MEGATHREAD End to End team PILOT

[callmetaylor]

The issue is though, all of this requires people to care and pay attention. I constantly see curtains and bath curtains misplaced on each other's aisles, for example. You have to actually get the team to care about paying attention as to where they push their product.

((Just realized I quoted the wrong post- I'd change it but I'm on my phone, so sorry about that!!))

This is the ONLY reason I'm holding out the tiniest bit of hope that this process won't be a disaster.

I know all teams feel like they get shut on, but as a brtm it feels like we get stuck with other people's mess. I'm constantly dealing with challenge from people not pushing, and I've been having a ton of issues with POG stuff recently, and I'm so sick of doing work just to later have to undo it...all because people are lazy!

Just the other day someone put a backstock clip on a vehicle they didn't have time to push when resetting an aisle. I had a bad feeling about backstocking it but for some reason nothing popped up indicating it should go on the floor when I scanned it. Spent probably 30min backstocking a ton of office and stationary...2hrs later it ALL came out in my CAFs. There wasn't a single item in my office or stationary batch that I HADN'T just back stocked.

I was so angry. I wasted an hour of time (or more. Between backstocking, pulling, and then pushing it myself) because someone thought it would be ok to put a backstock clip on he vehicle. If they simply would've put a pull clip w/ annoys that said "didn't have time to push this" it all could've been avoided and I could've focused on work that was actually productive instead of wasting time backstocking fake backstock just to pull it right back out!!

But if the same people who are pushing the aisles have to backstock as well then there's absolutely no incentive to cut corners or be lazy, because you're only hurting yourself.

So I can totally dig this new idea from the standpoint of like forced/built-in accountability...but at the same time I really loathe the bought of spending any more time on the sales floor than I already do

 

[SrTLall]

According to feedback from the tests, apparently there is far less backstock than our current system. I do not know exactly how they are accomplishing that, but I would guess that since it forces you to push all you probably get a decent amount out. That and I am assuming your transition/nop is palletized on its own pallets? I wish someone had an actual guide to end to end...

Push all doesn't do a lot to reduce backstock, it just stuffs the backroom with more eaches. We have doubled the wacos we have in the backroom to accomodate for push all, among other reasons. It's a system issue that miscalculates how much inventory a store needs on hand. I assume this will be fixed/tweaked then trailers roll in with palletized freight since space management will be so critical due to less being able to fit on the trucks.

 

[sigma7]

I've heard from group leaders that spot is also playing around with more repacks, essentially sending stores what is forecasted to sell through the next couple trucks versus clogging up the backroom with unproductive merch. So you'll still get pallets and casepacks of essentials and other high turning merch, but you should never end up with 227 cans of the same hairspray at any given time. It makes sense from a logistics standpoint since there's no reason to have product in the back for merch that rarely sells. It will still reduce what we have in the backroom, but we will still have enough OHs of what we do sell through.

 

[BoxCutter]

Team area ownership will only work if the same people work the same area day in and day out. If, when you come in, you have to look on the board to see what area you are working that day, well, it's going to be harder to hold people accountable.

Trucks aren't split evenly over all departments, and I doubt that they will be able to accurately forecast department work load two weeks in advance for TMs to be scheduled. In that case, what do you do when one area is hit harder than another? Take random TMs from other areas to help? Have trusted TMs that are used as floaters to help freight heavy departments?

Also, while these department teams are supposed to do POGs and pricing, I see there being "unofficial" POG and pricing teams. TMs who are proficient in these areas would probably be scheduled for that department team on the days they are needed there.

Finally, it comes down to hours. Even if stores are allotted sufficient hours at the roll out, will those hours be maintained? Or, will see draconian cuts after the next bad quarterly results?

Only time will tell, but I'm not optimistic about the final results.

 

[Rock Lobster]

I've heard from group leaders that spot is also playing around with more repacks, essentially sending stores what is forecasted to sell through the next couple trucks versus clogging up the backroom with unproductive merch. So you'll still get pallets and casepacks of essentials and other high turning merch, but you should never end up with 227 cans of the same hairspray at any given time. It makes sense from a logistics standpoint since there's no reason to have product in the back for merch that rarely sells. It will still reduce what we have in the backroom, but we will still have enough OHs of what we do sell through.

Yes, they appear to be using multiple types of vehicles to distribute product in this manner. Cereal is laid out on specialized carts in order of the aisle and POG. Cans and dry goods are kept in baskets on carts and roll straight out of the truck.

 

[On6]

The grocery store I worked at previously had no such thing as "backstock" in the sense nothing was located in the back. I know sounds like a nightmare. But it worked for the most part. Trucks came palletized and pretty much everything went out. Anything that didn't go out sat in designated areas in the dock area. Department heads (TLs) would own their areas and made sure stuff in the back went out on a daily basis. The overnight team consisted of about 5-6 guys who would push most of the truck freight and zone the entire store as they went. During the day workers in their respective departments would push their freight while helping customers.

