Archived The Big & Dandy Backroom thread!

[Hardlinesmaster]

That's when I do it myself! Subt9999, here I come!
After I tell backroom, 3 different times!

 

[uncorporated]

That is INSANE!!!! Your TL should definitely assign one person to backstock cooler and freezer until everything goes smooth again. Leaving everything runs the risk of reordering, which for the food trucks would be terrible. Also why are the dates written with a marker? Print Barcodes section has "UPC plus Date".

That's the expiration date, not the date that it was backstocked. Printing date on UPC just prints current date.

Lol the picture even shows that the UPC's they're printing have the dates on them. Sooo why the extra work of manually writing it? We used to write the expiration date on the packages but that practice became extinct.

Yeah, I think I'm the only one that does that. Others don't really give a crap. It's a lot easier to make room in the cooler/freezer if you notice outdates that you can pull while you're pulling CAFs or such. It's one of those things that I'm told I'm wasting time on usually. It's probably reasons like these that they make trainers of people that just started a couple months prior instead of me. They had someone training that wasn't even trained on machinery and bailer, etc. Meh, not like they get any benefits out of it, have at it. I'm used to promotions going to people that don't do things right, cheat, don't even care anyways.

Or know how to use printer. Train that guy, please!

I've been working backroom for about 4 years. Plleeaaaase. =P

As someone who's worked primarily in the Backroom for the four years I've been at Target I'd have to echo many of the concerns uncorporated has brought up in this thread. CAFs are near impossible for one team member to pull and push though that is the expectation for small volume stores (like mine). Our cooler/freezer used to look very similar to yours until we changed our process for backstocking it. We have one team member who is given a shift just to backstock in there on truck days with the rest of his shift being either POG or bike building. With one dedicated team member doing it he's been able to keep it relatively clean.

On the STO/SUBT subject anyone who says SUBT9999 has no place in the backroom has clearly never pulled CAF batches before. STO should be used on all truck backstock or anything that's been on a tub for awhile, but anything that has been killed from an endcap, brought back by POG team, from previous CAF push or backstock from instocks should ALWAYS be backstocked with SUBT9999. If you don't there's a good chance that it will come right back up in the CAF batches and either force you to burn them (gasp!) or pull something that won't go out only to STO it again later and repeat the process.

Yayy someone like MEeee. They usually make one of the guys from Instocks do it... when he has time, which is usually like never. Like you said, not only does the backroom get shafted, but just smaller stores in general. If a smaller store isn't bringing in enough revenue that you can't hire enough people to get the work done, then close the damned store. I have no idea how I've put up with it this long tbh. AT LEAST 2 PEOPLE IN BACKROOM AT ALL TIMES PLEASE!!! Don't worry, WE WILL NEVER RUN OUT OF THINGS TO DO.

I'd like to add how funny I think it is that our ETL is being so strict about having team lift stickers on furniture and such, but they only have one person in the backroom to lift it when it pulls. GO TEAM!

I'd also like to add that, once(and only once because I worked until close, which they usually don't let us do), they closed the store and left without me. They left like 5 minutes after the store was closed, I didn't think they would leave that quickly, and I was trying to finish something. That just goes to show how safe it is for one person to work in the backroom. If I were to fall off a ladder or get locked in the freezer or something other, chances are I'd be dead before they remembered I was back there.

And yeah, when I started, someone just showed me SUBT9999(only they told me SUBT99, which was wrong) as a "hint", like it was something we weren't really supposed to do. Shortly after, our ETL told us they got an email saying that we weren't to use it, that it screws things up. They were comfortable with us pulling everything back out that we just backstocked, and we weren't to burn. We were just expected to get it done somehow. If we didn't, then we were just slacking. One of many things that has caused me to turn into the negative being that I am now. Even my backroom TL enforced it, and just acted like it was me if I couldn't get it done. They were content as long as they could get everything backstocked so they could go home. They didn't care if the 1 person that had to pull it all got screwed over.

Oh yeah, the guy that showed me SUBT99 told me recently not to use it, because then it won't pull until they sell 9999 of the item.

Ok, now take this and make it three times the width and twice as deep, but still full of ************. That's my freezer after a 1400 piece food load. It takes ...a while to backstock!

I am so sorry. ;_; But seriously, -20F isn't that bad. Come now. Don't talk like it's inhumane or anything. Anyways, there are people working in worse conditions somewhere... like Siberia... so man up.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Uninc, Proper training of tm's helps out on the success of the team. I would be in your coolers with our ctl, fixing the issues. I do the same on seasonal stuff too. Because it can be mountain of mess too.

 

[RedDog]

Oh yeah, the guy that showed me SUBT99 told me recently not to use it, because then it won't pull until they sell 9999 of the item.

The guy that told you that is an idiot and is confusing SUBT with a backwords version of EXF. I do not get how people seem so confused about when to use SUBT. Suggest they look it up on MySupport they spell it out pretty well. All SUBT 99999 does is reset the accumulator so the computer thinks the sales floor location is full. So nothing will pull for that item until that items sells. If an item is not off that days truck and the floor is full SUBT 9999 is the only way to BS without starting an enternal pull BS pull BS cycle that will never end. Maybe you could get on Work Bench and print this stuff out for them.

