Advice for Fulfillment Tl moving to Closing

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Feb 26, 2021
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I am Flex TL looking to move to ETL in the next year. My store has a Closing TL opening and my store director assigned me this role because it will help me work on gap rooms. I have rarely closed in the last 2 years as Fulfillment TL and was looking for advice because Ik closing is a whole different ball game compared to dayside.
 
I'm a closing TL for a $110M SuperTarget store. I hate my job with a passion, but that's mainly due to my SD and the store in general; I do still like Target. Regardless, I have a lot of insight into the position since I have been in my role for almost half a year. I first want to know what kind of store you're in (small format,p- fresh, super, etc.) and a general idea of your sales before I go ahead and give you a book!
 
I'm a closing TL for a $110M SuperTarget store. I hate my job with a passion, but that's mainly due to my SD and the store in general; I do still like Target. Regardless, I have a lot of insight into the position since I have been in my role for almost half a year. I first want to know what kind of store you're in (small format,p- fresh, super, etc.) and a general idea of your sales before I go ahead and give you a book!
My store is $65m , p-fresh, sfs 1 pack station and consistently receiving 2200 opu daily
 
I’ve been a Closing TL for about a year and a half now. This job is a serious love hate relationship. There are so many pros and cons like anything but be ready to be held to a higher standard than your peers with the same pay. What kind of gaps are you looking to close taking on this position?
 
I’ve been a Closing TL for about a year and a half now. This job is a serious love hate relationship. There are so many pros and cons like anything but be ready to be held to a higher standard than your peers with the same pay. What kind of gaps are you looking to close taking on this position?
Maybe lack of closers at night or undone reshop.
 
At our store our Closing TL spends a lot of time getting carts and going back to electronics.

Half the time there is no cart attendant and no one in electronics after 9:00 PM.
We often have no one in Electronics after 8. Our Closing Lead also spends a lot of time over there.
 
Closing is going to require a lot of delegating. My store you spend most of the shift watching fulfillment and opu. Get plans from your peers and give solid communication back on why those things couldn't be done because everyone had to cover opu because sfs wouldn't get done unless other people pick opu, that style tm had to keep going to tech every 15 min because no one was scheduled, and the rest had to back up the front end because nobody was scheduled and everyone you only have 1 person up front because the other one is on a meal break. Also make sure your closers who spent half there shift picking sfs rush around for the last half hour to pull the oos batches and leave them in the carts for the morning team, atleast till your dsd decides a new metric to focus and oos is ignored. I'm sure I'm missing something else 🙃. Good luck.
 
I’ve been a Closing TL for about a year and a half now. This job is a serious love hate relationship. There are so many pros and cons like anything but be ready to be held to a higher standard than your peers with the same pay. What kind of gaps are you looking to close taking on this position?
Higher standard is true. Been closing TL for three years. I almost feel like moving up to ETL from Closing TL is impossible.
 
My biggest advice would be:
  • Be sure are your closing experts are trained on the basics - some of our closing experts have never been trained how to answer phones, how to transfer calls, how to answer service hubs, how to run register, or how to pick OPUs. This usually goes unnoticed until one of our other TLs/ETLs has to close with all of the untrained TMs on the same night on a weekend. The other night I had to stop packing and walk from receiving up to furniture (very front of the store) because none of our 4 closing experts could pick up a call and our closing TL is useless.
  • Delegate and build routines with your closing team - you are the only leader in the building for a majority of your shift, so you have to train your closing experts to be self-sufficient by building good routines. You could say TM 1 is covering all OOS, OFOs, calls, and Service Hubs for ABC depts, TM 2 is doing the same for XYZ depts, and TM 3 is working leftover boats and reshop. TM 1 is first responder for OPUs, TM 2 for backup cashiering, TM 3 is 2nd responder for both. You are going to be pulled away enough as it is, so not needing to constantly call out to say "who is getting that service hub?" or "who is responding for backup?" will take a little off your plate.
 
My biggest advice would be:
  • Be sure are your closing experts are trained on the basics - some of our closing experts have never been trained how to answer phones, how to transfer calls, how to answer service hubs, how to run register, or how to pick OPUs. This usually goes unnoticed until one of our other TLs/ETLs has to close with all of the untrained TMs on the same night on a weekend. The other night I had to stop packing and walk from receiving up to furniture (very front of the store) because none of our 4 closing experts could pick up a call and our closing TL is useless.
  • Delegate and build routines with your closing team - you are the only leader in the building for a majority of your shift, so you have to train your closing experts to be self-sufficient by building good routines. You could say TM 1 is covering all OOS, OFOs, calls, and Service Hubs for ABC depts, TM 2 is doing the same for XYZ depts, and TM 3 is working leftover boats and reshop. TM 1 is first responder for OPUs, TM 2 for backup cashiering, TM 3 is 2nd responder for both. You are going to be pulled away enough as it is, so not needing to constantly call out to say "who is getting that service hub?" or "who is responding for backup?" will take a little off your plate.
I agree with this. I always say my closing experts are an extension of me. They know how to everything from DU and Guest Services to OFOs and OPUs.
 
Was specifically told I couldn't do this. 😭 Never been so mad in my life at the time, but in hindsight I was able to fasttrack myself out of Closing just by voicing my want to move up.
You were told you couldn’t promote to ETL from closing TL? In my experience, many leaders have thought of closing TL as a global role and a fast track to ETL. But ASANTS of course and districts
 
You were told you couldn’t promote to ETL from closing TL? In my experience, many leaders have thought of closing TL as a global role and a fast track to ETL. But ASANTS of course and districts
Yep. Specifically because as a Closing TL I wasn't getting the district face time they felt was necessary, lack of overall department knowledge, and wasn't influencing my peers as much since they're mostly gone by the time I come in.
 
Yep. Specifically because as a Closing TL I wasn't getting the district face time they felt was necessary, lack of overall department knowledge, and wasn't influencing my peers as much since they're mostly gone by the time I come in.
Interesting. I am just near my 18 months and about to start interview prep for ETL. My SD talked me into going for an ETL role while delivering my review a few months back. I have talked face to face with DSD and HRBP only one time and they thanked me for my impact on a number of things and ask that I get a backfill ready for when the time comes.
 
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