Archived Instock TL question..

[carnage286]

Hello everyone its been a while since I've been on.. anyway..

I was wondering from a Instocks TL point of view how heavy does your work load get.. I know it does vary from store to store. I only ask cause Im the Back fill for my TL and everything he does is way different from the way other stores work their Instocks Team.. I know he takes on extra workloads from time to time but I wanted a decent breakdown of what you guys actually have on your plates..

Besides having to maintain your numbers for OUTs, Research,Rainchecks and doing your business walks..What else do you have to keep up with.
My TL is leaving soon to another store and my STL wants to promote me to fill the spot.. I just wanna make sure I dont take on the headache he's had..

From my experience running the team on his vacay's everything was always green.. But I never worried about the numbers since everyday I would check the DTK report and Store reports..

Any advice would be great.. Thanks everyone

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Car, welcome back! Go to guides & pilots for info. You maybe a test store.

 

[carnage286]

Hey thanks for the welcome, Yeah I checked we aren't a pilot store.

I was just curious to know how others run their teams and any advice for running a INSTOCKS Team not just running a team in general.. Our current TM isn't how can I say... managing the team efficient or holding anyone accountable..

Our Task List gets completed by 11am on some bad days 1125.. We use to be done by 1015 then take our 15min break then go pull... There is no type of Team Work being done so when someone is stuck with alot of RIGs or not done with their Task everyone leaves and goes to pull batches instead of helping to complete the task so we won't go RED..

So any help and advice in revamping this " At One time praised by all" TEAM would be greatly appreciated..

More specific i'm looking for how everyone's routines are.. Everyone has a different way at going at it so reading guides and other things don't help much when I would like to hear personal experience and what tips or tweaks have you done to make running your team and getting things done better..

Thanks again for the help everyone..

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

I do know scans have to be over 1000. Rock lobster is the instocks king.
Hey rock! Your ears on?

 

[choseone]

Sunday - plan your PTM workload for the week, walk the ptm areas so you know where your focus needs to be. Drop Stand alone PTMs and stage if possible.
Train you instocks team to pull up the assortment items reports and work out anything over 20 days in backstock location.
Have your backroom work empty location reports for Monday's Rsch Fill Groups in the backroom.
Scan and fill the Floor.
Set up Rainchecks and Subs.

Mondays -print out Red ptm labels tie em and drop em @ 8:00am
Have your backroom work empty location reports for Tuesday's Rsch Fill Groups in the backroom.
@9:30 CST work the Drastic Count Report. Teach team to actually physically research a count.
Scan and fill the Floor.
Set up Rainchecks and Subs.
Teach your team to Mysupport any count discrepencies.

Tuesday - Have your backroom work empty location reports for Wednesday's Rsch Fill Groups in the backroom.
@9:30 CST work the Drastic Count Report. Teach team to actually physically research a count.
Scan and fill the Floor. Drop PTM task list.
Set up Rainchecks and Subs.
Teach your team to Mysupport any count discrepencies.

Wednesday - Have your backroom work empty location reports for Thursday's Rsch Fill Groups in the backroom.
@9:30 CST work the Drastic Count Report. Teach team to actually physically research a count.
Scan and fill the Floor. Drop PTM task list.
Set up Rainchecks and Subs.
Teach your team to Mysupport any count discrepencies.

Thursday - Have your backroom work empty location reports for Friday's Rsch Fill Groups in the backroom.
@9:30 CST work the Drastic Count Report. Teach team to actually physically research a count.
Scan and fill the Floor. Drop PTM task list.
Set up Rainchecks and Subs.
Teach your team to Mysupport any count discrepencies.

Friday - Challenge your Salesfloor Team leaders to set their Ad rotation endcaps this day, if not trained you Instocks team to do this. Have your backroom focus on getting out bulk to empty endcaps. Usually PTMs are done for the week by now.
@9:30 CST work the Drastic Count Report. Teach team to actually physically research a count.
Scan and fill the Floor.
Teach your team to Mysupport any count discrepencies.

