MEGATHREAD 2018-2019 Store Modernization Megathread

[OPINION] How do you feel about these changes?

  • I like them.

  • I dislike them.

Results are only viewable after voting.
seasonaldude said:
To me this doesn't sound like what corporate is going for with modernization. What we've been told is that the same TMs who do the truck push for a section are also supposed to be responsible for any revisions and price changes in that section. That's the whole ownership model so the TMs are experts in the section and can offer better guest service, blah, blah, blah.

On paper your store has disbanded the old teams, but in reality if the same team members are still doing the same old tasks instead of being end to end over a particular area and doing everything in it, then the old teams aren't really dissolved at all. I won't even begin to disagree that your store's way of doing it is much better and it can likely fool any visitors into thinking modernization works as advertised if those visitors are inclined to think that way.

But, if other stores get surprise visitors that start asking questions of TMs who aren't familiar with all of the processes, they could run into issues. Something as simple as asking a former POG team member doing a reset how much freight is left in the back could be a very quick way to learn that the store isn't really following all of the dictates of the new system. If that visitor is overly fond of Kool-Aid, there are going to be problems.
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I've been doing pog for 12 years. I can't even begin to imagine some people trying to do it. You need a fixture? Go find it. Those are gen3 pushers not dividers. Mind you, these are the same people who don't FIFO when they push. Not blaming, stating a fact. And I'm supposed to believe we'll just performance them all out for who?

Here's what will happen. Everything price change and pog will get fucked up and they'll expect the old team to fix it. Nope. Not this girl.
 
unknown said:
I've been doing pog for 12 years. I can't even begin to imagine some people trying to do it. You need a fixture? Go find it. Those are gen3 pushers not dividers. Mind you, these are the same people who don't FIFO when they push. Not blaming, stating a fact. And I'm supposed to believe we'll just performance them all out for who?

Here's what will happen. Everything price change and pog will get fucked up and they'll expect the old team to fix it. Nope. Not this girl.
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I can't wait for our former POG TMs to refuse to help salesfloor with their POGs. Oops, sorry, forgot what that fixture was! Guess you can ask your TL! Oh, they don't know? Guess you can mySupport it! Sorry, not my job anymore! 😁
 
seasonaldude said:
To me this doesn't sound like what corporate is going for with modernization. What we've been told is that the same TMs who do the truck push for a section are also supposed to be responsible for any revisions and price changes in that section. That's the whole ownership model so the TMs are experts in the section and can offer better guest service, blah, blah, blah.

On paper your store has disbanded the old teams, but in reality if the same team members are still doing the same old tasks instead of being end to end over a particular area and doing everything in it, then the old teams aren't really dissolved at all. I won't even begin to disagree that your store's way of doing it is much better and it can likely fool any visitors into thinking modernization works as advertised if those visitors are inclined to think that way.

But, if other stores get surprise visitors that start asking questions of TMs who aren't familiar with all of the processes, they could run into issues. Something as simple as asking a former POG team member doing a reset how much freight is left in the back could be a very quick way to learn that the store isn't really following all of the dictates of the new system. If that visitor is overly fond of Kool-Aid, there are going to be problems.
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Admittedly I don't know too too much about what GM does, but I do know they've started to teach our truck team how to do revisions and other things of that nature. However, I can definitely say our former POG team is the one's who are always setting for the most part.

So while I have seen hints of us converting fully to what you mentioned, as of right now we definitely have kind of loopholed the system it seems like. Again GM isn't something I know too much about in terms of modernization.

Style however should generally be very accurate in terms of whats to be expected, I don't mind the new process.
 
