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We don't have ours either.
Not sure how that is my fault but the whining is unending.
Not sure how that is my fault but the whining is unending.
MEGATHREAD Signing Tips, Tricks and Quips (along with howls of despair)
- Thread starter commiecorvus
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Right? I blame the plano team member who spoke to the rep who asked where they could find the fixture. This person knows where the new fixture pallet is, but this person doesn't do anything that they decide isn't their job, and showing reps where to find fixtures is somehow my job exclusively.
My fault I was on lunch?
My fault I was on lunch?
Im at the point where all the reps now seek me out and request me by name. I even got an email from someone at American Greetings with something or other in it for me. Now, in that case i talked to the rep and she didnt know what it was but for most of the others they actually try to come in when they know im there. S
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The ones I recognize as regulars, I give out my cell number.
Get this. Our Bose is still not installed. Finally got a call from someone at HQ that told me the Bose rep swore he installed it. Nope, looking at it still sitting in the box. Lets say he was not pleased.
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We have the beats display sitting in our signing room..
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Yep, so do we.
I just promoted to TL (seasonal/sport) in mid to late October. (previously Garden Center -> Garden + Receiving [and essentially running it as I had no TL most of the time]-> Captained inventory 3 times -> Captained right size -> PA) I've filled in for signing plenty of times, and have a pretty good understanding of it as well as plano (I did all the plano work for Garden Center). And I have to say.... while our signing guy was very problematic and probably needed to go, terming him in early-mid November was a TERRIBLE idea from our ETLs. The mad scramble to find someone to replace him and train them, as well as the mad scramble to find all of the signs and fixtures he'd lost all over the place. Worst Q4 for signing ever. I was hanging overheads the morning of our holiday readiness visit D:
Last night we finally found the display ornaments for the Rockefeller tree... Yep, last night! I have none of the rockefeller left except the display, and only like 7 or 8 boxed ones and 3 other displays.
I'm just really hoping our new signing guy can be way more organized.
Last night we finally found the display ornaments for the Rockefeller tree... Yep, last night! I have none of the rockefeller left except the display, and only like 7 or 8 boxed ones and 3 other displays.
I'm just really hoping our new signing guy can be way more organized.
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Wow!
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Well, I've already partnered with the new signing guy to make sure we're keeping all the stuff for the new garden place set safe and in a known location. And helping him figure out some routines. Other than that I think we're good. Hopefully! Anything else missing this time around... TIPP here we come. I just happened to start at a really awkward time (I officially started and finished training right after seasonal set and right in the middle of mini setting), and they picked a terrible time to term our old signing guy.
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Keep everything!
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If you still don't have your Nook display, PM me, I may be able to help.......
The Mule
Jack Of All Workcenters
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Just an FYI on the Nook displays for everyone. Our Field Project page for this has been updated to say that the displays will soon be "Target owned" and we will be able to order replacement displays right through TIPP as needed but that they aren't in the system yet. Looks like whoever we got as a rep for this one has not done well by HQ and they are looking to bypass them completely.
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We can order 2 of the older Nooks now, but just like most new displays, they are "Please keep trying to order until they become available"
I have a phone number to call Nook if anyone is interested.
I have a phone number to call Nook if anyone is interested.
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After I called that number, they brought all my missing displays (3) and repaired one of my broken displays.
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Post the number. It will probably become an Urgent Message tomorrow if you do.
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Our NOOK got Jacked off the endcap Yesterday, so it looks like I get to order one now
Just an FYI they are doing this out at my store again. They truly want me to say what my plans are for the week and hand them a little schedule with what "free time" i will have to do other things in the store. This - ON TOP of the fact that the PTL will not tell me what the plano team is working on until THAT DAY. I don't know how many ways to tell them that I can't give you my schedule, until I have THEIRS. HOW when 85-98% of what I do completely depends on what and where they are, what they're doing, what problems arise that I have to fix...etc. If you want to micromanage me then just do my hours according to TWT+Monthly hrs and see how accurate it is. Oh, and don't forget about those 96hr workweeks I get. I am so tired of this company (i am guessing this company-wide and not just my store) trying to get blood from a stone.
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You obviously work for morons.
My question for them is why they don't believe the time set forth for signing by HQ?
Why do you believe I will not go to my supervisor once I have completed my work?
Ask them if they really believe that you spending an hour a day writing down all that you do in a day is cost effective.
Ask them to talk to the SFT and see how frustrated he is with having to do that exact thing every single day.
I find the TWT+monthly hours are exactly what I need to complete my work.
The only time I say its not enough is weeks when there are tons of displays and my lazy team pretends to not be able to figure it out, so I am stuck with completing all their work or on Mondays when the LOD doesn't have backbone enough to call the entire team back to clean the fixture room when it gets trashed over the weekend.
Rant over.
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They not only want a daily schedule with what I intend to accomplish but one at the end of the day with what I have accomplished.
I'm getting very close to the edge.
On one hand I should know not to fret and that they will forget about it just after they've given me enough stress to have all my hair fall out. On the other its one of those just mind-numbingly stupid situations that literally make my brain hurt when I try to apply logic and figure out what they actually want from what they are telling me. One thing that I don't get about this current setup is why are they considering my workload to be separate from the plano team? I have other things to do, but they are slotted in around what their team does. It is an "add-on" to that. Why are we considering it to be separate?
TargetOldTimer, those are some very good and straightforward questions I will have to write down and bring up should another session arise. Commie - I think that this is what they want from me. They already complain about how they get too many emails (oh boy do i have a story about that, but it will give me away) so why do they want a daily plan, and then a daily recap as well? They are assuming that these take five minutes to write.
