Archived VM TL

[Ashfromoldsite]

To all the VMLs out there. Get used to getting pulled away from your tasks to do something else that isn't your responsibility. This is target, and no amount of corporate directive stating they should only be doing Home trend areas and mannequins is enough to stop the individual stores from having a VML do reshop, respond for backup, set a sales planner, push a pull. It is not in your job title but you are now a team player whether you like it or not and that means being "global" and doing what needs done regardless if you think that this is why the position was opened.

For instance, I am a price accuracy team member. I should only be marking clearance and changing labels around the store. Bit every day I am flexing over outs because clearance sold out and going 4x4s with the rest of the store in the freezers and getting carts because there's no cart attendant and spending 60+ minutes a shift on the register. You are going to be no different. Payroll is payroll.

This this this!!!!

 

[tanner6116]

U guys are way to negative

 

[redeye58]

U guys are way to negative

When you're finally settled in role, getting results & seeing an impact from your hard work then getting your hours gutted, you might understand our frustration. It's like having your first-born taken from you.
This could be a great way to pull Target's brand back from the Walmart brink if not for corp's crappy way of roll-out.
*Cue Skyclad telling us "Yeah, I get this. This is retail, bla bla bla" before telling us where we're wrong & we don't have a clue & pointing out our 'ignorance of business acumen'.
Spot is the devil we know.
And you'll know it soon enough.

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

Red eye and clearance master are my new pals. They know EXACTLY what they're talking about!

It's not that we're negative. We are speaking realistic and fact proven statements about how target IS, not what target has written that it wants to be.

This position may work well in Minneapolis where all the payroll is. FACT is, stores outside of Minnesota do not have the same luxuries.

I currently live where there is another competitor. Target is number 3 here, NOT number 2. People prefer shopping at another retailer. I live in a metro of several million, with only 9 Target stores. And ONLY 2 stores are higher than low volume/higher than D volume (for the old timers.) ONLY 1 store is operating with an increase over last year. My store hasn't made sales a single month since I moved here.

It sucks. It's sad. I used to live where target was number 1.

 

[Penrose]

Target should focus on solving the small inefficiencies that causes a domino effect of troubles.

I actually think the new blade cutter is a good investment. No need to worry about bringing my own cutter, and having it attached in my belt is really nice too. I also stopped hurting or scratching myself. Good job!!!!

The wellness discount, bravo, love the discount!! Made me more eager to shop at target for food.

Other solutions that I already mentioned before that might relate to VM TL is really about the labelling hierarchy- use of colors, not just yellow and white + blank ink. This helps with correctly stocking the items, and guides customers to easily locate what they want to buy.

Improve in-store advertising... encourage customers to use the different discounts available... when guest ask questions about something, follow up with, do you have a cartwheel account, red card, etc.

Allow tms to use personal phone , and incorporate dpci or locations in the apps...

Educate new hires about the apps, so that when guest ask about something, they can give them answers...

Allow a member sign in app, for tms to look at if they have certain questions about in store policies

 

[PlanoBitch]

U guys are way to negative

My posts weren't meant to be negative at all. I was just explaining what can happen since it has happened to me numerous times. Again, I did say can happen, I am not saying it will happen to you or in every store but it will happen in a lot of stores. I am constantly being told that we are one team and that means that everyone has to do what is needed for the better of the store.

 

[Penrose]

Visual merchandising - replace some of the billboards and advertising in-store. I see the same picture in the back wall in departments like intimates, hosiery... also think hard of what these pictures really suggest. It needs to really be sufficiently seductive in order to induce people to buy one.

 

[Penrose]

Maybe it is better to have less truck days, full truck or double, but longer hours - say starts at 11 pm or midnight then, ends at 8 am for flow team... that seems a better strategy.

Why keep sending inventories every 2 days? Another day or two might not matter that much.

 

[BlueSide]

Other solutions that I already mentioned before that might relate to VM TL is really about the labelling hierarchy- use of colors, not just yellow and white + blank ink. This helps with correctly stocking the items, and guides customers to easily locate what they want to buy.

