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.
So, you must have missed the part where Target has repeatedly made mention of how EVERY. SINGLE. JOB DUTY. of EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE STORE revolves around the guest.

You are prioritizing your workload over the guest. Guests come first. If your work doesn't get done, it doesn't get done. Guests first. Not tasking. Guests.

If it's dumb and doesn't work, that's on Corprate. We are supposed to be guest obsessed, not petty and childish about one area having "less" to do than others.
Tell that to the ETLS at my store. Fast service is not an excuse to not complete your task. People have been consistently coached on not completing their task and they don’t care if you’ve been providing fast service.
Right or wrong, the reality is the company says one thing but it isn’t the reality of the salesfloor.
I’ve first hand seen people who got stuck in a lane for fast service and got told they can’t get off by whoever’s running the front end because it’s too many guests but that same salesfloor TM gets coached for not finishing their truck and when he told the ETL he was on a lane for 40 mins that to the ETL was a crutch TM uses and doesn’t care.

So in the world of GM, the pressure on them is the task given not the guest. So it’s not that we don’t want to help the guest and back up the lane, it’s that they get in trouble for always on fast service. So unless the front end can prevent them from being coached and written up then more than likely the TMs would rather be a last resort to back up cashier.
 
So, you must have missed the part where Target has repeatedly made mention of how EVERY. SINGLE. JOB DUTY. of EVERY SINGLE PERSON IN THE STORE revolves around the guest.

You are prioritizing your workload over the guest. Guests come first. If your work doesn't get done, it doesn't get done. Guests first. Not tasking. Guests.

If it's dumb and doesn't work, that's on Corprate. We are supposed to be guest obsessed, not petty and childish about one area having "less" to do than others.

Part of being guest obsessed is having people on the sales floor that can answer their questions, having vehicles emptied and put in the back rather than in the aisles with no one to get them out of guests' way, having shelves full of items to buy, having accurate prices, have a pleasing appearance instead of a messy appearance. Take a sales floor TM off the floor, there's going to be frustrated guests wanting something and not being able to find someone to answer questions/point out location/see if it's in the back/get that u boat out of the way so they can grab it off the shelf.

Without sales floor doing their tasks, there will be nothing that guests can find to buy or even be talked into buying. So sales floor doing their tasks is vital to putting guests first.
 
Brand, Fill, Service.

Brand
- making sure the salesfloor is guest ready by ensuring accurate pricing & signing, properly displayed merchandise through zoning.
Fill - replenishing in stocks (truck&EXF,etc)

At the end of the day I can’t provide Service if the guest doesn’t have anything to buy 🙄

If it’s in the back or in the line it isn’t going to be sold that’s less money to be checked out at the front end.

Honestly both go hand in hand. Front end and salesfloor
 
Back to basics question:
I haven’t started running my dept,’s yet but will start tomorrow, so i’m Wondering:
Is there only 1 tm scheduled to work in - CHEM ? Or is there an opener/mid/closer ?

I’m trying to set up a reasonable routine for the DBO’s but unsure how to divide the workload. I’m thinking:

1. Clear reshop
2. Hang pricing labels
3. Ticket pricing
4. Push autofill
5. Push truck
6. Discard trash
7. Backstock
8. Audit
9. Work presentation (SPL/REV) if there is one. If not, scan outs/pull/push
***all zoning is done while re-shopping, pricing and pushing.

That is for one dayside DBO - is there someone else scheduled at night that can take some burden off ?
 
I understand that the floor has work to do, and I understand the idiocy of ETL's coaching sales floor TM's for not completing their work because they were stuck on register. Yes, salesfloor and front end need to work together to make the guest happy.

Here's the deal though. Unless you work in the front end or ship, Target doesn't give a shit about your workload. They want it done, yes, and they'll coach you out the door for not getting it done. But they really don't care. Every single guest goes through the front end, whether they are buying something or not. Front end is expected to order whatever we're out of stock on from online to make the guest happy. So ultimately, it doesn't matter if the aisles are a train wreck with nothing on them. Somewhere, either another store or a fulfillment center has the product, and if the guest purchased it, Target is happy because they still made money.

They don't give two shits whether your store is selling the product there or shipping it out. Ship and front end. That is all that matters at Target now. Electronics, Beauty, and Style are prioritized as well. Anywhere else? Target doesn't care about you because you don't make enough profit in their eyes to justify your position existing.

