Archived What is the one thing you most wish other TMs knew about your workcenter?

[Quattro]

My fixture room was just "fixed" recently and it now looks beautiful. It'll probably become a death trap again in a couple weeks though.

Ours was just cleaned thoroughly for the third time in 6 months. This time they put a lock on the door. Nobody allowed in without a TL to unlock it for them. Huge hassle.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

This is the BEST THREAD EVER!!!!!
I've always wished we could all work in different areas to learn how to NOT make each other's job harder. Some of the silly things we do us out if ignorance because Spot has a rather severe training allergy. I've asked the BRTMs about things the salesfloor should or should not do and shared that with others. Let's keep this going! I'm kinda global so I've got a few to share too.
Don't throw all kinds of nasty trash in the go backs cart you bring to GS. I've had to defect an entire cart because someone put half empty SB drinks in with the MDSE.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

Ours was just cleaned thoroughly for the third time in 6 months. This time they put a lock on the door. Nobody allowed in without a TL to unlock it for them. Huge hassle.

Every time they lock the fixture or equipment room after a day or two it's unlocked again. ETLs & LODs ain't got time for that sh*t!

 

[RXninja]

Ours was just cleaned thoroughly for the third time in 6 months. This time they put a lock on the door. Nobody allowed in without a TL to unlock it for them. Huge hassle.

Hah! They did that to our fixture room too. It didn't last very long, since no one wanted to keep unlocking the door for the dozen or so TMs who are always going in and out of there. It's just a matter of time until they give up on keeping it locked.

 

[NitroKing2110]

Hah! They did that to our fixture room too. It didn't last very long, since no one wanted to keep unlocking the door for the dozen or so TMs who are always going in and out of there. It's just a matter of time until they give up on keeping it locked.

This could be slightly alleviated by putting a code lock on the door and issuing each department a code. That way if someone left a mess, they have an audit trail as to who went in there.

It's not perfect but it's something and makes it so the room is locked but ETLs don't need to constantly unlock it.

 

[Quattro]

That's what I thought about locking the equipment cabinet once we got MyDevices in. Still going strong months later.

 

[Quattro]

This could be slightly alleviated by putting a code lock on the door and issuing each department a code. That way if someone left a mess, they have an audit trail as to who went in there.

It's not perfect but it's something and makes it so the room is locked but ETLs don't need to constantly unlock it.

Yes, but that would mean someone would have to install such a device. That's how my store operates. Everyone has all the solutions, but nobody ever puts the plan into action.

 

[NitroKing2110]

That's what I thought about locking the equipment cabinet once we got MyDevices in. Still going strong months later.

I got a chance to see the email sent about mydevices to the STL, and forwarded to the ETLs when talking to the equipment captain about how unreasonable it is that HR and others that work constantly in TSC can't get into the cabinet it has to be a key holder. It was from the DTL and mentioned write ups for any STL that lost a mydevice or that failed a sign out sheet audit. Months later it's still going strong.

 

[RXninja]

This could be slightly alleviated by putting a code lock on the door and issuing each department a code. That way if someone left a mess, they have an audit trail as to who went in there.

It's not perfect but it's something and makes it so the room is locked but ETLs don't need to constantly unlock it.

That'll never happen, we have a dome camera in there (not a dummy one), so they'll say they can look it up on camera if someone destroys it. Which no one has time to do.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

I got a chance to see the email sent about mydevices to the STL, and forwarded to the ETLs when talking to the equipment captain about how unreasonable it is that HR and others that work constantly in TSC can't get into the cabinet it has to be a key holder. It was from the DTL and mentioned write ups for any STL that lost a mydevice or that failed a sign out sheet audit. Months later it's still going strong.

There are only a couple of us who ever sign out keys or my devices. The equipment room is always unlocked. It always amazes me how different the culture is at our stores.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

I wish the GSAs would not put back up cashiers on the first/busiest register on the grocery side. It's impossible to get off that register. We had one GSA who would stand at our lane and block us off (while directing guests to other lanes.) He understood that we needed to get back to the floor ASAP.

 

[Flabbergasted]

I wish the GSAs would not put back up cashiers on the first/busiest register on the grocery side.

What is the "grocery side"?

Side note: If you are a backup cashier, please turn on your lane light. I know you want to get off the lanes ASAP but we are trying to train our guests that light off means closed.

 

[whippingboy]

Do not listen to that team member who insists that produce is easy. He is just a lazy effer without a single independent thought of what can be done next. In fact, he's probably socializing with you or your girlfriend right about now, or eating qmos out of the bakery bin, or sitting in the cooler doing absolutely nothing at this very moment.

 

[Backroom81]

I wish more people realized Ship from Store TMs actually create real sales dollars just by doing our jobs and that we do NOT suck hours out of other workcenters.

What is the $ amount of sales generated by online orders at your store vs the amount of payroll and supplies spent filling those orders? How much extra payroll is your backroom using because they probably had to give up space to create a shipping area at your store and therefore have to shuffle their bulk stock more? How much extra payroll is your receiving TM using sending all of those packages out with UPS?

We don't have Ship from Store yet but I do know that our FF is basically a money pit. The sales are a pittance and the time spent keeping up with it is far more than the amount of flex payroll it supposedly adds.

 

[Bullselle]

Those promo gift cards? Throw them away. They're cheap and they have a history that can be used for nefarious reasons. Throw them in the trash, please.

