ETL - Specialty Sales

[IcePeasant]

Hi all

Long story short, I’ll be headed to my fourth store in less than eight months. My career is Remodel, thus why so many stores in the short time; I’m not sure how long I’ll be at this store, but any help is appreciated.

My question is mainly for specialty sales ETLs out here and really any ETL that could offer advice to anything and everything.
What to do when headed into a red store that’s been leaderless for a couple months, especially in apparel. I’m no stranger to Tech and Beauty as I had ran those departments previously, but apparel is a whole other ball game.

IP

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Congrats! I have a new etl for speciality, too. They work on routines, strengths, weaknesses & do training with all tm's in those areas, at my store. They allow feedback on ways to work better & make sales for the store. The biggest fight is hours for them.

 

[TM2]

Get breakout done. If that means you and your style TLs are in the back breaking out at 3PM so be it. It's cliche, but you cant sell from the backroom.

 

[allnew2]

Get breakout done. If that means you and your style TLs are in the back breaking out at 3PM so be it. It's cliche, but you cant sell from the backroom.

Your break out doesn’t get done by the inbound?

 

[Yetive]

Make sure your Team Leaders/VM know how to and spend time planning. If they are caught in neverending cycle of tasking, the team will always suffer. Weekly status with them and you, no matter how busy everyone is, to plan workload, staffing, schedule, etc. Back to basics with the team-routinesnd accountability, just like any department.

 

[Fix It]

Dust off that resume and apply to be a project manager or something in another line of work if you have remodel experience. ETL-Rs who go back to retail side get forgotten about. The position is an easy stepping stone to SD or BP. A lateral move to Spec Sales will throw away a ton of opportunity. Don’t believe any promises a DSD or GVP makes about proving yourself in a store after doing remodels, it never works out.

 

[TM2]

Your break out doesn’t get done by the inbound?

It is an inbound responsibility, yes. That said, if it isn't finished style helps. No sense in fighting a turf war instead of driving sales.

 

[Noiinteam]

IMHO style tms should not be detrashing. It has always been a truck process. However, they only have 1 inbound person, the other was shit canned, and he works with no sense of urgency because he doesn't want to work on the floor. Style helps out every freaking day. Hire somebody.

 

[allnew2]

It is an inbound responsibility, yes. That said, if it isn't finished style helps. No sense in fighting a turf war instead of driving sales.

Why a war? Why wouldn’t get finished by inbound you should have 3-4 team memb breaking it down so no reason not to finish .

 

[SLLeadMe]

I'm a specialty sales ETL as well. Fully in support of style TMs breaking to stay current with freight if inbound doesnt finish. Style repacks can easily set your process behind if you allow it to back up.

When I onboarded they were about 40 pallets behind due to truck opening late and them not continuing to break after the inbound team left. They would just accept and roll it. They would wrap it and bulk it and we were still taking doubles almost daily to add to it. RFID and fulfillment scores were horrible due to it all being unbroken.

I had to change our system and use tms to backfill to get us current. It became part of the culture for my TLs. Course correct for success. They asses what's left daily and will start pulling opening tm's once the mids come in to support the break.

Thankfully we have far less days where we need to pull. But when we get added trucks and cant adjust inbound schedules last minute tms support. If we open trucks late the TLs/tms know they will probably have to support.

 

[IcePeasant]

First week wrapped up...I’m basically GM/SS extra help until 2020 Flights start- More GM than anything....

Dust off that resume and apply to be a project manager or something in another line of work if you have remodel experience. ETL-Rs who go back to retail side get forgotten about. The position is an easy stepping stone to SD or BP. A lateral move to Spec Sales will throw away a ton of opportunity. Don’t believe any promises a DSD or GVP makes about proving yourself in a store after doing remodels, it never works out.

I have expressed zero interest in an SD position, BP on the other hand, yes I wouldn’t mind, even OSR or PM for Target/Construction. I have construction background and one side of my family does, I’m just the crazy one who decided to work at Target.

 

[Kovsky]

Set clear expectations with your team leads (make sure these are high, but reasonable) and ensure they are setting similarly high standards for your TMs. Have weekly status meetings with your TLs and walk "a visit" of their areas with them. Write your own schedule and make sure your team leads are a part of this planning and scheduling process as well. When your style process is great, you'll be able to be a little more hands-off there and more heavily involved in beauty and tech, which don't have a TL but report directly to you. You have to spend at least a little time in beauty and tech every day. In the beginning, work alongside your team closely so that you can get to know them and know their strengths and weaknesses. If you identify any gaps in their knowledge, teach and train immediately. Breakout, price change, and POGs have to be done on time, or you'll screw yourself over in the long run.

I run Specialty Sales and am one of the two trainers for newbie SSLs in my district. Feel free to PM me if you have any specific questions!

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

Your break out doesn’t get done by the inbound?

Inbound can’t get it done in the time scheduled. Style has to help finish.