Archived Back-Up Rant

[OneArmedJesus]

Again, I haven't been in this situation all that often, I'll remember for next time

 

[GoodyNN]

We used to have to wait for someone to respond, and it often was the same one or two softlines people, probably because Softlines is closest to the checklanes. So now, what SFSDan describes is what happens at my store as well. GSTL/A calls for backup, LOD immediately jumps on the walkie and calls specific individuals. There isn't a chance to be a lazy fuck. I assume LOD is doing this to ensure (a) the request is addressed immediately and (b) the back-up duties are distributed relatively evenly.

 

[OneArmedJesus]

We used to have to wait for someone to respond, and it often was the same one or two softlines people, probably because Softlines is closest to the checklanes. So now, what SFSDan describes is what happens at my store as well. GSTL/A calls for backup, LOD immediately jumps on the walkie and calls specific individuals. There isn't a chance to be a lazy fuck. I assume LOD is doing this to ensure (a) the request is addressed immediately and (b) the back-up duties are distributed relatively evenly.

There we go!

I'm rarely in Hardlines, and I just luck out when it comes down to back up

 

[IWishIKnew]

I like it when they call specific people, as that means it's a rotation, as there are always people who never respond, and I have shit to do and don't always want to be the only one at the lanes.

We also have a couple of HL folks who clearly would rather be cashiers, so once they get called for backup you'll never see them again. They turn their light on and come out and wait for guests like regular cashiers once things die down. Our GSAs never dismiss people, which is why I always get annoyed when they turn my light on or say "wait until you're dismissed!" Fuck that. I've literally never heard you dismiss people, bitch, so don't harpy me when we're in the middle of remodel, helping guests non-stop while pushing freight, doing pulls, reshop and trying to keep the store from looking like it got hit by a tornado. Oh, and new GSA? Don't fucking call for backup when I can't even see any guests beyond the magazine racks. There should be at least a couple guests not even able to start unloading yet before you pull us off the floor.

 

[Times Up]

Oh, and new GSA? Don't fucking call for backup when I can't even see any guests beyond the magazine racks. There should be at least a couple guests not even able to start unloading yet before you pull us off the floor.[/QUOTE]

Understand your frustration. However, company policy is to get back up if lines exceed 1+1. Now my store waits for at least 1+2, especially if guests are refusing to use SCO.

 

[Kartman]

I hate panicky GSA's.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

Oh, and new GSA? Don't fucking call for backup when I can't even see any guests beyond the magazine racks. There should be at least a couple guests not even able to start unloading yet before you pull us off the floor.

Understand your frustration. However, company policy is to get back up if lines exceed 1+1. Now my store waits for at least 1+2, especially if guests are refusing to use SCO.[/QUOTE]
1+1 is usually a good idea unless the orders are small. My biggest issue is by the time the back up gets there it’s not necessary because the guest goes over to self checkout angerly or if the backups really slow the lines are gone

 

[BullseyeBlues]

I’ve been told to ignore calls for backup before to get other people in the habit of responding because otherwise I’m stuck on lane the whole night. I lead the store for number of transactions year-to-date outside of the cashier workcenter, according to my STL.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

Oh, and new GSA? Don't fucking call for backup when I can't even see any guests beyond the magazine racks. There should be at least a couple guests not even able to start unloading yet before you pull us off the floor.

Understand your frustration. However, company policy is to get back up if lines exceed 1+1. Now my store waits for at least 1+2, especially if guests are refusing to use SCO.[/QUOTE]
If Spot wants back up after 1+1 then they should be allocating hours. It does not take too long for lines to get long when there are only two to three cashiers scheduled on a busy day.

 

[REDcardJJ]

At my store, if I notice the same people are the only ones coming up for backup I will definitely call others out by name. "Hey [NAME], are you able to come up front and jump on a lane to help our guests? [OTHER PERSON] has been up here a lot tonight."

Backup cashiering is EVERYONE's responsibility. End of story. Hell, I don't even like cashiering but I'll still come up for backup when I'm working on the salesfloor.

 

[starfishncoffee]

I try to call from Hardlines first, Softlines next, or vice versa. I will call by name if necessary, but usually say "I have so-and-so from Hardlines here, can someone from Softlines respond?" The floor is so thin (and they're so busy, especially with modernization), I don't want to gut a team.

Our store's rule is 3 in a line now, but I always look at basket size before calling. If those three people only have a couple of items each? Not calling. If they have stuffed carts? Calling. I also watch the Sales Floor TMs like a hawk and will go stand guard in their lane if necessary so they can get back to the floor.

At my store, if I notice the same people are the only ones coming up for backup I will definitely call others out by name. "Hey [NAME], are you able to come up front and jump on a lane to help our guests? [OTHER PERSON] has been up here a lot tonight."

THIS.

 

[IWishIKnew]

Understand your frustration. However, company policy is to get back up if lines exceed 1+1

The only time you get guests beyond the magazine racks is if you've gone to 1+2 or further, so this is someone calling for backup as soon as (or before) lines reach 1+1, let alone exceed it.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

Understand your frustration. However, company policy is to get back up if lines exceed 1+1. Now my store waits for at least 1+2, especially if guests are refusing to use SCO.

