Mainly looking for feedback from any TLs or ETL-Log, but any feedback will work. I currently work inbound but I've noticed a lot of flexible fulfillment hours on the swap board on Kronos. I would like to learn how to do this an both this position and my position share the same TL and ETL. Do you think it would be worth me expressing interest to my TL/ETL about wanting to learn this position and be able to pick up hours? I've gotten a sense that they both really like Mr and the hustle I have to get work done.
Archived Picking up hours in different areas
- Status
- Joined
- Feb 10, 2019
- Messages
- 191
Not a TL or ETL, but I do FlexFill. FlexFill is a whole different animal from Inbound. Your deadlines are stricter, you have to be accurate (keep INFs <10%), know where to search for things when they aren’t in their home location. I would say go for it if you can handle a lot of stress. SFS isn’t for everyone though, and I say that having done it for the past two years.
I seem to remember seeing a sign in my backroom that INF's should be no greater than 5%. I think the actual rate is a little higher than that.
- Joined
- Oct 21, 2018
- Messages
- 45
I love SFS but they always have me doing something else and packing is always leftover. I wouldn't do it cuz they will start pulling you.
LearningTree
Guest Experience
- Joined
- Jan 15, 2018
- Messages
- 601
I'd say its always worth it to mention to your leaders that you're interested in cross training. However you need to think long and hard about if you really want to going Flex. When I left, we had a hard time retaining Flex TMs because none of them realize how hard and stressful it is and how you have to be able to operate independently. A lot of people seem to think it's just walking around the store "shopping" all day and you get to hide from leadership. It's quite the opposite. You're not working as part of a team really, it's up to you to meet your goals and get everything done. It's up to you to reach out right away if you need help. Flex TMs who wait until they're getting in trouble to bring up the fact that they needed help or they didn't know how to do something, don't last long. I used to tell my team all the time to use their walkies and call for TMs/TLs in that area first for help finding something, instead of waiting until the LOD checks in when you're approaching goal time. Now the decision has to be made to try to make the sale and miss the goal time or INF the item and make goal time.
You will absolutely get blamed if you can't meet goal time and fulfillment metrics. No one wants to hear how you were having problem in the backroom, the RFID wasn't working, you kept getting stopped by guests, etc. If you're not prepared for that, don't cross train. My advice is to make nice with the ETL or TL in charge of flex. No matter how much other ETLs yell at you, it's the Flex ETL you ultimately have to impress. I constantly had other ETLs and even the STL complaining about one of my Flex TMs. At one point my STL even hinted that maybe it was time to performance her out. I had to remind them multiple times (and come with reports/metrics/schedules backing me up) that she was the only Flex TM for most of her shift and she works full time. Yes her gross INF number was higher than other Flex TMs but that's because she does more batches. I had to bring out the INF percentages to show that her's was the lowest. No one cares about Flex (including the STL) until shit starts hitting the fan.
You will absolutely get blamed if you can't meet goal time and fulfillment metrics. No one wants to hear how you were having problem in the backroom, the RFID wasn't working, you kept getting stopped by guests, etc. If you're not prepared for that, don't cross train. My advice is to make nice with the ETL or TL in charge of flex. No matter how much other ETLs yell at you, it's the Flex ETL you ultimately have to impress. I constantly had other ETLs and even the STL complaining about one of my Flex TMs. At one point my STL even hinted that maybe it was time to performance her out. I had to remind them multiple times (and come with reports/metrics/schedules backing me up) that she was the only Flex TM for most of her shift and she works full time. Yes her gross INF number was higher than other Flex TMs but that's because she does more batches. I had to bring out the INF percentages to show that her's was the lowest. No one cares about Flex (including the STL) until shit starts hitting the fan.
- Joined
- Oct 3, 2018
- Messages
- 3,116
Give it a try. You might like it. As @LearningTree wrote it's not just going around the store shopping all day. It's designed to be that way: just going from location to location picking out the deignated items. But, that only works if every other process in the store is done correctly and on time, which is unrealistic in a retail environment. So, when something isn't where it's supposed to be, you need to know what likely went wrong/wasn't done and as a result where you might find the item or if it's pointless to spend time looking. You also need to be able to stand up for yourself when necessary. An INF might not be your fault, but many leaders default to blaming flex.
- Status
