Archived Backup culture

[Bullseyerc]

Either GSA or GSTMs take care of my breaks. Usually GSTMs. We're B volume, so TLs are too busy and not enough hours/headcount for constant GSA coverage.

I only ever call by name bc anything else gets you dead silence in my store. If I catch anyone giving me the run around, they're coached. I take that stuff pretty seriously, bc I only call if absolutely necessary. I'll use all my front end resources before resorting to it. If I don't get any responses, it's usually only if there's legit nobody on the floor. At that point I call LOD to let me pick who they want sent up, and we get creative with our options. HRTMs, process teams, TLs, ETLs, the STL, whatever.

The norm for my store is for all ETLs and the STL to get on a register if it's absolutely insane, and I run the lanes. Bc I'll be damned if any of them can do my job better and they know it.

Yes.. the other day I had four ETLs hop on and some EITs. I've also had our STL hop on, while I speed weaved..

 

[NPC]

Having normal cashiers cover breaks or lunches is such a normal thing in my store...I didn't know it technically wasn't allowed. I don't know how we'd survive without that. Guest Service is usually too busy to step away and watch a break or lunch.

 

[theanimal]

Sometimes if I don't get a response, or I do get a response and it's just not enough because we're so busy, I'll tell the LOD, and ask them to watch the lanes so I can hop on a lane myself. They'll either come up and watch, or offer some other solution. I'm assuming this might not work for you if your leaders suck.

When we have no one to respond I say the same thing to the LOD and boy do they get the team up to respond.

 

[softlinessgal]

at my store the tm's who usually answer the backup calls first is the people on my team and myself, but its takes away so much time on our zones since the hardlines tms NEVER FUCKING ANSWER. or if they do they wait until the LOD starts saying "team someone needs to answer those calls right now!" or another alternative to that. im not complaining that softlines is always the first team in line to respond but if we're going up nine out of the ten times backup has been called, it's frustrating that no ETL has called out the hardlines teams bs. i want to bring this up in a huddle because my team and i's frustration is building up but no ones said anything so i figure i might have to take one for the team (no pun intended) but can anyone give me advice on how to bring up the problem with out sounding like im complaining or being a bitch? thanks so much

 

[HRZone]

at my store the tm's who usually answer the backup calls first is the people on my team and myself, but its takes away so much time on our zones since the hardlines tms NEVER FUCKING ANSWER. or if they do they wait until the LOD starts saying "team someone needs to answer those calls right now!" or another alternative to that. im not complaining that softlines is always the first team in line to respond but if we're going up nine out of the ten times backup has been called, it's frustrating that no ETL has called out the hardlines teams bs. i want to bring this up in a huddle because my team and i's frustration is building up but no ones said anything so i figure i might have to take one for the team (no pun intended) but can anyone give me advice on how to bring up the problem with out sounding like im complaining or being a bitch? thanks so much

It's not your job to bring it up at huddle without sounding passive aggressive. I would just let gstl or LOD know hey can you use your grid and call hardlines up too

 

[softlinessgal]

It's not your job to bring it up at huddle without sounding passive aggressive. I would just let gstl or LOD know hey can you use your grid and call hardlines up too

whoops i totally forgot to erase the huddle part, i would DEFINITELY NOT bring that up at a huddle but i will definitely talk to the LOD about it!

 

[OlympicBanana]

SL/Style TM here, personally I tend to be a quick responder to fast service, but there are some mornings where I've finished pushing truck in BGI and I'm at the top of a ladder in the backroom back stocking merchandise and NO ONE else will respond for fast service...then I end up being the only one to respond so frequently that GSA/GSTLs actually start apologizing and say "so-and-so has been coming up here all morning, can I get someone else up for fast service?". There are also some nights where lunches are poorly planned and the one hardline TM is covering electronics, I'm covering the operators desk, and consumables has already left for the night (my store is an end-to-end store) and we have to call out that literally no one is available from the sales floor. It has gotten better since my STL had a storewide huddle and basically said "guests should not have to wait to give us their money...that's absolutely ridiculous." Still, backup is really thankless on the nights where I spend a total of 45min-1hr on register when I already have to zone/do reshop for RTW, BGI, accessories, Intimates/sleepwear, shoes, infant hardline, domestics, furniture, home decor, and so on, and then I watch the closing cashier(s) leave right after the last guests.

 

[Bosch]

Sorry tired of running from the back of the store when right behind the GSTL in softlines are three flow TM's who before we went 4am they all had to get cashier trained. GSTL please call their asses up before harassing for not responding for the umpteenth time.. Cause I will not be coming up to cashier.. Sorry the 3hrs for truck push and smart huddle and having an hour cut from my shift means I don't have time to do anything other than shoot my rigs..

 

[Doglover89]

We've been doing better with this lately. Everyone gets their assigned backup hour. That way no one spends all day on a register. Most of the the time it works out pretty well.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

Having normal cashiers cover breaks or lunches is such a normal thing in my store...I didn't know it technically wasn't allowed. I don't know how we'd survive without that. Guest Service is usually too busy to step away and watch a break or lunch.

In ourstore. we usually have the GSTM cover breaks and have one of the cashiers, who is GS trained, cover GS.