I have Backroom TL duties combined so I usually have my backroom work Backroom Detail reports to drive out D-code in the PTM areas of the back room. One team member in the backroom is dedicated to pulling instocks batches as they become available so that we have a high Instocks Pull Timeliness.

My instocks team is not the best, but these routines help us maintain green bar scores in Outs, Rsch, Ptm, drastic counts.

Train, and hold accountable. Coach continuously!

 

[carnage286]

Thanks Choseone this gave me some good ideas to tweak and use.. My store has a Instocks Team of 6 besides me, so I'm already know who will shoot what area and how many I will have pull our batches.. The Dayside Back Room team consist of 5 people depending on the day and they all have their jobs so we don't use them to pull any of our batches unless we really need extra help.

But this really helps.. Looking at how others work and what type of routines they follow will help me run a better Instocks Team

 

[Rock Lobster]

I do know scans have to be over 1000. Rock lobster is the instocks king.
Hey rock! Your ears on?

Yeah I am reading... I just need to know a few things about the OP store before I tell them how I would do the process...

What Volume store are you in? What time is your truck process at? How many trucks a week are there? Do they consistenly struggle with getting done in time for scans? What is currently expected of your instocks team... as in do you need to pull and work all priority pulls? Do you need to pull and work all PTM pulls? Who is currently trained on your process (mostly flow people in at 4AM or salesfloor people?)... I think that is all for now

 

[carnage286]

Yeah I am reading... I just need to know a few things about the OP store before I tell them how I would do the process...

What Volume store are you in? What time is your truck process at? How many trucks a week are there? Do they consistenly struggle with getting done in time for scans? What is currently expected of your instocks team... as in do you need to pull and work all priority pulls? Do you need to pull and work all PTM pulls? Who is currently trained on your process (mostly flow people in at 4AM or salesfloor people?)... I think that is all for now

Well I can get back to you with the trucks and volume questions a little later.
The reason we struggle "mainly when my current Instock TL is working" is because he constantly switches people from their areas they are assigned to do other stuff and he confuses the TM's by saying one day "today just scan for numbers just get NO BR Locs." and the other day he will say "Shoot to fill as normal"

When I'm running the team I do as my Sr.ETL and STL has told me worry about actual empty locations as well as critical lows and etc.. I honestly believe we can hit the 22k outs a month if we shoot for numbers 2days a week instead of almost every day.. My current TL is interested in the numbers but that being said its hurting our Pulls on Time and Shooting on Time...

We are a high volume and high risk store with pfresh and starbucks.. No one else in the building is trained in INSTOCKS and like I said before we have a strong team of a total of 7 people not including the TL.

What is expected of our team is to shoot the building within Target Time and pull within T Time. Backroom helps on occasion but the ETL-LG has them doing other things so we have to shoot,pull and push.. Also our TL doesn't like to communicate with other TL's in the building and has our TM's zone areas while shooting instead of saying let me have the TM's in that area fix this before we do research or what not... I end up having to speak to people so that way we can run more smooth.. Otherwise its a mess of a day and no shooting is complete until right at 11... sometimes after..

We are currently getting way more then we should from offsite and having to backstock alot, due to the fact the Instocks TL has us overshooting basically.. "Another reason I'm taking over soon"

I know I can run the team fine, ive done it before for a month when he was off and everything was green for once.. I was just wondering how can I fix some of the mistakes he has made, and what are the other things I will have to learn to have a more effective Instocks Team.

Thanks again Rock for your help.. as you can see its very stressful..

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

We have 3 tm who instocks & I am a p-fresh store.

 

[carnage286]

Yeah the funny thing Hardline, Myself and another Instocks TM can shoot the entire building within 2 maybe 3hrs.. But on a weekday when the entire team is working all 7 people we work from 7am til 11 and shoot 70% of the building..

I shoot only actual empty spots and critical lows but when the rest of the team is working and our TL is there he wants everything shoot even when full.. for the numbers, then will complain that we can't finish on time.. seriously annoying

 

[choseone]

Thanks Choseone this gave me some good ideas to tweak and use.. My store has a Instocks Team of 6 besides me, so I'm already know who will shoot what area and how many I will have pull our batches.. The Dayside Back Room team consist of 5 people depending on the day and they all have their jobs so we don't use them to pull any of our batches unless we really need extra help.

