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- Apr 11, 2014
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I've been waiting for for over two months! Vendor said there are behind do to the high level of orders. They were hoping to be back on track this week
MEGATHREAD Signing Tips, Tricks and Quips (along with howls of despair)
- Thread starter commiecorvus
- Start date
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wilwum
Guest
So I've recently inherited signing from our old Signing TM who left the company. I got one day of training at another store and then my ETL begged me to come finish the week back at my store. I've been desperately trying to clear out the fixture room of all the old signs she either didn't put up or were just buried. (About 75% of the CSE redo is still left in the steel waiting to be finished.) And I can't find the instructions for most of them. I still have the basic how to change the low wall/focal signs.
Anyway, I found a box of signing for the cafe bulkhead, and am tired of moving these damn things around so I attempted looking at it today. Are those signs switched over to the new setup with the channels and clips or are they supposed to just hang from the hooks like the old ones did? I was under the assumption the latter was the case and tried to hang them that way but I noticed that the holes don't line up right? Anyway, basically any tips, tricks, or suggestions regarding that whole CSE mess would be greatly appreciated.
Anyway, I found a box of signing for the cafe bulkhead, and am tired of moving these damn things around so I attempted looking at it today. Are those signs switched over to the new setup with the channels and clips or are they supposed to just hang from the hooks like the old ones did? I was under the assumption the latter was the case and tried to hang them that way but I noticed that the holes don't line up right? Anyway, basically any tips, tricks, or suggestions regarding that whole CSE mess would be greatly appreciated.
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- Jun 26, 2014
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Wow I am so sorry to hear you got left with that mess. Not sure about the bulkhead. Mine did not switch, I'd suggest looking through the signs to see if any say food ave. Try to my support for the directions, also tell your leadership that two people are needed for this project. One should be tall and wave certified.
Welcome to signing.
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I'm sorry but I would have told the ETL to go choke on a rope.
Your's is the one job that desperately needs as much background as possible.
Sure there is plenty of learn as you go but to throw you in the deep end and hope you can swim is basically saying we don't care if you survive.
I got left with a nightmare fixture room too.
At first I held on to things because it seemed like the minute we got rid of something we'd need it.
Oh, that display case that's been sitting around for a year and we never told you what to do with -- we want it back on the floor now.
The fact is there's only so much room.
When in doubt, throw it out.
You can order it, if it turns out you need it after all.
Signkitty is right, you should be able to download the instructions to most of the signage or get ahold of the sign ninjas at nearby stores, they are usually very willing to help.
Get a circle of contacts that helps a lot.
small appliance bullnose: for the clear film? search small appliance bullnose, and bullnose under sap. i haven't ordered it since it was on TIPP (we also have since gotten rid of small appliance shelves since they are an upkeep nightmare at our store and switched to 14" shelves with the curved 3x5 informational signholders attached).
inheriting a signing mess: keep the large project things that will be a nightmare to reorder. throw away everything else old (random signs, fixtures displays) that you don't have enough time to go through and put out. as much as i hate "when in doubt throw it out" with the fire of a thousand suns, it will be easier for you to then focus on as much only new things as possible. you're going to be busy until black friday, and then you will have some downtime until the Toys set on january 1. talk to your leaders now about using that time for your leftover "projects". for the cafe bulkhead - do you mean the wall mounted and/or canoe type signs that shout out the departments? if you are not sure, partner with your SFT if they are someone who is approachable to you. i know at my store sometimes those projects fall under him, and sometimes under me. we always partner on things that overlap and honestly is a signing tm's best friend in terms of workload (and the stuff you get asked to do).
also - if they try to make you deep dive all the departments right away and fix/reorder everything just don't. try and take everything as it comes, and fix things departmentally as they transition. this is a much more manageable way to come into your role without taking on too much. know that most departments reset at least partially every 6 months or so to give you an idea of the timeframes of things. make sure if you're asked to take on large projects (on top of your workload) make sure your PTL and ETL are on the same page and have your back and that you work as a team. On my third PTL and 8th ETL or so i can say that it is a world of difference when you all work as a team and have each others backs on your projects and workload as opposed to when you are all kind of on your own thing.
