Archived Instock TL question..

[Rock Lobster]

Yeah I'll just say that I didn't realize your process got 320 hours a week! With that large of a process you guys probably have it set up right with the 7 to 3:45! Just make sure you keep the schedule even out enough so that you finish scanning everyday and keep a focus on the PTM process! Too often scanning is the only thing that gets looked at, and if I was the STL in your store I would expect a golden PTM process and not much dcode in the back if I was giving you guys that many hours!

 

[carnage286]

Yeah I know what you mean, most of the time before I even get to drop any PTM's the tasklist is either completed if not by myself then the ETL, LOD, STL or my current TL..

 

[Rock Lobster]

Yeah I know what you mean, most of the time before I even get to drop any PTM's the tasklist is either completed if not by myself then the ETL, LOD, STL or my current TL..

Yeah but PTM needs to be a bigger focus than that! I push as much as I can out of the team, so with the hours you have I would challenge you to not only improve your scanning by making labels and helping develop the team into maintaining endcaps but to also do more with PTMs... They should start scanning different POGs under stand alone PTM and trying to push that product out of the backroom! I personally follow the research schedule, and scan every POG that is research under PTM and drop batches whether its MPG or not!

 

[carnage286]

Yeah I would love to do that.. Currently this is what the STL has had us doing for basically ever..

Come in at 7am,
Myself or TL will do the walk with STL & ETL's
Team will start the Instock Task List
Work the PTM Task List
Scan areas that are MPG in Stand Alone PTM and areas that arent in MPG
8am Team goes to the huddle with 2 TM's still working the Task List
830 Another TM comes in making it 7 people she will go pull.. "No one in backroom will help unless they are free which is rare"

After shooting and making rainchecks and partnering with TL's about their areas hopefully Tasklist is complete by 1045 or less

Team will take their 15 and then go into the back and start pulling what we shot in POG,RESEARCH AND EXF

TL or myself will contact the Offsite so they can start the pulling process on their side and if alot have them only send priority AD items or if alot send them in waves so we dont have too much in the backroom..

At 11pm the Team will help with the CAF depending on how heavy it is and how many Backroom TM's are their for the morning.. "Backroom TM's vary due to call outs and other reasons like the ETL did the schedule wrong"

1215 everyone should be on their 45 minus 1 or 2 TM's that come in at 830 and/or 9am depending on the day.. and they will push

When everyone is back they will push from light duty and bulk..
They will not only push RESCH and PTM but also AUTOFILL LEFT OVERS from overnight but also CAF.. "ETL SAID SO.."

Things the STL doesn't have us do-
Label Maintenance - If a label comes up void/zero/replace or anything during shooting the building then we make a note and tell the TL & ETL of that area.. They will fix the issue and make a note of it as well..

Only 4 Portable printers in the building and the Price Change Team has them for most of the day...

Dropping PTMs - We will drop batches most of the time but some of the ETL's get crazed and drop them their selves and contacts offsite to start pulling..

Trying to think of what else.. Drastic report was always done by Myself early in the am after back stocking was completed and etc but the TL decided he wanted to do it "POORLY I might add" and does so around 2pm when the store is a chaotic mess.. and rain checks are printed up and scanned up by 12 by TL as well...

 

[carnage286]

So many things in that last comment I WILL change once I become the TL.. Cause the process is retarded and I told my opinions to the Sr.Merch and STL and they said Thanks for being straight up and challenging it. But I really wanna revamp this team cause we can do alot better..

Again any advice or outreach is more then welcome.. and please know this is not how I run the team this is how it is currently :facepalm:

 

[Rock Lobster]

Unfortunately I can't speak to having an offsite backroom... but it seems you know what works in your store! I would suggest coming up with a better way to handle item replaces than partnering with someone every time it pops up! I would suggest maybe sending the labels to the main printer and then having your team write down the location on a form so someone else can do all the labels at the end? From the sounds of it your team has to help with clean up alot, but unfortunately there is no getting around that 🙂

 

[carnage286]

Yeah it really is annoying and its basically cause the TL doesn't like to say no and adds alot more to the plate.. At one time he had the team zoning areas and saying its ownership for them and their areas..

