Is instocks going away actually feasible? It seemed to me like RFID would take a large portion of instocks' workload once the rest of the phases are run? If inventory is better tracked this way, doesn't this replace doing RIGS and outs?
I have yet to hear about Instocks actually going completely away, so its probably a ways out. I am assuming some districts with ULV stores are testing getting rid of it since the hours are so low its easier to lump an extra 20ish into trailer unload and just have someone on flow do it.
I will say, as someone who was apart of Instocks when it first came out as well, that it was initially designed as a cost reducer. We used to have TLs scan their own departments to fill them (and therefore had many more SFTLs) and basically cut the total TL positions down and then specialized the task into a team so TMs could fill areas instead of TLs. Basically they made the GSA of the Salesfloor by forming Instocks.
I think that now filling the floor is much easier. Back when I did Instocks it was all still in RF Apps. You had to actually type and name RF batches in either outs or rsch and know the schedule. That meant paying attention to endcaps and sidecaps that were different departments too! You had to open RIG batches in RF Apps and do the DALY01 and 02 batches for ad outs, and then open up fillgroups to access the RIGs. You had to constantly toggle back and forth to get into RAIN to make a Raincheck pad and sub for every ad out.
The point is that now that its easy, there is probably an easier way to perform instocks on the floor. I do not know what that is, but I doubt a special team is needed to do it anymore.
I still stand by my idea a few years ago if I had to choose. I still think we should have a task list that generates based on sales and inventory turnover. Basically, if your store is going throw product more often in a certain department, it should take you there more. If its not, it will be set to a minimum scan threshold (say every 2 weeks) to make sure it gets done. It should also take you to areas that have high ad items too.
I then think the list should get done at night. Shift the workload around a bit for salesfloor so they can do a bit more zoning during the day and afternoon and then move instocks to 7p-11p (ideally just scheduling your closing TLOD or vet TM under it) and they can basically walk zones and scan at the same time. The priority pulls that generate then just drop into the autofills or push the next morning. This way flow is working the product which is the most productive anyway since they are likely in the aisles pulling something else.
