MEGATHREAD 2018-2019 Store Modernization Megathread

[Go2TL]

You can't create a batch for a POG without tying it.

This is true and you can't fake tie with out affecting the store.
You can fake tie all you want to fudge the system and corporate to think you are stellar employees but when you fake tie and don't follow through to set it, a domino effect starts(Bare in mind that this never happened until a 2-3 years ago when they did a system/software update).
1. POG Batch gets created in the system in the Move App. If batch is not pulled immediately and left in there, it will end up somehow in OOS eventually for that for that Fill Group. THEN...
2.Auto Fills are larger than normal because batch created from POG tie didn't get pulled by the Team Member who tied it. THEN...
3. Backroom TM pulls auto fill, tries to push auto fill but discovers product can't go out because POG not set. So has to backstock product they just pulled. THEN...
4. OPU Team comes along to fulfill an order but can't because the location the product says it is, ain't!
5. Unload team comes along to push freight off the truck because the pick label on the box shows item is tied therefore it needs to be pushed there but can't, so it goes to backstock.
6. System shows POG is tied and product goes on sale for the week so headquarters sends promotional signing. Sunday Ad setup Team goes to the location to put up signs but can't because POG is not set!

Hmmm, see a domino effect all because we want corporate to think we are stellar employees that can do it all with less payroll and more responsibilities?
Again, why do we allow them to think we are superstars when in reality, we can't do all that is being asked with little to no payroll?!

 

[jenna]

Not to mention all the shit that eventually comes out of the backroom as clearance because the POGs/REVs were never tied, set or stocked correctly.

Or - all the shit that goes salvage because it takes so darn long to pull all the price change batches that are now HUGE since people are fake tying stuff.

And how full the BR gets from all the new stuff + the old stuff, so that makes it even more difficult to work in the BR.

Or - the tubs U-boats and repacks of shit left scattered around the BR, and no one can find stuff for SFS, or to help guests that say "Target website says you have the item in stock."

 

[15 Sec. Remain]

This is true and you can't fake tie with out affecting the store.


3. Bakroom TM pulls auto fill, tries to push auto fill but discovers product can't go out because POG not set. So has to backstock product they just pulled.

This. On so many levels. Today, was working the Autofills for an area that "wasn't worked on for about a month for reasons unknown (?)." What came up? Of course. E/C's that were tied, but not set. Had to Backstock it, and I'm sure they'll come up again later.

I asked a TL about said endcaps - "Oh? You haven't set those up yet?" 😐

I just started being a DBO already 2 weeks in. Mostly the shift is all truck push, Backstocking and working Autofills. Haven't even learned how to set up an Endcap/POG on the zebra. I remember on how to do it on the PDA a while back....

Truly, it's a vicious cycle. And I do miss things before Modernization happened. Thanks, corporate.

 

[seasonaldude]

This is true and you can't fake tie with out affecting the store.
You can fake tie all you want to fudge the system and corporate to think you are stellar employees but when you fake tie and don't follow through to set it, a domino effect starts(Bare in mind that this never happened until a 2-3 years ago when they did a system/software update).
1. POG Batch gets created in the system in the Move App. If batch is not pulled immediately and left in there, it will end up somehow in OOS eventually for that for that Fill Group. THEN...
2.Auto Fills are larger than normal because batch created from POG tie didn't get pulled by the Team Member who tied it. THEN...
3. Bakroom TM pulls auto fill, tries to push auto fill but discovers product can't go out because POG not set. So has to backstock product they just pulled. THEN...
4. OPU Team comes along to fulfill an order but can't because the location the product says it is, ain't!
5. Unload team comes along to push freight off the truck because the pick label on the box shows item is tied therefore it needs to be pushed there but can't, so it goes to backstock.
6. System shows POG is tied and product goes on sale for the week so headquarters sends promotional signing. Sunday Ad setup Team goes to the location to put up signs but can't because POG is not set!

Hmmm, see a domino effect all because we want corporate to think we are stellar employees that can do it all with less payroll and more responsibilities?
Again, why do we allow them to think we are superstars when in reality, we can't do all that is being asked with little to no payroll?!

