Archived VML from a leadership perspective

[5thElement]

I've been in my position since the end of October. I was an external recruit.

So far, at least in my store, I am in charge of Home Innovation, Mannequins, Seasonal, and Cosmetics. Right now I only have one TM, but I am supposed to be getting two more part-timers.

My ETL also wants to me take charge of the Brand Team Members in Softlines, but I am not sure where that leaves the current Softlines TL.

 

[sher]

Our brand people get scheduled on two parts of the schedule. When they're scheduled as softlines, they're softlines. When they're scheduled in vm or whatever, they're doing the brand junk. And the sl tl still "leads" the rest of us and for now she's still doing her adjacencies. I'm assuming that part may change at some point. Also apparently we (reg sl TMs) have to listen to the vml when our tl isn't there. I haven't taken orders from her yet but I guess that's how it works.


My vml has yet to implement any changes to the actual mannequin looks or the adjacency so I can't yet comment on whether she does it better than the TMs with degrees in other fields. But I will comment that I don't understand why she hasn't made any changes yet. At the very least she should've changed the outfits that are low on pieces. A near empty rack at a corner facing a door seems like a missed opportunity. She seems a wee bit preoccupied with following us around to quantify our work/effort.

 

[BigEyedPhish]

I don't have a sense of style myself. However, I think that Visual Merchandising would have a lot more to do with RETAIL ANALYTICS, than your own subjective idea of presentation or design. The focus should be on ORGANIZATION based on DATA on past consumer behavior.

What does historical sales tells you?

If I were hired for this position, do I have access to data that breakdown current and historical sales per department?

This is all about looking at what data you have, and looking at patterns.

How should items be placed? What does the rows and columns per section tells us about our sales priorities and trends of human behavior when looking at item location? Are those at eye level result to greater sales? Should we have our best seller's at eye level?

Should we use the ENDCAPs to introduce new products?

To answer these questions, we need tools, we need data , we need a program to summarize information to us

If I work at Corporate, I would use VML positions to establish an in-house analytics in-stores. Allow some degree of AUTONOMY in stores. Don't make all the analytics decided by the headquarter and enforce a uniform process. Give individual stores some control on how they can strategize to achieve their sales goal.

First Bold: Anyone who has PROPERLY zoned/filled Milk could tell you this... As all you have to do is think like a consumer and have common sense.

Second Bold: I thought this was exactly what the VML position called for? I thought it was looking for a more "Artsy" and Creative outlook, not to just increase sales on this here, perfectly placed pillow, but to include the whole environment around it in order to "inspire" the guest to buy more....

On your actual point it would be nice to have a program that you use to track the sales of specific DPCI's, that is custom created... We can see ours in PFresh when we shoot our order in-regards to forecast, so the numbers must be there, somewhere. I would think it would be beneficial to everybody.

 

[sigma7]

Used to be able to do just this with sales tracking. Used to be on RF Apps...SLS1 and SLS2? Something like that. There was one to add DPCIs to a sales tracking collection, and then the other was to end the sales tracking. You could pull the report through store apps on the signing and label pc. This is how you could see how your store option endcaps were selling. Then HQ decided that we didn't need space to be creative, use for what we had high stock levels of, or for sale merchandise. They then planogrammed all endcaps in the store leaving no room for creativity. Then they put all sales planners on the departmental adjacencies further reducing the need for tms and tls to be visual merchants.

Now they've decided that our store teams and leaders aren't good at visual merchandising, or merchandising in general, and now we need to hire outside to get a visual merchant.

Everything comes full circle if you stay with Target long enough. They had a team that thought like merchants then took away any autonomy store teams had to make merchandising decisions and then decided to hire people who are merchandisers.

 

[Bryantpp]

I know there has been a lot of talk about VML and man do I have a lot of thought on the subject.

Ok so here goes , first I think there are a lot of misconceptions as to what the job is.
First yes it pay grade 17 but no your not a SrTL. The reason they made the position a pg17 was so they could attract more external candidates, yes target wants externals with degrees for this position. Plain and simple pg17 so they can pay be more enticing.
And from there I'll go into hiring externals. Yes, I know that a lot of people are pissed about this, but I honestly don't think it is that bad of an idea. I have read a lot of post saying that brand TM could do the job and basically anyone can but really that's not true. I have some great brand tm's in my store but I could never see them being a VML. VML will be doing a lot of remerching and flexing and it must be done properly so that it is visually appealing and creating that moment. Are there current TM and TL that are qualified absolutely and they should be given a chance but also there are a lot that are not.
And then that brings me to really the biggest problem with VML , the etl's. My etl's don't exactly have a sense of style or merchandising, so when they see something full they think hey that looks good. Not always the case. I have even seen pictures tweeted of full endcaps that aren't styled correctly . They have a VML tool for the STL to follow up with but still it not enough. I think there should one day maybe be a VMETL . Yes I know that right now there is a VMml but there needs to be a position in between. How do you do an interview for a style position when you know nothing about style. Granted the flip chart does tell them what the answer should be.

