Archived Questions on LODing

[redcardroy]

I'm still a bit unclear on a few things the LOD does besides cheer lead.

My questions are...

1. Can I go about dropping a lot of manual CAFs on empty ad locations? How soon could I expect them to be worked onto the salesfloor? Is this a good idea? Any general tips regarding this?

2. If there's an item waiting to be pushed to an empty location, what stops me from accidentally creating an unnecessary manual CAF?

3. How free are we to make ad displays on the racetrack? Where do we find display materials? Is it acceptable instructing the VMTL to build the display?

4. Where can I find the list that tells me how long it should take a tm to complete a CAF? Is the time on there realistic? Can I use that to gauge how many tasks I give a hardlines tm?

5. Generally speaking, what other ways can I drive sales as the LOD?

 

[indigo25]

1. Depends on your shift (at least at my store). You don't want to drop a ton of stuff that won't get pulled/pushed.
2. Like it's pulled already and sitting on a vehicle already? You want to check the backroom for any vehicles waiting to be pushed before you drop anything otherwise one batch will get touched again when they have to backstock it.
3. Like making a change to an endcap? (Or building one directly on the floor?) Depends on the department really. Certain endcaps are paid for by vendors so you have to be considerate of that. You also should partner w/ the TL of the department you're thinking of changing endcaps on. You don't want to take something down and have it sit in the back and then go clearance when you could have originally sold it if you'd left it alone. Stuff you need for shelving, signing, etc. will be in your store fixture room.
4. There is a report you can pull up on workbench, but I don't remember the exact name of it. Something like caf/autofill monitor which gives estimates, but I only have used it to check pull times after they're pulled (usually the goal is to pull it in half the time). I haven't seen a report that predicts how long it will take to push, but if it exists I would like to know of it.
5. Ensure your team is giving great guest service. Make sure endcaps are full and zoned. Work alongside your team when you can. In my experience this boosts morale and the team will respect you more so they will work harder which leads to a better store in general. Make sure the front end is pushing Red Cards, Cartwheel, etc. If you see a guest buying chips and you know salsa is on cartwheel, bring it up! Suggest the Red Card out on the floor (this usually works best with larger furniture purchases, or guests shopping in the infant areas).

 

[BackroomBear]

I'll give this a go.

1) beware of staffing. If your store isn't dropping manuals on the regular; A) counts/capacities will be funky and B) will pull a LOT of stuff. Be prepared for an hour + to pull and even more to push depending on fill group.

2) the floor count is updated whenever something is pulled or sent to the floor when the truck is acknowledged. Meaning if there's an empty location and you just got a case, the system will think there's a case (say 6 eaches) on the floor. If the capacity is 10, the system hypothetically would pull 4 (if available in back & if you choose fill for depth). Even if not pushed yet the count takes that into account....in a perfect world, that is.

3) keep communicating with your backroom bulk guy and flow TL. A good one will know if there's ASST's sitting in back. If not, ASANTS. Some stores may have extra storage for tables, like those used in seasonal for Halloween. Check the fixture room. POG TL can help out here and signing TM. If you're LOD, technically I'd say yes you can have the VMTL do so. I'd discuss with other LOD's to make sure you're not taking away from his/her planned workload with adjacenies and what not (again ASANTS with style teams, E2E, etc.)

4) workload planning tool on workbench. Manual CAFs don't show up. A veteran can usually look at DPCIs and fill group and throw a guess out here but even that's just a guess. Autofills monitor will show morning CAFs and mid days (after they drop). My TL and I shot for 50-60% time. Some fill groups are easy to fly through vs. others. Good TMs can do 75% time easy but I wouldn't look much into it unless it's 120% (batches accrue time even if they're not currently being pulled. Once opened the timer doesn't stop until completed).

