FYI:
0600 (This start was shoved down our throats from higher up) B Volume w/pfresh via FDC. 4 DC Trucks + 3 FDC / DC AND FDC arrive on the same day(s), along with a 3rd mcclane on one day.
We have a designated opening team consisting of the scanner, a thrower and myself to do clean up of all the pallets and miscellany that BR and SF leave, setup, ie: flats moved & reserved for areas, z-racks to SF sort area, cages to areas, etc., and to have freight unloaded and ready for the rest of the team that comes in at 0600.
I have :
ONE (1) person who breaks out the annoying boxes of anything dumped in them aka repacks for "COMBO". Repacks designated for a department ie: HBA, STAT, PLUG, Middle are put with the freight for that custom block. We HAD a different process before some things happened which I don't wish to share as these are very specific to a certain region/district/4 stores.
FIVE (5) who break out the repacks and boxed freight for SFT. This can/has/does go HIGHER once the hours mania ends. It was upto SEVEN (7) during Q4. These ladies ARE THE BOMB! DON'T MESS WITH THEM! *IF* they finish early and we still have hardlines to push, ( AND HOURS IN Jan.) then they will help to finish in HL and FDC (ONE).
INFANT Gondolas has ONE (1) person who deals with that, and nothing else. If they finish they move to an are of HL sports/auto, mini/seasonal, bed/home accessories, mcclane.
There are TWO (2) throwers, one starts at 0530 as per above, the other comes in at 0600, along with the "BULK/Backstock" person, and a scanner who start at 0530 per above.
We have FIVE (5) who are on the line to sort freight by custom blocks, this INCLUDES the ONE (1) TM who is there to sort out COMBO repacks as when they don't have enough to sort they can toss BS and freight to custom blocks.*
HBA has THREE (3) persons assigned to sort out their repacks and the case pack freight. This actually is going to possibly increase by one shortly due to a return from medical leave. (This role is being reviewed at this time.)
Market has from THREE to FOUR (3-4) who push and ONE (1) DEDICATED bowler. Market is bowled from start of truck unload and is to be completed by opening of store. Period. If need be we will wave additional areas into to ensure market is clean by opening. The dedicated bowler from market is also responsible for jostling full vehicles on the line, and relaying TOYS, SF and other areas to that area as well. I don't want line TM's leaving to drag vehicles to the other side of the store, and some days the SF vehicles look like skyscrapers and have to go. I can move this stuff quicker than most of the TM's who are supposed to. Once the unload is complete the dedicated bowler in market pushes, audits, and cleans up the market area including damages, cardboard cages, etc..
Bath/HIPA/Curtains has ONE (1) person who pulls their vehicles of freight and starts pushing, and includes sorting out their repacks to push.
CHEM and PETS has ONE (1) person to bowl and start pushing. At present we take the throwers from the truck and WAVE them to PETS & CHEM.
STATNRY has ONE (1) who starts sorting repacks and separating during unload they get ONE (1) person from the line to complete. These TWO (2) TM's will be sent to other areas if they complete before the entire push is done, normally seasonal/mini seasonal.
ELEC has ONE (1) person to deal with their freight and pulls and repacks, they start during unload. They are left to their own devices, and no one goes over their unless they get totally swamped.
TOYS has ONE (1) person to deal with their freight and pulls they start during unload.
PAPER & PLASTICS including HOME STORAGE (which is normally the higher end of HIPA) is ONE (1) person. This person loads their vehicles and sorts out the repacks for SFT, ELEC and HBA BS, till the unload is complete. Then they start in paper, then do plastics, and will help with any remaining areas ie: SPORTS/AUTO, Seasonal/Mini Season, Bedding/Home Access.
We PREFER to have Market (no ifs/ands/or/buts) PETS & CHEM completed before store open as these are BOWLED during unload. Heavy loads can cause other areas to be pulled into the WAVE to accomplish this.
Those from the LINE are WAVED into Market, PETS, & CHEM based on volume. They are then split to other areas.
PLUG sits till we get to it. Which for us is AFTER market. I split them up. Dedicated bowler from market comes here, possibly ONE to TWO (1-2) others based on size.
SPORTS/AUTO is done by TOYS if they get done. If not then it is sort of a first come I stick you in there from other ares including SFT.
Same with Bed/Kids Bed/Home Accessories ie (LAMP, candles, etc..)
SPOT/BULLPL aka BUCK is pushed by the person who sorts COMBO's. This a dedicated pusher. Although we can/do change this up as needed based on volume in other areas and BUCK.
The BULK/backline backstocker after unload is responsible for pushing bulk paper, water, pets, and FURNITURE. As well as cleaning up bulk pallets and the miscellaneous junk I have to drag back in, pop pallets, pallets of clearance and price change etc..
NOW... the KINK in this is FDC.
My FDC team ROCKS!
The dedicated market bowler goes to FDC and is responsible for its check in and unload (Our receiver does not touch it!). Once complete we pull THREE to SIX (3-6) from the various areas to do FDC, depends on size and to ensure compliance with best practice on time on floor. I have THREE (3) "designated" FDC persons, and others are pulled in from other ares, including ONE (1) SFT ladies and ONE (1) HBA ladies.. THEY ROCK!!! My FDC team is the BOMB!! These are people who want to be FDC, and also includes one of our PA's. This team know their stuff! It unfortunately can lead to issues of when the FDC truck shows up. At its "normally scheduled time" two days a week it is not too bad, but on one day it comes (normally) BEFORE we start the unload.
Another glitch is LATE FDC's!!! Showing up past scheduled time pushes that team closer to their end time.
We COME CLEAN 100% on FDC 99.9% only during LATE FDC and HOUR/PAYROLL issues do we even contemplate rolling over portions of FDC push and/or MCclane.
The other is Mcclane.... when it comes.. we keep ONE (1) to TWO (2) on the day it comes, from market team will stay and do it. Depending on size of truck this may get pushed to FDC team. It can also get bumped to those who do the next day AUF. Depends on lots of things like hours freeze, size of truck, lack of TM from CO/NCNS.
Additionally, each area is responsible for their pulls, and also gets dumped some of the "reshop" from the previous night close.
Flow is a chess game, that you have to move the pieces around the "board (store)" as needed... and it is a new game each day, and changes during the game as well.
CO/NCNS wreak havoc on flow, as dpes the January hours freeze. Went through this today, took volunteers not to come today. Caused plan B for the wave and all hands on deck in market.
You need to have the "right person(s) in the right spot(s)!" As much as I hate the Spot'ness of the line. The reason a lot of the above works is that the right person is in that spot.
We have some areas which we are reviewing changes due to return of persons from leave(s) and efficiency.
Additionally you need to have BACKUPS for positions.
I have FIVE (5) persons who can scan the truck, I have THREE (3) who can do ELEC, this is low. I have EIGHT (8) for FDC, which on average is 4-5/day. Some of the areas are thin. Some of these areas are thin as a handful of TM's cover multiple areas. These are my rock stars!! A few of the right CO/NCNS can wreak havoc on ELEC, FDC,SFT and possibly the unload. Some of the way this is set up is under review to revert some bad ideas and/or reallocate TM's.
You can ask as needed.
