Archived Ad walk

[prim07]

Just curious, how long does it generally take to complete an ad walk? Is it handed off to one person, or multiple?

 

[Circle9]

Our store does the ad walk/audit (as we call it) after each block is finished during ad setup. 1-2 people stay behind and go down each aisle checking for missing signs. It takes about 10+ minutes or so for a block. We're still trying to figure out the part of who prints off and puts up the missing signs. Some weekends its the LOD, other weekends its been our signing guy or the ad setup team (if the ad was small and we finished early) and other times I don't think it really gets completed because they haven't figured out if we're going to have to do this we need more hours for it.

 

[prim07]

Our store does the ad walk/audit (as we call it) after each block is finished during ad setup. 1-2 people stay behind and go down each aisle checking for missing signs. It takes about 10+ minutes or so for a block. We're still trying to figure out the part of who prints off and puts up the missing signs. Some weekends its the LOD, other weekends its been our signing guy or the ad setup team (if the ad was small and we finished early) and other times I don't think it really gets completed because they haven't figured out if we're going to have to do this we need more hours for it.

I'm an intern, and was handed off the ad walk today. Took me two and a half hours. Probably could have been a little shorter but it seems like a big waste of time (not in the sense that it's useless, ads drive those comps), and I'm curious if any veterans know of quick efficient tips on getting this done in a timely matter.

I thought of doing it during ad set up but seems like that would halt production of the setup process, our store is low volume so we don't have many TMs in the morning to get it done to begin with.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Check out the ad before it is set on Sunday. You should have a copy of the ad on fridays for starters.

 

[prim07]

Check out the ad before it is set on Sunday. You should have a copy of the ad on fridays for starters.

I was curious as to whether we got them early or not (was sure we did). I'll definitely do that next time around and take some time Friday/sat and prep.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Look in Tsc or take the ad setup report off of workbench.

 

[Circle9]

I'm an intern, and was handed off the ad walk today. Took me two and a half hours. Probably could have been a little shorter but it seems like a big waste of time (not in the sense that it's useless, ads drive those comps), and I'm curious if any veterans know of quick efficient tips on getting this done in a timely matter.

I thought of doing it during ad set up but seems like that would halt production of the setup process, our store is low volume so we don't have many TMs in the morning to get it done to begin with.

Yeah, that sounds about right for how long it took the LOD. Used to be each TM would take a block and work the signs in that area, then do the ad walk. Then it became the whole signing team would wave the ad, then the LOD did the audit. So it took forever to get done in between all their other tasks. Then the printer stopped sending us most our signs and it got to be kind of a mess. So we come to the current setup.

When I do the audit, I'm less interested in making sure every section has every sign up. Ain't nobody got time for that. Instead,/ I'm looking for obvious problem areas where either there's too many (expired) or not enough signs up. I use the "See promo signs" feature on the iPods (you know how to use this?) and glance down each aisle. If the breakdown tells me a section has a dozen signs and I'm only seeing three, then I'll do a count and see what's wrong. Tells me there's 44 signs and I'm seeing a buttload on the shelves? Probably do a quick check for expired or if its a giftcard kind of deal, double-check a couple signless locations. But I am not counting every sign. I'll pay attention to areas I know have problems with signs getting/staying put up too.

How many TMs do you have for setup? I'd suggest maybe having them wave the audit after each block but then you end up with a half-dozen sign batches of a few signs each or something like that. Maybe once ad's all up and you have time left over, split them a few to each area to audit. Anything they don't get to, you and leadership finish up. Still leaves the issue of printing and placing the signs though.

 

[BlueSide]

Our takedown audit falls on our closing LOD Saturday and our PTL or signing specialist does another on Sunday. Then there is the setup audit(reading through the weekly ad and walking the store ensuring all featured items are signed), performed by Sunday's opening LOD. After the ad is set, the ad setup team audits all endcaps for missing signs. And that's all folks.

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

My store doesn't walk the ad. The team members that set it do an endcap audit. But no one walks the ad. My lods suck.

 

[AmICrazy]

Our LODs do an endcap audit, but as far as an ad audit/walk we have not done those in a long while. I often do an ad walk in certain parts of my area, as I know that often don't send signs for certain things sometimes. These include infant furniture displays for one.