Archived Backroom TL-What to Expect?

[That BackroomGuy]

I recently sat down with my leadership to discuss my interests in becoming a backroom TL. I’ve been a backroom TM for 3 years so I know the jist of a lot of the processes, but, what exactly can I expect if I become the TL? Moreso, what are some things to look forward to. I understand ASANTS, but just a general idea of how your store runs would be great insight!

 

[TheBeastPMT]

Im assuming a BR TL only, not like a flow TL.

My store's BR TL also looks over Ship From Store,
Also the 12 steps, keeping the right people in your BR.
Backroom accuracy is a big one as well.

 

[WinterRose]

What are the 12 steps again? Sorry, I couldn’t find it through search.

 

[JohnSith373]

You are balancing Ship from Store, OPU and backroom duties at the same time. When doing backroom stuff (research, audits, 1pm/3pm/5pm CAFS, price change, backstock and EXFS), you will follow up with the SFS team to make sure they make pick and pack on time. You’ll follow up with them every so often to make sure the workload is balanced enough to be able to finish picking before 2pm and everything packed before 430pm. Make sure the team is looking for items at all possible locations to keep INF count down and in the green as much as possible.
I’m mostly Flexible Fulfillment so that’s what I see from my side what my TL does.

You’ll probably worry about empty/accuracy location audits, printing location labels, locu aisles every so often as my TL did that, making sure backroom TM’s are not spending too much time pulling a batch via CAF report.

 

[JohnSith373]

What are the 12 steps again? Sorry, I couldn’t find it through search.

1.has item merge been completed
2. Is daily audit done.
3.empty location audit
4.labels scannable
5.profile accurate
6.wrong fillgroups pulled
7.correct fillgroup paper up.
8.nop pulled and mysuporrted.
9.stuff that's been there forever pulled and pushed??
10.partial casepacks pulled and stod correctly
11.low and pro
12.and overstock identified and plan to do with it.

Sure that's all of them and think 9 is right. These are the "steps"... Just might not be in the right order

Posted Jan 2017

 

[unknown]

Few hours. The backroom only got 78 hours at my store last week. So, the person my tl had scheduled to pull and push the POGs we set overnight got taken from us. We came in and were like, what the f**k.

 

[SrTLall]

Backroom is big deal for ASANTS. It can be rewarding if the store is run properly, but it can be an absolute nightmare at some stores. What's the Backroom like now? What kind of process does your store run? What happened to the last Backroom TL? Those are the first things I would consider before accepting a the role. You could turn out to be an amazing TL, but if your store's Backroom doesn't get the support it needs, the role will be aggravating.

 

[Him]

Backroom is big deal for ASANTS. It can be rewarding if the store is run properly, but it can be an absolute nightmare at some stores. What's the Backroom like now? What kind of process does your store run? What happened to the last Backroom TL? Those are the first things I would consider before accepting a the role. You could turn out to be an amazing TL, but if your store's Backroom doesn't get the support it needs, the role will be aggravating.

Your sucess within Backroom depends on your support. From your team, from your potential TL peers, your leadership and STL. Those factors make or break you. ASANTS to echo @SrTLall. Your store might have elevators, or just a different volume altogether. Our version of "coming clean" might be different in regards to your store. If you get the position, know what the set expectations are. Come up with a plan. Execute. Also remember you'll be a LEADER now. Grunt work less, delegate more.

 

[mammoth]

Your sucess within Backroom depends on your support. From your team, from your potential TL peers, your leadership and STL. Those factors make or break you. ASANTS to echo @SrTLall. Your store might have elevators, or just a different volume altogether. Our version of "coming clean" might be different in regards to your store. If you get the position, know what the set expectations are. Come up with a plan. Execute. Also remember you'll be a LEADER now. Grunt work less, delegate more.

actually, if you're running a LV/LUV backroom with 55-80 hours a week max, you'll be doing just as much "grunt" work on top of all the leadership responsibilities you'll now have. there should be no task that a leader feels is grunt work. a good leader is able to get their hands dirty in any and all tasks that they'd expect their team to do.

and if you're getting 55 hours a week, which I've dealt with first hand, you'd have 15 hours to spread to the rest of your "team", pending you are not a senior. that kind of forces you to dive in head first into task or you will fail miserably.