That reminds me of a time a guest asked me for a $40 giftcard but she refused to take anything other than a promo card. I tried to explain that the promo cards were cheap and could easily get mixed up or lost, but in the end it wasn't really worth the fight.

 

[Jill of All Trades]

Please know that as a GSA I play a few roles at once. Sometimes you have to read into what I say just a little because it's intended for two audiences- the guest in front of me and you over the walkie or over my shoulder. Sometimes I might sound a little impatient or ask for an explanation of something you know I already know. This is for the guest's benefit and doesn't indicate that I've lost my mind or that I don't love you guys anymore.

 

[SFSFun]

What is the $ amount of sales generated by online orders at your store vs the amount of payroll and supplies spent filling those orders? How much extra payroll is your backroom using because they probably had to give up space to create a shipping area at your store and therefore have to shuffle their bulk stock more? How much extra payroll is your receiving TM using sending all of those packages out with UPS?

We don't have Ship from Store yet but I do know that our FF is basically a money pit. The sales are a pittance and the time spent keeping up with it is far more than the amount of flex payroll it supposedly adds.

I'm off for the next few days so I don't have exact sales figures but I do remember it was significant.

We get about 168 hours a week and anytime we have downtime, we help the backroom pull or backstock. Initial supplies were paid for by HQ. Not sure how much reorders cost but all we've needed to order since we started 6 months ago is boxes.

Our workstation went in the very back corner of the 3rd bulk aisle and it was rarely used. We also double stack pallets of boxes to save space.

I'm not sure how it works with UPS but our receiving TM is not involved in that process at all.

FF on its own definitely is insane and a waste of time. Ship from Store now takes care of the pick up orders as well at my store.

 

[mrknownothing]

I wish TMs and leaders from every workcenter would realize that they DON'T NEED TO FUCKING YELL INTO THE WALKIE. If I'm assisting a guest on the sales floor, it's awful and distracting to the point where I'm about to turn off my walkie completely.

 

[Backroom81]

Our workstation went in the very back corner of the 3rd bulk aisle and it was rarely used. We also double stack pallets of boxes to save space.

Unfortunately, my store doesn't have bulk space that's "rarely used". None of the stores I have done support help at do either except maybe 1. There was 1 store that underwent a remodel and had a very large addition to their backroom (nearly 50% more space) constructed. While all that extra space is being used, it could probably be condensed down a bit and turned into a shipping area.

I'm not sure how it works with UPS but our receiving TM is not involved in that process at all.

I assume UPS (or whatever carrier your store uses for outbound shipping) shows up while your receiving TM is present. I would assume that TM has to at least show him where the pickup is and ensure the manifest/pickup summary/bill of lading is signed for and the paperwork is filed correctly or forwarded to the correct person. I don't know if verifying the package count is a required part of your outbound process but if so, that TM has to be present for that part.

Your receiving TM may not be directly handling the freight at all, but I'm willing to be he/she does have a small part of the process that ties in with his normal interaction with your freight carrier but does add on a few minutes each day.

 

[BRTJ]

Just because I haven't pulled your EXF or POG yet doesn't mean I'm standing around doing nothing. Chances are I'm probably cleaning up a mess you made earlier or getting bent over by someone else.

Pretty much everything in the store runs through the backroom so have patience with us! We really work hard to make everyone happy(usually at the expense of our own happiness), but it's damn near impossible with all we have to do.

 

[SFSFun]

@Backroom81

ASANTS so of course some stores won't have as much free space. We do go through a LOT of boxes and it seems to take 2 weeks to get any orders in, so storage may be an issue for higher volume stores with a high order cap.

Our morning UPS driver doesn't like to take pick-ups because he doesn't have a lot of room. The afternoon UPS pickup just needs a key carrier to open the door and we bring everything down and drop it at the dock. On weekends UPS leaves a trailer for us to load ourselves. No boxes are ever counted.

I'll be sure to ask our receiver what he has to do.

 

[invaderjosie]

I just wish flow team would just put clothes in places that make sense. I don't need fan central shirts in men. Just because it's genuine kid merch it doesn't mean you put toddler boy/ girl together. Oh and please stop overstocking. It's so tiring picking up everything on the floor.

 

[FlowChick]

My lip balm is the little packs of baby wipes that go with the travel sized junk. I get boxes of them and tiny baby oils on cafs. I get some from guest service. It's so annoying.

Yes! And they say G on them. Not N! Idk why the backroom team doesn't just puts them with all the other HBA crap.

 

[FlowChick]

I just wish flow team would just put clothes in places that make sense. I don't need fan central shirts in men. Just because it's genuine kid merch it doesn't mean you put toddler boy/ girl together. Oh and please stop overstocking. It's so tiring picking up everything on the floor.

In my store they tell flow not to backstock clothing ever. Might be why they are doing that. As for your other complaints, I would talk to whoever's hanging. There's usually a couple of ppl who are doing it. Or have a TL talk to them.

 

[Backroom81]

@Backroom81Our morning UPS driver doesn't like to take pick-ups because he doesn't have a lot of room. The afternoon UPS pickup just needs a key carrier to open the door and we bring everything down and drop it at the dock. On weekends UPS leaves a trailer for us to load ourselves. No boxes are ever counted.

I'll be sure to ask our receiver what he has to do.

Sounds like your receiver may not have to touch it at all. Most companies I have worked for, the receiver also handled outbound freight as well.