I told him thats what TM's of those worlds are for and I spoke with those TL's to better their areas and maintain the zoning so It can get shot correctly.

I was told by the STL and Sr.ETL that there are alot of things that our team does and the only reason they don't step in is because they want our TL to start managing Talent better and learn to communicate with other TL's in the building.. If they step in and fix things he will never learn and I completely understand that.

He's getting better so far.. The other day one of our TM's was with the ETL-Ops and talking about making rain checks and he told the ETL that he was yelled at by our TL for making 45 Rain checks in one day for electronics..

I was called to explain why that was a bad thing and I said well WE want to make as many RC's as possible cause the guest comes first BUT.. Like I said before our TL is all about the NUMBERS he set a limit of 5 Rain Checks to be made per TM in a day... So that way it looks good on paper!!

The ETL couldn't believe it.. and was like your joking right?!

Am I the only person that hates worrying about the numbers.. Cause in the end of the day they mean nothing if the store looks like crap and is empty.. Cough a certain target on the other side of town cough cough...

 

[Rock Lobster]

Yep you seem to have a good head about it all... I wouldn't be too worried about anything from the sounds of it (having you in charge)... Just remember to keep the big picture in mind, and sometimes something may be important enough that Instocks can't do what they are supposed to for that day! I have had to call Instocks off completely a couple times to get the trucks wrapped up! Be resilient and adaptable to the needs of the store... If you have any specific questions in mind let me know, otherwise you seem to have a good handle on the opps within your store

 

[carnage286]

When it comes to the process of the task list, managing talent and where place people/assign projects I'm ok with cause I know my team well..

My only worry is as the TL what are some of the things you have to do that is "behind the scenes" like paperwork besides business walks and leadership statuses.. I've done those before with no worries, but is there anything else.

Also My current TL also closes every once in a while.. I can't due to my primary job that is why I work Instocks and why target is get with me. But would I have to close and what would a Instocks TL do at night?! He was the old Back Room TL so I know when he works he covers that shift.. But I have no idea where to start when it comes to running that team.. I have covered for the Backroom TL for 2 days but I didn't handle much when it came to paperwork or reports I just filled endcaps, ran CAFs and cleaned bulk and light duty and gave out Pallets on flats..

 

[walruses]

So.. I don't know how much of your workload is based on volume or having the offsite warehouse but here is my store's process.

we are a B volume store with an Instocks/Backroom TL and 4 Instocks TMs.


We are rarely able to shoot the entire store not due to laziness but due to the broken 4am logistics process.

We always try to complete research and rigs. We set our rainchecks.. ALL of them, always with applicable substitutes. Item Replace prompts are to be done AS we scan. Softlines and Electronics usually just requires coverup labels and flex product over.

At 11 am our batches drop and the backroom begins to pull them along with CAFs but IS batches have priority. We usually go to lunch at this time and then print/scan/put up our subs. We then do the PTM task list. PTM batches are pulled that day and worked by sales floor tm's along with CAFs and Priority Pulls. (Best Practice says that it is the SALES FLOOR job to push the pulls, but the instocks team should assist if available) Drastic Count Change Report is also worked daily. Item Merge report is worked on Tuesday or Wednesday.

Stand Alone PTMs are dropped about once a week .. I will usually do them on Saturdays based on the MPG Planogram Report (under Reports on Online Planogram). PTM maintenance falls on the instocks team, but is usually easily maintained by the sales floor.

7am - get equipment and open task list. divide into 4.
Look at breakout schedule for Flow team and ensure our research areas are being pushed first. If nothing is complete, we will assist with research areas.
Then, we shoot.

Shoot outs and critical lows in research. shoot only true non-dotted outs when in outs.