Send me a sign said:
Here’s a small sampling of how this is going to play out in the DIY Plano fiasco. This morning after hanging an ungodly amount of shelves and dividers left from last weeks rear seasonal set, a tm walks in and sets about a dozen dividers on my newly cleared floor. After losing my shit, uh I mean “coaching” her. She tells me she didn’t know where they belong even though there is a 4’ wall designated for dividers right in front of her. This is the future of the Plano team. Oh Lawdy, give me strength
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"DIY Plano"... I love it. 🤣

I've been saying since last year, I just can't wait to see the communal fixture room!
 
PresentationGuy said:
This will be me.
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You understand you’ll still be setting pogs right? The only position completely dissipating is the TL spot. All the Plano TMs will still be setting pogs and pricing. Depends how your store splits it up. Some stores will keep the team intact but each department TL will over see the major transitions and keep up with communication for their department. Other stores will split up the team into designated departments and you will oversee the transitions while teaching your new department TMs how to do it. If I had a TM with that attitude they would be gone extremely fast. I expect all TMs regardless of position to share their knowledge with other TMs
 
Sloth said:
I don't think TMs are paid well enough to be training each other. Some tips or advice, sure, but to show someone who has never done plano before how to do everything? That should be your job, as their lead.

TM workload has drastically increased while TL workload has been cut to a purely supervisory role, it seems like.
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Barely supervisory? I do more work now than ever and still get shit on constantly. Feel free to try being a team lead for a week anytime. We are the only ones protecting you from the big guys now
 
Sloth said:
I don't think TMs are paid well enough to be training each other. Some tips or advice, sure, but to show someone who has never done plano before how to do everything? That should be your job, as their lead.

TM workload has drastically increased while TL workload has been cut to a purely supervisory role, it seems like.
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Have you ever had a job before???? Anywhere you go equals train each other. Cashiers train cashiers, etls train etls, stls train stls. You need to get off your high horse. Also TLs do less physical labor as we have plenty of other things todo and study and plan. I definitely appear to not be doing something often to TMs but I don’t think I ever sit down and do nothing. I barley have time for my breaks and I can speak for most other TLs as that is the case for them too
 
We have a new-ish ETL logistics at my store and he told all of the flow TMs that we are going to be learning how to do zone, price accuracy, and pretty much everything else. There is apparently a "modernization checklist" for it and the purpose is so that we can do everything. Has anyone else heard of this? Is it just for flow TMs or is it for everyone?
 
ShortTM said:
We have a new-ish ETL logistics at my store and he told all of the flow TMs that we are going to be learning how to do zone, price accuracy, and pretty much everything else. There is apparently a "modernization checklist" for it and the purpose is so that we can do everything. Has anyone else heard of this? Is it just for flow TMs or is it for everyone?
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It’s for everyone. End to End. Every one in plan should literally be owning their areas, from push, zone, Audit, pricing, pog/rev, SPL.
One of the terms being thrown out is TMs being DBO, Dedicated Business Owner.
 
Sloth said:
I don't think TMs are paid well enough to be training each other. Some tips or advice, sure, but to show someone who has never done plano before how to do everything? That should be your job, as their lead.

TM workload has drastically increased while TL workload has been cut to a purely supervisory role, it seems like.
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If a TM came to me with these concerns, I would remind them of our open door policy and that they are more than welcome to voice these concerns with HR. In the meantime, however, said TM will help train on boarding TMs, if that is what I’m assigning them to do. I help my fellow TLs and our ETLs with their new-in-role trainees all the time. When I get trainees for Food, you better believe I’m partnering them up with my TMs. Who better to learn from, than from those who are knee deep in it 5-6 days a week? Lastly, I know asants, but TLs can’t always be expected to personally train every on boarding TM.
 
