Archived Project Viper

[The Dude Abides]

I guess I'm glad I got out of BR Day when I did. So with all this sales floor stuff going on, when is backstocking, pallet space management, aisle audits and other regular BR activities suppose to occur?

it might go back to the 4AM crew. knowing our stellar management it will now be considered a non optimal process and cut.

4am crew? Oh you mean the one person who comes in at 730?

 

[OhYouDidntKnow]

Do you think VIPER will stick? I thought it might be gone by now. How long do pilots typically last?

 

[commiecorvus]

Do you think VIPER will stick? I thought it might be gone by now. How long do pilots typically last?

That depends, they may tweak it and try the new version in a different part of the country (or Canada).
For that matter they could decide it worked and roll it out every where.

 

[The Dude Abides]

This will probably happen because it seems like the dumber a pilot program seems to the consensus of team members the more likely it is to be implemented.

 

[sher]

This sounds like when I worked in the library. I had my designated sections and since I was always in those areas, it was always near perfection. However, there'd need to be a f***ton of training for this to work at target. Idk what batches even are. Sales floor pushes most of the cafs at my store, so that's not new, but br pulls all the stuff for it and many of us aren't br trained. I don't think the whole thing is a bad idea (eliminating back room is stupid IMO).

 

[konk]

It would be awesome if I could be responsible for a certain section on the sales floor! It would also be awesome if the backroom was setup according to the sales floor, but I know sales floor locations always change. I've always thought the back wall of seasonal should rotate so it could be stocked from the back and then turned around when the season changed.

 

[logisticsismygame]

I'm in one of the first three stores to launch viper. We have been told that the process we created has had the best results. Our store has been crawling with visitors. Viper will now roll out to the rest of our district.

 

[Ringwraith917]

Welcome to TheBreakroom @logisticsismygame!

Some questions for you:
1) Is VIPER awesome or not?
2) Are there any backroom only TMs?
3) What are the responsibilities of a TM, as far as their section?
4) Is the amount of work reasonable or unachievable?

 

[commiecorvus]

Welcome to The Break Room @logisticsismygame

 

[Bosch]

This will probably happen because it seems like the dumber a pilot program seems to the consensus of team members the more likely it is to be implemented.

Less people since you don't have an in stock team or backroom people. It will go company wide. Cost cutting.

 

[logisticsismygame]

Welcome to TheBreakroom @logisticsismygame!

Some questions for you:
1) Is VIPER awesome or not?
2) Are there any backroom only TMs?
3) What are the responsibilities of a TM, as far as their section?
4) Is the amount of work reasonable or unachievable?

As a former IS/BR TL viper is pretty awsome the detailed zone in our store is outstanding and guest service scores have gone way up. The opps are big. The back room is FULL. Getting people to understand the importance of a brand backroom is challenging. Not just the sales floor TMs but also the sales floor ETLs. We purged in some places and droped POG fills in others. I personally believe auto replenishment has it's place in food related areas such as dairy and 210. POG fills would work well. However the company is tracking outs batches.

I do think there should be a backroom team at least on truck days. It's more productive to wave through backroom as is it is more productive to wave the PUSH process. As a current flow TL we have trained many of our flow TMs how to backstock properly. Currently we are having them PUSH in zones and having them doing a backstock as you go thing. This keeps the backroom clean all day, but it takes all day. That's really the point of viper in the first place since we don't get held to time goals. I see this changing very soon. Payroll is payroll.

As always training was a huge miss. It's a bummer when you log into your PDA at 5:30 am and see double digit outs batches waiting for you and not having the closing LOD know why this is a bad thing. If I had my way every TM in the store would start in logistics.

I truly feel fortunate that I lead such an adaptable and dedicated team. They work hard and give a 5 star hotel level of service. I have a second job as a bartender at a steakhouse and share my knowledge of engaging guests at our huddles. I have also awarded prizes to TMs that get name droped in a good guest servey comments to encourage handshakes and proper introductions.

TMs do 4x4 zones during the shift. Every 4ft section is zoned to POG, labels are replaced, shelves are cleaned, out of dates and defectives are removed, any overstock is also removed and then outs are shot, pulled (overstock should be backstocked during this trip to the back room) and pushed for the isle. Curently only TL shoot research for their area. How ever training and understanding of research best practices are an opp.
The work load for TMs is highly manageable. Soon they will be taking on new responsibilitys such as price change and revisions. I'm sure training will again be an opp. PTM would be easily taken care of with good direction and preporation.