But this really helps.. Looking at how others work and what type of routines they follow will help me run a better Instocks Team

Wow 6?

If I had 6 people on instocks my backroom would be empty.

Damn 5 backroom dayside, I have 1, 2 if I get lucky!
ULV sucks!

 

[carnage286]

Wow 6?

If I had 6 people on instocks my backroom would be empty.

Damn 5 backroom dayside, I have 1, 2 if I get lucky!
ULV sucks!

Not much to get excited about sometimes.. They dont work as much as they should be, but thats due to TLs not holding people accountable or managing talent

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Not much to get excited about sometimes.. They dont work as much as they should be, but thats due to TLs not holding people accountable or managing talent

My store is broken, some days we are pushing the truck.

 

[carnage286]

I had to go into HR today and discuss my move into the TL spot soon.. They wanted to prep me on some stuff and let me know that its happening quickly now.. I do have a question which I didnt get to ask them...

How do I go about moving someone from my team.. I have one TM that is currently on his final and he doesn't work and when the TL gives him a assignment he argues to the point were its loud.. Up until now he got away with it cause our ETL's and Sr's wanted our TL to grow as a leader and learn how to deal with it but its gotten out of hand..

Should I just say I feel uncomfortable with this person on my team.. or what?! I want hard workers and to be honest hes a real ************ and a cancer to the team making everyone miserable and effecting their performances overall..

 

[Rock Lobster]

Well I can get back to you with the trucks and volume questions a little later.
The reason we struggle "mainly when my current Instock TL is working" is because he constantly switches people from their areas they are assigned to do other stuff and he confuses the TM's by saying one day "today just scan for numbers just get NO BR Locs." and the other day he will say "Shoot to fill as normal"

When I'm running the team I do as my Sr.ETL and STL has told me worry about actual empty locations as well as critical lows and etc.. I honestly believe we can hit the 22k outs a month if we shoot for numbers 2days a week instead of almost every day.. My current TL is interested in the numbers but that being said its hurting our Pulls on Time and Shooting on Time...

We are a high volume and high risk store with pfresh and starbucks.. No one else in the building is trained in INSTOCKS and like I said before we have a strong team of a total of 7 people not including the TL.

What is expected of our team is to shoot the building within Target Time and pull within T Time. Backroom helps on occasion but the ETL-LG has them doing other things so we have to shoot,pull and push.. Also our TL doesn't like to communicate with other TL's in the building and has our TM's zone areas while shooting instead of saying let me have the TM's in that area fix this before we do research or what not... I end up having to speak to people so that way we can run more smooth.. Otherwise its a mess of a day and no shooting is complete until right at 11... sometimes after..

We are currently getting way more then we should from offsite and having to backstock alot, due to the fact the Instocks TL has us overshooting basically.. "Another reason I'm taking over soon"

I know I can run the team fine, ive done it before for a month when he was off and everything was green for once.. I was just wondering how can I fix some of the mistakes he has made, and what are the other things I will have to learn to have a more effective Instocks Team.

Thanks again Rock for your help.. as you can see its very stressful..

Ok just a couple things...

First of all, NEVER shoot for the numbers... that drives me nuts and I will never go for that on any process! Instocks is the audit team, and the numbers your team puts out is a reflection of how logistics is doing... Your team sounds like they are scanning alot of things they shouldn't be and therefore making your numbers inaccurate! Your number one focus should be complete AND accurate scanning where you only shoot new outs under outs and all outs and critical lows under research... nothing more and nothing less! There is no "try and get 22k scans in" because you will scan what needs to be scanned, and whatever is out is out... no controlling it! Just make sure the scans get done right every day the right way and then worry about the numbers... which will mean working with other teams to figure out why some aren't green...