The difference is most of the people were paid pretty well, had full time hours, and took responsibility of their areas because they cared about their job. Target will struggle finding that same dedication from employees who have no vested interest in the company based on the hours and pay offered.

 

[balthrop]

According to feedback from the tests, apparently there is far less backstock than our current system. I do not know exactly how they are accomplishing that, but I would guess that since it forces you to push all you probably get a decent amount out. That and I am assuming your transition/nop is palletized on its own pallets? I wish someone had an actual guide to end to end...

I can tell you how they are accomplishing it… they are putting their foot to it. by cramming every peg hook, shelf and fixture to way over capacity. and pity the poor slob that has to come by and do Price Change, Instocks, Flexible Fulfillment and etc.

 

[WinterRose]

As much as I don't want to go back to Market, I am actually looking forward to this process. Too many hands handling a department and not a lot of them caring on doing it right. It's not like I would be taking care of a whole dept. Even if they are giving me the tough aisles, they are aisles and not a whole dept. If anyone would be pushing stuff in my aisles (like reshop or cafs), it's be easier and faster to catch the mistakes and fix it. Honestly, I think it's easier to take care of aisles in a fast-moving department like Market in this process (compared to Toys/Seasonal or Furnitures).

Another thing I look forward to, people will know how it is to be in my position. Someone who does almost everything, from 1st impressions to backstocking. I expect to still be given the hard tasks but at least, people will learn how to do stuff (the other person who is like me but he's 100%x better than me, has already left and he left for that reason).

 

[CrimsonRaven712]

My Flow TL said that this process will be focussing on splitting in between softlines, market and then hardlines. I don't know if it was discussed poorly to him or this is how we are going to doing it in our store.

 

[Redzee]

Well I have been through several of them. It means they get people out of the building on time. No matter who else cleans up the mess.

Been there done that. Did the best I could. Teeth marks on my bum.

 

[Rock Lobster]

My Flow TL said that this process will be focussing on splitting in between softlines, market and then hardlines. I don't know if it was discussed poorly to him or this is how we are going to doing it in our store.

Grocery Operating Model is already rolled out for most of the company (although many stores struggle with it at the moment). Softlines is going end to end from what I have heard relatively soon. Hardlines will likely be the last piece, and I would guess that it would make sense to do this once palletized freight comes into play. There are pieces of Hardlines that can be worked but its a store to store think mostly. For example, you could set all cosmetics repacks to the side on a tub and save them for a 9-5:30 everyday.

 

[Rock Lobster]

I can tell you how they are accomplishing it… they are putting their foot to it. by cramming every peg hook, shelf and fixture to way over capacity. and pity the poor slob that has to come by and do Price Change, Instocks, Flexible Fulfillment and etc.

Actually I have been trying to research more on the topic. It appears they are switching their Presentation Min and OTL system as well. Instead of having such a large margin between the two, they are reducing them and switching the replenishment system to an eaches model instead of cases. Basically, you won't have a "2400" piece truck because they do not want to ship you cases unless necessary for the store's demand. The amount of "cases" will be irrelevant and each trailer will contain far more SKUs than previous trailers.

In simple terms, they are scrapping the old system. If 1 item sells, then it triggers to order 1. The DC is being remodeled and cases will be broken down. Repacks will still be used for some GM areas, but in areas like grocery they will have baskets sorted down to sections within an aisle. If you sold 5 cans of a certain soup, 5 of those will be placed in the soup basket for your store and shipped on the soup aisle cart. I am assuming it will also take projected sales for each SKU into account to reduce trips (so the shelf fits 12, you sell 4 a day. You currently have 9, so it will ship 7 knowing it takes 24 hours to get there).

 

[Noiinteam]

As far as softlines goes, I personally can't wait for this to happen. We are a 6am unload and by the time we finish de trashing it is after our first 15. We had over 100 repacks on Monday and Wednesday this week. All that plastic and taped plastic takes forever. We don't even de trash the carts because it eats up too much time. Add to the fact we are down people and we rarely finish softlines. We are being supported by sales floor, when they can, but we are constantly playing catchup. Ready for a new and better process!

 

[jenna]

Actually I have been trying to research more on the topic. It appears they are switching their Presentation Min and OTL system as well. Instead of having such a large margin between the two, they are reducing them and switching the replenishment system to an eaches model instead of cases. Basically, you won't have a "2400" piece truck because they do not want to ship you cases unless necessary for the store's demand. The amount of "cases" will be irrelevant and each trailer will contain far more SKUs than previous trailers.

In simple terms, they are scrapping the old system. If 1 item sells, then it triggers to order 1. The DC is being remodeled and cases will be broken down. Repacks will still be used for some GM areas, but in areas like grocery they will have baskets sorted down to sections within an aisle. If you sold 5 cans of a certain soup, 5 of those will be placed in the soup basket for your store and shipped on the soup aisle cart. I am assuming it will also take projected sales for each SKU into account to reduce trips (so the shelf fits 12, you sell 4 a day. You currently have 9, so it will ship 7 knowing it takes 24 hours to get there).

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OTL?
Presentation Minimum? - minimum amount needed to maintain the presentation?