Yeah, they'll drive you out the door with stupid coachings and unrealistic goals and expectations. Why bother killing yourself for them? Document how long you were on register. Document who told you you couldn't leave and when. Document document document. At least then when they fire you for not completing your tasks, you'll have an airtight unemployment case to roast their asses with.
 
Back to basics question:
I haven’t started running my dept,’s yet but will start tomorrow, so i’m Wondering:
Is there only 1 tm scheduled to work in - CHEM ? Or is there an opener/mid/closer ?

I’m trying to set up a reasonable routine for the DBO’s but unsure how to divide the workload. I’m thinking:

1. Clear reshop
2. Hang pricing labels
3. Ticket pricing
4. Push autofill
5. Push truck
6. Discard trash
7. Backstock
8. Audit
9. Work presentation (SPL/REV) if there is one. If not, scan outs/pull/push
***all zoning is done while re-shopping, pricing and pushing.

That is for one dayside DBO - is there someone else scheduled at night that can take some burden off ?

Some, not all, of my store's dbos have to help unload the truck. Guess where those hours come from?

Then there are fill to depth fills and manuals. Those are bottomless pits of fills. One of our stationery fill to depth fills was over 500 dpcis and 3,600 items. So yeah, good luck with that. Had that DBO crying in the breakroom.
 
Some, not all, of my store's dbos have to help unload the truck. Guess where those hours come from?

Then there are fill to depth fills and manuals. Those are bottomless pits of fills. One of our stationery fill to depth fills was over 500 dpcis and 3,600 items. So yeah, good luck with that. Had that DBO crying in the breakroom.
I’m assuming that is only because it Had been so long since it was filled. I would expect next week to be MUCH lighter. Years ago when I did Instocks the same areas were not large pulls two weeks in a row. Should be less each time you ask for a fill unless it was a large number of items on the ad week, and those items should have come out daily in the auto fill. Keep at it and it SHOULD get easier.
 
Back to basics question:
I haven’t started running my dept,’s yet but will start tomorrow, so i’m Wondering:
Is there only 1 tm scheduled to work in - CHEM ? Or is there an opener/mid/closer ?

I’m trying to set up a reasonable routine for the DBO’s but unsure how to divide the workload. I’m thinking:

1. Clear reshop
2. Hang pricing labels
3. Ticket pricing
4. Push autofill
5. Push truck
6. Discard trash
7. Backstock
8. Audit
9. Work presentation (SPL/REV) if there is one. If not, scan outs/pull/push
***all zoning is done while re-shopping, pricing and pushing.

That is for one dayside DBO - is there someone else scheduled at night that can take some burden off ?

The number of DBOs for each section is ASANTS. We have one guy for chem. He's the best GM TM we have. Typically, he starts with a quick zone for strays. Then, he does pulls. Truck is next. He discards trash and backstocks as he goes. As far as I know, we're still under corporate directed stupidity of no audits, so it's strictly EXF. Finally, he'll work on any projects or pricing, but the TL typically takes care of pricing. Anytime left in the shift, and it's off to help push BTS for now as is the case for all salesfloor TMs, including style, electronics and beauty.
 
What I'm hearing is that I need to count my lucky stars that I'm in Style, because front end and GM both sound horrific. I need to stop complaining cuz y'all have it much worse than I do. Sure, fitting room can be a nightmare bad dream and reshop is always an issue, but we don't seem to have the pressure from leadership that other areas are experiencing *knock wood*.
 
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Back to basics question:
I haven’t started running my dept,’s yet but will start tomorrow, so i’m Wondering:
Is there only 1 tm scheduled to work in - CHEM ? Or is there an opener/mid/closer ?

I’m trying to set up a reasonable routine for the DBO’s but unsure how to divide the workload. I’m thinking:

1. Clear reshop
2. Hang pricing labels
3. Ticket pricing
4. Push autofill
5. Push truck
6. Discard trash
7. Backstock
8. Audit
9. Work presentation (SPL/REV) if there is one. If not, scan outs/pull/push
***all zoning is done while re-shopping, pricing and pushing.

That is for one dayside DBO - is there someone else scheduled at night that can take some burden off ?

reshop should be done after each break.

Walk endcaps and sidecaps - zoning/filling as needed.

Put up Labels.

