I just got hired as a cashier, and this whole "ELMS" thing has me a bit spooked. Will they actually fire me if I'm not fast enough? I'm an older woman (55) and I'm worried I just might not be able to pick it up as quick or go as lightning fast as someone younger. Will they actually let me go if I haven't gotten up to speed by the time my probation's over? I haven't gone to Orientation or any training yet, so apologies in advance if this is covered. I'm.... nervous. How tough are they going to be? Thanks.
Not that they'll fire you directly, since that only applies to those who work slow on purpose. However, depending on how competent your management team or your front end supervisor, the worst they can do to you is to borderline harass your to get your ELMS up.
I started as a cashier when I was 55 and felt the same way. You can do it!! Get a notebook and take notes. Ask for a list with all the produce codes and start memorizing them. (I put my notes on the back of that sheet) Ask for Kroger card and coupons first. Don't bag anything until you are done with the payment.
The worst thing is customers who leave your line to go out to the car and get their card, or go get an item they forgot. Find someone to suspend the order for you.
Relax, you will do fine. I have never heard of anyone getting fired for ELMS, and I don't think they can fire you over ELMS. Knowing the produce PLU codes without looking them up comes over time, give it about a month. One tip- Avoid using the hand held scanner "gun" whenever possible. The ELMS system only gives you 0.4 second between beeps with the hand held, versus 1.5 seconds using the regular scanner.
You can not be fired for not meeting ELMS goals. However keep in mind that during your probationary period you can be let go for any or no reason at all. Welcome to Kroger.
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Would you like fries with th... I mean, your milk in a bag?
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They can't fire you for not being fast enough. I'm 20 and a new cashier as well. I've never worked as a cashier so it's definitely something new. Being new, they'll cut you some slack since you're still trying to learn the ropes. When I first started, I was as slow as could be. If you're that worried, just tell the customers coming through your line that you're new/ in training. They'll understand. I've been at it for about a month now and I'm getting faster. It'll take some time to be quick at it. Don't stress about it. You'll get there. Ask questions too. Trust me, you'll be asking a lot of questions. Good luck!
Meeting ELMS is really easy, you only really need around 15 items per minute to get 100% compliance, and I couldn't go less than 15 IPM if I tried. You'll be fine.
-- Edited by tomato on Wednesday 2nd of July 2014 09:47:15 PM
Meeting ELMS is really easy, you only really need around 15 items per minute to get 100% compliance, and I couldn't go less than 15 IPM if I tried. You'll be fine.
-- Edited by tomato on Wednesday 2nd of July 2014 09:47:15 PM
15? Ha!
I'm not sure who told you that, but 15 wouldn't be anywhere near the goal, even on an express lane.
Meeting ELMS is really easy, you only really need around 15 items per minute to get 100% compliance, and I couldn't go less than 15 IPM if I tried. You'll be fine.
-- Edited by tomato on Wednesday 2nd of July 2014 09:47:15 PM
15? Ha!
I'm not sure who told you that, but 15 wouldn't be anywhere near the goal, even on an express lane.
isn't 32IPM 100%?
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Would you like fries with th... I mean, your milk in a bag?
Meeting ELMS is really easy, you only really need around 15 items per minute to get 100% compliance, and I couldn't go less than 15 IPM if I tried. You'll be fine.
-- Edited by tomato on Wednesday 2nd of July 2014 09:47:15 PM
15? Ha!
I'm not sure who told you that, but 15 wouldn't be anywhere near the goal, even on an express lane.
We have several cashiers who check between 12 and 20 IPM who are >100%. Hell, my first week I was checking around 18 IPM and I think I had 112%. I've plateaued in the upper 20s, lower 30s, and I hover in the 140-160% range. Our fastest checker pushes 165% at 35.
Meeting ELMS is really easy, you only really need around 15 items per minute to get 100% compliance, and I couldn't go less than 15 IPM if I tried. You'll be fine.
-- Edited by tomato on Wednesday 2nd of July 2014 09:47:15 PM
15? Ha!
I'm not sure who told you that, but 15 wouldn't be anywhere near the goal, even on an express lane.
isn't 32IPM 100%?
Nope, at least not at my store. We only have one checker who can consistently go faster than 30 IPM and he's always >160% on the score sheet.
Don't forget about the tendering process. If someone gives you cash then that will credit you like 23 seconds. Even if they gave you a $20 for an $11 order, it should take less than 23 seconds to get their change.
Meeting ELMS is really easy, you only really need around 15 items per minute to get 100% compliance, and I couldn't go less than 15 IPM if I tried. You'll be fine.
-- Edited by tomato on Wednesday 2nd of July 2014 09:47:15 PM
15? Ha!
I'm not sure who told you that, but 15 wouldn't be anywhere near the goal, even on an express lane.
We have several cashiers who check between 12 and 20 IPM who are >100%. Hell, my first week I was checking around 18 IPM and I think I had 112%. I've plateaued in the upper 20s, lower 30s, and I hover in the 140-160% range. Our fastest checker pushes 165% at 35.
Sounds like your division has really skewed the elms standards in a way that gives more credit for payments and less for scanning, because the IPM scores you listed would generally have given a cashier a terrible elms score.
Here, I've been told to get my "ring tender?" up a few times, but nothing was said after that. No on ever explained what elms, ring tender, or any of that **** was. I told them one time, I don't worry about your numbers, the q vision screen, or the survey bull ****. I worry about giving the customers the best and most effecient checkout I can. I'm not worried about all that corporate bull. And no one has ever mentioned it again.
Matter of fact, I find it rare to hear of someone asking others or getting told, to get their numbers up. We generally don't have time for anything like that.
OP here. I appreciate all your responses. If I don't quite hack it as a cashier, during probation, will they give me a chance in another department, or just boot me? What about after probation? Thanks.
you have to really **** up to get fired off the front end, even during probation. im talking theft, aggravating customers, or extreme insubordination. kroger *really* does not want to have spend literally hundreds of dollars interviewing, drug testing, background checking, and training a new person who may or may not be as good as you. a high turnover rate is expensive.
Just don't give up. Stick with it, even if you suck. I gave up on the third day of cashier training, felt overwhelmed and nervous and like I was worse than everyone, and said I wasn't ready. So, here I am. Mopping restrooms and taking out trash a year later. Don't be like this guy.
you have to really **** up to get fired off the front end, even during probation. im talking theft, aggravating customers, or extreme insubordination. kroger *really* does not want to have spend literally hundreds of dollars interviewing, drug testing, background checking, and training a new person who may or may not be as good as you. a high turnover rate is expensive.
actually management does not give a damn about the cost.
They know they can pick up some high school student desperate for cash and drop him or her on to the Front End.
So if you are FE you may as well just do what is necessary and no more, Kroger doesn't give a crap about you in FE, they are all about getting the most amount of money using the least amount of labor.
Meeting ELMS is really easy, you only really need around 15 items per minute to get 100% compliance, and I couldn't go less than 15 IPM if I tried. You'll be fine.
-- Edited by tomato on Wednesday 2nd of July 2014 09:47:15 PM
15? Ha!
I'm not sure who told you that, but 15 wouldn't be anywhere near the goal, even on an express lane.
We have several cashiers who check between 12 and 20 IPM who are >100%. Hell, my first week I was checking around 18 IPM and I think I had 112%. I've plateaued in the upper 20s, lower 30s, and I hover in the 140-160% range. Our fastest checker pushes 165% at 35.
Sounds like your division has really skewed the elms standards in a way that gives more credit for payments and less for scanning, because the IPM scores you listed would generally have given a cashier a terrible elms score.
Well that's silly. Why do they call it a standard if it's not standard~
