Presentation team spending more time working the sales floor?

[whatever2009]

Hey: TL of Presentation here. Got coached today after the mid-day huddle that my team is not showing up for the mid-day fast enough. Just wondering if other plano teams out there are spending their days doing sales floor work...guest service, ringing, pushing CAFS etc....I find it a bit difficult to just drop what you are doing when you have a grocery aisle neatly pulled apart and have to put it back together by the end of day. I know "they" don't think the minutes count...but, am I crazy to think they do? Like the minutes at the morning huddle, doing a smart huddle, ringing, answering call boxes, mid-day huddle, helping flow get their job done etc...Any teams out there being torn into ten different pieces everyday...LOL!

 

[stupid rules]

Every team is like that. It is your job to answer call boxes, attend smart huddles, back up cashier and ask CIHYFS. The sales floor feels the same way, having to help flow, having to help plano, having to help the front end but when do those teams help the sales floor? Hardly ever. You try covering the whole sales floor by yourself, pushing CAFs, doing back up cashier, answering call boxes, reshop, perform a midday zone and phone calls and expected to leave the store set up for a good close. It is so frustrating running from 1 side of the store to the other to get a call box and you see a whole team 15 feet away not helping out or spending 30 minutes on the lanes and hearing the GSTL on the walkie about reshop (while you're on the lane!!).

I do agree with the huddles though. They are a complete waste of time if they drag on past 5 minutes.

 

[Bullseye Flow TM]

I can understand where you are coming from. First quest service is not a sales floor TM's responsibility. Everyone should be doing that to help drive sales. I do when we are on the early morning shift. Yes, presentation does help push the truck when extra help is needed. Flow has also helped push transition aisles after the truck was finished. We've also helped with returns. I don't recall seeing our presentation team helping with cafs. Smart huddles are generally brief. I don't recall us having a mid day huddle, even when I worked sales floor.

 

[dek067]

to quote my signing guy, "i get paid hourly."

this is his answer for anything i ask of him.

on a side note, following simple store, does anyone's logistics team actually zone an area before leaving? this makes me crack up.

 

[commiecorvus]

The plano team makes sure to time our break so we go right before the huddle.
I always ask CIHYFS, guest service is our first job.
Most of the plano team never got trained on register so they don't have to do backup.
It's all about timing.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

to quote my signing guy, "i get paid hourly."

this is his answer for anything i ask of him.

on a side note, following simple store, does anyone's logistics team actually zone an area before leaving? this makes me crack up.

Me too!

 

[whatever2009]

Guest service is a given, no doubt. But, on the other hand, we are given so many hours to complete a certain amount of work...lately, it just seems we are coming up short and stressing out by end of week to make sure we are 100% done. I sure could have used that 1/2 hour on the register putting back a flat of soup cans up on the shelves instead. Now, they sit in the back room waiting for first thing this morning. I guess we are all just stretched so thin, it's gotten a bit out of hand. In my store, we follow solid half hour morning huddles/smart huddles, and we also need to be 100% cleaned up well before our 2PM huddle...so we lose hours there too. It's just getting harder and harder to meet our deadlines!

 

[buliSBI]

My old stores Presentation/Pricing/Flow teams did nothing other than their assigned tasks. They never picked up phones, helped with call boxes, or helped the front lanes.

We will have one person covering electronics and the rest of hardlines, and it could be a rush of guests, and they wouldn't help.

 

[ONMIPOTENCE]

My old stores Presentation/Pricing/Flow teams did nothing other than their assigned tasks. They never picked up phones, helped with call boxes, or helped the front lanes.

We will have one person covering electronics and the rest of hardlines, and it could be a rush of guests, and they wouldn't help.

My store is the same way. If they are done already they work on push till their shift is over. The TL always uses the excuse that they cant get things done on time. Even though there 8 people at least a day.

 

[Rock Lobster]

I always said that in a "perfect" world, you wouldn't even need salesfloor scheduled very early in the mornings... You usually have Flow, Plano, Pricing, Instocks along with some odd TMs in the building (GSTL, Softlines Brand etc...) who are all fully capable of getting calls! If they would ALL do their part in the guest experience aspect, you could have your SF scheduled from 11AM on with more overlap which would improve the guest perception along with the recovery process!