 

[uncorporated]

Uninc, Proper training of tm's helps out on the success of the team. I would be in your coolers with our ctl, fixing the issues. I do the same on seasonal stuff too. Because it can be mountain of mess too.

CTL? I'm assuming that's a team leader for cooler/freezers? Yeah, we've never had one of those, never will. We don't even have anyone that wants to deal with it. When I tried going out of my way to try caring, I was criticized for wasting time.

The guy that told you that is an idiot and is confusing SUBT with a backwords version of EXF. I do not get how people seem so confused about when to use SUBT. Suggest they look it up on MySupport they spell it out pretty well. All SUBT 99999 does is reset the accumulator so the computer thinks the sales floor location is full. So nothing will pull for that item until that items sells. If an item is not off that days truck and the floor is full SUBT 9999 is the only way to BS without starting an enternal pull BS pull BS cycle that will never end. Maybe you could get on Work Bench and print this stuff out for them.

Yeah, that's the way I figured it worked. Luckily, we now have a new brtl that's been at target for a long time and isn't a moron, and he actually works, so things are getting done a little better. I've been working mostly on electronics and bulk lately, so I haven't even had to touch the cooler/freezer or do CAF pulls, except on Sundays, which makes this guy a happy camper.

Once holidays are over though it'll go back to !@#$ I'm sure. During the summer they actually cut me down to like 16 hours a week, which completely drained my savings. So, I think I MUST leave right after holidays. I can't afford to work at Target at a loss.

 

[insiteful1]

CTL? I'm assuming that's a team leader for cooler/freezers? Yeah, we've never had one of those, never will. We don't even have anyone that wants to deal with it. When I tried going out of my way to try caring, I was criticized for wasting time.

Consumables Team Lead. Yes, you will have a CTL.....eventually. All stores will be Pfresh by the end of 2014. CTL's should take partial ownership of the dairy and freezers. On DTL walks they will often ask CTL's about meat, produce, dairy, and freezer scores.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Food sales are important to spot, no matter what size your store is.

 

[Formina Sage]

That's the expiration date, not the date that it was backstocked. Printing date on UPC just prints current date.


I am so sorry. ;_; But seriously, -20F isn't that bad. Come now. Don't talk like it's inhumane or anything. Anyways, there are people working in worse conditions somewhere... like Siberia... so man up.

Sorry to go back to this, but let me just address these two things. Assuming that you took the pictures the same date you posted them (which is a reasonable assumption), then it wouldn't make sense for the marker writing to be the expiration date, otherwise you'd have outdates from October in your cooler.

To your second thing, don't fuϲking patronize me, punk. I never complained about the cold, I just implied that 4 pallets of frozen case stock and 70+ crates of open stock is a ѕhitload of backstock by yourself. Lots of time spent in there. What's the longest you've spent in your freezer? Because I'm pretty sure I've got you beat.

 

[MisterLogistics]

I find saying "don't fuϲking patronize me, punk" to other TMs always makes the situation better.

 

[Formina Sage]

It's the internet. I'll let my usual professionalism slip a notch 😉

 

[uncorporated]

Sorry to go back to this, but let me just address these two things. Assuming that you took the pictures the same date you posted them (which is a reasonable assumption), then it wouldn't make sense for the marker writing to be the expiration date, otherwise you'd have outdates from October in your cooler.

To your second thing, don't fuϲking patronize me, punk. I never complained about the cold, I just implied that 4 pallets of frozen case stock and 70+ crates of open stock is a ѕhitload of backstock by yourself. Lots of time spent in there. What's the longest you've spent in your freezer? Because I'm pretty sure I've got you beat.

LOL! Part A, Yes that's an old picture from before October. Part B, I was sympathizing with you! lolol~ They used to make the cooler/freezer completely my burden to carry. So I think I can appreciate your rage. I've spent 10 hours int he freezer before in one day. That was in and out of course though. I'm not sure what my record is for actually standing in the freezer with the door closed is though. Somewhere around 2 hours. I remember that day pretty vividly.

Consumables Team Lead. Yes, you will have a CTL.....eventually. All stores will be Pfresh by the end of 2014. CTL's should take partial ownership of the dairy and freezers. On DTL walks they will often ask CTL's about meat, produce, dairy, and freezer scores.

The only time I've ever seen the DTL walk the backroom, I was pulling CAFs, and the cooler/freezer were both completely packed. I made a display of pulling it all out in front of the DTL so I could get everything pulled, and all she said was that I needed to be wearing gloves.

 

[Michigan Mike]

The guy that told you that is an idiot and is confusing SUBT with a backwords version of EXF. I do not get how people seem so confused about when to use SUBT. Suggest they look it up on MySupport they spell it out pretty well. All SUBT 99999 does is reset the accumulator so the computer thinks the sales floor location is full. So nothing will pull for that item until that items sells. If an item is not off that days truck and the floor is full SUBT 9999 is the only way to BS without starting an enternal pull BS pull BS cycle that will never end. Maybe you could get on Work Bench and print this stuff out for them.