inheriting a signing mess: keep the large project things that will be a nightmare to reorder. throw away everything else old (random signs, fixtures displays) that you don't have enough time to go through and put out. as much as i hate "when in doubt throw it out" with the fire of a thousand suns, it will be easier for you to then focus on as much only new things as possible. you're going to be busy until black friday, and then you will have some downtime until the Toys set on january 1. talk to your leaders now about using that time for your leftover "projects". for the cafe bulkhead - do you mean the wall mounted and/or canoe type signs that shout out the departments? if you are not sure, partner with your SFT if they are someone who is approachable to you. i know at my store sometimes those projects fall under him, and sometimes under me. we always partner on things that overlap and honestly is a signing tm's best friend in terms of workload (and the stuff you get asked to do).
also - if they try to make you deep dive all the departments right away and fix/reorder everything just don't. try and take everything as it comes, and fix things departmentally as they transition. this is a much more manageable way to come into your role without taking on too much. know that most departments reset at least partially every 6 months or so to give you an idea of the timeframes of things. make sure if you're asked to take on large projects (on top of your workload) make sure your PTL and ETL are on the same page and have your back and that you work as a team. On my third PTL and 8th ETL or so i can say that it is a world of difference when you all work as a team and have each others backs on your projects and workload as opposed to when you are all kind of on your own thing.
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- Nov 3, 2011
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How is everyone liking the mannequins? I'm pooped. I walk in Monday to 3 pallets of mixed signing/Christmas and had to deal with signing all the mannequins that were installed the night before as well.
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wilwum
Guest
Ugh mannequins. They scheduled me overnight for that mess to assist with the singing. We really needed two people doing it because I didn't manage to get done. Plano didn't do their signing either. So, it's another week of trying to get everyone else caught up so I can walk in the fixture room again. Probably not going to get to prebuild anything for holiday this week anyway because there isn't space anywhere to store any of it without it getting broken.
I keep telling myself one day at a time but then I remember there is still all that CSE crap I have to get taken down and replaced. I appreciated the reminder to remove expired graphics in the November signing update because I feel like that's directed right at my store. I keep begging for time once plano dies down to come clean on everything and I really hope they're actually going to follow through on that. Promises from ETLs are almost as shallow as they are.
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You just have to build Christmas this week! It will take 1 person about 3+ days to prebuild. The 3 main bins take 8 hours in themselves. We set Christmas Sunday morning, so everything must be built by then. Remember that this is just the first wave of Christmas. The FOS and race track hasn't arrived yet. You can get support by showing your etl the 67 hours alloted this week and next week is even worse! You need a helper wilwum!
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wilwum
Guest
Our only real veteran POG team member left told me they generally build the bins for Christmas as they go, but I'm going to at least build the main focal bins for them. I farmed wrap bins out to the ETLs which they managed to get set, with backer paper and everything. Our ETLs love to set aisles, particularly ones with lots of pegs, without backer paper then yell at me when there isn't backer paper in them. *facepalm*
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- Nov 3, 2011
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I want to come work at your store wilwum. 🙄
Hey, anyone get that Frozen shipper for big girls department?? Due to set 11/2. I'm complete for 11/26 work, and looked through 11/2 work and it didn't come.
I can't tell you how much trouble that shipper is caused me today. She wants it, wants it now, and I don't have it yet.
😵
Hey, anyone get that Frozen shipper for big girls department?? Due to set 11/2. I'm complete for 11/26 work, and looked through 11/2 work and it didn't come.
I can't tell you how much trouble that shipper is caused me today. She wants it, wants it now, and I don't have it yet.
😵
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sigma7
Former ETL-All the Things
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- Jun 15, 2011
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We still haven't gotten the 11/2 signing pallet(s). We only have the initial shipment of backer paper and headers for some of the 10/26 pogs that have become first come first served for whoever gets to their endaps the earliest! Trend runs were set first of course.
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I built that shipper yesterday, I forget when it came in. I was just glad it had all of its parts and only one was broken.
When I don't get things people want and they want to know where they are I just remind them I get whole pallets that are for other stores and shrug.