I pull and push Autofills while the truck is unloading - spend about 10 minutes pulling, or so.
Check out my 1 for 1 batch for a dept. Either drop a 1 for 1 Man Caf OR a POG fill. - anything over 60 for a 1 for 1 ManCaf = POG fills to get the numbers down til they are manageable. Pull that batch while I am pulling Autofills.

After about 20-30 minutes into my shift -- gives time for truck team to fill U-boats. Run back and grab my first Uboat -- push.push.push + backstock as I go. Recycle cardboard as soon as the Unload is complete. Zone as I push.

I pick 1-3 projects a day. Could be endcaps/SPs, sidecaps, or REV, ticketing Pricing or ManCafs. Whatever it takes to get the workload done. I try to stay ahead of the game. When product comes in, if possible, set it... easier to set than backstock it and repull it a few days later.
__
Not always possible though. Market is getting hit hard with freight, so they Push freight & drop fill batches most of their shift.
 
reshop should be done after each break.

Walk endcaps and sidecaps - zoning/filling as needed.

Put up Labels.

I pull and push Autofills while the truck is unloading - spend about 10 minutes pulling, or so.
Check out my 1 for 1 batch for a dept. Either drop a 1 for 1 Man Caf OR a POG fill. - anything over 60 for a 1 for 1 ManCaf = POG fills to get the numbers down til they are manageable. Pull that batch while I am pulling Autofills.

After about 20-30 minutes into my shift -- gives time for truck team to fill U-boats. Run back and grab my first Uboat -- push.push.push + backstock as I go. Recycle cardboard as soon as the Unload is complete. Zone as I push.

I pick 1-3 projects a day. Could be endcaps/SPs, sidecaps, or REV, ticketing Pricing or ManCafs. Whatever it takes to get the workload done. I try to stay ahead of the game. When product comes in, if possible, set it... easier to set than backstock it and repull it a few days later.
__
Not always possible though. Market is getting hit hard with freight, so they Push freight & drop fill batches most of their shift.

In this example, what would be your hours? 4? 6?

Some of our dbos also have to unload. And that goes against their time.
 
If it's just one DBO per department, who takes over those departments when a DBO isn't scheduled?

Well, on Tuesday, no one was scheduled paper. So no one pushed the product. It got pulled in the autofill by someone and sat there until Wednesday.

The gm3tl had the nerve to ask the dbo of paper on Wednesday why the area looked so bad.

Really? He told her because no one was scheduled on Tuesday. It's like idiots run the store.
 
Guests come first, yes. And guests can't buy product that isn't on the floor, so stocking is putting guests first. Being on the floor to answer questions is putting guests first. Cashing guests out is only half of the equation, so it seems weird to put all of the focus on just that, don't you agree?

Besides, the entire point of Modernization, or at least the new logistics process, was to put TMs on the floor to help guests. That's why we moved to later unload times. It's why we do more mids. It's why we don't have two TLs in the morning for unload anymore. Why go through all of that just to pull those TMs off the floor? They can't stock for guests. They can't answer questions for guests. The idea that it's too much "tasking" is asinine. Putting product on the shelf is just as much of a task as scanning product on the lane is -- and both are for the benefit of the guest.

The front should be doing everything in their power to avoid calling for backup, as pulling TMs off the floor hurts the guests. Are all the SCOs working? Are SETLs line busting? Is an empty GS flagging for guests to come up?

Our ETL-SE and SETLs call for backup all day long. We have 2 SETLs. Do you know where they are? Not on the lanes. Not line busting. They're messing around at GS, getting bags (that's what the FoS Attendant is for), or merely watching the lanes -- why? I'll never know. It's more important for them to fuck around with nonsense than actually help guests, so they pull TMs from the most overworked and behind area of the store.

Brilliant, right? Our ETL-GM and ETL-SPS both jump in to physically help when the need arises -- why wouldn't they? They own their areas, so they do all that they can to make sure shit gets done. Our ETL-SE though? Nope. Doesn't cash. Doesn't work GS or SCO. Doesn't line bust. Just calls for backup.
Ok.

And when guests want to give us their money and have to wait for 10 minutes, please tell them how you already helped them by putting stuff on the shelf. See how that goes.

Sorry your GS team sucks, but that's not reality at most stores. We are doing all we can and still drowning because our front end hours are going towards pushing and filling the floor because this backwards ass process is a shit show.
 