 

[Thunderbird1956]

Make sure you're pulling the CAF times and know there is time built into those times. The efficiency you get our of those pull times for yourself and your TMs is how you are able to do the administrative things you're supposed to do. Make sure you're training not just BR TMs, but anyone that comes into the backroom. They are going to impact your BRLA and End to End means non BR people will be coming into the BR (ASANTS).

 

[Bosch]

Stress lots of stress and being bitched at from all sides with little to no support with the E2E culture..

 

[Backroom81]

Backroom TL? We haven't had one since E2E started.

 

[Hello Despair]

Backroom TL supports SFS? Hell not at my store. Our BRTL doesn't even know how to use the Move app, have never even recieved support from our BRTL or has shown an interest in helping/learning sfs

 

[HRZone]

Backroom TL supports SFS? Hell not at my store. Our BRTL doesn't even know how to use the Move app, have never even recieved support from our BRTL or has shown an interest in helping/learning sfs

Technically they are in charge of it and will be writing your review.

Plano was supposed to take over sfs q4 but now it's back to the brtl should you have one.

 

[Hello Despair]

Plano tl took over sfs for a few weeks im 4Q but we're back to our BRTL. Our LOG-ETL is the one we usually report to on any issues or whoever happens to be the LOD on any given day. Going to be a odd review given our BRTL doesn't know how to even do SFS

 

[Him]

actually, if you're running a LV/LUV backroom with 55-80 hours a week max, you'll be doing just as much "grunt" work on top of all the leadership responsibilities you'll now have. there should be no task that a leader feels is grunt work. a good leader is able to get their hands dirty in any and all tasks that they'd expect their team to do.

and if you're getting 55 hours a week, which I've dealt with first hand, you'd have 15 hours to spread to the rest of your "team", pending you are not a senior. that kind of forces you to dive in head first into task or you will fail miserably.

I understand @mammoth that any and All leaders are to chip in and help with doing task and "grunt" work as it is called. I just don't want OP to be so "wrapped" up in tasking, they "Forget" their Leadership Responsiblities. I too have seen many Leaders across the board 1) Help out the team so much, they get accustomed to it and don't realize Supervisors are suppose to SUPERVISE. 2) Leaders were so focused on tasking, they never "got around to" MANAGING TALENT. All I wanted to emphasize was a balance is all.

 

[anathema]

BRTLs will have varying roles based on your store. I know some BRTLs that are not in charge or instocks (although instocks is heavily E2E at my store) or SFS or even Reverse Logistics. I own all 4 workcenters at my store.

Backroom:
- Owning metrics. POT/Fulfillment/BRLA are your major metrics. Your ETL/STL/DTL will look at YOU and ask you how you plan to fix or maintain your metrics.
- Process. Are you doing things in a way that makes sense and is efficient? What changes can you make to impact this?
- Personnel. Weak links. What are your TMs good at? What do they struggle with? Are certain TMs just lacking knowledge or are they purely lazy? Give people tasks that play to their strengths but do not alter a great logistics process to cater to poor TMs.
- Payroll. Even if you don't do schedule, what was the allocation for this week? What was scheduled? Strive to be at a 1.0 efficiency minimum. Don't add just to add, try to make things happen with what you have.
- 13 steps. huge part of brand in the backroom. Rid of the stuff you don't need or won't sell from the back (DCode, clearance, NOP, online only items) to make room for the stuff you do need. Make a clear profile and set the expectation of how the aisle should look. Use the detail to followup on problem performers.

Reverse Logistics:
- Take a lot of time to learn from your receiver. Managing a receiver is hard if you have not done the job yourself. You can followup on the basics like MIR completion, sweep compliance, audits, defectives, etc.
- Have your receiver own something else. Some stores have them own bulk steel in receiving, do the daily audit, or organize what's on the line.
- Reverse Logistics is pretty autonomous until it's not. Don't get caught with your pants down.

Instocks:
- E2E has heavy affect on instocks. Our store has TLs of blocks own RIGs and daily scanning. One person scheduled 10-630 will pull and work any research/exf.
- Instocks is now heavily dependent on your store. Some stores still run deep instocks teams for daily scans.
- Consider dropping manuals instead of autos for daily depth fills, can alleviate some of the midday pulling.