You just described one of my biggest headaches. Now I know why I get so much crap in my toy pulls that have nowhere to go on the shelf. They are tied but I gots nowhere to put them. Leadership is aware of the issue, but since it's not more work for them, they don't care. The backroom TMs and me are not amused.

 

[Go2TL]

You just described one of my biggest headaches. Now I know why I get so much crap in my toy pulls that have nowhere to go on the shelf. They are tied but I gots nowhere to put them. Leadership is aware of the issue, but since it's not more work for them, they don't care. The backroom TMs and me are not amused.

Now less talk about the flip side of NOT being able to set on Time hence not tying and setting POG/Revisions/SPL's:
1. Sales floor locations drop out of the system.
2. Auto/CAF's do not generate a pull for items sold to be pushed to the untied aisles. (I've always prided myself to get workload current or only a few days behind. This year I was 3 weeks behind on certain POG's/Revisions all due to the fact of having to push 39 unsorted pallets of TAT freight and 16 pallets of unsorted Mini-Seasonal Holiday freight in the span of over 2 weeks).
3. Since we are a push all store, new items flow off the truck and should be sent to backstock but due to a revision not getting set on time items gets flexed out somewhere on the salesfloor.
4. Aisles begin to look bare because system doesn't pull freight
5. Price Change will not be system led to update new price labels or process clearance.
6. Promotional signs can not be put up since aisle is not tied (unless you know how to do it "Old School" and read).
7. OPU Team can't fulfill their order because unless it's located in the backroom they won't be led to pick it off the salesfloor.
8. Gift registries for Wedding/Baby won't have locations on the registry list for guests to fulfill.
9. Receiver won't be able to finish IR's unless they are great at finding things like in "Where's Waldo?!"
10. Once aisles are finally tied/set especially a revision, the pull batches are huuuuge! It not only pulls the revision items (4 new) but what the system thinks is an "out" on the floor. So it pulls all the capacities. A Revision set time of 30 min turns into 2 hours all because you try to do the right thing by "fixing it."

These are all that I can think of. Unless I missed something, please feel free to chime in and add to this long list.

 

[seasonaldude]

Since we are a push all store, new items flow off the truck and should be sent to backstock but due to a revision not getting set on time items gets flexed out somewhere on the salesfloor.

Noooooo....Not in my section. I'm ripping that crap off the shelves if I find it. I told our flow TL that one of these days I'm going through the entire section and ripping all the crap his team overstocks and flexs on my shelves off. I'll put them in tubs and block the line so they have to backstock it before starting the truck. He thought I was joking. I wasn't. I'm pretty sure I can get ETL and STL appproval to do this if I catch them in the right mood. Just got to get them in the "Gee, this TM is complaining about something so tell them whatever they want to hear" mood. Seems to be a typical one at my store.

But, seriously, things just need to be done correctly the first time with no shortcuts all around or everything gets fucked up for everyone else.

 

[Far from newbie]

Noooooo....Not in my section. I'm ripping that crap off the shelves if I find it. I told our flow TL that one of these days I'm going through the entire section and ripping all the crap his team overstocks and flexs on my shelves off. I'll put them in tubs and block the line so they have to backstock it before starting the truck. He thought I was joking. I wasn't. I'm pretty sure I can get ETL and STL appproval to do this if I catch them in the right mood. Just got to get them in the "Gee, this TM is complaining about something so tell them whatever they want to hear" mood. Seems to be a typical one at my store.

But, seriously, things just need to be done correctly the first time with no shortcuts all around or everything gets fucked up for everyone else.

THE TRUTH. Absoluutely !
THIS is why modernization SHOULD work. You would never tie and not set for your OWN section, you would never overpush for your own area, you would never put unticketed clearance in back stock if you were held to sales goals ........ etc. it is done because by doing it , it becomes someone ELSES problem. Our pricing Corning is always congested cause everyone dumps crap there - out of sight for me and now your problem to deal with.

 

[OldSchoolVet]

SHOULD work and DOES work are two different things. Not enough hours and people who care and are actually trained in all aspects, are the reason Modernization does not work.

 

[Dead and Khaki]

I'd say these are all reasons POG team needs to continue to exist--and be allowed to do our job and ONLY our job while the store is closed.

There is far, far more to selling than talking to guests.

