Archived New Hardlines Team Member, lost and need some guidance?

[dedicated]

Hey guys! I'm very excited to join the Target team and start working. I recently got hired as a Hardlines team member. The other day I had my first training day and tomorrow I'm having my second on hardlines. I followed around a team member who was kind of showing me what they do, but I still have a lot of questions so that when I'm on my own I'm fully competent.

1) When I first come into work and clock in, what do I do next? How do I know what exactly to start working on?

2) I'm a little confused as to what hardlines members will be doing in receiving? Are we getting items from there and putting them on shelves in the isles, or are we putting stuff thats out of place in the aisles back into the receiving room?

3) I don't really know what/who will call through the phones or how to answer them, so how do I go about that?

4) What is a Caf?

All I pretty much did my first day was I had a random basket of items and used the little phone to scan the barcodes to find the locations, then I went and put them back. I don't even know where the basket came from as they kind of just gave it to me. I ended the night by zoning wherever my trainer was zoning and that was it. How do I know when to do what? I was a little all over and was confused the whole time. I want to be able to be fully competent and on the ball when it comes time for me to work and not be asking repetitive questions to other employees cause I wasn't adequately prepared.

If there's anything else to know, please do share with me, as it's not only my first time working at Target (literally my second day tomorrow), but my first retail job ever!

Thanks a lot, I'm excited and ready to rock.

 

[IhaveaDream]

1) ask for the LOD or Salesfloor TL to see which team member to pair with.

2) dont touch shit in receiving until you know what you are doing.

3)Ask your trainer

4)Computer Automated Fill- it is stuff thats sold throughout the day the needs to be pushed to the floor.

Have patience. A thing about target training is that the trainer is expected to train you while completing more work then he usually does because "there is 2 people in the same area." Honestly Salesfloor is easy. Make aisle look nice, help guests, pick up items that dont belong, and do go-backs.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Zoning
- Look at every item, working top to bottom (or vice versa) and do it on a per section (usually four feet) basis
- Cover all diamonds
- Turn all labels to face out
- Use grey dots (if you see one, the item in the location might not be correct)
- Don't move strays/foreign/re-shop to the appropriate aisle every time -- use your cart and leave items on the floor until you finish the aisle (some ETLs might not like this, maybe only do it after the store is closed)
- Organize your cart! Example: bottom tier = backstock, middle tier = strays and empty packages, hand basket = defectives, top tier = re-shop for your current department (this should be worked every time you change aisles if the items are within a five-aisle radius)
- Check multiple locations on the same aisle, don't leave holes if you have product on the shelf above/below
- Pegs are easy to zone, just use the grey dots
- You shouldn't need a PDA to tell if a product is in the wrong spot (most of the time the last five numbers are on the bottom left of the label, the assortment number near the UPC will be on the top right of label, and Target brands have DPCIs near the UPCs and sometimes on the front of the package)
- Know the department - zone where it gets shopped more first (if you have time to come back later) or last (if you only have enough time to get to each aisle once) - Example: Toys then Sporting Goods then Toys if you have time to go back
- Check empty endcaps for backroom locations, if none then pull from home, if no product - flex the endcap with like items, starting with d-code or NOP
- Zone clearance, please, just do it
- Remove grey dots in locations that have the correct item
- Always pull more than one item forward (minimum two, typically 3-4) - if everyone does this, the zone is maintained A LOT longer while being shopped
- Inventory control clips (round rubber things) on pegs should be pulled forward if there are few items on the peg - this greatly improves the look of a peg-heavy aisle

Returns/Re-shop/Strays
- If at all possible, get a PDA
- If you have a PDA, use RF Apps (NOP + toggle to Pricing, LOC, SUBT, etc.) - if you don't know why, you haven't used it enough
- Put the items in your cart yourself - you know how your thought process works more than other people, so you can work through the merchandise quicker (this is critical in HBA or Toys)
- If you don't have a PDA, park your cart near a price check machine (assuming you have the new ones that SF schemetics)
- Park your cart on an endcap, work all of the items within a five-aisle radius (three before, two after)
- Ask CIHYFS - chances are this isn't your first time working returns/re-shop, so you should be able to show guests where most items are
- Remove grey dots from empty locations that you are filling (some stores may not remove the dots if there is only one item, check with your Instocks or Hardlines Team Leaders)

CAF Push
- Fill your vehicle - if there are other vehicles with merchandise in nearby areas (or only a few items) you should grab them, you will save yourself time and effort
- Use the smart labels (that might not be the official term) that is on every single box - it tells you the DPCI, SF schematic, and item name
- Push your vehicle, don't pull it
- Don't stack your vehicle too high, running over a guest is a bad thing
- Learn your backroom (where different departments get backstocked, where to keep empty vehicles, etc.) - this makes backroom TMs' lives a lot easier
- Combine your backstock with nearby backstock vehicles, don't just throw a pink clip on it and walk away
- Keep your vehicle organized - separate backstock as you work, break down boxes, put trash (see: C/D blocks) in an empty box
- Don't overstock - the accumulator isn't perfect, please don't make it worse
- Remove grey dots from empty locations that you are filling

That's everything I have for now, Hardlinesmaster feel free to use any/all of it.

