Archived So, I think I may have gotten into trouble tonight...

[thatguyattarget]

My HL TL wanted me to zone today, but I got so caught up when I was doing sporting goods and scanning each item. I mean, nothing was in the right place! The water bottles, inflatable beds, coolers, etc, they were all over the place! I had to scan everything to make sure they were in the right place and hanging in the right pegs. She was more concerned about it looking like a "brick wall" than it being in it's proper place that I didn't finish on time. I mean, I hate going into a store and taking stuff off a shelf and then realize it's not the correct product. Is that so wrong of me? She was more concerned about it "looking" right than it actually "being" right.

 

[Ringwraith917]

You weren't wrong. I have had to struggle with this issue my whole Target "career". I want it "right", management wants it "done". Do what they ask and hate yourself a little, or find another job. This fight you won't win.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

It can be done. This is a before picture of being zoned to planogram, From another thread:

We recently upgraded our deodorant aisles. It was a welcome improvement.

Next area of focus should be the water bottle aisle. That turns into a disaster. I'm talking about this aisle:

 

[dannyy315]

If something is clearly in the wrong spot, I move it. But other than that, I just try to make the zone look pretty. If I zoned HBA to pog, i would be zoning all night. But sometimes they'll ask me to zone to pog in the middle of the day.

 

[dannyy315]

It can be done. This area was zoned to planogram, From another thread:

I think this is the post you're thinking of

To those guests in the travel mug aisle: I just spent the last 2 hours by myself resetting this aisle to plano. Take a good look at this picture. This is what it's supposed to look like. Please try to keep it looking like this-

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

That is the one. Great job. Thanks for the correction.

 

[squirrely]

When I first started at Target, what you did was expected of us. However, they're not giving the hours or the employees to do things this way anymore. I can tell you're anal like me, so I suggest getting your zone done and if you have time at the end of the night, go ahead and superzone an area you saw that might need it.

I know Target wants to save money by paying less people, but I guarantee you they're losing more money by having to do price adjustments because items are in the wrong location.

 

[Loki]

As a HL TL I would say worry more about the zone. If everyone in our store constantly tried to put things where they are supposed to go we'd be there for a week and then some. There are other opportunities that will come along where things will have to be in their proper place (IE inventory) I used to be that way when I first started and then I realized no matter how much I tried a) it slowed me down and b) someone was going to come right behind me and mess it up again.

 

[Redzee]

I think this is the post you're thinking of

A thing of beauty.norderly beverage holders. I check prices when I zone (if possible).

 

[Redzee]

Norderly. Been a long day.

 

[mrknownothing]

I zone the same way, and my leaders pretty much hate me for it because I rarely complete a zone. In my defense, I spend an inordinate amount of time back-up cashing because they won't give the front end enough hours to staff the lanes in an acceptable manner.

 

[dannyy315]

I zone the same way, and my leaders pretty much hate me for it because I rarely complete a zone. In my defense, I spend an inordinate amount of time back-up cashing because they won't give the front end enough hours to staff the lanes in an acceptable manner.

This is exactly my situation. They've been asking me to speed up the zoning lately and the quality has went down. And on top of that, there are nights when I would spend a couple hours combined at the checklanes. I do have this one cool team leader though who goes out of his way to make sure team members spend as little time as possible up front, and he even asks other team leaders to backup. Those are the shifts when I'm most productive.

 

[bikebryan]

As an ETL my STL was constantly on my ass regarding sporting goods being in horrible shape - and he was right. The only way it was fixable to tear it down to the ground, then zone it to POG and backstock all the stuff that was out of place and had no space on the shelf. We would do three aisles, send it over to our off-site warehouse with signs on it stating to explicity NOT return the pallet to the store but to backstock it. The STL would moan about the emply aisles, and direct the warehouse crew to send all the pallets back to the store and have the backroom push it back out - with most of it being overstock on the shelf and not in the right place. Thus the cycle began again. He could not listen. It's one of the prevailing reasons why I left. You want it fixed - it try to fix it the correct way - and you break it again and yell at me that it is not fixed.

