Archived Hardlines Advice

[Hardlines9]

Hey guys. So I started working at Target about a month and a half ago. I'm a hardlines team member, and the LODs consistently tell me that I'm going too slow. I usually close, so when I come in there's a ton of push and reshop waiting for me and it takes so long to get through it all. Not only that, but sometimes dealing with guests takes up a lot of time too. Not to mention those times when I have to go do backup cashier.

I zone pretty well if I do say so myself. I have gotten great remarks on my zones. It's just that I'm too slow. Last night, both LODs came up to me and gave me a "talk" that I need to speed it up and asked me why I take so long. They said they would talk amongst themselves to see if they could come up with a way to make it a bit easier for me.

I've been stressed lately because comments like these are discouraging. I feel like I'm doing the best I can, but it's never enough. If any of you guys have hardlines advice for speeding up the push/reshop/zoning process, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[qmosqueen]

Sometimes when you zone just pull 1 or 2 items forward. Don't look and read the items pull and move on limit 1 aisle to under 5 minutes. Depending on how long you work and number of aisles to zone. Example I zone dry grocery from g23 to g40 including back wall in under 2 hours then move on to the 6 aisles of paper 1 more hour. So a total of 3 hours this some times takes 4 hours with guest traffic

 

[buliSBI]

Clock in > Reshop > Zone > Break > repeat. Zone little areas as you zone.

Learn the planogram number system for reshop.

When zoning, start with your bulkiest items and least hard hit aisles in your area first. Bring what you can to the front.

 

[luna831]

Hardlines is easy cafs then zone but don't spend a lot of time in one aisle. Power zone and make sure to get the reshop done.

 

[zer0nhand]

In my store, when I was in-stocks we also had to do hardline duties. My advice to you is when you're pushing, make sure you grab the bulkier tubs and flats consisting of large quantity items like furniture/paper/detergent. I see TMS go straight for the Cosmetic/HB/Stationary push, that's bound to take all day if you're not familiar with the sections/aisles. To speed up the process be sure to keep a box-cutter with you at all times, some boxes are a bitch to open with barehands. I stress this all the time to my peers, BE NEAT! Get into the habit of cutting every single box as you push and placing them on the vehicle neatly, sometimes you won't have any room, just grab a cart and stuff them in there. Make sure you park the vehicle within the vicinity of where you're pushing.

Since you're new, I would suggest pushing in 1 section for a week till you're familiar with it, I wouldn't go nuts about zoning so well. I refuse to spend more than 30 minutes zoning one aisle. I blitz the hell out of it and move on to the next.

It's not that you're slow, you just need to develop the proper techniques. Don't spend time picking up stuff and trying to make things look picture perfect.

Lastly, DO NOT STAND THERE CHIT-CHATTING WITH ANOTHER TM ABOUT NON-WORK RELATED TOPICS.

There's nothing etls hate more.

 

[squirrely]

I like to organize my reshop in my cart and put it back as I zone. I just find it easier to manage that way.

 

[Streetdate]

As soon as you clock grab any reshop for your area at guest service and push it over there. Check on pulls, work any that are there. If there are multiple carts of foreign, work those out before the cart you pushed when you clock in.

When zoning, don't pull everything forward; by this I mean if there are 4 sets of sheets on the shelf pull one or two forward instead of all 4. Try and work foreign as you go; this gets easier the longer you stay with Target, as eventually you'll know where stuff is just by looking at it. *coughs* flee before this point or your soul is lost*coughs*

If your area has been hit really hard that day, let your team lead or LOD know that you might need an extra hand later; ASANTS (all stores are not the same), but at mine just letting them know often helps them not get frustrated with your performance. If it'd getting late and you have lots of foreign and a healthy chunk of zone but not enough time to finish both, ask them what they'd prefer you work on. This tells LOD, they're really struggling but they're aware of it; i'll send them extra help if I have it (cashiers, older tms)

Don't get discouraged. Somedays, you're just plain screwed. You've been busy on the lanes with backup, your area is having a major sale, Hardlines openers were shorthanded, or your fellow TMs did nothing/everything else. And there's nothing you can do about it, but chin up and plow into it. Everything gets easier over time.

Every team lead is in charge of a specific section of the store. Usually this means they're very familiar with it, and know how to work it best. Ask them for advice as well.

 

[Ringwraith917]

Sounds like your leaders are more interested in speed than accuracy. Force yourself to ignore the labels and make everything look neat. Face it forward & pull it to the edge, even if it doesn't really go there. Zone goes easy when you learn to think like a manager.