I'm a little doubtful as to how helpful that really would be. Are there any studies on this? Lol

encourage customers to use the different discounts available... when guest ask questions about something, follow up with, do you have a cartwheel account, red card, etc.

That should already be happening...

Educate new hires about the apps, so that when guest ask about something, they can give them answers...

This is already the responsibility of your digital advisor(s).

incorporate dpci or locations in the apps...

They already did! Lol I use the Target app on my phone all the time when I'm shopping. I search for items, and it tells me exactly which aisle they're on plus any deals! Pair this with the beacons they're adding to stores, and you've got a pretty immersive shopping experience.

 

[Penrose]

Target prides itself of having a better in-store experience, but when customers come in , they see tubs, flats, cages everywhere, hardly any sales members to really help them coz everyone is so busy with restocking...

If a store closes at 10 pm and opens at 8 am. That should be the LOGISTIC HOURS. These should be hours for teams like pfresh, plano, market, wave, etc...

Guests should walk in and think that items magically appear in the shelves - they shouldn't see people restocking. That for me, is great store experience.

Even go backs should happen after the store closes.

@BlueSide - aisle, yes, I'm talking like 1-1-1 , exact location in the aisle , so flow can use it too. App not helpful in softlines area yet.

label hierarchy - if you work in softlines, you will understand what I mean.

 

[BlueSide]

Maybe it is better to have less truck days, full truck or double, but longer hours - say starts at 11 pm or midnight then, ends at 8 am for flow team... that seems a better strategy.

If only we all could have an overnight process :/ oh well. Most stores with a 4am unload do pretty well. I just feel bad for the ones unloading at 6 am or later lol.

Why keep sending inventories every 2 days? Another day or two might not matter that much.

Shipments need to come in quick and quite often, in order to achieve the streamlined replenishment process that Target desires so much.

 

[BlueSide]

@Penrose I also believe every store should have some sort of overnight process. But just imagine the payroll it would take to perform all of those tasks overnight, and still keep the store staffed during the day. Remember someone has to replenish and zone as guests shop throughout the day. What you are imagining, is a picture of Target 10 or 15 years ago. A good one I'll admit

 

[squirrely]

The VML will be overseeing the brand tms, this is a corporate directive. So while it isn't currently happening in your location while the VML trains, it is expected of them when they are settled. They do have primary responsibilities over mannequins, trend, home focals and standards training in the store. Secondary responsibility is support with seasonal and the VAs. While you might not have this occurring at the moment (understandable since the VM is new), it will be expected of your store and will happen. The role is a lot larger than most people realize and only a VML that is actually doing their research, training and communication would know this. You can't base the role off of how your own leadership is handling (mishandling) the position so far. The role will most likely feel larger in low volume locations since flexing and improvisation are more commonplace as well as the 'empty fixture' syndrome plaguing Target.

The biggest problem is that they didn't hire/train the Visual Merchandising Market Leaders earlier, who then should have done the inform training per district with ETLs so they actually knew what they were doing. The way it has been handled so far is that the hiring was done with a general idea of what the company/store needed, then the specifics trickled in later. The people dealing with the most frustration so far are the actual VMLs who can be on the right path or a very misguided one depending on the capability of their ETL team.

Right now I am only scheduled 4 hours a week for brand, which is probably why my lead is not changing. I asked before accepting the position. My SLTL sets the day she wants me for brand and gives me tasks. I don't see why I would need the VML over me in my section as I already know what I am doing.

I am in an ULV store. I am for this position, just waiting to see how it actually gets put to use.

 

[Penrose]

@BlueSide ,thanks!! Maybe Target is better off before the changes.

Maybe, it won't increase payroll that much. Is it really necessary to keep replenishing and zoning throughout the day? Inventories on the floor should be planned so that it can last a day. Then, when the guests are gone, that's when we keep re-stocking again.

During the day, the focus should be GENERATING SALES. Approaching guests and helping them find what they need.

