MEGATHREAD 2018-2019 Store Modernization Megathread

[EndymeChaser]

Giving part time hours to employees causes them to not care and attracts mainly students (who can leave at any time due to lack of bills, no family obligations and this is only a 2 or 4 year gig for them anyway)

Bingo. Spread those hours out thin and employees, regardless of the hourly rate, won’t hesitate to walk out the door when things get stressful (which is nearly everyday). Especially when they don’t need the money in order to survive. I bet those workers at Costco making $20/hr to start arent even half as stressed out as we are.

If they stay on this unrealistic path, then Target is headed for the iceberg. Hope they find the binoculars in time. Just look at what happened to Toys R Us. A year ago, business as usual. Today they exist only in our memory.

Just like the Canada disaster, they are trying to do too much too fast. Corporate is so full of themselves, thinking they can just snap their fingers and things will go just the way they want. I was told to read and sign new guidelines for the department I work in and several lists of bullet points started with the header “non-negotiable” as if that was supposed to scare me into doing 17 hours of work in an 8 hour shift. “Non-negotiable”. Shut the hell up.

No matter how much money you staple to the side of a square peg, it’s not going to fit into a round hole.

 

[BigEyedPhish]

My PMT went to help a neighbor store (45-60mins away yesterday, but our closest Target and brought pictures). This store has become absolutely notorious for being horrible (They aren't even near our volume), but on a NON-truck day, their line was so full you couldn't see the line, literally pallets were stacked to the door, at the BR Fire Exit, and the entire length of the Backroom, They also had two extra trailers full of product that hadn't been pushed yet. That same day, their ETL-LOG for years, threw their hands up and retired. Their POG team is 4 weeks behind, with BTS, still in the steel. I am hearing rumors that we will be taken (We are 2-3 weeks ahead on our POGS, just in case) to their store to help them catch up. Our TempETL-LOG was taken there to be their "OPS" which i guess they made as a temporary position to get them back on track.

 

[qmosqueen]

My PMT went to help a neighbor store (45-60mins away yesterday, but our closest Target and brought pictures). This store has become absolutely notorious for being horrible (They aren't even near our volume), but on a NON-truck day, their line was so full you couldn't see the line, literally pallets were stacked to the door, at the BR Fire Exit, and the entire length of the Backroom, They also had two extra trailers full of product that hadn't been pushed yet. That same day, their ETL-LOG for years, threw their hands up and retired. Their POG team is 4 weeks behind, with BTS, still in the steel. I am hearing rumors that we will be taken (We are 2-3 weeks ahead on our POGS, just in case) to their store to help them catch up. Our TempETL-LOG was taken there to be their "OPS" which i guess they made as a temporary position to get them back on track.

Make sure you get paid both travel time and travel mileage.

 

[spotlife]

Who does rewrap with the new FR expectations? We have a lot of rewrap at my store. Also, phones? How are your stores handling that?

 

[sprinklesontop]

Who does rewrap with the new FR expectations? We have a lot of rewrap at my store. Also, phones? How are your stores handling that?

Rewrap is done by who(m)ever finds it. It is no longer dumped at the Fitting Room, and it never builds up like before. As the Team pushes their truck, or resets Basics, they are responsible for their own rewrap. We've created "kits" that the Team has with them throughout the day. In the "kit" is everything they need to complete rewrap on the spot; labels, tape, etc. Boom. Done.
As for phones, HR answers phones most of the time.... an A&A TM (cordless phone) has it when HR is unavailable. The responsibility is no longer on the FR TM.

 

[countingsheep]

Nobody here we have a whole rolling rack and the underside of the desk packed with rewrap. Etl and dtl are pissed but wont delegate so no one does it. Phones we have a portable and play hot potato with it. Hr is to busy trying to hire people that stay their full 90 days to bother with the phone. Welcome to our shit show -_-

 

[vendordontmesswithme]

Our phones were moved to guest service.

 

[allnew2]

From what I read they make the key carrying leads basically answer all “lod” calls?

Not correct. I’m a backroom TL key carrier. I’m not on channel one and no one asked or told me I need to pick up lod calls neither do I close

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

Our phones were moved to guest service.

I would quit

 

[gsa4lyfe]

I would quit

I second this.... guest yell at us enough when we have to take a call actually related to guest service... I couldn’t imagine every single call

 

[Frontlanegirl]

Our phones were moved to guest service.

