Archived How to stop CTL from putting food in places it doesn't belong?

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Ok, our CTL has a history of let's say "questionable" decisions.

He is constantly trying to suck up to get a promotion to Sr TL, and usually it is at everyone elses expense. The past few weeks he has gotten a great idea in his head - start putting consumables items in other departments.

When he first tried it he went to stationary and put halloween cookies on an end cap with office supplies. When our stationary TL was flipped out because he backstocked product that was exclusive to the end cap (i.e. had no home location) and was TPC for that week he had to undo what he did. The problem is he never asked anyone and never bothered to find out if there was any reason our stationary TL put up the end cap.

So I come in this morning and find out he just did it to my department. I have a flex nintendo Wii/DS end cap setup with old shippers full of games, and what do I notice on the bottom shelf? A freaking shelf full of beer! So I ask my electronics TM "WTF?". He tells me our CTL put it there during the closing shift last night and when he confronted him about it our CTL pulled rank and told him it would be a write up if he messed with what he did.

So I am freaking furious because this is the guy that has a freak out if any TL does anything in his department without telling him - even if it isn't something idiotic.

So I find our CTL in the backroom sitting on the computer. (pretty sure he was pretending to be actually doing something)

So I am like "Hey, I noticed the beer you put on my end cap."

He is all smiles and tells me "Oh yea man! It's great for driving sales huh?"

Me: "No, actually it is not. It is beer. It does not belong in electronics."

Him: "Last time the DTL walked he suggested we start flexing things in to end caps to drive sales"

Me: "Yes, but that was product that belongs in the department. Not beer from consumables half way across the store in electronics."

Him: "Yea, but it is driving sales"

Me: "How is it driving sales?"

Him: "Man college kids you now how they are! When they play their Ninkeendo [yes, he actually pronounced it that way] they will always be drinking!" (our CTL is about 45 years old)

Me: "Look dude, that is a Nintendo Wii endcap. Those games are not played by college kids. They are played by six year olds. You are marketing beer to kids pretty much."

Him: "Well hey I already got [our ETL-APs] approval on it! So I am leaving it there. Sorry if you have a problem, but it is driving sales. We are supposed to help each other out."

Me: "Ok, she [our ETLAP] has been here two months. She has zero floor experience. She told you it was ok because she has no idea."

Him: "Well I have an executive backing me man, so you are going to have to take it up with her."

Me: "Ok sure will. I'll be taking it down until then."

Him: "Ok, well I'll be putting it back up and letting [our ETLAPs name] you are going against her directions. It's on you man"

I freaking walked off after that and threw his damn beer in my stray basket. So I go to look for the shipper so I can put my games back. Of course I spend 30 minutes looking in the fixture room and can't find it thus wasting 30 minutes of payroll. Then it occurs to me.... Surely he did not trash it. Right. Right? Right? I go to the baler and what do I see. My damn shipper smashed in there. So I had to flex it with some BS stereo systems thus making the end cap look like trash.

So about an hour ago I get a text from a closing electronics TM telling me he put the freaking beer back after I left for the day!

This pisses me off because he basically set me up to have to go against an ETL's directions to fix this issue he created in my department. Our ETL-AP was off today so I could not speak to her about it.... but I know what he is going to do next. Tell her that he told me she said it was OK to put there and then I took it down. So now there is a slim chance our ETL-AP will actually see this as me going against her directions.

I don't know how I am going to deal with this issue tomorrow, but I am furious right now.

Just some backstory on our CTL. He has been a TL about 15 years. He knew me when I was a new hire TM several years ago, and always tried to knock me down. When I was a TM he used to order me to zone pets for him. Basically was on a real power trip. Eventually I made TL and all of a sudden he wasn't my boss anymore, which he was not happy about. Ever since then we have not been on the best of terms, but this is the first time he has ever pulled anything this arrogant and bold with me before. He has messed with me a little bit from time to time, but this is like he wants an all out war with me.
 
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I'd go straight to your STL & point out the fact that he destroyed your shipper that was part of a sales planner, that his idea was marketing beer to underage kids (BTW, beer can't be rung up in that dept anyway), that he went to someone who had no practical experience with planners, that he put up his atrocious flex again AFTER you left....the list goes on but you get the idea.
 
Passive Aggressive Spot Approach

You will need:

1) Patience
2) A large amount of chutzpa
3) Willingness to make this guy an enemy for life

At the next team meeting announce that you want very much to create opportunities to drive sales and would like to volunteer.
Then you mention that this PITA has made some suggestions and perhaps he would like to partner up with you, in fact he could even present some of those ideas right now at the meeting.
Smile, step back, and wait to see what happens.

