I have been with Kroger for 6 months now and I'm looking to become a backup within the next 6 to 8 months. I am currently part time and having my hours cut down because I am about to become full time by default. I am fighting to get more hours but at the same time I looking to learn more about what I can do to become a backup. I am a hard worker and my backups, grocery head, grocery manager and even the store manager are aware of who I am and my intentions of moving up in the company. I have been told using the rf scanner and key retailing are two important components of a backup. I've been using the scanner for the past few weeks now mainly for scanning back stock and once for ordering the store. I'm interested in any and all advice you have to offer :)
Since you are part time and you have hours to spare. First look at the job description for the Grocery Manager. Since this is really what you will be doing. That will tell you what is involved. Then ask you grocery manager if you can have time to take some of the needed courses on line for the position. You may not get many hours a week to do the training. Training hours do not count toward the departments overall budgeted hours, but the store manager does like to control these hours. Start with your RF knowledge (CAO)as it is the one thing you will need daily. Constantly try to find information that will help you learn.
Keep doing what you are doing. Knowing how to use the RF scanner is important. Although, I lack Key Retailing knowledge. I too need to get edumacated if I want to be a manager. At my store, do not scan from 12:30am to 1:30am. The main computer is updating and all the BOHs are tilted. When the updating is done, the BOHs that you change will be wrong.
I am the back-up to the back-up after 5 years part-time. I run the crew on Sunday night. Mainly, because of senority and I have a clue what is going on. The other two guys have no clue how to log into the RF scanner and no motivation to learn. I do not think they even know their UEID. Beats me how they are going to get their schedule when we start Eschedule..
Learn the functions on the RF.
01xxxxx is from one warehouse(usually night grocery).
69xxxxx is KMP/Peyton and from another warehouse(usually ran on days).
Control O shows when the product was ordered and whether it was recieved or mispicked. This helps me know if it has been scratched or not. You have to view order on computer to know for sure. Function 0 shows what adjustments have been made to the BOHs. While on that screen, press Function 9. That will show who made the adjustment. Don't be shocked to find out the manager/coworker zeroed it out while doing the daily scan. If it is just a 5 digit #, then that means someone from the warehouse adjusted it because it was sent in a shipper. If anything like our store, the shelf will be empty for a month before the shipper is ran to the shelf!
There are many other functions but those are the three I use most often. I am not familair with the others.
Learn how to recieve the trucks. Learn about the DDP. Find out how to look-up trucks on transview. Know how long you are given to condition the store. Learn how to do the backstock review. Learn how to look up the order before you order for the store. Learn how to doublecheck order after you do the order review to make sure you did not fat finger something! Learn how to print labels for products that do not have a label so the reciever can scan it out easier. Control T, control T, 2. Find out who orders the paper and plastic bags for the store. Paper 0168724(not often). Plastic 0198366(almost every order). I do not know the numbers for the odd bags.
Always be ready to learn and be prepared to be used. Work like your hair is on fire and with a smile.
One advise I can give is don't expect someone to teach you it won't happen you have to be hungry for knowledge and remember most people take the position without realizing that it's not just dry gro you have to worry about in almost every store in every division gro is made up of three dept dry frozen and dairy you will be over all of them so it would be wise to learn them all and attempt to know more than the person in that area I've been back up for 4 years and to this date my frozen lead still has to ask me question that I commonly know the answer too hope this helps.
