MEGATHREAD Signing Tips, Tricks and Quips (along with howls of despair)

Thing I hated about the color book was no part numbers! Something new (CSE graphics come to mind) would be shown and of I had a problem with any of it, I had a heck of a time trying to describe what was wrong to mysupport. I would tell them what page it was on and they still couldn't figure it out!

Oh, personally talk to the painters and tell them that they can not toss the CSE graphics. They need to be carefully stored. You may not get new ones. Our painters tossed them when I was gone and when I freaked, they were adamant with me that I would get all new. I didn't and it was hell trying to get new ones...
 
planopeep said:
Will have the regular signing person plus 2 others, plus another one that will just audit planos. I have been cross training alot of tm from other areas to set,as we did not get alot of people applying for any openings we have for remodel. Was wondering if any one had an overnight signing person for this or did they all stay dayside? Was first told one would do overnigh then the other 2 would be dayside but since then they changed it.
Click to expand...

When I had to do our remodel it was only me, so you got lucky to have two extra people to help your signing tm. I went overnight so I could keep track of all the signing that was being taken down and make sure that they were not being thrown away. Some planograms just moved from one aisle to another without any changes so the original signing went back up. I would audit every aisle after they were set and I kept a little notebook with me to write done any signs and fixtures that were missing so that I could order them. The colored book helped if you didn't know where some of the new signing went, but you can't use it to order any missing signs. What helped me keep organized was getting a breakdown of what aisles were setting each night so that I could organize the signing accordingly.
 
Working on small cooking/small appliances.
The wood grain is a big change and it's been a real joy trying to be in seven different places at once.
How goes the battle for everybody else?
 
we set twelve aisles today. the backer paper and signing alone was miserable. we worked until 1, and the lods were giving me lip because i was *gasp* 30 minutes over my schedule for the week. we had over 250 hrs of set, 30 signing, and got 208 hours of payroll.

the wood grain in kind of basement 70s, but it looks really nice with the appliances. we didnt get all our bullsnose inserts/shelf talkers, and were missing pieces of the gadget wall bins. our caphalon aisle didnt reset, and has the taupe paper still. everyone else's this way?
 
dek067 said:
we set twelve aisles today. the backer paper and signing alone was miserable. we worked until 1, and the lods were giving me lip because i was *gasp* 30 minutes over my schedule for the week. we had over 250 hrs of set, 30 signing, and got 208 hours of payroll.

the wood grain in kind of basement 70s, but it looks really nice with the appliances. we didnt get all our bullsnose inserts/shelf talkers, and were missing pieces of the gadget wall bins. our caphalon aisle didnt reset, and has the taupe paper still. everyone else's this way?
Click to expand...

Sounds pretty like our store point for point.
Scary how consistent Spot can be sometimes, even at sucking.
 
dek067 said:
we set twelve aisles today. the backer paper and signing alone was miserable. we worked until 1, and the lods were giving me lip because i was *gasp* 30 minutes over my schedule for the week. we had over 250 hrs of set, 30 signing, and got 208 hours of payroll.

the wood grain in kind of basement 70s, but it looks really nice with the appliances. we didnt get all our bullsnose inserts/shelf talkers, and were missing pieces of the gadget wall bins. our caphalon aisle didnt reset, and has the taupe paper still. everyone else's this way?
Click to expand...

At least you got 30 hours for signing. I only got 21 hours. Only got part of the bin for the gadget wall too, had to set it with fencing temporarily.
 
I thought calphalon had a solid black backer? Maybe I'm thinking of elsewhere. Anyway small apps is tomorrow...wish me luck. My PTL and I did the survey and it looks like they're looking for feedback about the display bullnose shelves. They asked about implementing standard 18" shelves and a new ISM solution. I'm on board with that, these bullnoses with the flimsy plastic cover are garbage, especially when promotional signing gets involved.
 
ISM Master said:
At least you got 30 hours for signing. I only got 21 hours. Only got part of the bin for the gadget wall too, had to set it with fencing temporarily.
Click to expand...

OMG me too. They sent just the big cardboard shell - no guts, no dividers, no risers, and certainly no instructions. Thanks HQ.......
 
Formina Sage said:
OMG me too. They sent just the big cardboard shell - no guts, no dividers, no risers, and certainly no instructions. Thanks HQ.......
Click to expand...

Sounds like the did the same thing for all of us on that one.
 
ISM Master said:
At least you got 30 hours for signing. I only got 21 hours. Only got part of the bin for the gadget wall too, had to set it with fencing temporarily.
Click to expand...

one of our tm left, so we're down to me and three. so signing hasn't really been signing lately. they've been taking our hours and giving them to the srtl to support their 160 hours a week. we've all been pitching in. i dread two weeks out. only 80 hours of pog. they probably won't schedule us at all, just make a little red and khaki stick man to sit it in front of the signing pallets.
 
Formina Sage said:
My PTL and I did the survey and it looks like they're looking for feedback about the display bullnose shelves. They asked about implementing standard 18" shelves and a new ISM solution. I'm on board with that, these bullnoses with the flimsy plastic cover are garbage, especially when promotional signing gets involved.
Click to expand...

