Archived Backroom TM first few days...(venting a bit)

[Xcarl]

I started working at target a few days ago. I still haven't gotten any official training. All I've been getting is just "sorry we haven't been able to train you.." What?

I've learned how to work the cafs and do the general stuff but when I come across something I need to use equipment for I have to skip it. The back room is always a mess there are never any tubs to put things on. Why? Because the pulls just stack and stack and no one comes to take them. I don't understand how these people work. This is my first job and frankly I hate it.

There was a flat stacked with diaper boxes and other softline items. I literally went over to the dressing room counter and told the heavy lady that works there "hey your pull is ready" THAT FLAT REMAINED IN THE SAME SPOT IN THE BACKROOM FROM THE TIME I WENT IN 7AM TO THE TIME I CLOCKED OUT 3:30PM. Like.. what? I just kept stacking all the softline items onto that same flat as much as I could. It's just annoying how they want to rush you to get these calfs done on time and nobody is even working them. Plus whats training right? I just feel like I picked the wrong job as my first job and it is nothing like I thought it would be. I work tomorrow. >.>

 

[konk]

You did pick the wrong job. However, the FRO can't leave the fitting room and you don't really have time to go out onto the floor, so you should have just let them know on the walkie. Six times if you have to. That way the LOD knows as well.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

From our guide section:

At my store (AA vol Super Target, overnight process for flow), this is how I ran the dayside backroom:

Before 11am:
First one comes in at 8 am, gets equipment and checks to see if the 7am CAF was pulled (why the hell does this even exist anyways?) immediately followed by Suspect Date Audit.
Check in with O/N if they haven't left yet to see if there's anything they want done right away.
Walk the backroom noting any backstock to be completed, things out of place to be fixed, etc.
Pull research batches.

Pull POGs, PTMs, EXFs, MIRs, Sweeps, take care of backstock, do the audit batch, item merge, and any other task I am forgetting. The actual priority of each of these tasks is dependent on the rest of the store. If there are some sales planner POGs in the gun and the floor is calling for them, I'll make it happen before others. If there's a ton of backstock and O/N did not specifically tell me to leave it for them to finish, I'll prioritize that. If the audits haven't been gettting done, I'll try to hit that first if I can. If NONE of that has been getting done, I'm probably in a very bad mood that day.

As a general rule, I usually put PTM pulls on the bottom of my priority list unless someone is actually asking for them since our Sales Floor is TERRIBLE at working them. PTMs have a tendency to hang around the backroom for 1-2 weeks getting pushed from one end to the other before someone finally decides to work it to the floor.

11am-6pm:
CAF pulls
Other batches by request
Continue any tasks from above
Backstock CAF merchandise that comes back. Audit it if it looks like it wasn't worked properly (>50% of CAF comes back, several unopened cases)

6pm-9pm
Pull and stage price changes
Set the line for overnight
Stage all backstock
Pull TnT merchandise (if Monday night)
Backstock

 

[indigo25]

I started working at target a few days ago. I still haven't gotten any official training. All I've been getting is just "sorry we haven't been able to train you.." What?

I've learned how to work the cafs and do the general stuff but when I come across something I need to use equipment for I have to skip it. The back room is always a mess there are never any tubs to put things on. Why? Because the pulls just stack and stack and no one comes to take them. I don't understand how these people work. This is my first job and frankly I hate it.

There was a flat stacked with diaper boxes and other softline items. I literally went over to the dressing room counter and told the heavy lady that works there "hey your pull is ready" THAT FLAT REMAINED IN THE SAME SPOT IN THE BACKROOM FROM THE TIME I WENT IN 7AM TO THE TIME I CLOCKED OUT 3:30PM. Like.. what? I just kept stacking all the softline items onto that same flat as much as I could. It's just annoying how they want to rush you to get these calfs done on time and nobody is even working them. Plus whats training right? I just feel like I picked the wrong job as my first job and it is nothing like I thought it would be. I work tomorrow. >.>

The operator can't leave the fitting room so there wasn't really anything they could do about it unless there was a different softlines TM on the floor. The furthest our FRO can go is zoning the clothing for men and the activewear for men because they're the sections the FR is wedged between. The best they can do is call for someone else to come get it. It's strange that the CAFs get left there so long. My store is often pretty bare bones but the LOD, hardlines TL, or someone who is basically about to be a TL will always go back and check it and call out how many we have, and who they are for (3 CAFs for hardlines, 1 or softlines, and a three tier for market,etc). Maybe when you go back you could call it out and some people will stop and realize they should grab one. That depends on if you have enough people to actually stop backing up or whatever to come get one. :/

 

[Andosphere]

Welcome to target...

 

[konk]

I wasn't trying to be mean. The most important thing is that the LOD knows that someone isn't doing his or her work!

 

[Life201]

I started working at target a few days ago. I still haven't gotten any official training. All I've been getting is just "sorry we haven't been able to train you.." What?

I've learned how to work the cafs and do the general stuff but when I come across something I need to use equipment for I have to skip it. The back room is always a mess there are never any tubs to put things on. Why? Because the pulls just stack and stack and no one comes to take them. I don't understand how these people work. This is my first job and frankly I hate it.