I barely have enough time to speak with the guests right in front of me. Usually, there is one person scheduled to open and one to close. We are responsible for sales, returns, order p/u, photo, reshop, defectives, guest inquiries, dollar, and whatever else is thrown our way. There are times when I have a constant stream of guests for over an hour.

 

[Flow Warrior]

Interesting, how do they plan on handling weekends then? Leads work 5 days a week unless rotations go away

thats just it. Rotations ARE going away from what I heard. A lead will be picked to be permanent opener. One will be picked to be permanent closer. On the weekend or days they can't it will be either store leader or and another.

To be clearer than the mud they offered us, or log ETL usually opens with Flow tl while a rotation of tls close, with every one doing it once a month. (mine was last night and it was such fun! not). So under the new system GM 2 which what Log etls new title will be will open on the weekdays with sort lead (flow tl's hilarious new title) simply being a lead of his team of sorting experts (which is what flow is now called according to Group Leader) our GSTL will do weekday closes (she volunteered) and our my buddy A&A TL will do weekends.

 

[Flow Warrior]

Not correct. I’m a backroom TL key carrier. I’m not on channel one and no one asked or told me I need to pick up lod calls neither do I close

why aren't you on channel one?

 

[Flow Warrior]

Who does rewrap with the new FR expectations? We have a lot of rewrap at my store. Also, phones? How are your stores handling that?

OK the moving of the operator to GS does mesh with what I heard so can we get regions and store volumes.
I got it was under 24 million stores and stores with over 50% over store volume in A&A.

A 30 mil store that does on 20% in A&A isnt losing their operator to GS

 

[Frontlanegirl]

thats just it. Rotations ARE going away from what I heard. A lead will be picked to be permanent opener. One will be picked to be permanent closer. On the weekend or days they can't it will be either store leader or and another.

To be clearer than the mud they offered us, or log ETL usually opens with Flow tl while a rotation of tls close, with every one doing it once a month. (mine was last night and it was such fun! not). So under the new system GM 2 which what Log etls new title will be will open on the weekdays with sort lead (flow tl's hilarious new title) simply being a lead of his team of sorting experts (which is what flow is now called according to Group Leader) our GSTL will do weekday closes (she volunteered) and our my buddy A&A TL will do weekends.

How will the GSTL do the closing shifts if they are supposed to be supporting and monitoring the front end?

 

[Flow Warrior]

How will the GSTL do the closing shifts if they are supposed to be supporting and monitoring the front end?

Ours does. She has a delegated GSTM who does the face of it while she does everything else. Also, that wasn't to say all gstl will be picked, just ours chose to do that. There were 4 of us in the running. Me, A&A TL, Granny (its the name I assigned that gives a description without giving away anything) and her.

Flow TL couldnt because well the obvious. Granny got a vote of no confidence because she loves micromanaging her team and dragging us so she can have her second person when she coaches. I ran with 3 people closing last night because of her 'talks' (TM quit after telling me previously he was going to another city for meeting. Meeting = job and it turns out, she kept putting the screws to him)
I didnt want it.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

I would hope the GSTM would be compensated for doing the job of the front end GSTL, but I would not count on it.

 

[allnew2]

why aren't you on channel one?

Because backroom is on Chanel 2 we don’t back up cashier or answer any calls unless are calls for items in the back.

 

[REDcardJJ]

thats just it. Rotations ARE going away from what I heard. A lead will be picked to be permanent opener. One will be picked to be permanent closer. On the weekend or days they can't it will be either store leader or and another.

To be clearer than the mud they offered us, or log ETL usually opens with Flow tl while a rotation of tls close, with every one doing it once a month. (mine was last night and it was such fun! not). So under the new system GM 2 which what Log etls new title will be will open on the weekdays with sort lead (flow tl's hilarious new title) simply being a lead of his team of sorting experts (which is what flow is now called according to Group Leader) our GSTL will do weekday closes (she volunteered) and our my buddy A&A TL will do weekends.

Closing lead is supposed to be a separate, dedicated leader position. Why is your GSTL being the Service and Engagement Lead AND Closing Lead?

 

[sprinklesontop]

Our phones were moved to guest service.