Second I was trying to dig into what you guys do with the PTM process... Who drops them and who works them? Scanning is important for sure, but there is only so much you can do with that and it only takes so many hours to get done... How well an Instocks Team handles the PTM process is what (IMO) defines how well the team is doing

 

[carnage286]

Thanks alot Rock, Yeah it drives me furious with the scanning for numbers.. My TL is all about numbers and being green.. Like I said before I tell the team when he's off and I'm in charge to only shoot actual OUTS and critical lows.. Its not only easier for use later on to pull but will stop with the over shooting and having to back stock extra merch.

When it comes to PTM's they are dropped by the TL or myself as soon as they can be dropped in the morning. Every TM after shooting goes into the back room to pull POG's Research and EXF if we made any...

Honestly I believe the current TL makes use do alot of extra stuff for no reason.. The Sr.Mech ETL and STL have already said its ok to shoot only Actual OUTs and not shoot for numbers.. I don't understand why he continues to do that.. But like I said I will be taking over shortly and with everyones advice from here I believe I can get the team back to the basics..

 

[Rock Lobster]

Thanks alot Rock, Yeah it drives me furious with the scanning for numbers.. My TL is all about numbers and being green.. Like I said before I tell the team when he's off and I'm in charge to only shoot actual OUTS and critical lows.. Its not only easier for use later on to pull but will stop with the over shooting and having to back stock extra merch.

When it comes to PTM's they are dropped by the TL or myself as soon as they can be dropped in the morning. Every TM after shooting goes into the back room to pull POG's Research and EXF if we made any...

Honestly I believe the current TL makes use do alot of extra stuff for no reason.. The Sr.Mech ETL and STL have already said its ok to shoot only Actual OUTs and not shoot for numbers.. I don't understand why he continues to do that.. But like I said I will be taking over shortly and with everyones advice from here I believe I can get the team back to the basics..

Yep shoot exactly to best practice and your numbers will probably not look green at first, but if you and the rest of the leadership uses the numbers to hammer out the other problems in your store, they will become green and help the store in the long run! Who in your store is actually responsible for working out the pulls (not just priority but PTMs too) and who is responsible for the maintenance that goes along with the MPG aisles (as in labels and remerch)

 

[Rock Lobster]

I had to go into HR today and discuss my move into the TL spot soon.. They wanted to prep me on some stuff and let me know that its happening quickly now.. I do have a question which I didnt get to ask them...

How do I go about moving someone from my team.. I have one TM that is currently on his final and he doesn't work and when the TL gives him a assignment he argues to the point were its loud.. Up until now he got away with it cause our ETL's and Sr's wanted our TL to grow as a leader and learn how to deal with it but its gotten out of hand..

Should I just say I feel uncomfortable with this person on my team.. or what?! I want hard workers and to be honest hes a real ************ and a cancer to the team making everyone miserable and effecting their performances overall..

I wouldn't mention it until you know for sure you are getting promoted, don't get ahead of yourself just yet because they might have something in the works for him already and you just don't know it because of the level you are at! If you get promoted and he is still there, then discuss with your ETL and HR...

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Rock, I love your answers!
But, they are the best ones! IMO!

 

[carnage286]

Working out pulls and ptm's is left on the Instocks Team.. If we need help then Back Room will help.. My TL even makes us help with the CAF, which makes us even more late in getting our stuff pulled. Back Room has more then enough people but yet he has us do it.

The only reason I believe he has us do alot of Back Room work loads at times is because he was the Back Room TL for a while before moving over.

Maintaining MPG aisles are the responsibility of the TM's of that area and the ETL's depending on the area.. We have several ETL's that will take charge of that instead of having the TM's do it to free up the work load on the team.

 

[Rock Lobster]

Working out pulls and ptm's is left on the Instocks Team.. If we need help then Back Room will help.. My TL even makes us help with the CAF, which makes us even more late in getting our stuff pulled. Back Room has more then enough people but yet he has us do it.

The only reason I believe he has us do alot of Back Room work loads at times is because he was the Back Room TL for a while before moving over.

Maintaining MPG aisles are the responsibility of the TM's of that area and the ETL's depending on the area.. We have several ETL's that will take charge of that instead of having the TM's do it to free up the work load on the team.