I've got no help this year and the only thing I've prebuilt is the two freestanding bins. Looks like my ptl is going to make me wait until the end of the set to do my overheads, and it's not even worth it to describe what a pain that will be. Did anyone else's district and group management take the two day set by Monday directive seriously get stuck coming in today? Good times. I've kept telling my ptl that with no help the team to build the premium wrap bins but all they are worried about is trees. Has anyone looked at the overhead package or dealt with the cable system? Tree flat is tonight and I'm wondering if I just have I say no to joy to the world and do Santa coming through the ceiling instead. I looked at the build times in the MSU and most were under two hours which seems really fast, no?
**edit to add**
I know the FOS are usually later but I feel like the MSU has them all dated the same date?eh also anyone else missing the ribbon shelves (the ones we build?)? I was missing them last year and my good luck I'm missing them year as well. :\
**edit to add**
I know the FOS are usually later but I feel like the MSU has them all dated the same date?eh also anyone else missing the ribbon shelves (the ones we build?)? I was missing them last year and my good luck I'm missing them year as well. :\
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- Joined
- Dec 13, 2012
- Messages
- 5
I did the overheads with the new cable system today. It went pretty smooth and was fairly simple. There is a ziploc bag with all cables needed for each overhead. The new clear piece that connects to the ceiling fits really tight making moving the overheads for adjustments difficult. That said, I only broke one cable and just used one of the old hooks in its place.
My STL is clueless when it comes to signing and pog and is taking the 2 day set very seriously. But wont come off any hours. She truly expects miracles. When I'm only one person and NEVER get any help.
Tomorrow I have to build all of the bins, focals and shippers, and set and push them. Our pog team consists of 3 people including the ptl. I have to set all shippers and do all revisions each week on top of the signing because the stl only cares about the truck and backroom.
This is my 3rd Christmas and it has to be the worst one so far already!!
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- Dec 13, 2012
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- 5
Wow! I'm glad I'm not the only one that still hasn't finished the CSE bs. When it was suppose to set in April our wave broke and they never gave me time to get back to any of it. I've been begging for hours to get it done but I don't even get close to the hours the adjacency calendar says I should get each week. My fingers are crossed that I get some hours to catch up once all the holiday crap is up but I highly doubt it.
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- Aug 28, 2014
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I started the OH's last night. Tight is not the word for those new cable clips for the ceiling. Some of them are impossible to use.
And why are we using these? This signing is not near as heavy as other OH signing in the past. And it clearly states in the instruction to throw away after the Christmas set.
Was this just someone at corporate's pet project?
And why are we using these? This signing is not near as heavy as other OH signing in the past. And it clearly states in the instruction to throw away after the Christmas set.
Was this just someone at corporate's pet project?
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- Jun 10, 2011
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It seems to me that they have to come up with something new at least twice a year or they can't justify their jobs.
It doesn't matter if it works worth damn.
I can't seem to find the tree table covers (not the joy table shipper), did they come in a box that wasn't labeled "Tree Flat" or something? Haven't been missing anything on any of my pallets in the last few weeks, and I checked the three pallets that came in today, no luck. Guess my pog team is just going to have to set the trees without them, and then I'll be expected to lift the trees off and do the signing whenever it shows up.
Unless otherwise specified...wonder if there will be a RedWire about it...
I love the new cable system. Not having extra cables to replace ones that are missing or broken, not so much.
That's why I stocked up prior to receiving the TAT transition guide...oh well.
Yes, it was in a box marked Tree Flat. I had an issue with some boxes being generically labeled so I went off of the online packing slip to see what the contents were.
I've been missing a lot of signing off of my pallets. Seems to be a district-wide (and judging from the board) a company-wide thing...
Hey everyone.....I need help really quick. Someone opened the box to my power aisle overheads and now the paperwork is missing. So I do not know which overhead goes where. I have the packet with the target shopping carts and the big santa with a list in his hand. I went to my support but It would not work and my ptl and Etls are clueless on how to find it. Can anyone link me to where I can see a online copy of it? I am done with all the other overheads I just need this last set. Thanks
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I hope you found out who did it and cut off their hands (figuratively).
You used to be able to pull up paper work in SAP for a lot of the projects, can you still do that?
Or I called stores close by and got them to fax me the instructions one time.
You used to be able to pull up paper work in SAP for a lot of the projects, can you still do that?
Or I called stores close by and got them to fax me the instructions one time.