I think that maybe target just did a shit job at rolling this new position out. I do think It's a great step in the right direction and I myself would have gone for the position had I not already been interviewing for etl.
Obviously these are just my thought and opinions and I know some won't agree. I do have degrees in design and art so I like to think I know what good style is.

I'm a VML, I was a degreed clothing designer before Target and after I made some life-decisions I've restarted at Target in this position. I think that the VML should be at the same level as the ETL, they should be responsible for the style and "Feel" of the whole store's layout, I don't think that the way it is structured now is really feasible, I'm already stepping on the toes of the SLTL and the PPTL, not sure how the position is going to work out but I definitely think that the chain of command and who is responsible for what could be tweaked in order to achieve what I think Target is going for, a more upscale big box store. Thoughts?

 

[Bryantpp]

I know right. Its sad to see its come to this. All so target can go oh look at all these "fashion experts" we acquired. Love us know rich people and buy our cheap clothing that now looks so much more "fashionable".

You don't want to work in a company that is going a little more upscale? Why does it bother you? I would think you would be proud to work for a company that is hiring fashion experts and people who have lots of experience with the styling market. I don't get it.

 

[Bryantpp]

We actually hired internal for the VML position at out store. My concern with the concept that has yet to be addressed is where the payroll will come from to staff it. If the answer is from our current budget as it most likely will be then congratulations on failing spectacularly at rolling this out as every low volume store will be unable to utilize them as intended. My store only gets 100 hours a week for softlines TMs and we are hard shopped so stray is always an issue, so guess what that will mean for my newly promoted VML...

I don't get this payroll stuff. If a corporation creates a new position then they allocate the funds to pay the person, what is the problem, companies are creating salaries all the time, it comes out of the sales and yearly budget.

 

[Bryantpp]

I don't have a sense of style myself. However, I think that Visual Merchandising would have a lot more to do with RETAIL ANALYTICS, than your own subjective idea of presentation or design. The focus should be on ORGANIZATION based on DATA on past consumer behavior.

What does historical sales tells you?

If I were hired for this position, do I have access to data that breakdown current and historical sales per department?

This is all about looking at what data you have, and looking at patterns.

How should items be placed? What does the rows and columns per section tells us about our sales priorities and trends of human behavior when looking at item location? Are those at eye level result to greater sales? Should we have our best seller's at eye level?

Should we use the ENDCAPs to introduce new products?

To answer these questions, we need tools, we need data , we need a program to summarize information to us.

If I work at Corporate, I would use VML positions to establish an in-house analytics in-stores. Allow some degree of AUTONOMY in stores. Don't make all the analytics decided by the headquarter and enforce a uniform process. Give individual stores some control on how they can strategize to achieve their sales goal.

I'm the VML at my store and I have NO idea how to analyze sales, it is strictly styling for me, I look for areas that are looking sad and need loving and put whatever I want in them, I even put several bottles of champagne from the grocery section in next to some bags and shoes in accessories display!!! OOOOOHHHH!!
I wanted to put them in with the children's furniture vignette to signify comfort for the exhausted parents of newborn baby but thought that might be a little TOO quirky...

 

[Bryantpp]

I know, but some guy named Ethan Allen would have to have started it right?

you're cute.

 

[Bryantpp]

We're already placing bets on how soon this person will be on backup at the checklanes.

hey as long as I got my salary and health benefits I'm down with check-out...

 

[RetailWorld]

I don't get this payroll stuff. If a corporation creates a new position then they allocate the funds to pay the person, what is the problem, companies are creating salaries all the time, it comes out of the sales and yearly budget.

For the rest of the year, every store was allocated a certain amount of payroll for the VMTL every week that is outside of it's yearly payroll financials. What people are worried about though is that next year, when AE2016 rolls out, how the VMTL position will affect headcount and payroll. There are certain work centers that are just "given" payroll, regardless of sales or trends. AP, PMT, and I *think* HR. Though I think that changed when most stores got rid of the HR-TL. VM, being a sales-based work center, will most likely be based on sales. So the across-the-board allocation system won't be in place next year. Your work centers payroll will be based on sales.

AND, with the way Target is trying to push for "salesfloor" coverage rather than "Hardlines vs Softlines vs Market vs VM", you and your team members will probably count against what Target insists is proper salesfloor coverage. That means you and your team members will be expected to cover front lanes, make sure CAFs are pushed, make sure breaks are covered, etc.

But what it boils down to is that team leads eat up payroll. And it severely affects their work center...typically making their job harder. You'll probably be in charge of all brand team members. Right now, you're just being scheduled, and your brand team members are being scheduled, and you're expected to do your thing. Next year though, your work centers hours will probably fluctuate based on sales. One week you might have 100 hours of payroll(Where you eat up 40, your brand team members get the other 60), and another week you get 60(where you get 40 and your brand team members get 20). It's stressful. Instead of being a TEAM leader, you become the sole team member of your department. Expect this between January and September. And every other sales based department is being ran the same way. You get to a point to where ONLY team leads are scheduled on the floor. So you *have* to respond to back up. You *have* to push out those CAFs. You *have* to take care of that reshop.

