You really will get faster as time goes on. Everyone develops their own method, and every store is a little different. I've covered at a handful of stores and I can say that I've had to alter how I do my zone based on the little differences in the stores... but you eventually figure it out.
Things I didn't change from store to store:
End caps are always your number one priority. Even if the entire aisle has to look like complete shit, make the end cap look beautiful. It only takes a second, and makes a world of difference to the guests and to the ETLs. Pull from the home location to make the end caps fairly full. Most items (until we really get into the holidays and start getting random gift sets and sh*t) will have main locations in the aisles and then will be displayed on end caps as well. For example, right now you probably have an end cap of Tampax and Always, and those items are also down an "A" aisle with the other feminine care products. You can also always scan the barcode of the shelf or item to find out the other location. Pull form the home location if you have to, to make sure the end cap is full. If the home location is empty, "flex" something of the same idea (i.e., Always Ultra Thin for Always Regular Thin) as long as it's the same price or a little lower. You ALWAYS want the end cap to look beautiful and full-- both back and front end caps.
In addition, you want no product on the floor (no brainer, but you'd be surprised), and nothing on the base decks. In some aisles (hair accessories is a good example), you'll spend forever if you try to put everything exactly where it belongs. Unless you're specifically instructed to "super zone" OR you definitely have a good chunk of time (don't over-estimate), just pick that sh*t up and put it on the closest hooks. Don't worry about where it goes. Just get it off the base deck.
And then just pull items forward. You want the diamonds on the shelves to be covered, and the aisle to look like "glass" when you look down it. Don't zone slow and sweet.... you haul a** from the start, and if you have extra time, then you get to slow down and go back to anything you may have half a**ed. Use two hands to pull products forward, so you're pulling left, right, left, right, all at the same time.
Main points:
-If nothing else: end caps!
-Product off the floor
-Product off the base decks
-a "quick zone" means end caps and first four feet, a regular zone is touching everything (we say "hands on everything"), and a "super zone" is actually making sure everything goes back in it's exact spot. Usually only super zones are done when there's going to be a visit.
Good luck!! You'll get it soon enough.
Just remember, keep responding to back up calls, calls to the sales floor, etc. They do notice the second someone seems to be avoiding them, and it looks terrible. Even if you're first to respond a couple times, they'll think of that right away if you're not able to finish all of your work-- they'll go "well he/she DID respond to a lot of calls...".