MajorChomp said:
It’s for everyone. End to End. Every one in plan should literally be owning their areas, from push, zone, Audit, pricing, pog/rev, SPL.
One of the terms being thrown out is TMs being DBO, Dedicated Business Owner.
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Thanks. I'm curious as how "owning" an area will work out when we only work when there is a truck to push. But I suppose it will all start to make sense as it comes together. I'm still pretty new and admit there is a lot I don't know
 
ShortTM said:
We have a new-ish ETL logistics at my store and he told all of the flow TMs that we are going to be learning how to do zone, price accuracy, and pretty much everything else. There is apparently a "modernization checklist" for it and the purpose is so that we can do everything. Has anyone else heard of this? Is it just for flow TMs or is it for everyone?
Click to expand...
It’s for everyone. I wrote a checklist, it’s 5 days of intense full training that ranges from sales floor and cashier to unload and sorting, pushing truck, dropping and pulling batches and the auto fills, backroom safety and equipment, zoning, auditing exfs, pulling and merchandising discontinued, price change backroom batches and sales floor, presentation from adjacency calendar and online planogram, pre ties, setting salesplanners transitions revisions everything.

Literally everything. That’s what I expect from my team; complete independence. The only outside help we get is the physical removal of the product from the trailer. Next step is complete ownership of the backroom aisles, auditing and maintaining their portions of the backroom. You’ll notice there’s no backroom team or TL on the new org charts? Be ready.

Wrote that list for my team, but apparently someone liked what they saw because its now being shared with the entire district for them to implement in 3 weeks or so.

So yeah, it’s happening.
 
busyzoningtoys said:
It’s for everyone. I wrote a checklist, it’s 5 days of intense full training that ranges from sales floor and cashier to unload and sorting, pushing truck, dropping and pulling batches and the auto fills, backroom safety and equipment, zoning, auditing exfs, pulling and merchandising discontinued, price change backroom batches and sales floor, presentation from adjacency calendar and online planogram, pre ties, setting salesplanners transitions revisions everything.

Literally everything. That’s what I expect from my team; complete independence. The only outside help we get is the physical removal of the product from the trailer. Next step is complete ownership of the backroom aisles, auditing and maintaining their portions of the backroom. You’ll notice there’s no backroom team or TL on the new org charts? Be ready.

Wrote that list for my team, but apparently someone liked what they saw because its now being shared with the entire district for them to implement in 3 weeks or so.

So yeah, it’s happening.
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Learning new things and facing new challenges keeps me going so I'm excited to learn more and dive into this list! Btw, great job! You must have had some wonderful work if your DTL picked up on it!
 
ShortTM said:
Thanks. I'm curious as how "owning" an area will work out when we only work when there is a truck to push. But I suppose it will all start to make sense as it comes together. I'm still pretty new and admit there is a lot I don't know
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It’ll definitely be different for sure but as for the “only days we get trucks” that will change too. With the rollout of the new truck process in a couple years (fully sorted at the DC) all stores regardless sales will get 2 trucks a day. One on the morning and one late afternoon. It’s a 1-1 replenishment based off your previous days sales plus all your transition stuff. It’s super cool and definitely easier to keep up with the push all day mentality.
 
Sloth said:
Sure, TLs used to be the ones who had to know sales, sales goals, ads, etc.. but that's all on TMs now. Again, the workload for TMs has increased. What do TLs do now? Because the guide mentions just one thing: making sure TMs are doing their job. That's it. If they don't know how, then maybe you can teach them instead of offloading your singular duty onto a TM that still has their massive workload to complete.


It's all right there.
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I can't speak for other stores or even other departments in my more, but the logistics TLs at my store work their butt off every day. They help with the unload, they help with the push, they pretty much keep the backroom running smoothly. In a 4 hour shift I get about 9000-10000 steps. I wouldn't be surprised if my TLs got near double that
 
ShortTM said:
Learning new things and facing new challenges keeps me going so I'm excited to learn more and dive into this list! Btw, great job! You must have had some wonderful work if your DTL picked up on it!
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It’s funny, my biggest motivation in nailing this new operating model is my desire to move up and out of being salesfloor/‘GM’ team lead lol.