^^^^ I really think this is the best solution..... My apoligies to those that work GS. When you divide up the calls that come in (at least at my store),
about 50% are GS-related. Another 25% are HR-related. Don't forget LOD calls..... probably 5%. The remaining calls are a mix between Electronics, Toys, A&A, and Market.

Sidebar: Does anyone know if (in the not-so-distant-future) we'll have the ability to transfer calls on the Zebras? Ala.... Home Depot and other stores? Thought I heard a rumor about this a while ago.

 

[SL101]

^^^^ I really think this is the best solution..... My apoligies to those that work GS. When you divide up the calls that come in (at least at my store),
about 50% are GS-related. Another 25% are HR-related. Don't forget LOD calls..... probably 5%. The remaining calls are a mix between Electronics, Toys, A&A, and Market.

Sidebar: Does anyone know if (in the not-so-distant-future) we'll have the ability to transfer calls on the Zebras? Ala.... Home Depot and other stores? Thought I heard a rumor about this a while ago.

I completely agree they should have it when HR does not (again, sorry to any GSTM'S, not trying to pick a battle). But, then again, I also feel like if they are backed up at GS that anyone near a phone should then grab it (not completely sure our phones are set up like that or not). Imagine having every FR full, servicing and SELLING, watching for anything AP related, sorting reshop cuz everyone tried on 75 swimsuits, and helping with everything else A&A does with E2E.

THAT being said, I also subscribe to the theory that every cashier should be trained to take a payment and handle a return and that responsibility shouldn't have to solely fall on GS. Other retailers do it, why can't we? You can't tell me that at $15/hr a cashier shouldn't also be trained and expected to do this. Things are changing and the writing is on the wall.

 

[Times Up]

THAT being said, I also subscribe to the theory that every cashier should be trained to take a payment and handle a return and that responsibility shouldn't have to solely fall on GS. Other retailers do it, why can't we? You can't tell me that at $15/hr a cashier shouldn't also be trained and expected to do this. Things are changing and the writing is on the wal

A payment, or a basic return, yes. How to explain this to guest however. Sorry, you have a complicated return, go to GS. How to track simple exchanges if the cashier who told you to go to the floor and grab the replacement item is gone/ on break. Guest comes back with replacement and now that cashier's line is 5 people long and carts are loaded with groceries (biggest percentage of my store's sales). Corporate would really have to figure this out before putting it into place. And, with the demise of IGS...

 

[Go2TL]

I completely agree they should have it when HR does not (again, sorry to any GSTM'S, not trying to pick a battle). But, then again, I also feel like if they are backed up at GS that anyone near a phone should then grab it (not completely sure our phones are set up like that or not). Imagine having every FR full, servicing and SELLING, watching for anything AP related, sorting reshop cuz everyone tried on 75 swimsuits, and helping with everything else A&A does with E2E.

THAT being said, I also subscribe to the theory that every cashier should be trained to take a payment and handle a return and that responsibility shouldn't have to solely fall on GS. Other retailers do it, why can't we? You can't tell me that at $15/hr a cashier shouldn't also be trained and expected to do this. Things are changing and the writing is on the wall.

I agree! But should we take it another step forward to get every current/new team member cross trained to do it all? For $15/hr I would want them to be a jack of all trades (minus making drinks at Starbucks). At the store I'm at there's one team that basically does a lot than most. They set planograms(clean, de-merchandise, set displays), pull their batches (although this is supposed to be backroom's responsibility), push their batch, audit any outs, pull the batch from scan if audit makes a batch, merchandise clearance/decode, defect any damages, FIFO if they are in market setting, ticket clearance if it got missed, put up promotional signing on the new set, backstock because you need a vehicle to pull your planogram freight, back up cashier since opening cashiers call out, answer calls on the walkie if they have walkies since equipment is scarce, help guest service every single guest that you encounter, then having to go help get carts because cart attendant isn't scheduled till after 1pm...what else have I missed? Oh and change the times that we come in and do resets for holiday. Think about it, IMO $15 isn't enough for what this one team does vs.the rest of the employees who do the bare minimum. I feel it's not equal regardless of how anyone looks at it.

 

[RhettB]

Sounds like senior team leads are really getting the shaft in the new operating model

Less LOD... I've done 6 in a row many times. Dealing with vendors, reps, merchandisers... now all that will be the department leads problem. Sometimes that will be me, but still less time dealing with outsiders.

 

[Signingmitch]

I have serious doubts that they will follow that logic in my store