 

[tellmeaboutatime]

All teams are being stretched to the limit. Salesfloor is working freight everyday because the flow team cannot get it done. Smart Huddles have become an excuse to work freight too. Today we worked 6 flats of BTS freight along with 3 flats of toys. That is NOT what the smart huddle was designed for.Salesfloor is in the parking lot bringing carts in because there are no hours for cart attendants. Salesfloor is on the lanes because there are no hours for cashiers. Because the salesfloor is on the lanes the pricing and presentation teams are answering call buttons. Instocks cannot scan the salesfloor because freight is not done. If and I do mean if, they finally get the freight worked the salesfloor helps out instocks to scan the floor for outs. So today after working freight until 9:30, it was time for GSTL break and electronics break. Now its 10 time for my break. At 10:20, time to get the SDA done. 10:30 and instocks call to ask for help scanning frozen and dairy. We hit 11. POG is out of hours so I fill 2 pogs. Time for GSTL lunch and then Electronics lunch. Hop on a lane for 15 minutes and time for my lunch. Hit the floor and do a couple grocery pulls. ETL calls and wants to do business walk. During walk she asks how things are going. States it is a pretty slow day. She wants to know what my "focus" is this week. I tell her with a straight face.....surviving.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Same here!

 

[greatteam]

All teams are being stretched to the limit. Salesfloor is working freight everyday because the flow team cannot get it done. Smart Huddles have become an excuse to work freight too. Today we worked 6 flats of BTS freight along with 3 flats of toys. That is NOT what the smart huddle was designed for.Salesfloor is in the parking lot bringing carts in because there are no hours for cart attendants. Salesfloor is on the lanes because there are no hours for cashiers. Because the salesfloor is on the lanes the pricing and presentation teams are answering call buttons. Instocks cannot scan the salesfloor because freight is not done. If and I do mean if, they finally get the freight worked the salesfloor helps out instocks to scan the floor for outs. So today after working freight until 9:30, it was time for GSTL break and electronics break. Now its 10 time for my break. At 10:20, time to get the SDA done. 10:30 and instocks call to ask for help scanning frozen and dairy. We hit 11. POG is out of hours so I fill 2 pogs. Time for GSTL lunch and then Electronics lunch. Hop on a lane for 15 minutes and time for my lunch. Hit the floor and do a couple grocery pulls. ETL calls and wants to do business walk. During walk she asks how things are going. States it is a pretty slow day. She wants to know what my "focus" is this week. I tell her with a straight face.....surviving.

:thumbsup:

I hate Back to School. So much

 

[planoguy]

:thumbsup:

I hate Back to School. So much

Just a few more weeks to deal with it...Halloween is just around the corner, and I mean JUST!

 

[The Mule]

I always said that in a "perfect" world, you wouldn't even need salesfloor scheduled very early in the mornings... You usually have Flow, Plano, Pricing, Instocks along with some odd TMs in the building (GSTL, Softlines Brand etc...) who are all fully capable of getting calls! If they would ALL do their part in the guest experience aspect, you could have your SF scheduled from 11AM on with more overlap which would improve the guest perception along with the recovery process!

This is how we are set up, and for the most part it works just fine. It's a rare occurrence to see a Salesfloor TM in before 11am. Sure, things get hectic at times and we wish there were more TMs available, but who doesn't? lol We must be doing something right because scores are still green across the board and we're under payroll.

All teams are being stretched to the limit. Salesfloor is working freight everyday because the flow team cannot get it done. Smart Huddles have become an excuse to work freight too. Today we worked 6 flats of BTS freight along with 3 flats of toys. That is NOT what the smart huddle was designed for.Salesfloor is in the parking lot bringing carts in because there are no hours for cart attendants. Salesfloor is on the lanes because there are no hours for cashiers. Because the salesfloor is on the lanes the pricing and presentation teams are answering call buttons. Instocks cannot scan the salesfloor because freight is not done. If and I do mean if, they finally get the freight worked the salesfloor helps out instocks to scan the floor for outs. So today after working freight until 9:30, it was time for GSTL break and electronics break. Now its 10 time for my break. At 10:20, time to get the SDA done. 10:30 and instocks call to ask for help scanning frozen and dairy. We hit 11. POG is out of hours so I fill 2 pogs. Time for GSTL lunch and then Electronics lunch. Hop on a lane for 15 minutes and time for my lunch. Hit the floor and do a couple grocery pulls. ETL calls and wants to do business walk. During walk she asks how things are going. States it is a pretty slow day. She wants to know what my "focus" is this week. I tell her with a straight face.....surviving.

