Hello. I'm looking to get faster while working. I don't know what slows me down, but in general, I feel I can never finish as much as I want to or need to finish.
Overlooking the speed of my hands, and assuming I know where most everything goes, does anyone have little tips and tricks to make me faster and more productive?
Tips like the following help:
can open certain items with box cutter in so and so way (Beechnut baby foods, similac)
using a shopping cart along with buggy, so you can throw trash in cart
if it faster to just put a box down to try using both hands to stock in a small place? (Like shampoo)?
handheld tips? I've been trying to change numbers so there is less to have to take out of a shelf if we need to rotate something
I notice in really really slow at conditioning... its tough being FAST and PERFECT for me at the same time.
Thank you all!
I'm happy with my store, but just want to be faster.
Like sometimes I have trouble finishing the totes that come in with cosmetic in a full shift, and the shampoo/lotion aisle takes me longer to do than I would like.
Shampoos in my store run from expensive to cheaper, left to right so you will learn your brands over time. Load your carts (uboats) by aisle, then work the top of the cart down to the bottom of the cart. Sometimes if I had just a few miscellaneous items I would just put the boxes on the floor and come back to them after I worked the cart on another isle. Also stay on the isle you are working. If you open a box or tote that isn't on your isle you are working, put it aside until later. Stay on the isle. Boxes I open, shelf, break it down, put in shopping cart.
I also wore a smock or apron with pockets. That definitely comes in handy when you find little items out of place like dental floss etc. Stick it in your pocket until you get to that isle. I also got one of those black hand baskets with the handles and put it in my shopping cart to put misplaced/damaged items in.
Make up took me forever to learn, they are always changing it. Different colors for fall, winter than in the spring summer. Discontinued items, new items, damaged items etc. Plus the mess the tweens make smearing it all over the place. I hated the toy isle too for the same reason.
As far as conditioning I would do the items to the left and right of the item I was stocking. If I had time I would do the rest later. End caps always need to be conditioned and filled before the shelves.
Our store doesnt have a toy aisle, but great insight on staying in the aisle you are working! I have to get better at planning tasks for the same area.
i may or may not use the black hand basket idea. Generally I use the shopping cart for card board, and I use the cart sitting area for the misc items.
The trouble I have with conditioning is that it has to be done before the stocking, which is great, but the trouble arise when I'm so slow at it. takes much longer than it should for me. I sometimes rich past things because it looks "okay" rather than "great." If it's in the right place, like shampoos and lotions, I didn't always touch it, which recently I had to go back to condition that area again because of that mistake. . It's okay. I shall learn! Haha. .
Speed comes with time, for me, it's difficult because of the customer first strategy. Meaning, I'm always visible in the center store so I get pulled away quite a bit. Another thing is the damn cell phones. I had a customer yesterday I spent 35 minutes with, and then said, well, I get paid on the 3rd, I'll come back then!!!! Grrrrr.. Anyway, if the dept is conditioned daily, it doesn't take that long, pull 2 up and go on. I will condition while I order as well as throughout the day. I tell my people when they are running truck to check the 4 ft section they're working and condition that area. Don't ever skip the maintenance on the telzons. That is imperative to drug gm. Packaging is constantly changing so allocations change. I'm in a high theft store so boh's need changed constantly. Speed comes with time. Also, have the red dot supplies handy so you don't have to dig around for all that stuff. Know what ddp says so you can try to set your pace accordingly. Good luck, if you add in promo, we have more skus than dry grocery, with a lot less hours, very difficult to ever catch up
