Archived Hardlines closers

[sankoff]

The new thing in my store is to have ONE hardlines TM after 8pm. It seems that zoning doesn't have the priority it used to any more, so we leave with toys, chemicals, and domestics (except towels of course) looking like complete trash. I've been told that openers are now expected to zone, which I do not believe and it certainly hasn't been happening. Is this a corporate thing, or is it because of the hours crunch?

Another new thing is for day shift to pull fill groups and leave carts and u boats full in the backroom, apparently expecting closers to push, but we are also told to pull fill groups. So I have a hard and fast rule to not push anything I didn't pull unless directly instructed to do so by an LOD.

 

[NKG]

Your store doesn't zone as it pushes truck?

 

[sankoff]

Your store doesn't zone as it pushes truck?

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAAAAAA

We're lucky if items end up in the general area of where it's supposed to go. I feel like half the store is flexed, which is a complete nightmare because the counts are way wrong, but that's another story.

 

[band_rules16]

We're staggered...one until 9, one until 10, etc...IF that.

The LOD always wants us to zone, but do we get to it?? Hardly ever.

 

[seasonaldude]

The new thing in my store is to have ONE hardlines TM after 8pm. It seems that zoning doesn't have the priority it used to any more, so we leave with toys, chemicals, and domestics (except towels of course) looking like complete trash. I've been told that openers are now expected to zone, which I do not believe and it certainly hasn't been happening. Is this a corporate thing, or is it because of the hours crunch?

Another new thing is for day shift to pull fill groups and leave carts and u boats full in the backroom, apparently expecting closers to push, but we are also told to pull fill groups. So I have a hard and fast rule to not push anything I didn't pull unless directly instructed to do so by an LOD.

It's not just your store. The day team is supposed to zone as they go. If it doesn't happen, it's likely a lack of time due to continuing payroll cuts. That's also why those vehicles are left full in the back waiting to be pushed. ASANTS, but payroll cuts at your store are likely just as severe, if not even worse, for the day team right now. I'd suggest talking to your closing lead about your hard and fast rule. It's likely they would prefer that you push what's already pulled before pulling anything else to fill the shelves that have been sitting empty the longest.

Yeah, it absolutely sucks to be pushing at night. That's where Spot is going though.

 

[sankoff]

It's not just your store. The day team is supposed to zone as they go. If it doesn't happen, it's likely a lack of time due to continuing payroll cuts. That's also why those vehicles are left full in the back waiting to be pushed. ASANTS, but payroll cuts at your store are likely just as severe, if not even worse, for the day team right now. I'd suggest talking to your closing lead about your hard and fast rule. It's likely they would prefer that you push what's already pulled before pulling anything else to fill the shelves that have been sitting empty the longest.

Yeah, it absolutely sucks to be pushing at night. That's where Spot is going though.

I don't mind pushing, I actually prefer it to zoning, but I can't do both by myself. That's a good idea on talking to them about pushing what's already pulled, I'll do that.

 

[sankoff]

We're staggered...one until 9, one until 10, etc...IF that.

The LOD always wants us to zone, but do we get to it?? Hardly ever.

We're at the point where they want Seasonal to look great and towels to be folded. Everywhere else, just zoning the end caps. I don't think Baby Hardlines has ever been zoned in the 5 months I've worked there. Household Storage is a free-for-all.

 

[Dapper]

Flow has to zone first their area before they begin pushing, so those are really the only places that get zoned in the morning. Our night people basically do a few pulls, then zone and do reshop afterwards for most of the night. We still have 2-3 closers in hardlines.

 

[Militantagnostic]

Flow has to zone first their area before they begin pushing, so those are really the only places that get zoned in the morning. Our night people basically do a few pulls, then zone and do reshop afterwards for most of the night. We still have 2-3 closers in hardlines.

That's how it was at my store, and if no one did anything during the day it was usually gonna be a long night.

 

[PaRaD0xxR]

yeah, zoning isn't really a thing anymore. We're all (flow/pp2 team) expected to zone as we push, but nobody does. Except bedding/towels. Oddly, nobody (leaders) seem to care that the place (esp. toys) looks like a shit show.

 

[AlwaysBackstock]

As owners, we are told to zone as you push at my store. However I try to sneak in a good 5-10 minutes at the beginning of my shift to dedicate some time to just zoning. I usually get called to begin on my push about 5 minutes in. Hardlines closer usually only handle reshop. Occasionally they may have extra time to zone the end caps at least. Since I come in so late in the day my pulls are usually always done for me and waiting for me in my area to be pushed. Only time I get my own pull is if I audit my area and have time to grab it after.

 

[thebroche]

Exclusively closing hardlines here. Usually been getting 7-11 shifts. Closing lead and STL have communicated that the zone has to be completed every night (yeah right), and expect one person to complete C+D (home, bath, storage, bedding, etc). It's close to 95 aisles including the walls and some of it just has to be skipped because there's no way I can get that all done. Towels and rugs always needs a good hour to an hour and a half. After covering an electronics lunch and take my 15, help guests, etc, I'm down to close to 3 hours.

I show up at 7 and am expected to zone right away. Cram in some abandons to finish here and there, but it's been run like a tight ship post Christmas. I had a 4.5 hour shift on Saturday, so actually got it done, and because it surprisingly held up, I got it done in a 5 hour shift on Sunday too. There's so many other factors that preclude finishing, like flexed product, damaged product, defects, stolen items. I spent 15 minutes cleaning up a lamp I broke, and it's stuff like that that will always be in the way.

 

[Bama Marley]

Dedicated Stockers are supposed to zone their area before pushing their truck. At least that is what my district is instructed to do.

 

[band_rules16]

Lately it's get everything pushed, and then zone if there's time. Different closing LODs have different expectations. Wednesday the LOD wanted me to zone toys and rugs. Rugs - no problem. Toys, I had to decide if I wanted to be thorough or efficient. With inventory coming, I chose thorough, and superzoned the stuffed animals. I didn't get too far in the aisles (thanks lack of hours), but someone needed to go through all of that.

Some LODs just want the pulls done and reshop cleared out of guest service, and then hit hot spots (towels, rugs, etc.). Maybe a perk of this modernization is getting everyone on the same page...if there's enough hours...

 

[Xanatos]

I think the idea is that team members should be there when guests are there, to help the guests and to make the store look good while guests are there. I never understood the idea of trying to make sure the store looked perfect at close. Who are you cleaning up for? Ghosts? There's no one in the store. Meanwhile, the store is trashed during peak hours. Although I will say it made it easier for the morning teams (flow, POG, pricing, whoever) to get their stuff done.

In practice, it sounds like the new method of zoning as you go doesn't seem to actually work for a lot of people, so the store is trashed during peak hours and remains that way overnight.