 

[IHeartCarts]

I would never survive as a HL TM. Not zoning to plano causes so many problems in so many other areas of the store.

 

[HashDash]

My HL TL wanted me to zone today, but I got so caught up when I was doing sporting goods and scanning each item. I mean, nothing was in the right place! The water bottles, inflatable beds, coolers, etc, they were all over the place! I had to scan everything to make sure they were in the right place and hanging in the right pegs. She was more concerned about it looking like a "brick wall" than it being in it's proper place that I didn't finish on time. I mean, I hate going into a store and taking stuff off a shelf and then realize it's not the correct product. Is that so wrong of me? She was more concerned about it "looking" right than it actually "being" right.

Exactly, when I zone it right, they think I am slow and if I zoned it half ass but fast... they still complain !

 

[thatguyattarget]

As a HL TL I would say worry more about the zone. If everyone in our store constantly tried to put things where they are supposed to go we'd be there for a week and then some. There are other opportunities that will come along where things will have to be in their proper place (IE inventory) I used to be that way when I first started and then I realized no matter how much I tried a) it slowed me down and b) someone was going to come right behind me and mess it up again.

Okay, thanks. I'm not normally anal in my personal life but at work, I am. But honestly, it was just so irritating to see stuff in the wrong places! But, next time I zone, I'll just give zero effs where stuff belongs and make it look "pretty". I mean, at least I'll get it done. She won't actually be scanning item to see if they belong there. Argh... so aggravating.


Last retail I worked was Barnes & Noble... books are so much easier.

 

[Rarejem]

Instocks hates all of the above people.

 

[Loki]

Last retail I worked was Barnes & Noble... books are so much easier.

Why did you ever leave B&N and come to Target? B&N just seems so...quiet and peaceful.

 

[Kartman]

This shit is why I prefer FA or CA, anytime...

 

[thatguyattarget]

Why did you ever leave B&N and come to Target? B&N just seems so...quiet and peaceful.

REAAALLLLY long story.... B&N was almost 10 years ago. In between was my "career" of clinical trial research in infectious diseases (I have a BS in psychology, biology and neurology + post-grad certifications) but I also have 4 year work-gap due to personal circumstances. Pharma/research companies don't want to hire people with such a long gap in their work histories.

 

[RetailWorld]

You did right, but should have informed the LOD that you probably wouldn't finish the entire zone, but what zone you would do would be correct. Honestly, if I had a TM tell me "Hey, I know you want sporting goods done in an hour, but how about I detail zone the water bottles and balls and pick up the rest?"...I'd be fine with it. But I'd like to know before hand. It's off putting to be expecting one thing and then get another 4 hours later.

 

[PassinTime]

Just zone the way your TL wants it done. They're the one who decides if you will get a nickel or a dime for your raise come January.

 

[60SecondsRemaining]

As a HL TL I would say worry more about the zone. If everyone in our store constantly tried to put things where they are supposed to go we'd be there for a week and then some. There are other opportunities that will come along where things will have to be in their proper place (IE inventory) I used to be that way when I first started and then I realized no matter how much I tried a) it slowed me down and b) someone was going to come right behind me and mess it up again.

It's entirely possible to zone to pog, you just need to be consistent. A good wave zone process with consistent leadership each night will let you do this.

I did in an AA volume store for 3 years. My peers hated me for forcing them into a wave zone but they couldn't argue the result.

 

[Loki]

It's entirely possible to zone to pog, you just need to be consistent. A good wave zone process with consistent leadership each night will let you do this.

I did in an AA volume store for 3 years. My peers hated me for forcing them into a wave zone but they couldn't argue the result.

Unfortunately that will never happen at my store. It's a shame actually. People just don't give a damn.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Unfortunately that will never happen at my store. It's a shame actually. People just don't give a damn.

Sad, but true at my store. Everyone knows when I close, the zone is tight & correct.