Now it's true you will have taken on extra work that you really probably don't have time for but it will look good come time for your next review and every time he goes to flex something out you can hand him a piece of paper that you came up with and say "you need to fill this out before you can do that."
 
Thats terrible! I am a CTL and I never go outside my department with consumables product unless I have to. Like those stupid sales planners they set in electronics that have doritos on them...I HATE THOSE. I try to keep my vendors contained to an area. I don't need to be worrying about their instocks all over the store. You should let your CTL know that selling beer with a game does not increase your accessory attachment rate. Maybe his comp percentages are low and its making him look bad so hes going crazy creating flex caps. I think you should make a flex cap in market with stereos on it, make it near the beer because people like to listen to music when they drink, right?

I wouldn't be worried about your ETL-AP being upset, I personally think she is not going to care at all.
 
I wonder what the etl-hl said of that endcap? Mine would had a chat with that ctl, beer would be removed. The ctl could use the call of duty endcap with chips & mt dew would drive sales. It is suggested to talk to etl-hl & stl without delay. Your defense is simple, beer & wII don't mix & beer can't be rung in electronics. Tell them you did ask the ctl nicely to remove it. He refused to do it.
 
I wonder what the etl-hl said of that endcap? Mine would had a chat with that ctl, beer would be removed. The ctl could use the call of duty endcap with chips & mt dew would drive sales. It is suggested to talk to etl-hl & stl without delay. Your defense is simple, beer & wII don't mix & beer can't be rung in electronics. Tell them you did ask the ctl nicely to remove it. He refused to do it.

You know the best thing about it? He refused to support the call of duty cap with chips/mt dew and called it "stupid".
 
Number of things wrong:
1. He is pushing alcohol on an endcap marketing kids.
2. He pulled rank on your TM
3. He tried the ETL-AP approved crap....The ETL-AP doesn't know a thing about the salesfloor.
4. He didn't consult you about adding a beer location in electronics.

What you should do is get all the Food Network DVDs and put them on his Market Endcaps.

Just have the STL examine it.

Reminds me the time a friend of mine sent me a pic of a Infants endcap with beer on it.
 
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You know the best thing about it? He refused to support the call of duty cap with chips/mt dew and called it "stupid".

Yeah, like wii with beer is not stupid. *rolleyes* I'd be side-eying the hell of that end cap as a guest buying wii games for my kids. What kind of message does that send to guests in general.....our kids need beer to enjoy the wii games?
 
Our alcohol is always in an area with cameras. Also how would he feel if you decided to put boom boxes on a chip endcap. I admit I will try to cross merchandise within reason. What he is doing is not even close.The one cross merchandising I did in electronics was with the electronic cleaning wipes. We put a couple of facings over there and couldn't keep them in stock. I think I would ask him who is going to make sure these flex ideas stay filled. Also send him and email, copy your exec and his, let him know that you are open to ideas but would like to discuss it first. Also make sure you let him know that you cannot pull items off of the e/c to accomodate his products.
 
Get a friend who has kids to come in, see the endcap, act shocked and appalled, and DEMAND to speak to a manager, preferably the STL, and complain about it. Done deal.
 
I can't believe a TL would have this much time to worry about endcaps in another department. Our CTL always had to much to worry about in hers especially when they combined CTL and Pershiables to one position. I would speak to the STL also.
 
Well, long story short our ETL-HL had it taken down before I even arrived in the store today.

Only thing that pisses me off.... Our CTL got recognized in the huddle by our ETL-HL who said "Great job trying to drive sales. Just make sure to check with me before trying anything new".

The guy pulls a stunt like this and actually gets congratulated at the huddle. What a freaking joke.
 
Number of things wrong:
1. He is pushing alcohol on an endcap marketing kids.
2. He pulled rank on your TM
3. He tried the ETL-AP approved crap....The ETL-AP doesn't know a thing about the salesfloor.
4. He didn't consult you about adding a beer location in electronics.

What you should do is get all the Food Network DVDs and put them on his Market Endcaps.

Just have the STL examine it.

Reminds me the time a friend of mine sent me a pic of a Infants endcap with beer on it.
This!
 
Gamers usually do RedBull and doritos. Gamers want to stay up all night...they want caffeine...they don't want to drink beer.

Just have the CTL watch the World of Warcraft episode of South Park. That will change his mind about selling beer in electronics.
 
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I am just going to put this out there... As a college kid, wii is more fun with beer!

Not that I would ever expect to find beer on a Nintendo end cap, just doesn't make any sense. The way I see it:
He = CTL
You = Electronics TL
What is he doing flexing elec endcaps? aren't electronic end caps for the electronics TL to worry about not consumables?
 
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