Archived Question about what happened today

[lifewithtarget]

So, I came in for my shift at 5:30pm and I was assigned C and D and the reshop before I left at 10:00. So, I got right to work and started with C and got through the towels before being walkied by the operator saying "There's a phone call for C&D on 2283", so I walk over to the phone, press the 4 numbers and all I hear is "A team member will be notified right away" or something to that extent. So, I walkied the operator again and she said "There's a guest that needs assistance in Domestics" and I was so confused. Is there a call for me, or is there just a guest in the Domestics area that needs help in the store. So I asked my LOD how to answer the phone because I never was taught how to use the phones for things like this, so I decided to just ask her to make sure I don't screw anything up. She explains it to me, and then me and the operator are having terrible misscommunication. So, eventually the operator tells me she's looking for sheets, and I'm just thinking "Why didn't you just ask the guest what they were looking for and then tell me" So weird.

Then, at around 6 we had huddle. She asked us how far in the zone we had gotten and everyone said their thing. Then she asked me and I said I'd gotten through C7. She just stared at me for a second and said "Okay.. can you speed it up a little bit, start in D and then jump back over to C last". So, I politely said okay and went back to work. So, basically by the time the store closed, I'd just finish C and D. Someone had to help me with the reshop, because C and D was just wrecked because mid day had not touched it at all before I came in. So, I basically felt like I got the "Oh.. you're not done yet" look and talk down to, while someone who was doing A&B was like "Oh yeah, finished, doing touch ups". We go to clock out, there's crap on the bottom shelf laying there, stuff pushed back, and he gets the "Great job for getting it done", yet I took longer than he did, but I actually made sure my isles looked tidy before leaving.

Do they only care about the speed? Because the LOD walked out with us and me and another coworker were a bit upset that we keep getting the heat for not finishing fast, yet this guy gets off because he's fast, yet misses an entire section of an isle. We walked by it and she was like "Oh well, reshop looked great at 3".. that's great, but mid-day did no zoning, just reshop.. wtf? And the funniest part is my LOD said, WHILE WE'RE WALKING BY THE ISLE THAT HAD PRODUCT ALL OVER THE BOTTOM, "I'm so picky about isles being clear and well-kept".. um did you not just see the isle you walked by?

I realize that even though I've worked here 6 months, I'm not perfect, I'm not the best worker, I still have a lot to learn and I'm certainly not the fastest zoner and I do my best to improve each time I'm working.

So does anyone have any thoughts about this? Sorry I wrote like a novel haha.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

It is suggested to go to your tl or trainer, asked for a review on how to do zoning & sales floor functions. This areas should of been covered with your learning plan & training when you were first hired. By not knowing this, could impact your score on your review.

 

[lifewithtarget]

Okay, any thoughts on the whole situation with the LOD disregarding the guy who left a bunch of product in his A&B zone and was given praise, yet I was yelled at for going to slow?

 

[commiecorvus]

Precision isn't always appreciated.
Many will turn a blind eye in favor of speed but in the long run the bad habits developed will catch up them (unfortunately not any time soon enough to make your life any better).
My first impulse is to say that there will be people who will notice that you do the job right even if you are a bit slower.
I always shelved to planogram when I worked flow.
I was dead on accurate and slower than everyone else.
It lead to a promotion.
However this isn't always the case and it is possible that the group you work with only care about speed and nothing else.
Work on your speed and do your best not to cut corners.

 

[Deli Ninja]

When I am zoning... Let's use Baby Basics as an example. There are some areas that will nearly always need an excessive amount of time to fix. Pacifiers are one of those areas... I don't mess with them. However, I might take a little extra time to fix the baby bottles and move quickly with the rest of the baby basics zone. For my store, it's SOP to skip baby food and leave it for last (if it's even softlines zoning bby basics). Sometimes it doesn't get done at all. Diapers are more consistently done, but still hit-or-miss.

I suppose what I am trying to say that it may be a good idea to choose a small area to do well and move quickly through the rest... although certainly talk to your TL and/or ETL about doing so. Which areas do they want to see looking consistently good? Hopefully they'll be helpful.

 

[greydot]

They don't want it perfect. They say they do - but what they really want is to not notice it. They will not tell you this but it is impossible to get it all perfect on a standard night in a moderately busy store. Work with your TL or your trainer to learn what they are looking for. Get all your reshop done. Do a quick zone everywhere you get reshop to put up. Think of the really 'blown out' areas as 'projects' for you to work on while everything else is normal. call these out to your TLOD and ask them if they want you to focus on the 'project area' or get the entire dept done and focus on that last. you have to strategize, unless they insist that you complete the dept in aisle number order. But yeah. I don't know if it will work for you but if you walk your dept first and call out where the giant eyesores are before you shift then you are 1) showing your ability to evaluate, 2) communicating about what you are walking into, 3) able to strategize to get things done to the best of your abilities. besides, say someone just went and threw every towel on the ground. they might send someone who was done earlier over to help.

but yes, in regards to your original questions - no, they are not going to be fair. the TM who is always proclaiming to be done even when they are not will look better in the short run because the LOD is using that as an excuse to not worry about it. but don't worry, it can catch up with them. then they not only have that TM for not doing a good job in the first place - but also either being incompetent, or lying about it. basically you have to find out what they really want. they say perfect but you have to figure out what their version of perfect is - and it will probably vary according to the LOD.

 

[stupid rules]

While you were given some good advice and everyone shared their knowledge with you, I am going to help you out a little more. As others have said, they only care about speed, not getting it done correctly. The days of doing the job correctly are over, now it's all about numbers.

1. Find out what the pet peeve areas of the LOD that you're closing with are. If LOD on Tuesday happens to always check the travel bins in HBA, then make sure they are done on Tuesday. If the Wednesday LOD is anal about the way the seams of the towels face, then do that on Wednesdays. You know what they will check, make it good.
2-4 all serve 1 purpose...
2. Fill and zone your endcaps.
3. Zone the 1st and last section of the aisle to 'perfection' - make that **** look good, pull everything up (not just 1 or 2).
4. Fix any hotspots in your aisle, no gaping holes, no signs on the floor, no crooked boxes. Don't waste time pulling everything forward, don't zone to planogram, straighten that **** and go.
The purpose of this is to keep them from looking in your aisles in depth. They walk the racetrack, see full endcaps, see the 1st section looking damn good, don't see anything to catch their attention in the aisle, and they keep walking.
5. Sort your reshop into areas and push it as you go. For example, you might put your stationery in the seat of your cart (while grouping the items together, pens with pens, etc). Then you may put boys toys in the back part of the cart, girls in the middle, and preschool in the front.

 

[lifewithtarget]

Thanks guys, appreciate it! I'm going to use these tips the next time I work.

 

[kevins99]

What we usually do is assign one or two people to zone around the racetrack. I tend to stand at the top of each aisle, look for the first few things that stick out like a sore thumb and then fix them. Repeat for the rest of the aisles. If I have time left over then I'll focus more on the aisles.