QFT

Most people don't understand what SUBT9999 is and what it does for the system. It's extremely useful when properly used and prevents hours of wasted work time from pulling the same garbage that just got backstocked over and over again.

 

[IHeartCarts]

We need a place for us BR people.


I'm at a lower volume store so I pull and do my own push. It's a good day when there is double coverage for a couple hours. Today I was told "we" have to get all the pulls and all the push done every hour. This is not possible at all. It took myself and another good TM 45 minutes to pull the 12s and that was after they dropped some manuals at 11 to try and ease the workload.

I would love to live in a world where this was possible. But the fact that this was even a suggestion and an approved suggestion is ridiculous. There are multiple days during the week when there is only one person in the back until 3 or 4. How are they supposed to do all that work? What about when they have to take a lunch or break?

I was told to just call for help if I'm not going to finish in time, and people are really good at helping out at my store. But am I supposed to call over and over every single hour? These people have stuff they have to do, they shouldn't have to do my job as well.

 

[Bosch]

A tip our back room uses, not sure if it good or bad but it makes sense.

Same pulls like HBA/Cosmetics they pull them every hour but may only push them every other hour, cause the pull usually is tiny it can wait to make it worth to walk out and push it. Soft lines is sometimes done this way. Not the diapers though they go out every hour.

And my store has people to just push CAFs. I know my store cares about pull times they can always get people to push, I would say call for people to push so you can keep pulling, if you need help.

 

[konk]

Maybe only ask for help with the 12's? The rest should be able to be done. Of course you can't do anything else in that hour depending on the pull, but if that's what they want. I guess you'd need help when you take your lunch too. I work the 5's and there's no way I could work all of them. When I work a 6 hour shift, I only have about 45 minutes to backstock.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

This thread reminds me of the this thread:
http://www.thebreakroom.org/index.php?threads/the-big-dandy-backroom-thread.380/

 

[ETHICS DEMANDER]

Lol I think I'm gonna strangle dayside backroom(not serious).. some slacker isn't pulling correctly.. partial cases or case counts are different in all coolers/freezers and overnight batchs keep taking me to empty spots.. drove me nuts last night when like half the batch wasn't there

 

[konk]

Yeah I always find ghosts and baffles. Also idiots that think the 12 different colored glasses are the same dpci. 1 is a good worker, but doesn't pay attention to detail, 2 are straight up bad workers, and 3 are good workers. Not including me, that's the whole team, morning and night. And some of them don't always work BR!

 

[BRguy]

I hate partial cases! It's even worse when its clearly partial and some idiot backstocks it as a full case.

 

[StackerMistress]

Man, I can't imagine having to push as well as pull. We've had times where we were short on morning/afternoon SF TMs and the LOD asked us (BR) to come out and push. 9 times out of 10, we don't have time to do that.

How about when it's 6 pm and I'm drowning in backstock and there's 5 TMs just hanging out chatting in the backroom because zone's already done... how about they help backstock. That'd be just swell.

 

[konk]

I hate partial cases! It's even worse when its clearly partial and some idiot backstocks it as a full case.

I do "case enough" (learned what it was called on TBR) but I make sure to tape the case or put it in upper case stock to minimize the chances of someone counting.

 

[sigma7]

Partial case packs drive me crazy. Unless it's bakery, fresh meat, or produce no one should be backstocking partial cases. I also hate when people backstock full case packs in open stick locations and backstock open stock in case pack locations (profiles where there are open stock locations that are a full shelf like SPRT, GRC3, maybe a couple others).

 

[Kompa]

I don't know if im messing up the backroom but if it says pull like 2 things from a case, i'll just pull the whole case.

and im not counting all the non sense that is STAT/OFFICE

srry

 

[icaruslived]

If it tells me that, esp in Bulk plastic (or something else ridiculous) I pull it in gun, then toggle to STO and and go right back to my batch, chances are it'll come up again in CAF but hopefully by then it'll want more than 1 or 2 out of a case pack of 6.

 

[sigma7]

If it tells me that, esp in Bulk plastic (or something else ridiculous) I pull it in gun, then toggle to STO and and go right back to my batch, chances are it'll come up again in CAF but hopefully by then it'll want more than 1 or 2 out of a case pack of 6.

And then it only wants one or two during the next cafs, so you decide to burn it again. Then your floor is empty because you've sold down throughout the day, but you haven't been physically pulling what the system thinks you've pulled. Then you don't sell anymore because the floor is empty and the system doesn't request more because it thinks the floor is full. Then we lose sales and guests get mad. Then some guest finally tracks down a salesfloor tm to see if there's more of that tub and then another backroom team member has to stop what they're doing and go pull something that should've already been pulled. Or Instocks goes through and scans it a day or two later and then it finally gets filled.

And that's why we don't burn batches.