Archived Getting items from the backroom for guests?

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I started working at Target about 3 weeks ago. I'm a Sales Floor Team member, and so far things have been going pretty well.

However, I have a question regarding how to locate and obtain items from the backroom if a customer doesn't see what they're looking for out on the floor.

Case in point: last Sunday I was working from 11am to 6pm, the store was pretty busy. Around 4pm or so a woman comes up to me with 2 barstools. She would like 2 more and tells me that there are not any left on the floor. So I scan the item with my PDA, and it says that we have some in the backroom. Now, previously another sales floor member had told me that we should go to channel 2 on the walkie talkie to communicate with the backroom, and say "Backroom, can you pull a ______ (whatever item)?" And then provide the DPCI to the backroom.

Well, I radioed the backroom (this took awhile because the man back there couldn't hear me apparently), and then I was mixed up and gave him the number underneath the barcode. He still couldn't hear me, and asked me to repeat the number, which I did (still unknowingly providing the wrong number), and then he told me it was too many numbers, I needed the DPCI. So I realized my mistake, found the DPCI, and again called the backroom, saying I had the DPCI. The man is then suddenly very brusque, and says he is "too busy to help me now", he has to work on "pulls", and that he would get the LOD to help me. The woman was surprised to hear the man say he was "too busy". I was rather surprised too. (To make a long story short, the LOD came over, and we found the barstools).

Now, I have some questions about what to do if this happens again:

1) Do sales floor members generally call the backroom to locate items for guests? Is this done? Also, is there anything that is "to small to pull". Would the backroom go looking for a washcloth, say?

2) I understand if the man in the backroom realized I was new and didn't know about the DPCI, and thought it best if the LOD help me out. But I didn't realize that getting pulls together was such a time crunch? Could anybody familiar with the backroom provide some input on this? And I'd like to be able to handle it without getting the LOD involved all the time.

3) I really don't like using the walkie talkie for things like this - could I just bring the item/barcode to the backroom myself, and show it to them? It seems like face to face communication would be better in this case...

Thanks so much for your help!
 
For some stores it is best practice. Only Backroom and a select few can pull from the back. And yes Backroom is scored and timed on pushing their pulls.

But if you show you work the salesfloor hard enough and willingness to learn then working Electronics as well helps.

You can ask your ETL-HL and ETL-Log for training on pulling items. Its very easy. But because of inventory counts and situations that can easily screw up counts thats why only selected people are allowed to pull.s

I was never backroom certified. But because my store was Low Volume and our Backroom teams finished anywhere from 8 to 9. And we had a huge demand for Electronic backroom items. I was shown how to Pull Items.
 
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If you're not backroom certified, then you should have a backroom TM, someone who's backroom certified, TL, or LOD pull the item for you (preferably a backroom TM is one is available). If you're lucky, they'll even push the item to the lanes so it's ready for the guest to buy if they have more shopping to do.
 
I don't think the OP was referring to pulling the items himself, he is asking about communicating effectively with the BRTMs. I don't see where you were in the wrong in this situation (apart from the UPC/DPCI mistake, but that's no biggie). I get where the BRTM was coming from in regards to the pulls, but guest requests are part of their job also. I wouldn't change anything about what you did.
I wouldn't say there is anything "too small" to pull. If a guest wants it, and we have it, there's no reason they shouldn't get it. I wouldn't bring the item in the backroom. That's wasting too much time and effort for something that could be solved via walkie, just be sure to hold the walkie button down before you begin to talk (and throughout) and speak clearly and you should be able to be heard.
 
Now, I have some questions about what to do if this happens again:

1) Do sales floor members generally call the backroom to locate items for guests? Is this done? Also, is there anything that is "to small to pull". Would the backroom go looking for a washcloth, say?

Nothing is too small to make a guest happy. I've had location checks for petty things like One Spot Foam Swords and Fluffy Stuff and have to take them with the same friendly spirit as the big ticket items. Every piece of merchandise that goes out the door drives sales, so too do returning guests.

2) I understand if the man in the backroom realized I was new and didn't know about the DPCI, and thought it best if the LOD help me out. But I didn't realize that getting pulls together was such a time crunch?