If Spot wants back up after 1+1 then they should be allocating hours. It does not take too long for lines to get long when there are only two to three cashiers scheduled on a busy day.[/QUOTE]
True but the idea is to lean on back ups.... anyone who works retail can tell you the busyness comes in waves and it make more sense to use back ups then schedule an extra cashier you’ll only need 15 minutes out of every hour. As much as I would appreciate extra cashiers the way it works it’s completely understandable.

 

[beachlover]

I'm assigned to softlines but get called by name to back up because the GSA's know I'm quick on the register and also get some Redcards. One in particular won't release me, even when there are no lines, so I've learned to turn off my light and leave when she isn't looking. Of course, this leaves shelves empty, tables a mess and clothing on the floor. One of my TL's understands, but the other TL who comes to work via broom is on me, wondering why my zones are a mess and I'm not up selling our guests. I'm happy to help but when I get dinged when the broom TL is on, I'm often helping a guest when the call comes over the walkie because happy GSA's don't evaluate my perform or make my shift go faster.

 

[GoodyNN]

If you've told BroomTL that you're being called up by name for fast service at the check lanes, then maybe you need to have a conversation with GSTL and GSAs about how they're hurting your performance by calling for you specifically. Let them know you're willing to help, but it can't all be on you.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

If Spot wants back up after 1+1 then they should be allocating hours. It does not take too long for lines to get long when there are only two to three cashiers scheduled on a busy day.

True but the idea is to lean on back ups.... anyone who works retail can tell you the busyness comes in waves and it make more sense to use back ups then schedule an extra cashier you’ll only need 15 minutes out of every hour. As much as I would appreciate extra cashiers the way it works it’s completely understandable.[/QUOTE]
I get that, but there are days when we only have one person in hardlines and one available person in softlines. You pull them from the floor and you have nobody

 

[Times Up]

True but the idea is to lean on back ups.... anyone who works retail can tell you the busyness comes in waves and it make more sense to use back ups then schedule an extra cashier you’ll only need 15 minutes out of every hour. As much as I would appreciate extra cashiers the way it works it’s completely understandable.

I get that, but there are days when we only have one person in hardlines and one available person in softlines. You pull them from the floor and you have nobody[/QUOTE]

We were slow late last night, so 2 of 3 cashiers were on the floor helping hard lines. So the sharing of manpower can and should go both ways.

 

[Shani]

They've told Flow that we are absolute last resort for backups, so unless we hear someone saying mayday, we need absolutely everyone, nobody from Flow will go. But even then, we only have six registers right now (two have been removed temporarily due to remodel) and four self-checkouts, so we can't actually have that many additional people go up.
They used to single out people over the walkies, but that got an extremely negative response, so they don't do it anymore.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

They've told Flow that we are absolute last resort for backups, so unless we hear someone saying mayday, we need absolutely everyone, nobody from Flow will go. But even then, we only have six registers right now (two have been removed temporarily due to remodel) and four self-checkouts, so we can't actually have that many additional people go up.
They used to single out people over the walkies, but that got an extremely negative response, so they don't do it anymore.

No one from flow even knows how to ring at my store!

 

[Shani]

No one from flow even knows how to ring at my store!

That was the case for a few of the Flow TMs when I started. But they changed the rule a couple years later and said everyone had to be register trained, no exceptions. We had one older guy on Flow who was a cashier at a gas station when he was younger. There was an armed robbery while he was working, and the experience traumatized him enough that he refused to cashier. The leads tried to be sympathetic and they told him they would never schedule him to cashier but he couldn't get out of being trained, so he quit. It was a shame to see him go. He was a good worker.

 

[can't touch this]

being a cashier is traumatizing enough in its own right

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Spot needs to get payroll to cover front end. It is no fun, when the only hardlines tm & softlines tm go for backup. Leaving electronics tm to run floor & gsa to be operator/front lanes. It happened recently at my store. Very sad event.

 

[unknown]

At my store, if I notice the same people are the only ones coming up for backup I will definitely call others out by name. "Hey [NAME], are you able to come up front and jump on a lane to help our guests? [OTHER PERSON] has been up here a lot tonight."

Backup cashiering is EVERYONE's responsibility. End of story. Hell, I don't even like cashiering but I'll still come up for backup when I'm working on the salesfloor.

Oh, so your flow team, backroom team, receiver, etc all come up for backups on a regular basis like everyone else?

 

[Llamanatee]

Oh, so your flow team, backroom team, receiver, etc all come up for backups on a regular basis like everyone else?

Lol. None of those people at my store are register traied and I’m not sure some of them would be comfortable handling money.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

Spot needs to get payroll to cover front end. It is no fun, when the only hardlines tm & softlines tm go for backup. Leaving electronics tm to run floor & gsa to be operator/front lanes. It happened recently at my store. Very sad event.

You know it's bad when there is an all hands on deck to ring and that leaves no one on the floor. Call boxes are going off and you hear service level has exceeded.