Archived Branch Messenger: New system coming for shift swaps

[HRZone]

We got an email this week from HR Vice Prez that some locations have been selected to test a shift swap app called branch messenger. It will supposedly allow you to view your schedule and swap shifts from home. And no more chasing down an LOD for a signature.

We are supposed to have a rep come to our store on Monday to setup a tablet and begin the training process for HR uploading the schedule. Any other HRTMs have their store serving as a guinea pig.

Here is their website

Branch Messenger - swap shifts, message coworkers, and view schedules

 

[Anelmi]

My store seems to be a test store for everything that comes down the pike. This sounds interesting...

 

[soyaxo]

It sounds cool, by I can think of several conflicts right away at my store

 

[Kaitii]

PLEASE GIVE IT TO ME

We haven't had the swap shift board in over a year I miss it so much I just want a way to switch my shifts ez

 

[SrTLall]

Wow, something I've been hoping that will roll out for years is an easier way to call people in, hopefully this is the answer! Someone calls out and Branch Messenger sends a text to all available TMs (TMs can opt out if they don't want to pick up shifts).

 

[BackroomAlpha]

That sounds cool. My store will definitely look down on using it lol.

 

[SrTLall]

I don't assume every function of that app will translate to Target, but it would be nice if it did. Their site says there is a 43% reduction in absences, but that's probably because the app shames the person who called out by texting everyone 'TM A just covered a shift for TM B on xyz date/time.' Doubt that will fly at Target.

 

[graffiti]

I love this idea (or at least I will in the new year when hours plummet!) but I really hope this isn't one of the scheduling apps that shares everyone's phone numbers with the entire team. I keep that information from certain people for a reason, lol.

 

[HRZone]

In HR calling people on their day off sucks. If this makes our job easier in any way I am estastic.

@LUR99 @MarsBars - are your locations testing this?

 

[GSA2GSTL16]

The store I'm doing training at is doing this. It actually looks pretty cool..a much better way to keep team members accountable and it doesn't look like phone numbers are shared. You put in a shift you would like to give away, state your reason and then wait...they have a 19 inch monitor set on a table in the tmsc that has it all on there...you can use that or your phone. We are all more tech savvy now so it makes sense, no more chases down an LOD to make changes!

 

[SFSFun]

How does it handle shift swaps that would put TMs into OT? That's a big part of having someone sign off on it at my store.

 

[Doglover89]

How does it handle shift swaps that would put TMs into OT? That's a big part of having someone sign off on it at my store.

Yes, that and what workcenter the shift is for. We've had people take shifts for areas they are not trained in, and a clueless LOD not paying attention signed off on it.

 

[StargazerOmega]

My store is testing this too. Didn't get a chance to see how it all works though.

 

[LUR99]

In HR calling people on their day off sucks. If this makes our job easier in any way I am estastic.

@LUR99 @MarsBars - are your locations testing this?

I wish our store was doing that! I didn't see an email from the HR Vice President and my ETL hasn't mentioned anything either.
Some days I spend 2 hours calling people to cover shifts ugh. Please let me know how it all works when you have more details

 

[nur1o]

We have had this at my store for about 3 months now. It is really nice being able to pick up shifts from home when you download the app.

 

[Malkiacera]

We had something similar at my other job. It worked great considering they had no swap system in place.

My biggest pet peeves were.....

-Getting too many notifications.
-Managers using it as a form of communication but if you didn't have it set for notifications you were always out of the loop.
-LOD's not double checking the swaps and being surprised/disgruntled when a less favorable person came in since they didn't need approval.
-Too much side chat from coworkers. Equivalent of Tm's talking on channel one.
-Lots of shifts being half covered.

 

[HRZone]

LOD'a not double checking the swaps and being surprised/disgruntled when a less favorable person came in since they didn't need approval.

Some days I spend 2 hours calling people to cover shifts ugh.

This is so true, my ETLs have me call people in a specific order and when the last person is the one who answers and agrees to come in the ETL sighs and says "well he/she is better than nothing"

 

[TeamRed]

It sounds like a cool idea but knowing my store it would be a gigantic headache:/

 

[LUR99]

This is so true, my ETLs have me call people in a specific order and when the last person is the one who answers and agrees to come in the ETL sighs and says "well he/she is better than nothing"

Sounds familiar! I am not given a list but I try to call their "favorites" first and I gets ughs and sighs when their favorites don't come in.

 

[Doglover89]

Sounds familiar! I am not given a list but I try to call their "favorites" first and I gets ughs and sighs when their favorites don't come in.

I'm not in HR, but I know that there are only select people my store even calls in. Sometimes they've called me and I've said no and then they've stopped calling people. Had a coworker who was willing to pick up shifts but they never called her in.

 

[paokinawa]

My store is doing the test. I go to huddle every day and there has been no mention of it at all, I just happened to see a stack of the card/flyer at TSC.

Are we supposed to be able to see our schedule on it?

 

[Bosch]

My HR ETL calls it Branch Manager not Messenger. Yeah I have faith this will work.

 

[RightArm]

Hope it does come to ours and will work simply because it will take a load off our operator who ends up doing all the calling in to cover shifts.

On a side note I don't know that it will be all that helpful for TMs with more specialized jobs such as VML, Plano, Instocks, Market, SFS, Backroom... there usually is very thin coverage in those areas to begin with and not just any TM can pick up their shifts. It will, however, be massive help with cashier and sales floor coverage and to be fair, in our store, those are the two areas with the highest percentage of call offs.

 

[HRZone]

My store is doing the test. I go to huddle every day and there has been no mention of it at all, I just happened to see a stack of the card/flyer at TSC.

Are we supposed to be able to see our schedule on it?

Yes, it is supposed to be an approved EHR when it comes to scheduling

 

[SrTLall]

It will, however, be massive help with cashier and sales floor coverage and to be fair, in our store, those are the two areas with the highest percentage of call offs.

During a normal weekend at my store we are guarenteed to have at least 1 cashier and 1 sales floor call out, which screws everyone who shows up for their shift. That may not sound like a lot but we are a lower volume store we don't have that many TMs scheduled to begin with. Branch Messenger will be my new BFF if it learns how to do all my attendance coachings via text message.