My Plano TL and I long ago got rid of the metal shelving with the built in bullnose. We switched to standard 14" shelves with the curved bullnose attached to them. No more replacing those damn plastic covers! I highly recommend you try this out.
 
The Mule said:
My Plano TL and I long ago got rid of the metal shelving with the built in bullnose. We switched to standard 14" shelves with the curved bullnose attached to them. No more replacing those damn plastic covers! I highly recommend you try this out.
Click to expand...

Yeah, we did the same thing, but with the flat bullnose from Electronics. We haven't lost a price point sign yet, as opposed to reprinting every aisle every week.
 
we just switched this transition to 14" shelves with the curved bullnose as well. i wanted to use the electronics ones, but we didn't have enough. just wrapped those old appliance shelves to be recycled at the end of my day today. also took the vac wall down to 18" - which is weird because in our remodel i remember it was supposed to go down to 18, but they didn't switch the shelves. checked the POGS this time and it said 22" shelves. oh well. the 18s look nice and i think will help the vacs from being destroyed by being thrown all over those big shelves.

i got the appliance shipper shell DTS through fed ex but the guts of it came on my pallet in a large flat box for the gadget wall.

i downswept the small 10-12" shelves as well. i wonder if the bullnose they sent will hold up those george foremans when they come in stock.....
 
I got the gadget wall bin from Fed Ex last week. The inserts were in a signing box for Gadgets.

New indoor/outdoor George Forman grills are light! I just tossed the optional stand and sat it on the shelf.




Crazy week.
 
/rant start
OK team, I'm used to Spot screwing me over.
The cosmetics set was a great example of that and you guys helped me the best you could.
We got it done even though there are still things left (but that's another rant).
The small appliance set is the problem.
I know you had ridiculously short set times but WTF ...
As far as I can tell most of the sets have been done with only the product shelves taken care of and nothing else.
I've actually had to reset the top shelves for entire aisles in order to put up displays.
You guys have been doing this in some cases for for eight or nine years, leaving basic planogram work for me is very uncool.
You're not the one who has to explain to the ETL why I'm a week behind.
Sorry new TL, you're a nice guy and you try hard but "get'er done" isn't a workable solution.
It's nice that you're green, I'm all impressed but you don't really seem to care how it's getting done.
So in closing, f-ck, f-ck, f-ckity, f-ck.
/end rant.
 
Commie, what does the ptl say? Displays ARE their responsibility. New displays ARE their responsibility. You should be working at the same time they are to help them, but it shouldn't be completely on you.

Its got to be a team effort.

Still, it took a solid 16 hours.
 
At my store displays have always been my job.
And most of the time I'm fine with that.
The PTL is new and doesn't really understand.
He's just happy that the team got 'everything' done on time.
I've tried to explain how much got left over but I'm afraid it's sounding like excuses.
Usually I can keep up or even stay ahead but small appliance especially vacuums has been really tough this time round without any support.
Reading that back sounds like I'm whining, dammit.
The big difference between whining and ranting is that ranting means you don't really expect anybody to do anything about it.
Which is pretty much where I'm at now.
 
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I just make it my job to make sure all the displays are up. Sure, I put up most of the displays, but I expect an effort on their part. Help me defect the old displays, throw up a box on the shelf if a display needs to be put out, don't backstock it, that kind of stuff. I mostly want them to appreciate that I am doing what it really their job and NOT to move on until it is completely done. I can be a grumpy ole lady if I feel I'm being taken advantage of... LOL!
 
commiecorvus said:
At my store displays have always been my job.
And most of the time I'm fine with that.
The PTL is new and doesn't really understand.
He's just happy that the team got 'everything' done on time.
I've tried to explain how much got left over but I'm afraid it's sounding like excuses.
Usually I can keep up or even stay ahead but small appliance especially vacuums has been really tough this time round without any support.
Reading that back sounds like I'm whining, dammit.
The big difference between whining and ranting is that ranting means you don't really expect anybody to do anything about it.
Which is pretty much where I'm at now.
Click to expand...

Technically, displays are part of the transition, so until they are done, your TL's precious "green" score is actually a lie. It's the same as when the Early Set Notes come down and you have to go back and take care of things to be considered done with them. If they aren't giving you the help you need on heavy sets, you should "challenge upwards" and bring this to their attention. I don't know your store and their individual personalities, so not sure how to offer suggestions on driving this home with them, but I would definitely push back if they end up leaning on you to "just get it done".
 
I usually try to help with displays when I have time but it is technically presentation's job to put them up. For the small appliance planograms I usually put the boxes where the displays go and tell whoever is setting the aisle to take it out of the box.
 
Hey Mule, are you looking forward to electronics set next week? SFT has a huge part this time.... Wish we could get our sft to come in at 12 with us, but no go..
 
TargetOldTimer said:
Hey Mule, are you looking forward to electronics set next week? SFT has a huge part this time.... Wish we could get our sft to come in at 12 with us, but no go..
Click to expand...


My SFT and I are doing some serious planning on how to handle the TV wall.
We really don't want to be stuck fighting with it most of the day like we were last time.
70"TV really?
 

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