Hard to use as a gauge - depends again on fill group. 80 DPCIs of COSM is a hell of a lot different to pull and push than 80 DPCIs of PLAS or GRC#. Go for realistic vs. ideal (ex. need to finish 2 man cafs, but getting 4 done is great)

5) just a TM here but my STL stressed that guests shouldn't have to ask for essentials. Milk and bananas were big. If guests can't get what they need they won't stick around long enough to browse and build a basket.

 

[redcardroy]

This all sounds like great advice. Thank you!

 

[SFSFun]

Can I go about dropping a lot of manual CAFs on empty ad locations?

You can, as long as it will get pulled, pushed, and backstocked.

How soon could I expect them to be worked onto the salesfloor?

It will take as long as it takes for you to go do it. Unless you happen to have TMs with absolutely nothing else to do, which you likely won't.

Is this a good idea? Any general tips regarding this?

Please don't be that LOD who just goes around randomly dropping manual cafs with zero consideration as to who will deal with them.

This used to be a common occurrence at my store, and the LOD would later wonder why no truck backstock is done and the line is full of pulls.

 

[redcardroy]

You can, as long as it will get pulled, pushed, and backstocked.


It will take as long as it takes for you to go do it. Unless you happen to have TMs with absolutely nothing else to do, which you likely won't.


Please don't be that LOD who just goes around randomly dropping manual cafs with zero consideration as to who will deal with them.

This used to be a common occurrence at my store, and the LOD would later wonder why no truck backstock is done and the line is full of pulls.

Right of course. I would make sure it could get worked first before I drop a batch. I just wanted to know if it's common for LODs to drop a lot of manual CAFs.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Try pushing, pulling cafs, yourself. To understand time & effort involved.

 

[TM2]

Take a look at the pull times on the 1s. If they're not super long, drop some manuals for a couple fill groups in your 3s. It'll spread the 3 o'clock workload around a little more, while achieving the goal of filling the floor.

 

[squirrely]

If I drop an EXF and the backroom is super busy, I pull it myself. Having the VML build displays? I wouldn't have mine do that. Their job is to tend to focals, mannequins, and remerchandising. Don't set unnecessary endcaps. For example, I am supposed to have a Johnson & Johnson endcap in infant hardlines, but I never set it because I don't have enough product to support an endcap and a home location. You should be tasking things out, but be mindful of the workload of your TM's.

 

[Kompa]

Don't just randomly drop manuals.

 

[BackroomAlpha]

Our STL is horrible about dropping man cafs. Dude just does it without telling anyone and calls back to pull them in the middle of a truck unload. The LODs who wanna get shit done that are focused on the sales will do that. But be weary because it pushes a lot onto everyone but you. Youve got a team of employees who are going to be working that stuff. Counts and capacities typically need to be straight in order to not over exert down the chain. This happens too often. Forecast your sales, that shit doesnt happen on the spur of moment. Its a goal that has to be set, worked on and followed through 100% over a few weeks imo.

There is no "metric" for how long it will take a TM to pull a man caf, or set a salesplanner. It all depends on the person. And ultimately the entire morale. You need to go do ALL of this stuff on your own for a few weeks to gauge.

 

[Kompa]

Our STL is horrible about dropping man cafs. Dude just does it without telling anyone and calls back to pull them in the middle of a truck unload. The LODs who wanna get shit done that are focused on the sales will do that. But be weary because it pushes a lot onto everyone but you. Youve got a team of employees who are going to be working that stuff. Counts and capacities typically need to be straight in order to not over exert down the chain. This happens too often. Forecast your sales, that shit doesnt happen on the spur of moment. Its a goal that has to be set, worked on and followed through 100% over a few weeks imo.

There is no "metric" for how long it will take a TM to pull a man caf, or set a salesplanner. It all depends on the person. And ultimately the entire morale. You need to go do ALL of this stuff on your own for a few weeks to gauge.

This

My STL will walk though paper and notice the bounty 8=12s are out so instead of asking someone to pull a pallet out the back she drops a fucking Manual caf which ends up pulling way more shit than needed