 

[BlueSide]

@BlueSide ,thanks!! Maybe Target is better off before the changes.

Maybe, it won't increase payroll that much. Is it really necessary to keep replenishing and zoning throughout the day? Inventories on the floor should be planned so that it can last a day. Then, when the guests are gone, that's when we keep re-stocking again.

Many inventories can't be planned for a full day. Think of all the big items with a floor capacity of 1. Those items would need multiple locations, which would allow less space for other items. Then think of all the go-backs that would sit in a cart all day insteam of making it back to the shelf. Think of the cartwheel items that are not on planogram and require a team member to find it. And of course you need to keep people on the floor to help guests shop and fill up their carts. Many shoppers crave the extra assistance and opinion. A sales floor with no sales associates is hardly productive or profitable.

 

[Penrose]

Thanks for explaining that to me, @BlueSide...

How about pfresh, can this be done before opening? Or the DC makes the schedule?

 

[BlueSide]

Plano and flow should both be complete overnight processes. Backroom should come in about 2 hours after closing. Price change just needs to come in early enough so that any markups are done before opening. Instocks should start at store open, after the floor is stocked and zoned. The price change and instocks teams can double as the early sales associates. Keep sales floor (including market and softlines) and backroom lightly staffed throughout the day, starting at about noon-1, but bring in a big recovery team to zone the shit out of that store before the overnight stock team comes back.

 

[BlueSide]

*IMO^^

 

[Penrose]

I like that process @BlueSide - that seems like something that needs to be implemented to all stores. Minimize disruption to guest experience, and still achieve optimal results.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Every store is different.

 

[Penrose]

I guess so, @Hardlinesmaster. There is no need to make changes, if current processes is alright. Actual experience is the most reliable way to know if something works or not. Don't stick to the ideal or theories. Just because it seems to make sense, doesn't necessary mean it will work or it is better.

 

[redeye58]

Target prides itself of having a better in-store experience, but when customers come in , they see tubs, flats, cages everywhere, hardly any sales members to really help them coz everyone is so busy with restocking...
If a store closes at 10 pm and opens at 8 am. That should be the LOGISTIC HOURS. These should be hours for teams like pfresh, plano, market, wave, etc...
Guests should walk in and think that items magically appear in the shelves - they shouldn't see people restocking. That for me, is great store experience.
Even go backs should happen after the store closes.

Many stores USED to have ON processes that allowed them to keep stocking clutter (forgive me, flow) to a minimum but corp decided to move the lower vol stores to early morning to utilize flow in assisting guests after opening &, in some cases, eliminate the shift differential. The result is longer push times, more floor 'clutter' for guests to maneuver around & items often pushed beyond capacity.
Same with PA. They used to be an early morning process (i remember coming in at 6am most days, 4am for heavy drops) but have since been moved to after the store has opened in order to assist guests.
Instocks (at our store) has been moved to the same.
Afterwards hours were cut as well as the number of cashiers throughout the day, the theory being that more TMs on the floor means better coverage.
Teams are less likely to finish their tasks for the day because of constant interruptions to assist guests, answering calls, getting called up for back-up cashiering & being sent to assist other areas.

 

[Penrose]

maybe Target has done studies that these disruptions doesn't really affect sale that much... cost benefit analysis stuff..

yeah, I guess, there is shift differential pay, so if you start at 12 am that's an expensive process... so 4am is kinda optimal.

 

[tinkerbell333]

This this this!!!!

I agree THIS + the fact that some day after having done all of this additional work someone higher up will try to hold you accountable for you VMTL duties as well. I think it's great how enthusiastic you newly hired VM's are, but you might want to consider that longer tenured team members have experience in how Target does things. Read more of this site, it is eye opening. I was surprised to find thru reading posts here that SO much of the silly nonsense that happens at my store happens at Targets all over. Read and learn, knowledge is power.

 

[Penrose]

agreed, this site is really helpful at exploring ideas... coz people here have good perspective on what the outcome might be or would be like if such idea will be implemented.