 

[seasonaldude]

THE TRUTH. Absoluutely !
THIS is why modernization SHOULD work. You would never tie and not set for your OWN section, you would never overpush for your own area, you would never put unticketed clearance in back stock if you were held to sales goals ........ etc. it is done because by doing it , it becomes someone ELSES problem. Our pricing Corning is always congested cause everyone dumps crap there - out of sight for me and now your problem to deal with.

Yeah, in theory there is a lot about modernization/E2E that makes sense. In theory it makes sense to have TMs who are "experts" in a section doing everything in the section so they can be available to help guests. In theory. However, any process that relies on low pay retail workers to always do things right and never cut corners is doomed to fail. The theory becomes nothing more than the pipedream of a moron. I complain about flow because their corner cutting is the source of my problems, but it's not really their fault. It's the fault of the idiot who thought it would be a good idea to have flow backstock their own stuff. When they get sent out with more product than needed of course they are going to take the path of least resistance for them and throw as much of it on the shelves as they possibly can instead of backstocking it. Of course they are. It's a no brainer.

But, then they've made the job of the hardlines TM in the section more difficult and time-consuming. That TM doesn't have to time to do his/her own stuff, let alone fix the issues caused by flow. So more things don't get done right. And, problems pile up with no one fixing them and everyone hoping that no one in leadership notices and cares enough to fix the problems because Spot leadership doesn't make the source of the problems fix them. They make whoever reports problems or whoever just happens to be around when the problems are noticed fix them. So, not surprisingly, the only sections in hardlines that aren't a complete mess are the special sections that always get the hours needed and that never have anyone else touch their stuff. I mean our beauty section looks great. I rarely see any guests there. It's an impressive looking zone though and on the off chance someone does want to buy lipstick as a stocking stuffer there are plenty of beauty specialists to help them pick the perfect shade of red. Meanwhile, in the first Q4 after the biggest toy retailer went belly up, toys looks like Puerto Rico after Maria hit. Modernization/E2E is good in theory though.

 

[Llamanatee]

I don’t even know what thread to put this in, so I guess I’ll put it here.
Did some shopping at my store today. There was 1 person in electronics. They were putting up ad. They were working a 4 hour shift with ad, a double truck, and pre-Thanksgiving Electronics sales. While I was there I heard the LOD yelling on the walkie to this person about their ad progress but they couldn’t respond because they were juggling three guests. Also, they did carry outs for 55 inch TVs with no vehicle and no cart attendant.

Wtf is all I can say. I’m glad I’m on leave.

 

[SitSpotSit]

...any process that relies on low pay retail workers to always do things right and never cut corners is doomed to fail.

This is 100% the hard truth that Corp is refusing to accept.

 

[PackAndCry]

THE TRUTH. Absoluutely !
THIS is why modernization SHOULD work. You would never tie and not set for your OWN section, you would never overpush for your own area, you would never put unticketed clearance in back stock if you were held to sales goals ........ etc. it is done because by doing it , it becomes someone ELSES problem. Our pricing Corning is always congested cause everyone dumps crap there - out of sight for me and now your problem to deal with.

Oh, no, they'll absolutely do it because there's not another task team to call them out on their shit (other than SFS).

 

[Frontlanegirl]

THE TRUTH. Absoluutely !
THIS is why modernization SHOULD work. You would never tie and not set for your OWN section, you would never overpush for your own area, you would never put unticketed clearance in back stock if you were held to sales goals ........ etc. it is done because by doing it , it becomes someone ELSES problem. Our pricing Corning is always congested cause everyone dumps crap there - out of sight for me and now your problem to deal with.

I help push when I can and it is so frustrating when I come across an area that has been 1) over pushed 2) miss- pushed.

 

[RhettB]

This is 100% the hard truth that Corp is refusing to accept.

I'd not consider soon to be $15 as low paying. Work ethic has a lot to do with it.

 

[Black Sheep 214]

I'd not consider soon to be $15 as low paying. Work ethic has a lot to do with it.