There was a flat stacked with diaper boxes and other softline items. I literally went over to the dressing room counter and told the heavy lady that works there "hey your pull is ready" THAT FLAT REMAINED IN THE SAME SPOT IN THE BACKROOM FROM THE TIME I WENT IN 7AM TO THE TIME I CLOCKED OUT 3:30PM. Like.. what? I just kept stacking all the softline items onto that same flat as much as I could. It's just annoying how they want to rush you to get these calfs done on time and nobody is even working them. Plus whats training right? I just feel like I picked the wrong job as my first job and it is nothing like I thought it would be. I work tomorrow. >.>

I'm confused.

If you could walk over to tell someone their pull is ready, why can't you walk over WITH the pull?

I think you should speak to your TL &/or ETL and ask them how to resolve this problem? That will let them know you are aware there is a problem & that you care enough to want to do a good job. Then it's on their heads that the pulls aren't reaching the floor.

 

[IhaveaDream]

Let me end your vent real quick. I pull, push and backstock all of own autofills. I pull PC, i set line, I clear every POG out of gun, I assist the morning team finish pog backstock, i do guest pulls, and I maintain a very good (not perfect) zone. I am the only person who will ever backstock in the freezer.

I ask LOD for assistance every single day, and every single day I get told " The front end is overflowing with go-backs." I then go up there 30 mins later for my lunch and there isnt shit.

even had the softlines team bring me back 3 tubs of softlines and told me LOD said i had to push it.

My training was "go into sto for backstocking and pull for pulls" everything else i figured out on my own.

For the last 6 months of doing this, i was actual recognized by a fellow team member for holding the backroom together for the first time today. 6 MONTHS

 

[BigEyedPhish]

This reminds me of the time I was told I was the "Fill-In TL for the day". As a Perishables Assistant, which is LOL by itself.. Not only did I have anywhere from 5-7 pulls an hour for myself alone, but I brought every pull to the corresponding TM in that area from the backroom so they didnt have to waste time to come back and get it. (I have become a magician with moving multiple vehicles at once.

 

[RedDog]

At Target training is no longer a thing that happens. It is just a piece of paper you sign saying you are trained. You did not pick the wrong job, you picked the wrong company.

 

[Noiinteam]

I never signed anything saying I was trained. Training at Target leaves a lot to be desired. If you don't ask alot of questions, you are screwed. There is no shame in asking a question. A good TM will bend over backwards to help a fellow TM that wants to get it right!

 

[Mhugh220]

Let me end your vent real quick. I pull, push and backstock all of own autofills. I pull PC, i set line, I clear every POG out of gun, I assist the morning team finish pog backstock, i do guest pulls, and I maintain a very good (not perfect) zone. I am the only person who will ever backstock in the freezer.

I ask LOD for assistance every single day, and every single day I get told " The front end is overflowing with go-backs." I then go up there 30 mins later for my lunch and there isnt shit.

even had the softlines team bring me back 3 tubs of softlines and told me LOD said i had to push it.

My training was "go into sto for backstocking and pull for pulls" everything else i figured out on my own.

For the last 6 months of doing this, i was actual recognized by a fellow team member for holding the backroom together for the first time today. 6 MONTHS

Corporate Target appreciates TMs like you. Why? Because they can hire 1 person to do a 3 person job and pay you with peanuts. A lot is asked from a TM who pulls, pushes, and back stocks. ETLs need to recognize your hard work. For my TM who always went in the freezer without question I gave him preference over shifts, weekends off, 32+hours (usually 40), and gift cards out the yang (restaurants and movies). I would have loved to give him a raise or bonus but that's out of my hands.

 

[Xcarl]

Hi thanks for all the replies. I walked over to the fitting room counter because my walkie ran out of battery. I know now I should never walk out there after reading your posts and use my walkie. Anyway the thing is the heavy lady that works the softline pulls was chatting it up with the lady at the fitting room counter. :| My plan is to tough it out until the end of the holidays and start applying to other jobs. They make it sound like they care about you so much and its all lies. We're understaffed, the backroom is always a mess, and nobody does anything. Yesterday this guy's shift ended at 4pm he took his break at about 3:30pm and disappeared. Its just a really crappy environment to work in. Also everybody acts like its so normal :\ The only people I've met there that have helped me out is 2 cool dudes that have been teaching me what my "trainer" hasn't.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Thanks for the update.

 

[Life201]

Hi thanks for all the replies. I walked over to the fitting room counter because my walkie ran out of battery. I know now I should never walk out there after reading your posts and use my walkie. Anyway the thing is the heavy lady that works the softline pulls was chatting it up with the lady at the fitting room counter. :| My plan is to tough it out until the end of the holidays and start applying to other jobs. They make it sound like they care about you so much and its all lies. We're understaffed, the backroom is always a mess, and nobody does anything. Yesterday this guy's shift ended at 4pm he took his break at about 3:30pm and disappeared. Its just a really crappy environment to work in. Also everybody acts like its so normal :\ The only people I've met there that have helped me out is 2 cool dudes that have been teaching me what my "trainer" hasn't.

In all fairness, the blame for the low morale & the continually growing apathy of employees in the stores lays solely with CORPORATE.

The TLs & ETLs are expected to enforce corporate's screw tightening. If they can't make this magically happen, then they better know how to fake the reports to make it look like they reached the goals or they'll be out on their butts & younger & more malleable replacements will be hired to do the dirty work.

With this bad economy, Target doesn't have to worry about happy employees - they can find people who are so desperate for a job they'll swallow their pride & kick into robot mode.