Archived Non-AP tasks?

[champ]

Hi all,

I've been TPS for almost a year, and one thing that irks me is how often ETLs make me push CAFs. I'm willing to push one or two to be a team player, but quite often they'll have me pushing CAFs for close to 3 hours. If it's a slow day then I'm not as frustrated, but on a busy day there is nothing more angering than coming back into the office and finding 12 cans of formula missing, as I am the only TPS in the store. My ETL-AP is always very laid back and lets me do my job without really hovering over me, and treats me like a friend so I don't have the heart to complain to him when I'm pulled into doing CAFs, but spending almost half a shift on CAFs is getting ridiculous.

My question is to any other TPS or AP team member on the forums: how often does your store leadership make you push CAFs, if they do at all. The TPSs at the other two stores around the area say they've never had to push CAFs.

 

[DoWork]

All other departments get the same treatment.

 

[On6]

You need to bring this up to your ETL. As a TPS you have daily routines like assignment cards, merch protection and overall presence that should keep you more than busy.

Problem is most leadership doesn't understand how much AP has to do before we even try to catch someone stealing.

If we are going by the book AP team members shouldn't be doing any non-AP work. That's a line you may or may not want to set. As a TPS I wouldn't mind helping out, but it would be me offering. My leadership understood when I told them no I can't do that right now and wouldn't question my reason.

 

[TallAPGuy]

What? I gave never, ever, heard of AP pushing CAF's outside the ETL when she's LOD. Occasionally I'll be asked to push carts to the mall door if it's busy and the cart attendants are busy getting carts from the lot, but that's the extent of what I have been asked.

 

[unknown]

Wish I only had my own job to do.

I walk in ... Hey, here's a 10 hour pog for your 8 hour shift.

It's Friday. So not only will we be doing 4x4's, but freshness Friday too.

Then the back up cashiering starts.

Misery loves company. I won't lie, I like hearing other departments are feeling the pain.

 

[Kartman]

Quit your bitching, suck it up.

Spot ain't a vacation on the Rhine!

 

[ElectronicsTM]

I have seen the APTL not pushing CAFs, but pulling them in the backroom from 1 to 5. That was interesting.

 

[SFSFun]

Our APTL doesn't get told what to do by the execs...If anything, he's the one telling them what to do (for safety and LP related things).

 

[Jill of All Trades]

The most un-AP thing I ever see our AP doing is wrangling carts at the front end when the CA is gone or overloaded.

 

[countingsheep]

Ours has been pulled for cart fetching, zoning, reshop push, and the occassional electronics break :/ Also has to spend at least an hour zoning cosmetics before close

 

[Barcode]

AP shouldn't be doing CAFs. Sure maybe helping out for a huddle project quickly or something , but that's it.

I've never seen AP at either of my stores have to pitch in for store operations. It looks bad if TPS is pushing product lol... People are going to wonder.

If TPS doesn't have anything to work on, they should be hanging out at the front end or electronics for their presence.

 

[BlueSide]

I thought with all the changes in AP this year there was a whole list of tasks to do everyday.

 

[TallAPGuy]

I thought with all the changes in AP this year there was a whole list of tasks to do everyday.

There is.

 

[BlueSide]

There is.

And I'm guessing CAFs are not on that list? Lol

 

[unknown]

AP shouldn't be doing CAFs. Sure maybe helping out for a huddle project quickly or something , but that's it.

I've never seen AP at either of my stores have to pitch in for store operations. It looks bad if TPS is pushing product lol... People are going to wonder.

If TPS doesn't have anything to work on, they should be hanging out at the front end or electronics for their presence.

Wonder what? That all tm's are stretched thin and are having to help in other work centers?

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

Our tps's NEVER push any freight. They help get carts, pick up the dead electric carts throughout the store, and clean up spills. But they NEVER touch freight.

Edited to add: they also cover the occasional electronics break. Maybe once or twice a month.

 

[Barcode]

Wonder what? That all tm's are stretched thin and are having to help in other work centers?

Doesn't matter, its not their job, and can actually hurt a store's AP image. If TPS are pushing CAFs then it will send a signal to thieves/boosters that the store doesn't take AP seriously.

 

[luna831]

What? I gave never, ever, heard of AP pushing CAF's outside the ETL when she's LOD. Occasionally I'll be asked to push carts to the mall door if it's busy and the cart attendants are busy getting carts from the lot, but that's the extent of what I have been asked.

They do cafs at my store but also all stores are not the same.

 

[redeye58]

Asnats?

 

[TallAPGuy]

Our tps's NEVER push any freight. They help get carts, pick up the dead electric carts throughout the store, and clean up spills. But they NEVER touch freight.

Edited to add: they also cover the occasional electronics break. Maybe once or twice a month.

Why are they covering breaks? We don't have logins for the registers, so if someone wants to buy something, they'll have to call another team member over anyway.
If no one else is available, the LOD will cover the break in our store.

 

[Barcode]

Asnats?

Sounds too close to Hazmat - I don't like it.

 

[Redzee]

Asnats?

Yes gnats horrible hear 😛

 

[DoWork]

I hate doing AP's work. Turn about is fair play.

 

[squirrely]

I once had an APTM have me come check item availability for a guest. Dude had a MyDevice and could at least checked stock levels and then called me over. What a waste of time just because 'that's not his job'.

 

[BadWolf4531]

ASANTS.

There are two ends of the spectrum on this. Best practice is that TPS should not be performing any non-AP tasks, which if you follow to the letter can give the image that you're not a team player and actually hurt any current or potential rapport you have with TMs. Then there's the "being extremely global" end, which it sounds like you're doing. Unfortunately, here, it takes substantial time away from your workcenter and can really hurt your metrics. My advice would be to meet somewhere in the middle (though as close to best practice as you can get).

A good TM in general should be as global as possible. The same goes for TPS. It's all about two birds, one stone.... If it gets busy at the checklanes, you should be able to step in and support the GSTL as needed (also provides door presence on the front end). Crazy in electronics? Step over to help answer guest questions or unlock product while the Electronics TM runs register (also gives you a chance for to check for merchandise protection). The other night I jumped into CAF pulls for about 30 min, and I used some of this time to do my backroom assignment card and audit for ghost locations in liquor. All of these take a backseat, of course, when AP issues come your way.

What a lot of leadership doesn't understand is that TPS hours don't come from the store's payroll. They come out of a district budget. So even your STL cannot ask you to stay late or come in early, unless it's specifically to address an AP issue. And when they use you for 3 hours to push CAFs, they are literally stealing hours from the DAPTL's payroll. Also, while TPS can be "team players" and contribute to the needs of other departments, it doesn't work the other way around. There is no cross-training for AP. No one else is going to be able to do your PI, research empty packages, or catch you up on TCMs when you inevitably fall behind. I would mention this to the LOD the next time they try this. Say something like "I would love to help you out tonight, but I'm behind on X and Y and Z." If that doesn't work, then just say you'll need to tell your DAPTL your store's AP tasks aren't getting done because that LOD is using you to push tubs for half your shift.

Ours has been pulled for cart fetching, zoning, reshop push, and the occassional electronics break :/ Also has to spend at least an hour zoning cosmetics before close

AP actually owns cosmetics now, so zoning there makes sense. We still have a brand TM who spends a couple of days a week there, but it's such a high area of shortage that it's a good idea to have an AP TM over there a few times a week as well. Good Zone + Green Instocks = Better Sales, which will help combat some of the shortage there. Again, doesn't mean the LOD should be assigning you to zone there, but it's another area where your presence makes sense.