No offense, but the raise to $15 is not here yet, and whether or not $15 is low paying or not depends on whether a person lives in a low cost or high cost of living area. Where I live $15 an hour is low pay, and even in low cost areas $15 with low hours and no benefits is starvation wages. Nearly all of the new and seasonal hires at my store are retirees supplementing their incomes and high school kids earning a few bucks for the holidays. They have no benefits or stable future at Spot. They have no stake in the business that will keep them at Target. If another store up the street offers them 50 cents an hour more, they will go there because they have no incentive to stay. Nearly all of our TMs with good work ethics have left over the past year due to Modernization and the stressful toxic atmosphere and lack of hours that came with it. ASANTS, but people looking for a career in retail don’t come here, they go to our competitors. Word gets around about the low pay, impossible expectations, and dismally low morale. You get what you pay for. If Target wants TMs with a strong work ethic, pay them what they are worth, give them decent hours, benefits,and a reason to buy into the process. TMs who are low paid and don’t care if they get fired or not will not work themselves to death to try to make a flawed system work. People who are worried about being able to pay their rent or put food on the table are too stressed out and preoccupied with survival to worry about following the Modernization process to the letter, thus even if the process was perfect, which it isn’t, it would be doomed to failure.

 

[Backroom81]

I'd not consider soon to be $15 as low paying. Work ethic has a lot to do with it.

$15 don't mean shit when everyones hours are cut. It's a bigger carrot on a longer stick.

Modernization fails on one primary front: It always takes a certain amount of time to unload a truck, take the product to the floor, take a case to its location, open the box, put the product on the shelf, take remaining product to backroom, and backstock it correctly. Modernization has done virtually nothing to streamline any of these main, time-consuming steps and they added a whole host of extra duties while gutting the shit out of payroll.

Modernization also tries to turn everyone into a "jack of all trades" while forgetting the other half of the saying; "master of none". Having separate, specialized teams is far more efficient for complex processes than having everyone trying to do everything.

 

[Tessa120]

I had to go to Walmart today. Now I want to check out Walmart's pay and talk to someone about hours. I had to walk half the store, and I saw one vehicle the whole trip, and it was lightly loaded. All the departments were very neat looking and well zoned. Most of the tables in the apparel area were well folded, toys and sporting goods were not on the floor, shelves were fully stocked. The floor was so clean it gleamed in the lighting. They can't possibly have less customers or less messy customers than we, so they must have a system and appropriate hours to get things looking right.

 

[Kartman]

Damn! Now that you mention it, my local Walmart is the same way!

 

[Proficient]

When I was salesfloor we never had vehicles on the floor past 12-1pm with the exception of market all day process. Now it’s uboats everywhere and no tms in sight lmao.

 

[Rock Lobster]

I had to go to Walmart today. Now I want to check out Walmart's pay and talk to someone about hours. I had to walk half the store, and I saw one vehicle the whole trip, and it was lightly loaded. All the departments were very neat looking and well zoned. Most of the tables in the apparel area were well folded, toys and sporting goods were not on the floor, shelves were fully stocked. The floor was so clean it gleamed in the lighting. They can't possibly have less customers or less messy customers than we, so they must have a system and appropriate hours to get things looking right.

Target just doesn't have the cash to fuel these changes. Brian cannot take a hit to profits this Q4 or the stockholders will lose confidence in the company and the changes he is making, so he has to cut everything to make it look like we are "modernizing" and getting immediate results from it.

 

[Black Sheep 214]

Target just doesn't have the cash to fuel these changes. Brian cannot take a hit to profits this Q4 or the stockholders will lose confidence in the company and the changes he is making, so he has to cut everything to make it look like we are "modernizing" and getting immediate results from it.

^ This. 100%. If you can’t make sales, make cuts, but you can’t maintain the illusion long term.🙄

 

[dannyy315]

When I was salesfloor we never had vehicles on the floor past 12-1pm with the exception of market all day process. Now it’s uboats everywhere and no tms in sight lmao.

I know, it’s chaos!

 

[qmosqueen]

I know, it’s chaos!

chaos times 1,000

 

[15 Sec. Remain]

Going back to my old store some years back, I remember the only time we had vehicles were tubs/flats, was doing the Autos/CAFs that backroom pulled until 7 P.M.-ish(?) (being in a high volume store) & in Market, the 3-tier carts of Dry, Frozen/Dairy.