SFS:
- I preach self-sufficiency for SFS. Your strongest TM should be here, one that you will call 'captain'.
- Learn to troubleshoot issues, you will have them.
- Have your captain do weekly supply audits and order them for him/her before the cutoff.
- Check metrics weekly and followup
- Use a binder for daily auditing of INFs, any notes on how the day went, and problematic DPCIs that should be investigated by instocks.

The backroom area is probably where most BRTLs will spend their time. Varying volumes and the nature of retail means a huge difference in payroll week to week. I spend a lot of time directing traffic and backstocking myself. You will have to share the work, but you do not have to bear the load by yourself with slight help from others. If others around you are not cutting it, flip to talent management and check their pull times and set goal times for vehicles. Backroom is very pass or fail. Your metrics and your ability to finish backstock and keep the backroom brand will be the basis for your performance.

I think I covered a decent amount, let me know if you have questions.

 

[That BackroomGuy]

BRTLs will have varying roles based on your store. I know some BRTLs that are not in charge or instocks (although instocks is heavily E2E at my store) or SFS or even Reverse Logistics. I own all 4 workcenters at my store.

Backroom:
- Owning metrics. POT/Fulfillment/BRLA are your major metrics. Your ETL/STL/DTL will look at YOU and ask you how you plan to fix or maintain your metrics.
- Process. Are you doing things in a way that makes sense and is efficient? What changes can you make to impact this?
- Personnel. Weak links. What are your TMs good at? What do they struggle with? Are certain TMs just lacking knowledge or are they purely lazy? Give people tasks that play to their strengths but do not alter a great logistics process to cater to poor TMs.
- Payroll. Even if you don't do schedule, what was the allocation for this week? What was scheduled? Strive to be at a 1.0 efficiency minimum. Don't add just to add, try to make things happen with what you have.
- 13 steps. huge part of brand in the backroom. Rid of the stuff you don't need or won't sell from the back (DCode, clearance, NOP, online only items) to make room for the stuff you do need. Make a clear profile and set the expectation of how the aisle should look. Use the detail to followup on problem performers.

Reverse Logistics:
- Take a lot of time to learn from your receiver. Managing a receiver is hard if you have not done the job yourself. You can followup on the basics like MIR completion, sweep compliance, audits, defectives, etc.
- Have your receiver own something else. Some stores have them own bulk steel in receiving, do the daily audit, or organize what's on the line.
- Reverse Logistics is pretty autonomous until it's not. Don't get caught with your pants down.

Instocks:
- E2E has heavy affect on instocks. Our store has TLs of blocks own RIGs and daily scanning. One person scheduled 10-630 will pull and work any research/exf.
- Instocks is now heavily dependent on your store. Some stores still run deep instocks teams for daily scans.
- Consider dropping manuals instead of autos for daily depth fills, can alleviate some of the midday pulling.

SFS:
- I preach self-sufficiency for SFS. Your strongest TM should be here, one that you will call 'captain'.
- Learn to troubleshoot issues, you will have them.
- Have your captain do weekly supply audits and order them for him/her before the cutoff.
- Check metrics weekly and followup
- Use a binder for daily auditing of INFs, any notes on how the day went, and problematic DPCIs that should be investigated by instocks.

The backroom area is probably where most BRTLs will spend their time. Varying volumes and the nature of retail means a huge difference in payroll week to week. I spend a lot of time directing traffic and backstocking myself. You will have to share the work, but you do not have to bear the load by yourself with slight help from others. If others around you are not cutting it, flip to talent management and check their pull times and set goal times for vehicles. Backroom is very pass or fail. Your metrics and your ability to finish backstock and keep the backroom brand will be the basis for your performance.

I think I covered a decent amount, let me know if you have questions.

Thank you! Do you mind sharing some ways you execute plans? Mainly along the lines of how you delegate the workload and manage the team. Do you have the mentality of teamwork, or laying certain tasks for people to maximize accountability? I'm already used to leading the backroom, but, it'd be great to have more insight on any side of leadership styles.