This is from a high volume store, other stores may function differently.

Edit: added a few more items.

 

[dedicated]

I guess I'll ask about the phone again cause my trainer explained it but quick and I didn't get it...ahh just seem a bit overwhelmed but I guess I'll try again today. Got second hardlines training, wondering if itll be the same as the first day or something additional?

And on the wall do they have the TL or LOD? Not sure whose who or how the heirarchy works. Would I call for one of them each and every day I go to work? And would I radio when I go to lunch and for breaks as well?

 

[buliSBI]

Hey guys! I'm very excited to join the Target team and start working. I recently got hired as a Hardlines team member. The other day I had my first training day and tomorrow I'm having my second on hardlines. I followed around a team member who was kind of showing me what they do, but I still have a lot of questions so that when I'm on my own I'm fully competent.

1) When I first come into work and clock in, what do I do next? How do I know what exactly to start working on?

2) I'm a little confused as to what hardlines members will be doing in receiving? Are we getting items from there and putting them on shelves in the isles, or are we putting stuff thats out of place in the aisles back into the receiving room?

3) I don't really know what/who will call through the phones or how to answer them, so how do I go about that?

4) What is a Caf?

All I pretty much did my first day was I had a random basket of items and used the little phone to scan the barcodes to find the locations, then I went and put them back. I don't even know where the basket came from as they kind of just gave it to me. I ended the night by zoning wherever my trainer was zoning and that was it. How do I know when to do what? I was a little all over and was confused the whole time. I want to be able to be fully competent and on the ball when it comes time for me to work and not be asking repetitive questions to other employees cause I wasn't adequately prepared.

If there's anything else to know, please do share with me, as it's not only my first time working at Target (literally my second day tomorrow), but my first retail job ever!

Thanks a lot, I'm excited and ready to rock.

1. It really depends on your store and shift. Grab an available walkie and PDA. Announce you have arrived for salesfloor. Locate either the Hardlines TL or ETL. They will assign you a team member to pair you with.

If you are opening, you may have to help with the pulls, re-stock the previous nights re-shop, touch up the zone, or such.
If you are closing, you are pretty much zoning an area and reshopping.
Mids are usually putting up reshop, touch up hard hit areas, and guest service.


2. Only trained salesfloor TMs are allowed to pull anything from the back. If a guest is requesting an item and all salesfloor locations are empty, call the backroom on their proper channel and request to have them pull an item. Have description and DPCI/UPC ready.

3. Have your TL or trainer give you the proper instructions. Stores have varied phone setups.

 

[dedicated]

Thanks so much for the advice, sucking all this in!

What exactly do you mean by helping with the pulls and reshop?

Sorry, I'm total newb. As you can see, lol.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Pulls are cafs. Reshop is abandons, go backs, etc.

 

[mrknownothing]

1) When I first come into work and clock in, what do I do next? How do I know what exactly to start working on?

Grab a walkie and call for the hardlines team leader or LOD. They will give you your assignment. Depending on the leader, they may also tell you what time your break will be.

2) I'm a little confused as to what hardlines members will be doing in receiving? Are we getting items from there and putting them on shelves in the isles, or are we putting stuff thats out of place in the aisles back into the receiving room?

Are you talking about the vehicles full of boxed merchandise? If they have green clips on them that say PULLS, that merchandise must be pushed to the floor to be stocked (see #4 CAFs). Don't touch anything else in the backroom without proper training. *If you need an item pulled from the backroom for a guest, walkie a backroom TM so they can pull it for you. Items that are out of place on the shelves should be removed and restocked in the proper locations as time allows.

3) I don't really know what/who will call through the phones or how to answer them, so how do I go about that?

It depends on which phone system your store has. In one system, you pick up the phone, dial 33, and are connected to the guest. In another system, you pick up the phone, wait for the automated voice to start talking, dial #2280, and are connected to the guest. The spill stations should have a reference guide for your phone system; if not, ask your trainer, a leader, or any veteran TM for help.

4) What is a Caf?

During certain hours of the day, the system automatically creates batches of merchandise to be stocked based on sales. These batches are called CAFs. The backroom team pulls items from the stockroom locations to fulfill the CAFs, and the sales floor team is responsible for stocking that merchandise on the sales floor. CAFs (also referred to as pulls or push - both are used as nouns) are usually in tubs, though flatbeds and wire tiered carts may also be used, and the vehicle will have a green PULLS clip on it. All items should be stocked to capacity, and make sure additional locations (such as endcaps and sidecaps) are full as well. If you have excess merchandise, leave it on your vehicle and replace the green PULLS clip with a pink BACKSTOCK clip. Make sure to break down empty boxes and dispose of all garbage.

If I keep going, I'll end up writing a book, but Hardlinesmaster's post from the user Fast Service Needed In pretty much nailed it.