If you're providing the UPC, before reading numbers, as a courtesy, you should let the backroom team member know that's what you're providing. Both the UPC and/or DPCI can be used to pull or look up items. The backroom is more used to the DPCI, and I, for example, when I ask for the numbers, always have "49" keyed in anticipating the DPCI.

Every hour , on the hour, from 11am - 5pm, the backroom has hourly CAF Pulls to perform. These pulls are generated by merchandise that is purchased each hour and throughout the day. In addition, the backroom has POGs (Planogram pulls), Research (generated by the InStocks process), EXFs (pull batches generated by TLs and ETLs, for things such as empty endcaps, checklane impulse items, or whatever need to be filled on the floor, and is outside of the normally generated pulls.) At our store, the Research batches are pulled pre-11am, along with POGs, and EXFs. However, if a TL or ETL calls for a POG or EXF to be pulled, ASAP, we get on it right after that hour's CAFs, or split one of the backroom team members off to pull it.

The CAFs must be completed, each hour, by the top of each hour.

And I'd like to be able to handle it without getting the LOD involved all the time.


The LOD shouldn't have to get involved unless the backroom team members aren't present, or there's only 1 and they're either on lunch or a 15. I'll take location checks while on my 15 if I'm the only one on. In that case, I simply suspend my 15 and continue it once the check and/or pull is complete.

3) I really don't like using the walkie talkie for things like this - could I just bring the item/barcode to the backroom myself, and show it to them? It seems like face to face communication would be better in this case...

Sometimes coming to the backroom isn't a good idea because it's a mess, or sometimes you might just get in the way. The more bodies in the backroom after a truck, the more of a pain it is when pulling batches. It is a good idea to build a rapport with all of your store team members, especially the backroom, if you're a salesfloor team member. If the backroom has a douche or two, it might be a good idea to discreetly speak to someone about it. The walkie is a means of friendly communication which, unfortunately, the buying public hears. If there's inappropriate banter, report it.

The biggest problem with salesfloor team members pulling from the backroom does come with counts being off. Counts typically get off when people open don't pull full case amounts, simply removing stock from locations without them being subtracted, or being put in locations without being properly located and/or quantities being correctly counted and entered.

One last thought, if there's a hot item, and there's no quantity on the floor or in a backroom location, you might ask if any have been recently pulled and are sitting on a vehicle. I find this is typically the case with large TVs, Storage Ottomans, and Plastic Storage Containers, also toys during the Christmas Season.
 
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When in doubt, go to the backroom & say I have a guest waiting for this item. Please pull this for me. Most tl's are backroom certified to pull items. I would do it in a heartbeat! A sale, is a sale. Guests are the number 1 priority at spot.
 
Backroom should never say they are too busy for a guest. If they're that busy they need to call for br assistance and not ignore guest requests instead... that's terrible the guest heard that remark, doesn't shine brightly on us
 
We like it when you check the price checker first. Depends on your store though. The recently remodeled Super on the other side of town didn't get keypads on theirs. Thought that was stupid.
 
We like it when you check the price checker first. Depends on your store though. The recently remodeled Super on the other side of town didn't get keypads on theirs. Thought that was stupid.

You can tap a certain part of the screen, and an on-screen keypad comes up ;)
 
Good to know. Last time I was there I took the shelf label off!

Hehe. That's what I did sometimes whenever a guest would come up to me and ask "if we were out did we have anymore", my first instinct is to take the shelf label for and go to one of the stores nearest bar code scanners and check if there were any more in the stockroom. If I couldn't get a label off, then I would ask if someone with a PDA if they could scan it.

So best advice is first check and see if there any any more in the stockroom (via bar code scanner or PDA). If yes, then then you should walkie backroom and see if they are willing to pull it down for one of you guys.

And remember, the DPCI number is a lot like your SSN, its usually in the xxx-xx-xxxx format if I last remember.

For the whole thing if you should use a walkie or ask some1 yourself, I would prefer the walkie, its really the main source of communication around the store for anything, since there are always many TM's walking around they might be busy with a task so it never hurts to bother some1 unless your not sure if they are the right person to handle your situation. By using a walkie, the right person can help you if needed.

If you happen to be nearby, then you wouldn't need a walkie. But its really the best way to communicate with the team and shows how great you can respond assuming others who have a walkie as well can hear you as well.
 
I started working at Target about 3 weeks ago. I'm a Sales Floor Team member, and so far things have been going pretty well.