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so the DC is going to start shipping individual units of items normally shipped by the case? items all over the store?



a new pick label? or NO pick label? What about breakables?

*pictures our average flow team member shoving shit everywhere due to NO pick label* - even worse than now.

*pictures stuff getting smashed more often than it currently does*

 

[graffiti]

As far as softlines goes, I personally can't wait for this to happen. We are a 6am unload and by the time we finish de trashing it is after our first 15. We had over 100 repacks on Monday and Wednesday this week. All that plastic and taped plastic takes forever. We don't even de trash the carts because it eats up too much time. Add to the fact we are down people and we rarely finish softlines. We are being supported by sales floor, when they can, but we are constantly playing catchup. Ready for a new and better process!

If you need any advice on what NOT to do for the softlines rollout, just let me know, lol. Management here has given me a long, long list of bad ideas that grows exponentially by the day.

 

[Rock Lobster]

-
OTL?
Presentation Minimum? - minimum amount needed to maintain the presentation?

-
so the DC is going to start shipping individual units of items normally shipped by the case? items all over the store?

Yes.... they have carts that look very much like vendor racks with shelves. For Grocery, each rack aligns to a portion of an aisle and each shelf aligns to a section within that designated portion. In high volume stores/departments, they even have baskets on each shelf that aligns to each shelf within that 4 foot section. They ship eaches of product but do so more often. Only if a case is required will it be sent.

Some areas with larger items will be palletized freight. Bedding which is a case of 1-2 for example will be shipped by cases obviously.

 

[jenna]

what does OTL mean?

 

[SFSFun]

*pictures our average flow team member shoving shit everywhere due to NO pick label* - even worse than now.

As long as it's narrowed down to a specific aisle and even a specific section in that aisle, it's really not that hard. Especially if the same TM works the same area each day.

My grocery store doesn't use pick labels or have shelf schematics, but they manage to stock the store just fine by looking at the box. Having the correct UPC on the shelf label helps though.

 

[Rock Lobster]

what does OTL mean?

Order to Level. Its basically the max amount of a given SKU you are supposed to have in the building. The Presentation Minimum is also the Trigger and is obviously the lowest amount you should have. The current logistics system, since it is by the case, requires high OTLs because in most instances we do not have the ability to break them down (at least not in an efficient way). So a shelf of soup that can hold 12 may have a min level set at 4, but the OTL has to be 16. If your OH is 3 you will then need to get 2 cases of 12 (putting you at 27 OH), and this is how our stockrooms get full with the daily product.

There are also plenty of things we can do around transitions to manage full stockrooms, but that is another topic entirely.

 

[jenna]

As long as it's narrowed down to a specific aisle and even a specific section in that aisle, it's really not that hard. Especially if the same TM works the same area each day.

My grocery store doesn't use pick labels or have shelf schematics, but they manage to stock the store just fine by looking at the box. Having the correct UPC on the shelf label helps though.

Never said it was "hard."

 

[jenna]

If you need any advice on what NOT to do for the softlines rollout, just let me know, lol. Management here has given me a long, long list of bad ideas that grows exponentially by the day.

Go on.....

 

[jenna]

I can't even imagine the logistics involved with shipping Eaches to 1800 stores.

:feels sorry for DC team:

can't even imagine how this will occur accurately.

So, I could get like one jar of honey. two jars of jelly? And the next truck could have a jar of the same honey?

How is that more efficient? Like constantly working Autofills.

 

[qmosqueen]

Wow less cardboard and no need for 1 TM on the overnight to run the bailer for 8 hours.

Now send me 2 heads of lettuce and 3 hot house tomatoes please

 

[jenna]

Gah. The soup aisle.

Can you imagine? would much rather work case stock in the soup aisle over Eaches.

And the fight for Equipment will get worse.

Right now, the team members sorting Repacks get equipment. Most of flow does not use it/need it, due to pick labels.

---

Looks into the future:

"I'll take one snow globe please"
*arrives smashed, drenching everything in glitter water*
repeat

 

[Rock Lobster]

I can't even imagine the logistics involved with shipping Eaches to 1800 stores.

:feels sorry for DC team:

can't even imagine how this will occur accurately.

So, I could get like one jar of honey. two jars of jelly? And the next truck could have a jar of the same honey?

How is that more efficient? Like constantly working Autofills.

I doubt it will be 1-2 of every single item that sells. Rather it won't ship based on casestock. If you hit a trigger number it will fill it to the eaches. Sometimes those things come in cases of 48, but really only 10-12 are needed. Grocery is an area where they were forced to do cases and now have the flexibility to ship more accurately.

Its more efficient in the sense that this is how you will fill the floor. If you can eliminate the backroom (or at least a majority of it), then there is a step being removed. In most stores, you will be making a trip to every aisle anyway to stock so the trips do not matter as much. You can fill 8 of 100 SKU's and produce no backstock every single day, or 24 of 40 SKUs and produce 12 backstock of those same products and then have to fill them tomorrow from your backroom while doing a different 24 of 40.