So how many hours do you guys average in a week? If your team is expected to get all scanning done, work out all the pulls you drop, and supposedly get some MPG aisles flexed out and looking impactful while being in a large volume store (you must be large to have only an ISTL and an offsite backroom) you must get a ton of hours! I wouldn't do it for less than 180 a week I'd guess...

If that is the case I would schedule everyone 7:00-12:30 who is a TM... These people would just come in and scan (have them focus on basic scanning, and the extra time should go to making labels and flexing endcaps), then after scanning is complete have them put up their subs and work all the priorities (ignoring PTMs)... Now the tricky part is going to be scheduling just enough people to get done by 11, not too early and obviously not later... Any extra hours I would give to someone who could focus just on PTM stuff... Have them work 8:00-1:30 (maybe have two or three on M and T) so that way they can do the PTM Tasks, work out the pulls, and maintain the MPG aisles... You as the TL should work 40 hours under Instocks and probably just float in between the scanning part and the PTM part, and do the drastic count reports... That is how I personally would setup that large of a process so take that for what it is

 

[Rock Lobster]

Rock, I love your answers!
But, they are the best ones! IMO!

Thanks man! Just spreading the knowledge

 

[carnage286]

Yeah we have a total of 7 TMs and 1 TL and everyone gets 40hrs a week..
We all work 7am-345pm so there's plenty of time to get those jobs done, its just he hasn't managed the talent and potential of the team correctly.. I just thought our store was retarded.

As for making labels that left to the TM's and TL's of those concerning areas, they always take care of that stuff. Flexing endcaps is left with the TL's of that area.. They will call for us to see if we shot it or have anything but most of the time they will tell backroom to fill it with whatever is on AD or sale if we are empty of that last item..

I just can't wait to fix this team.. Morale sucks and no one is happy.. Only good days is when our TL is off or on vacay. None of the other TL's in the building can get along with him and he acts as if he was a Sr.TL.

The other day he made a joke to the Sr.Merch ETL saying he's gonna step down and let me take over and he will be a TM.. Without missing a beat the Sr.Merch who seemed like he didn't hear him and was in a rush to leave the breakroom goes "Whats that your stepping down to the unemployment line?!" He had me almost pissing myself laughing and everyone else..

 

[SrTLRep]

How do I go about moving someone from my team.. I have one TM that is currently on his final and he doesn't work and when the TL gives him a assignment he argues to the point were its loud.. Up until now he got away with it cause our ETL's and Sr's wanted our TL to grow as a leader and learn how to deal with it but its gotten out of hand..

Should I just say I feel uncomfortable with this person on my team.. or what?! I want hard workers and to be honest hes a real ************ and a cancer to the team making everyone miserable and effecting their performances overall..

When you get moved into position it will be important to find out exactly what that TM is on final for. Is it conduct or performance? Sounds like conduct to me, but you never know. Coach and document, if you don't document it never happened and HR will not be able to help you. A final is saying if it happens again you're done, so if he's on it for conduct and starts yelling and arguing, technically he should be done, but its up to you to follow through on it. Depending on your HR a lot of what happens will depend on the wording and timing of the final CCA. Partner with your ETL-HR and find out what specific steps you need to take to either get the TM on track or move him out.

Yep shoot exactly to best practice and your numbers will probably not look green at first, but if you and the rest of the leadership uses the numbers to hammer out the other problems in your store, they will become green and help the store in the long run!

Took the words right out of my mouth. Again partnership will be a key to success. Res and outs with locations are a direct reflection of how well the flow team is pushing which directly affects your team. Partnering with your log or repl leadership when you see these numbers dip will help start hammering those problems out. They should already be looking at these numbers and be doing push audits, educating second locations, talking about what those gray dots mean, etc.

 

[carnage286]

Thanks everyone for the advice.. Can't wait to take over this team.. I didn't want to at first cause this is my 2nd job but Target has been very flexible with me and accommodating me when ever I have to have off for a week or what not as long as I give them paperwork..

But honestly this team needs fixing cause the current TL is too much into the numbers and even the STL said that 22k outs doesn't mean ************ if the store is empty..