Just as an aside - here is how I monitor my own week. In my current situation - I get no info from Plano as to what they are doing until the day it happens. So, I know what is coming up based (i have a visual memory so this works for me) on what I see from what I unpacked in the signing area. I also know how much based on this. I also check off the monthly as it is completed. I know I am done if my list is checked off and signing is empty. This of course does not take into account any backorders or maintenance things that are ordered and come in. No one "has time" to ever do this stuff so that is always left to me which does take a significant amount of time. This does not include all the planogram checking and auditing, trouble-shooting, meeting with TLs about various things that they need or want in their departments, etc. Basically I have a list for "the week" in roughly the order of how I want to accomplish it; which of course has to be fluid to adapt to what happens in the store. As I accomplish things, I just proceed down the list until it is done. So when you ask me for a plan for "that day" I don't have one, since my plan is bigger than one day at any given time. I could easily plan by the day if my PTL would provide a plan that they would stick to, and that everyone TL and ETL-wise would communicate with when they need things instead of just demanding action on the spot. With a week-long plan I don't have to be frustrated with rearranging things e v e r y day, and I know what I need done.
Its just frustrating. One thing that most people in the store agree with about this particular ETL is that they are sneaky. When they talk to you they make you feel like they're trying to get one over on you. On top of the fact that they are not good at running the floor. I don't think that they actually understand the planogram process, they try to strongarm people into doing things. They will ask you to do something as an addition to what you are doing, and then they will come back with all this bs about you "committing to do it" and I don't know. They want to pin the shortfalls of the store on whatever patsy they can find. but I digress.
TargetOldTimer, those are some very good and straightforward questions I will have to write down and bring up should another session arise. Commie - I think that this is what they want from me. They already complain about how they get too many emails (oh boy do i have a story about that, but it will give me away) so why do they want a daily plan, and then a daily recap as well? They are assuming that these take five minutes to write.
Just as an aside - here is how I monitor my own week. In my current situation - I get no info from Plano as to what they are doing until the day it happens. So, I know what is coming up based (i have a visual memory so this works for me) on what I see from what I unpacked in the signing area. I also know how much based on this. I also check off the monthly as it is completed. I know I am done if my list is checked off and signing is empty. This of course does not take into account any backorders or maintenance things that are ordered and come in. No one "has time" to ever do this stuff so that is always left to me which does take a significant amount of time. This does not include all the planogram checking and auditing, trouble-shooting, meeting with TLs about various things that they need or want in their departments, etc. Basically I have a list for "the week" in roughly the order of how I want to accomplish it; which of course has to be fluid to adapt to what happens in the store. As I accomplish things, I just proceed down the list until it is done. So when you ask me for a plan for "that day" I don't have one, since my plan is bigger than one day at any given time. I could easily plan by the day if my PTL would provide a plan that they would stick to, and that everyone TL and ETL-wise would communicate with when they need things instead of just demanding action on the spot. With a week-long plan I don't have to be frustrated with rearranging things e v e r y day, and I know what I need done.
Its just frustrating. One thing that most people in the store agree with about this particular ETL is that they are sneaky. When they talk to you they make you feel like they're trying to get one over on you. On top of the fact that they are not good at running the floor. I don't think that they actually understand the planogram process, they try to strongarm people into doing things. They will ask you to do something as an addition to what you are doing, and then they will come back with all this bs about you "committing to do it" and I don't know. They want to pin the shortfalls of the store on whatever patsy they can find. but I digress.
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and thanks for that - its good to know sometimes that its not you thats the crazy one
They already pulled this with me. I had to send out a daily email at the end of my shift...soon that turned to weekly, and then I was told to not send them anymore.
I already have a routine sheet that was drafted up by my STL/ETL with my input...(not that I already don't know what I need to do, they just want it in writing so that they can show the other ETLs/TLs what I am working on and when, so there's no question).
One thing that would make it easier is if the pallets would show up on the same day every week, instead of randomly showing up.
I hear ya, Commie...I really do. I've already reached the edge (but not because of this situation).
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How much time do you guys "allocate" for pallets, and how do you explain it to those who don't get it? My ETL is boggled at the fact that I claim it takes more than an hour. Honestly, with an average of two pallets I would probably estimate the first part of my Monday (assuming that it comes over the weekend). Not because it takes a whole morning to unpack signing, but it does take time to sort and RE-Label (no one can be bothered to read the print on the boxes, i have to write it BIG for them), and take everything to its correct space. Also, it takes time to even get the pallet to my signing area. Not to mention to clear out the stacks of pallets, clearance, tubs, carts, etc. Also, make sure Plano has what they need for that day, and check emails and workbenches as well - even though not part of the pallet, they need to get done in the same time. Okay, then you sort, unpack, get out any direct to floor signs/fixtures, see if you have any backorder that came in - put that out. deliver all the store supplies that come on the pallet to their respective destinations which is usually checklanes, tsc, and of course pharmacy. i also take this time to update my packing slip binder, other paperwork, etc. Idk. roughly it would take my mornning until lunch. obviously less for smaller pallets, more for more. idk. maybe i am overthinking this. it just bothers me so much because it comes off as a questioning of my work ethic, or ability to do my job when i KNOW i am very good. if i had a better team or a better store, or more time that wasn't hoovered up by redundant things of course i could do more. they don't get why their old signing person would spend most of their time setting planograms when clearly they didn't manage their own time; they were at a SUPER small volume store. i am at a very high volume store that gets absolutely trashed on a daily basis. i feel like i reset half of the store myself just from the amount of maintenance i do on it. they just don't get it. and at the end of the day the worst part is not that they even read all this into that - they just want to be able to check off a piece of paper in five minutes and know what i am doing so they can completely bypass seeing what i do in a personable manner and just say - well i see you didn't check off this box so clearly you can't do your job. UGH. i'd say i'm ready for a new ETL cycle but they get worse every time!
