are overnight, so it's easier to get things done without distractions. An early AM process would be more of a challenge but still doable.

It will be hard to actually have them 4x4 zone, they can but that would mean probably giving every TM a 7-8hr shift, which would be 200+ hrs spent per truck. We get about 170-185 per truck but spend a little more. I would recommend just having a small team specifically for 4x4, like 2-3 people.

If you have any other questions let me know....
 
How big are your trucks? We get 100 hours for 2300 cartons. Start at 5am, bowl A and G. Stock Pfresh with G. Done with A and G by 745 am and then wave is broken up. 8 tms to C/D, 2 to B, 1 to Infant HL, 2 to Toys. 2300 truck done at 10:30. Smaller ones done at 9. Biggest problem is not enough PDAs to stock the merch off the repacks.
 
If it doesn't feel right for you and your work life balance, then finding another option may be the best fit. We are a 4am store. We used to be 6am but we were getting ridiculously large trucks because of sales so we pushed it back to 4am. Never have I heard someone being forced to stay past scheduled time. We always have a few volunteer to finish whatever push was left out.
 
How big are your trucks? We get 100 hours for 2300 cartons. Start at 5am, bowl A and G. Stock Pfresh with G. Done with A and G by 745 am and then wave is broken up. 8 tms to C/D, 2 to B, 1 to Infant HL, 2 to Toys. 2300 truck done at 10:30. Smaller ones done at 9. Biggest problem is not enough PDAs to stock the merch off the repacks.
If I did the math right, that's 23 cases per TM per hour. Seems reasonable.

Edit: forgot to subtract the TL hours. Does this include BR?

Okay, now I'm at 25. I got 17.5 TMs though when I divided 92 by 5.25. That means 4.5 in SL?
 
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