All opportunities can be overcome. If Viper is scheduled to roll out in your area or has but is not in your store I can only tell you the ball has been droped in planning and training already, be the hereo and pick it up.

Viper will eventually turn the sales report into the go to tool. TL will need to think like DTLs and know why their department isn't making sales to hold TMs accountable before they are.

In the past auto replenishment managed our business now we do.

 

[logisticsismygame]

As a BR TM in a lower volume store (push my own CAFs) should I be worried about my job?

If I'm understanding this correctly, you would be assigned a sales floor section to own (zone, pull & push CAFs).

Sales floor tasks are easy to learn because they are cut and dry. Interacting with guest is more of who you are so I can't speak there. It's been my experience that flow and backroom TMs make the best vipers. They already know the importance of keeping the back room empty and the sales floor full. Brand team members also seem to handle all sapects of viper well also.

 

[The Dude Abides]

So it's a giant cluster in which individual competent team members can make it work, but the planning and execution is a disaster...just like every other major rollout Target has had in the past 7 or 8 years.

 

[konk]

When checking to see if labels need to be replaced, does a label that says there is a second location (*) get changed if there isn't a second location and vice versa?

 

[logisticsismygame]

When checking to see if labels need to be replaced, does a label that says there is a second location (*) get changed if there isn't a second location and vice versa?

In the end that would depend on direction from leadership. However the idea is to leave each 4ft section 100% brand.

 

[logisticsismygame]

So it's a giant cluster in which individual competent team members can make it work, but the planning and execution is a disaster...just like every other major rollout Target has had in the past 7 or 8 years.

For the most part true. Competent TM will do great but success will come from competent leaders. Like I say with all things " all you get from anything is what you put in"

 

[Ringwraith917]

I gotta say I'm loving the idea. I just hope it works as well at my store when it eventually comes around

 

[POGguy]

I would love to have this at my store. Certain areas of the store would be great and successful and others would fail horribly depending on who is assigned where. Should highlight the problem people right away.

 

[konk]

When checking to see if labels need to be replaced, does a label that says there is a second location (*) get changed if there isn't a second location and vice versa?

In the end that would depend on direction from leadership. However the idea is to leave each 4ft section 100% brand.

I know there's a 4x4 paper. I'll have to see if it's on there

 

[random1]

We are a 4am store. Who backstocks casestock and skids and transition right off the truck? What are the backroom tl respinsibilities now?

 

[Rock Lobster]

For once I have to say I do not agree with this rollout. Simplified processes are very important, but outdated and simplified are two different concepts. I do not see how scrapping the accumulator and having people pull products by hand would ever be recommended, especially if the goal is to be productive and controlling payroll.

 

[OhYouDidntKnow]

I'm having a hard time imagining how this works. Not from a process point of view but from staffing. 11 zones, does that equal 1 TM per zone? Where are those people coming from? Will they combine workcenters? Then what's going to happen to base pay?

 

[Bosch]

For once I have to say I do not agree with this rollout. Simplified processes are very important, but outdated and simplified are two different concepts. I do not see how scrapping the accumulator and having people pull products by hand would ever be recommended, especially if the goal is to be productive and controlling payroll.

4th quarter - would be a true test if the viper process could withstand the stress.. I think that is when the viper will lose its teeth.. When the amount of reshop takes the person all day, and you would need to have that taken care of before you shoot outs, then pull, push and back stock all the while dealing with guests. I can see viper falling fall short.

 

[Rock Lobster]

For once I have to say I do not agree with this rollout. Simplified processes are very important, but outdated and simplified are two different concepts. I do not see how scrapping the accumulator and having people pull products by hand would ever be recommended, especially if the goal is to be productive and controlling payroll.

4th quarter - would be a true test if the viper process could withstand the stress.. I think that is when the viper will lose its teeth.. When the amount of reshop takes the person all day, and you would need to have that taken care of before you shoot outs, then pull, push and back stock all the while dealing with guests. I can see viper falling fall short.

Furthermore, it is simply an inefficient use of payroll. We should be perfecting the accumulator, not scrapping it and running our stores like we did 15 years ago.

 

[PureZero]

So, help me understand please.

There will be 11 zones and within these zones there is one dedicated TM to push, pull, fill, zone and backstock. Is that correct?

So if that is the case who does the MIR and SWEEP batches if there are no backroom TM's? Will that now be the responsibility of the Reverse Logistics TM?

A bazillion years ago TL's pulled the SWEEP batches and the Reverse Logistics TM would pull the MIR batches from the back room. Is this the way it will be now...again...?