This is how Target has ran every new department it's rolled out. Eventually you'll just be a replacement for your team members, rather than an asset.

 

[Retail Girl]

I don't get this payroll stuff. If a corporation creates a new position then they allocate the funds to pay the person, what is the problem, companies are creating salaries all the time, it comes out of the sales and yearly budget.

Target doesn't create more payroll. If they are giving more payroll to department A, that means they have pulled it from department B. And the department that gets the hours has to help make up the lack of team members in the other department (most of the time). You will see this more after the holidays.

 

[redeye58]

Basically, robbing Peter to pay Paul('s workcenter).

 

[Redzee]

Completely political and ephemeral position.

 

[Rarejem]

Can anyone tell me how they are keeping track of stock that has been cross-merchandised? I am curious from the instocks, flexible fulfillment, guest looking for something with one OH that could be somewhere else, price change, etc.

 

[signingminion]

Can anyone tell me how they are keeping track of stock that has been cross-merchandised? I am curious from the instocks, flexible fulfillment, guest looking for something with one OH that could be somewhere else, price change, etc.

They should be store tying it if it's not on the pog. Otherwise there is no way to track where it is.

 

[lurker]

So yes the vml is a leadership position, we are somewhat parallel to the senior team leads but at the same time we have the authority to delegate task to everyone below a senior team lead also we don't have keys.

Not at my store, a SRTL is an LOD and VML is not an LOD. At my store the VML is going to be doing 4x4 and midday zone with all the other tms, tls, etl and stl. I'm looking forward to our vml coming in. Don't kid yourself on the pay grade, we had to up the minimum tms make just so we could hire for seasonal. We had tms leaving in mass exodus because other stores have started paying a living wage. You are paygrade 17 to attract from outside of Target and that is it. If you need help ask for it, we are a team but don't delegate to me, I have a work load I have to get done and it takes priority after helping guests. Guests first always!

 

[Rarejem]

They should be store tying it if it's not on the pog. Otherwise there is no way to track where it is.

If you store tie, you have to break the current planogram tie. That isn't practical.
(just cracked myself up when I reread this...."practical" hahahahahaha)

 

[HairyToothpick]

If you store tie, you have to break the current planogram tie. That isn't practical.
(just cracked myself up when I reread this...."practical" hahahahahaha)

In my store I can store tie an item in an aisle to a section that doesn't exist and not break the pog tie. At least someone else looking for it will know aisle it is in.

 

[signingminion]

If you store tie, you have to break the current planogram tie. That isn't practical.
(just cracked myself up when I reread this...."practical" hahahahahaha)

We would normally tie them to section 99 (sidecap loc) if one didn't exist in that aisle or section 90(double sidecap loc in market) if it had a sidecap. I've been fighting to get flow to not push discontinued anywhere without a store tie, cause otherwise pricing can't find it.

 

[mrknownothing]

If you store tie, you have to break the current planogram tie. That isn't practical.
(just cracked myself up when I reread this...."practical" hahahahahaha)

Not necessarily. As @signingminion said above, you can use sections that don't actually exist. A normal aisle doesn't have a planogram tied to, say, section 93.

 

[Rarejem]

Not necessarily. As @signingminion said above, you can use sections that don't actually exist. A normal aisle doesn't have a planogram tied to, say, section 93.

Thanks! I started doing this yesterday!!! My leadership team is pretty happy about it. Thanks to you guys, I'm pretty smart today!

 

[BigEyedPhish]

We would normally tie them to section 99 (sidecap loc) if one didn't exist in that aisle or section 90(double sidecap loc in market) if it had a sidecap. I've been fighting to get flow to not push discontinued anywhere without a store tie, cause otherwise pricing can't find it.

Every section in my store has a designated Discontinued/Nop/Clearance endcap, if the endcap isn't only clearance (it is completely full), certain shelves are, while the rest is d-code, our Pricing team knows this, so if they are searching for another item they know exactly where to look.

 

[signingminion]

Every section in my store has a designated Discontinued/Nop/Clearance endcap, if the endcap isn't only clearance (it is completely full), certain shelves are, while the rest is d-code, our Pricing team knows this, so if they are searching for another item they know exactly where to look.

Our flow team isn't structured or trained enough for that, sadly.

 

[Digi_E]

If you store tie, you have to break the current planogram tie. That isn't practical.
(just cracked myself up when I reread this...."practical" hahahahahaha)

VML training states you store tie to secction 98 to not disrupt sidecaps or confuse the team. Also mannequins should be tied as well, I go the extra mile and tie the hurdles so you can scan them and tell what doesnt go.