In my years of retail I've seen this happen at a few different places. Sometimes management just has to bite the bullet and say "Department X, you're scores are gonna take a $#!^ while we use you to get everyone else back on task. For the next 30 days, we won't worry about it and when we're done we'll make sure we get you back on task as well".

 

[tellmeaboutatime]

I am curious about the stores that have the salesfloor team come in at 11 or so, I am assuming these are the SF TLs. We have no salesfloor to speak of just TLs. So when do the TLs take care of their departments? I am talking about salesplans, flexing and presentation on breaking aisles, ad prep signing maintenance and other things TLs are held accountable for? If they are coming in later it would be to work pulls and back up cashier, at least that is what it would be in my store. What time is the CTL coming in? They would have to be there early to touch base with all of the vendors, place orders and work the SDA along with the daily cleaning checklists.It does make sense to have SF TLS in later since they are already heavy with people on the floor. After 3 we are so short on TMs and that is when we have the most guest traffic. Along with that same thought though, we have3 nights a week with 2 closing LODs (M W and THR) Wouldn't it make more sense to have the extra Leadership on our busy nights like FR, Sat and Sun? If the other teams are adjusting their schedules to suit the needs of the business as well as maximize payroll wouldn't that be a no brainer?

 

[ISIS639]

I am curious about the stores that have the salesfloor team come in at 11 or so, I am assuming these are the SF TLs. We have no salesfloor to speak of just TLs. So when do the TLs take care of their departments? I am talking about salesplans, flexing and presentation on breaking aisles, ad prep signing maintenance and other things TLs are held accountable for? If they are coming in later it would be to work pulls and back up cashier, at least that is what it would be in my store. What time is the CTL coming in? They would have to be there early to touch base with all of the vendors, place orders and work the SDA along with the daily cleaning checklists.It does make sense to have SF TLS in later since they are already heavy with people on the floor. After 3 we are so short on TMs and that is when we have the most guest traffic. Along with that same thought though, we have3 nights a week with 2 closing LODs (M W and THR) Wouldn't it make more sense to have the extra Leadership on our busy nights like FR, Sat and Sun? If the other teams are adjusting their schedules to suit the needs of the business as well as maximize payroll wouldn't that be a no brainer?

As far as TLs setting salesplanners and maintaining their areas, ad prepping, etc., while all the while doing pulls, covering breaks, and answering calls?

I can tell you, it doesn't get done like it should. Maintaining areas has become something you try to squeeze in when you don't have time for anything else, or maybe as a working huddle, b/c maintaining your area at any other time could mean not getting your workload done for the week. Ad prepping is something that doesn't always get done. PTM is almost always an Opp for my store and it makes the salesfloor team feel like we're not doing our job. Things have gotten better for us with better planning, but at this time of year, with hours like they are, there is only so much you can do. There is almost no closing team to speak of, so the days are mostly recovery.

I can't speak for a PFresh or Super Target, but at a GM store, there are no orders for the CTL to place anymore, though they do still need to be there for things like vendors and the SDA, as you said. They come in at 8 am at my store, as do the rest of the SFTLs. I don' t think things would get done if TLs had to come in at 11am. I actually don't recall seeing anyone say that their SFTLs came in at 11, just the suggestion that it might be possible (not the best suggesting, IMO). Maybe at a higher volume store where TLs could come in at 8, with a TM coming in a 11? Sounds great...

 

[ZoningMaster]

Tell me about people having no hours.

At my store flow is leaving so much stuff from the truck that it spills into regular CAF pulls.

Instocks hasnt done research in weeks.

At Guest Service there is a million and half foreign/abandon carts.

There are no TMs on the floor until 10:30... So I have to clear call buttons and finish ad rotations.

Before I left yesterday there were no carts in the building. There were so many guests in the building it looked like a circus. I had barely gotten my lunch.

We need more team members and more hours! BACK TO SCHOOL SUCKS.

