Archived Flexible Fulfillment? Anyone launch yet?? Deets!

Status
Not open for further replies.
Our flexible was so busy this past weekend that they had to take it off of the backroom, and pass it along to the ETL's....we were probably getting 10-15 orders an hour....I was running out of space in the holding area.....they keep saying they are giving us someone whose responsibility is to handle it that wouldn't impact the backroom, but I'm not holding my breath this close to Christmas.....
 
I don't handle any FF myself but I have seen what we've got being held in our designated area (behind Guest Service and in Photo), there is a TON. I think with the snow, people want to be able to pick up their stuff at their leisure instead of taking a chance of driving out and doing their shopping normally. It makes sense, but yikes.
 
I actually enjoy it now. I know how to read isle locations on the salesfloor and most of the items are in toys and electronics and those guys are cool so I get to "hang out" with them. That also means all the guests assume I work in toys/electronics so I get mobbed whenever I go out there. Sure is a change from the backroom.

Also lets me scope out all the hotties in tights and boots all over the store. But yes, our holding area is getting packed pretty quick.
 
Wasn't there supposed to be a cut-off time for FF batches to drop?? Like 6pm or something? I was pulling at least one each hour up to 10pm tonight.
 
Probably like there is supposed to be an on-hand cutoff where it wouldn't let you order, but Saturday we kept getting orders for the Ipad Air and we had none, and had it verified....but we probably had 10 different orders for them.....even the inventory showed 0 and they kept coming.....
 
Wasn't there supposed to be a cut-off time for FF batches to drop?? Like 6pm or something? I was pulling at least one each hour up to 10pm tonight.

It's supposed to cut off at 9pm at my store where everything that shows up afterwards isn't due until 9am the next morning. Some nights, they show up at 9:30pm and show due within an hour.
 
Probably like there is supposed to be an on-hand cutoff where it wouldn't let you order, but Saturday we kept getting orders for the Ipad Air and we had none, and had it verified....but we probably had 10 different orders for them.....even the inventory showed 0 and they kept coming.....

I am getting this problem constantly. At first it was just softlines. Now it's spread into hardlines. If I can't find something immediately, I will item search and see what the counts are. Then I do stand-alone research on the item, and it says on-hand of 1??? I don't get it.

This has been my life lately: try to do some pulls, get an alert. Find my printer. Run across to the opposite end of the store. Look for item. Can't find it. On-hand count of 1/2/3? Run back to the backroom. Dig through the piles of backstock. Can't find it. Go to the other corner of the store. Check reshop. Can't find it. This is such a time-consuming process. I spent more time on the salesfloor than in the backroom this last weekend, especially because every time I went out to electronics to get something for an order I would be mobbed by guests. I'm seriously not able to do my primary workcenter these days.
 
I've taken to just checking My FA every 30 minutes for picks. I'm done with the whole "Stop what you're doing RIGHT NOW and get the printer!!" It still gets done on time and I can plan my work around it.
 
I could barely move in the back of guest services today. Holds... holds everywhere! I think FF is a great idea, but I feel bad for the backroom guys that are constantly making that trip back and forth.
 
How's everyone's hold area set up? Is anyone's actually able to handle how much stuff has to fit?

Ours is in our photo closet and they gave us 4 regular wacos and 7 cosmetic-sized wacos and that's it. Today, we had two coffee makers, a trash can, and a Lego set sitting on the floor or on top of other stuff in our photo closet. We also had two bean bags, a banquet table, and two folding chairs sitting in the photo labs. I think we're only using like two of the wacos for anything.
 
You know, Flexible Fulfillment is a beautiful, wonderful creation. A gift to all guests and team members alike. And the experience could be even better... IF CUSTOMERS STARTED PICKING UP THEIR ITEMS ON TIME AND NOT LET IT PILE UP TO MOUNT EVEREST!

*now re-read that as if Lewis Black were to say it*
 
I worked last night, and good grief, Flexible sounded like an alarm clock with the alerts going off so often. I don't mind orders that are good size (I had one last weekend for over $1000), but when they are buying a jump rope, a movie, or a single Hexbot, it really makes me scratch my head. Our holding area is the former GSA office, and we have 6 shelves for bulk items, 2 locations on the floor for really big things (ping pong table!) and about 24 wacos to throw things in. And right now, with the last order I filled as I was leaving last night, all the locations are full........
 
There should be a minimum dollar amount or something. You really needed one DVD or that one toy you couldn't just come in and get? As one TL put it yesterday it's pretty much making us "the guests bitch."
 
Officially, our hold area is a single 3' section of shelving with 12" wacos going about 6' high, and a pallet space with a location label for larger items. We have had to "expand" that to a flat in an empty office in the TSC.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top