However, I have a question regarding how to locate and obtain items from the backroom if a customer doesn't see what they're looking for out on the floor.

Case in point: last Sunday I was working from 11am to 6pm, the store was pretty busy. Around 4pm or so a woman comes up to me with 2 barstools. She would like 2 more and tells me that there are not any left on the floor. So I scan the item with my PDA, and it says that we have some in the backroom. Now, previously another sales floor member had told me that we should go to channel 2 on the walkie talkie to communicate with the backroom, and say "Backroom, can you pull a ______ (whatever item)?" And then provide the DPCI to the backroom.

Well, I radioed the backroom (this took awhile because the man back there couldn't hear me apparently), and then I was mixed up and gave him the number underneath the barcode. He still couldn't hear me, and asked me to repeat the number, which I did (still unknowingly providing the wrong number), and then he told me it was too many numbers, I needed the DPCI. So I realized my mistake, found the DPCI, and again called the backroom, saying I had the DPCI. The man is then suddenly very brusque, and says he is "too busy to help me now", he has to work on "pulls", and that he would get the LOD to help me. The woman was surprised to hear the man say he was "too busy". I was rather surprised too. (To make a long story short, the LOD came over, and we found the barstools).

Now, I have some questions about what to do if this happens again:

1) Do sales floor members generally call the backroom to locate items for guests? Is this done? Also, is there anything that is "to small to pull". Would the backroom go looking for a washcloth, say?

2) I understand if the man in the backroom realized I was new and didn't know about the DPCI, and thought it best if the LOD help me out. But I didn't realize that getting pulls together was such a time crunch? Could anybody familiar with the backroom provide some input on this? And I'd like to be able to handle it without getting the LOD involved all the time.

3) I really don't like using the walkie talkie for things like this - could I just bring the item/barcode to the backroom myself, and show it to them? It seems like face to face communication would be better in this case...

Thanks so much for your help!

About question number 3.
That's what I always use to do. But, recently, we've been short on Backroom/logistics TMs. So my LOD showed me how to pull small items from the backroom with the PDA. Been doing it myself ever since. It's not policy, I'm sure, but as long as I'm doing it correctly, who cares? Today was a good example. Pulled a 23 dollar blender from the backroom. (took me 5 minutes to find the thing. which feels like forever when someone is waiting on you) THEN she decides to go with a much more expensive blender...kind of pissed me off, but, hey, whatever.
Also, TOTALLY off topic. But does anyone know if we carry slow cookers specifically meant for rice...? In the 3 and a half months I've been working there, I've never seen one. so my answer to the guest was "no." After searching up and down the Kitchen area, of course.
 
Rice cookers are located across from the soda pop maker. Here is a dpci for $30 one, 072-04-0711. If you don't have a walkie, use a pen to write down the dpci & called the operator for help. They have a PDA too.
 
When getting on Channel 2 and asking for the backroom, make sure to open communication with an address long enough to be heard. "Hey backroom, are you on 2?" would suffice. Simply saying "backroom" or "backroom can you pull an item" can often go unnoticed. Often the only TM back there is in a cooler/freezer or on top of the wave wrestling with a bulky item so give them a second to respond. Give them a second to get into the correct application on their PDA before rattling off the numbers for them.
 
When getting on Channel 2 and asking for the backroom, make sure to open communication with an address long enough to be heard. "Hey backroom, are you on 2?" would suffice. Simply saying "backroom" or "backroom can you pull an item" can often go unnoticed. Often the only TM back there is in a cooler/freezer or on top of the wave wrestling with a bulky item so give them a second to respond. Give them a second to get into the correct application on their PDA before rattling off the numbers for them.

Exactly what I was thinking:) I always joke that they need to install an app on the system for "Where is the BRTM?" because most people call for us when we are in the absolute most inconvenient spot to answer right away.....usually given 10 seconds to climb down the ladder, or put the box down, or get away from the fans, or whatever, really helps me out. I have a few that just start rattling, and when they get done, I usually make them start over since I missed 1/2 of what they were saying.....
 
Rice cookers are located across from the soda pop maker. Here is a dpci for $30 one, 072-04-0711. If you don't have a walkie, use a pen to write down the dpci & called the operator for help. They have a PDA too.

thanks. I'll take a look tonight. I figured they'd be next to the slow cookers.
 
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