 

[tellmeaboutatime]

New service scores today and ours are all red. The STL asked in our meeting "why do you think that is?" We all just stared at him. The instocks TL who is leaving in 2 weeks finally spoke. She basically said everything that has been said here. She also had the cashier report with her and read off how many transactions each TL had rang the previous week. When she was done his face was a lovely shade of Target Red. Then to add insult to injury, she said that if he wanted the store scanned she had to leave the meeting since she had no payroll to schedule any instock tms today. Then she got up and left! When I left she was in a meeting with him. But I am so glad she said what everyone has wanted to say for a month now. Maybe she shouldn't have done it that way, but I say don't ever ask a question you may not want to hear the answer to.

 

[Bullseye Flow TM]

New service scores today and ours are all red. The STL asked in our meeting "why do you think that is?" We all just stared at him. The instocks TL who is leaving in 2 weeks finally spoke.........

When I left she was in a meeting with him. But I am so glad she said what everyone has wanted to say for a month now. Maybe she shouldn't have done it that way, but I say don't ever ask a question you may not want to hear the answer to.

Would she have been so brave to speak up if she wasn't already leaving?

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

New service scores today and ours are all red. The STL asked in our meeting "why do you think that is?" We all just stared at him. The instocks TL who is leaving in 2 weeks finally spoke. She basically said everything that has been said here. She also had the cashier report with her and read off how many transactions each TL had rang the previous week. When she was done his face was a lovely shade of Target Red. Then to add insult to injury, she said that if he wanted the store scanned she had to leave the meeting since she had no payroll to schedule any instock tms today. Then she got up and left! When I left she was in a meeting with him. But I am so glad she said what everyone has wanted to say for a month now. Maybe she shouldn't have done it that way, but I say don't ever ask a question you may not want to hear the answer to.

Would she have been so brave to speak up if she wasn't already leaving?

I commend that IStl for being honest on what happening in her store. Good job for speaking the truth. I think it's happening everywhere.

 

[coolcatmom]

So sad, all of this.

No, I don't think your store is any different. Today, flow didn't get done pushing until about noon. RWT usually has them out about 9 am. It's getting progressively worse.

So, flow gets behind and they pull my BR team to help with the truck. Then they have to leave and guess what, backstock isn't done.

I finally caved today on the instocks team. They pulled instocks to help with flow and I didn't push back. What's the use?! It's hard to hear that "they had 1400 pieces of push and that's why they need help" when the BS team pulls and pushes 4100 eaches in the auto fills on the non-truck days.

But then flow wouldn't get behind if they didn't have to push a BILLION carts of reshop each morning. Or PTM an area. Or zone something to planogram. It is very frustrating. We go around in a bigger and bigger circle with everyone falling behind because no one is allowed to do their job. Our guest survey scores are down too.

 

[whatever2009]

well, it seems to me this can only go on for so long before scores in our store start dropping drastically. I just sometimes look at our guests and say to myself...how can you find anything you are looking for (particularly in shoes, always a mess). But, our sales are stable and consistent and the folks keep coming! I guess, as usual, we will all adapt and survive!
BRAVO to IStl for making her point, I have made it often myself when my STL says "blah blah why isn't this done..." BUT, I do like the answer for what are your plans for the week..."surviving"...I need to use that one! LOL!

 

[planoguy]

I refused to have my plano team participate in Mid-Day zone...I told my STL that my team doing mid-day zone is 4-6 hours of plano workload that I could be doing, depending how many TM's I had with me that day. I told him that unless I had my team switch workcenters and protect that plano payroll it would not happen....I am a SrTL and presented this respectfully of course, and my team has not do mid-day since.

Speaking of salesplanners....any other plano TL's having these pushed onto your teams to finish?? I started to pull the Best Practice card with my ETL and STL....I do not get ANY hours for salesplanners (not part of plano on adjacency calendar)...the team leaders are not finishing them all, killing my set on time score on DTK and am fighting with my ETL that he can't hold me accountable since MY workload is being completed, and then fighting with the ETL-SF that his team leaders are not doing their salesplanners, thusly affecting MY score... ok end rant

 

[whatever2009]

I always kept an eye on progress of sales planners each week and made sure that I got with TL's at the very begininning of the week to hear their plans. I thought it best to try to get them help in advance than challenge them mid-week and possibly compromise our scores. Typically tho, in our store, the sales floor team lead was the only sales floor person for day shift...that is a hard nut to crack right there.