We are green in every metric including guest survey scores and the shortage indicator report (updated today fyi)

P.S. I'm bad about randomly capitalizing only some things. 😀

 

[carnage286]

Yeah that sounds pretty good.. I'm hoping to fix alot of unnecessary things that we cover daily.. Like pulling CAFs, pushing Autofills cause overnight was lazy.. Pushing everything but our stuff from bulk and light duty..

 

[SrLOGtL]

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..

Honestly, it sounds like you're going into this WAY too hot. When you are a New In Role TL (less than 6 months in position) you will have very little power when it comes to corrective actions without partnering with your HR and STL, because ultimately, they have to sign off on it before it can go in the system. If you go in looking to fix everything ever night, you will have a mutiny on your hands. Mark my words. If you are being internally promoted in the same workcenter you are in now, 75% of your team is already going to hate you the day you start, because they now have to take orders from someone that used to be their equal. You are going to have to spend quite a bit of time building a good reporting relationship with these people before you change ANYTHING if you ever want to have good results, especially with 4th quarter coming quickly.

As for the problem TM, we do not move a problem to another area in this company. That is putting a band aid on the problem, not fixing it. If you ask them about moving him, they will tell you no. They can't just change his job code because you want to get rid of him. You have to have a good reason. Once you're in, you can find out what his final was for, but if it was for something like attendance, it's not the same as conduct or performance and you'll be starting from scratch trying to coach him out. My other concern is that if you take over as TL and start trying to coach a TM or put them on CA too soon, they'll be calling the integrity hotline on you in no time, which is not good for your career, whether it's legit or not.

I guess to summarize, my main point is, you are not a TL yet. When you are a new in role TL, you will be a new in role TL. Don't get a big head. That doesn't mean jack in the grand scheme of things. Once you've been in your new role for at least 90 days, it will be ok to make some big changes. Until then, concentrate on not creating a mutiny. After 6 months, you'll have a little more power on your own. Keep in mind, in a store that has 7 people on the instocks team, you probably have 30+ team leaders and at least 12-15 ETL's. One new Team Leader doesn't mean anything in that environment.

 

[carnage286]

Yeah I see what you mean SrLOG. I actually don't have to worry about that TM, He is no longer with us. When you said we don't move a problem to another area in this company, it made me giggle.. That's how it really is suppose to be, but when ETL's don't like your attitude or performance or what have you.. You get pushed from work centers until "Like all company's in retail" You get pissed and either make a big mistake or quit.. Again, not my problem.. My concern is for my Team Members I work with and now they are very happy and morale is very high again..

As far as t he team not taking too easy with my move into the position, they are actually the ones that kept suggesting it to my ETL before I even thought of it.

I was actually going for a different work center and we had a Team Meeting a while back to discuss new routines and other things when they all "Minus the 1 that hates everyones life" Said that since I practically run the team even when our TL is there that they were hoping I take over since our TL wants to move to a open spot..

I defiantly won't go in with a big head, plus like I said Spot isn't my primary job but that being said I won't take it like it means nothing either.. I give this job just as much focus and hard work as my main job. I do understand that there are over 450 employees and a handful of ETL's,TL's and I will be a needle in a haystack. I'm just going to keep doing the work i'm doing to support and develop my Team Mates like I have been doing.

 

[coolcatmom]

Wow, 40 hours a week per person?!

I haven't been bringing the team in at 7 am anymore. When I do they wind up doing everything BUT instocks. They get pulled to push the truck, run reshop, push leftover tubs, help at Starbucks, the pharmacy.......

I bring in a bigger team at 8 am. Lately that has been helping but I don't know for how long. The zone in our store SUCKS and that is putting the team behind as they have to zone nearly everything they touch. I would LOVE for them to be done shooting by 10 so we could get the pulls out before 11 but that isn't possible right now. Working to correct this.....

 

[carnage286]

@Coolcatmom, I know what you mean about getting pulled for everything but instocks.. But we are now being reorganized so we can just focus on what we have to do. Lately we have been finishing up shooting by 1045 or so then our 15 then pulling by at least 11-11:15ish.. I wanna try to bring it that back down to 10 like we use to have it.