I love how your approaching it, this is exactly the attitude my team has and their willingness to embrace these changes are a big factor in our success. 3 months ago, everyone thought I was crazy for taking on all of these aspects and gutting payroll from inbound and backroom and presentation and loading up hardlines hours but now we are a month from rollout and my team and I are already there. Once the rollout begins I’ll be training my peers and their teams on this process and I can back up the talk with the proof that it works. Comps are up in my areas, sales floor is full, autofills are manageable and there’s minimal backstock, zones are easier and done quicker. Experts working the areas daily means guests get better service, and with with 4-5 people in just part of pp2 areas alone, call boxes never go missed, backup duties are split 4 ways so no one loses massive amounts of time backing up, and everyone does reshop for their respective area which means it goes quickly and doesn’t build up.

This new plan works, you just have to completely let go of the old way. It’s like ripping off a band aid, sucks at first but once you’re on track the work gets a lot easier.
 
Sloth said:
Sure, TLs used to be the ones who had to know sales, sales goals, ads, etc.. but that's all on TMs now. Again, the workload for TMs has increased. What do TLs do now? Because the guide mentions just one thing: making sure TMs are doing their job. That's it. If they don't know how, then maybe you can teach them instead of offloading your singular duty onto a TM that still has their massive workload to complete.


It's all right there.
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I’ve seen it and read all the rollout guides more than you can imagine. I’m well aware of what is expected of TMs but you’re really overselling what you’re expected to do. You are supposed to know how to do more but your physical work doesn’t increase much. You push your product, zone, audit, pull, push , backstock, then price changes.... in a small area. You’re not expected to do all of this for 20+ aisles?? Do you know why the stl doesn’t train the new ETL log? Because who knows the job better than an ETL log themselves. Regarding pricing and Plano; a TM knows way more than the TL for tips and tricks and how to be the most efficient at their job. I will teach and train but the initial training and majority should be coming from someone who does it all day. There’s a lot more to leadership than physical labor
 
Sloth said:
Sure, TLs used to be the ones who had to know sales, sales goals, ads, etc.. but that's all on TMs now. Again, the workload for TMs has increased. What do TLs do now? Because the guide mentions just one thing: making sure TMs are doing their job. That's it. If they don't know how, then maybe you can teach them instead of offloading your singular duty onto a TM that still has their massive workload to complete.


It's all right there.
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TL here. Let me upload a better shot for you. 7321 7322

My core team is getting 28-38 hours a week.

The old way, they would be getting 12-16 this time of year.

My team is thrilled with this. The ones who can’t hang, they can close, or cashier. But the vast majority have adapted and embraced it. One of the best things about my crew is they genuinely give a shit. That’s my biggest requirement for my team. The ones with your attitude will be cashiers, or fight for sfs hours, or I’ll give you mancafs with your autofills and performance you out for not finishing if there’s a real attitude problem.
 
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Sloth said:
It seems like that will be changing under the new process. According to my STL, it's going to be more of a supervisory role instead. She's had a few sit downs with the ETLs and TLs to explain and double down on that. Even before we really started getting info on the new process, our DTL mentioned in every visit that he did not want to see the TLs working like TMs. No doing pulls, no backstocking, no pushing -- just making sure those things are done by guiding and coaching TMs.
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You’re extremely oversimplifying the expectations. The expectation is your not trying to muscle a process by being autonomous with your work. You should be working with the TMs pushing and back stocking. You shouldn’t be working an a “You” task and more a team task you can step away from
 
Sloth said:
Yeah, so exactly what I mentioned. Supervisory. The hall monitors of Target.
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My current development plan is centered around making myself obsolete by having a team that can lead themselves. The best leaders aren’t the ones that carry their team, they are the ones to give the team the training tools and resources to carry themselves.

A major piece of leaders developing farther at target is the question of what would happen to your workcenter if you were gone a week? A month? A quarter? That log leader that busts ass and singlehandedly makes sure they come clean every day? They won’t pass that etl interview question.
 

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