Back to basics question:
I haven’t started running my dept,’s yet but will start tomorrow, so i’m Wondering:
Is there only 1 tm scheduled to work in - CHEM ? Or is there an opener/mid/closer ?

I’m trying to set up a reasonable routine for the DBO’s but unsure how to divide the workload. I’m thinking:

1. Clear reshop
2. Hang pricing labels
3. Ticket pricing
4. Push autofill
5. Push truck
6. Discard trash
7. Backstock
8. Audit
9. Work presentation (SPL/REV) if there is one. If not, scan outs/pull/push
***all zoning is done while re-shopping, pricing and pushing.

That is for one dayside DBO - is there someone else scheduled at night that can take some burden off ?
I think this is how it was maybe supposed to work, but it's not at my store. At one point, I was told I'd be the early person and push the truck, taking care of back stock and trash as I go. There'd be a mid TM to do sales planners, revisions, etc. There'd be a late TM to zone, and kind of finish up what the other two of us couldn't get done. We'd all do autofills.
Sounded great but as far as I know, I'm the only person assigned to my area. Revisions were done recently by a TM who used to do POG; fortunately, she did revisions for a while and knew what she was doing. I know of at least three sales planners that were done by two former price change TMs; two were done backwards and even then stocked incorrectly and the other was missing pegs, with product just left laying on the shelf ("I think maybe there's supposed to be one of those cardboard stand-up thingies but I don't know." Well, ok, so how about making it work in a different way and not leave it looking half-done?) I fixed it with some pegs and it works fine, but why couldn't she have taken care of it? Ug, modernization.
 
Our ETL-SE and SETLs call for backup all day long. We have 2 SETLs. Do you know where they are? Not on the lanes. Not line busting. They're messing around at GS, getting bags (that's what the FoS Attendant is for), or merely watching the lanes -- why? I'll never know. It's more important

Alas, they are doing their jobs. The most important thing for SETLs is to observe. Watch the lanes. Direct traffic. While this might seem like doing nothing, it is important so that they can be available to help out with any issues right away. Is Karen yelling at a cashier who won't accept the fake coupons? SETL needs to be available to run over there. They can't if they're on a lane. Mine do line bust. They take over SCO and send the SCO person to a register. They run out drive-ups. They jump behind the desk to cut down the line. But, the key is they need to be available to nip problems in the bud quickly. That way a situation that might otherwise take 15 minutes to resolve can get done in a minute or two. The result is fewer calls for backup overall.

Eventually, the idea is to have every guest advocate trained up to resolve things themselves. But, that's not realistic, especially when we get into Q4 seasonal cashier time.
 
Alas, they are doing their jobs. The most important thing for SETLs is to observe. Watch the lanes. Direct traffic. While this might seem like doing nothing, it is important so that they can be available to help out with any issues right away. Is Karen yelling at a cashier who won't accept the fake coupons? SETL needs to be available to run over there. They can't if they're on a lane. Mine do line bust. They take over SCO and send the SCO person to a register. They run out drive-ups. They jump behind the desk to cut down the line. But, the key is they need to be available to nip problems in the bud quickly. That way a situation that might otherwise take 15 minutes to resolve can get done in a minute or two. The result is fewer calls for backup overall.

Eventually, the idea is to have every guest advocate trained up to resolve things themselves. But, that's not realistic, especially when we get into Q4 seasonal cashier time.

I'll resolve stuff. If I'm on lane and I'm empowered to make the decision, I make it. If you come at me later with questions about why and criticism, then I don't have to back up like the other 75% don't. Hell, unsold two army guys a metal chair that had no sticker for $40. Just cause that seemed like a good price based on the other prices for chairs.
 
I'll resolve stuff. If I'm on lane and I'm empowered to make the decision, I make it. If you come at me later with questions about why and criticism, then I don't have to back up like the other 75% don't. Hell, unsold two army guys a metal chair that had no sticker for $40. Just cause that seemed like a good price based on the other prices for chairs.

Yeah, that's the kind of thing we would likely prefer you call the SETL over to handle. Guest advocates are being trained (far too slowly) to handle that kind of thing themselves. When salesfloor backs up, we'd prefer they call for assistance. That way we can try to find the DPCI for inventory purposes. Not really that big of deal, but helping with that is what the SETL is there for.
 
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