Interesting chat today , a rep told us that in a few stores ge has visited the customer service desk has moved to end of checkouts , obviously this a start of a move to get rid of the desk , or cut staff , anyone experienced this yet?
Not heard that,is that just csd move or tobacco kiosk also
Yes the csd in our local store has moved , staff that work on there not happy .
Why ? what had been the process ?
Maybe its a trial,whats happened to the old kiosk space?
Would make sense. There are often periods in the day when the csd is customerless yet the tills are heaving. By putting csd near tills they can support and share the workload. Also makes it easier for service support/runners/ to spot problems.
With a government report recently suggesting supermarkets are stopped from selling tobacco as a way to help cut smoking levels perhaps we are moving before we are pushed.
It's a very rare moment when we don't have customers at the desk , often I'm dealing with large queues, I had 14 in my queue on Wednesday!. However I was wondering if they would scrap tobacco sales, there isn't any profit in it, and that's what its all about, if they can save 50pence but p**s off customers, the only thing that will matter is the 50pence.
Our CSD goes from huge queue to nobody. It's all about lottery and tobacco. I would say it's about 10% dealing with returns etc. it's single manned most of the time and can be very quiet in the evenings. I have wondered if they will introduce "call a colleague" at the desk. I have heard another store near us has the desk man self service and the desk. That might explain the desk moving in some stores. It's a long way in my store and field of sight blocked by pallet stock.
No retailer likes the lottery but is the most profitable part of the shop per square foot. It is also good for cash flow. Many companies have problems with cash flow, which leads to closures.
Quote from: Redshoes on 16-07-22, 11:07AMOur CSD goes from huge queue to nobody. It's all about lottery and tobacco. I would say it's about 10% dealing with returns etc. it's single manned most of the time and can be very quiet in the evenings. I have wondered if they will introduce "call a colleague" at the desk. I have heard another store near us has the desk man self service and the desk. That might explain the desk moving in some stores. It's a long way in my store and field of sight blocked by pallet stock.
I work in a large extra with a large clothing department. Our desk is triple manned most of the time although double manned in the evenings. On Saturdays we have 4/5 people most of the day. As you say it can be a massive queue and then get very quiet. And the queue might be a load of people who want a particular cigarette or lottery ticket or a pound for the trolley, or they might all be F11s or price queries or something obscure.
I would say that our customers are probably 50% lottery/cigs, 40% clothing returns, 10% everything else.
When it gets quiet our jobs are to tidy/rumble front of store, do baskets, says handsets etc basically anything which means you're within the area but are doing something useful, as above it can rapidly get busy so being able to be back on right away.
Our csd has always been near the tills at my store and the local one I shop at as well.
Sometimes I get jealous after 7pm there'd no customers there so I see my colleagues sitting on their phone until someone comes to the desk while tills are full
Csd in ours is by the toilets and where birthday cards etc are. Can just about see people walk in if you stretch your whole body over the counter.
Quote from: newguy20 on 17-07-22, 06:51PMQuote from: Redshoes on 16-07-22, 11:07AMOur CSD goes from huge queue to nobody. It's all about lottery and tobacco. I would say it's about 10% dealing with returns etc. it's single manned most of the time and can be very quiet in the evenings. I have wondered if they will introduce "call a colleague" at the desk. I have heard another store near us has the desk man self service and the desk. That might explain the desk moving in some stores. It's a long way in my store and field of sight blocked by pallet stock.
I work in a large extra with a large clothing department. Our desk is triple manned most of the time although double manned in the evenings. On Saturdays we have 4/5 people most of the day. As you say it can be a massive queue and then get very quiet. And the queue might be a load of people who want a particular cigarette or lottery ticket or a pound for the trolley, or they might all be F11s or price queries or something obscure.
I would say that our customers are probably 50% lottery/cigs, 40% clothing returns, 10% everything else.
When it gets quiet our jobs are to tidy/rumble front of store, do baskets, says handsets etc basically anything which means you're within the area but are doing something useful, as above it can rapidly get busy so being able to be back on right away.
Interesting, ours has 2 on and 1 or sometimes 2 at night. What they do is nothing when there are no customers, stand together and yap then when there are 1 or 2 customers queueing they complain they never get support.
Quote from: newguy20 on 17-07-22, 06:51PMQuote from: Redshoes on 16-07-22, 11:07AMOur CSD goes from huge queue to nobody. It's all about lottery and tobacco. I would say it's about 10% dealing with returns etc. it's single manned most of the time and can be very quiet in the evenings. I have wondered if they will introduce "call a colleague" at the desk. I have heard another store near us has the desk man self service and the desk. That might explain the desk moving in some stores. It's a long way in my store and field of sight blocked by pallet stock.
I work in a large extra with a large clothing department. Our desk is triple manned most of the time although double manned in the evenings. On Saturdays we have 4/5 people most of the day. As you say it can be a massive queue and then get very quiet. And the queue might be a load of people who want a particular cigarette or lottery ticket or a pound for the trolley, or they might all be F11s or price queries or something obscure.
I would say that our customers are probably 50% lottery/cigs, 40% clothing returns, 10% everything else.
When it gets quiet our jobs are to tidy/rumble front of store, do baskets, says handsets etc basically anything which means you're within the area but are doing something useful, as above it can rapidly get busy so being able to be back on right away.
Yeah this sounds like a desk I used to work on. Minimum of 2 colleagues at all times. And 3 during the day. I used to quite enjoy it actually, it was very busy and we always had jobs to do (well I always found something). I used to do basket runs, help with covid marshalling, hand sanitiser and bins. Fixing till problems, working cigarette backstock, fill fridge pop, do put backs.
I always hate it now seeing in my current store when they just stand there like lemons and will call non food over for put backs or any little problem. It's like they should naturally be doing stuff not just standing there chatting all day when there's no customers.
They should never have combined the desk with tobacco. Before the kiosk colleagues were on the lower rate, and CSD on the higher. It was easier to get cover for the kiosk from front end as it was straightforward checkout, with lottery training, when that was introduced.
Problems arose, because the CSD wanted the kiosk to support when busy, but the colleagues said they weren't getting the higher band! CSD was never keen to reciprocate, even made out they were busy "with other things" when standing idle, as many were of the belief higher band = higher status :-X
In a super store there is just one desk and it's called combined service desk. It used to be double manned in the days when they also had to deal with direct pick-ups and returns. Ours is not often double manned but when it is it's at peek trade times or for tobacco delivery times. They do look after flowers but it depends on where the desk is situated in store as to what else they do. A lot of customers prefer to go to the desk with small trolley or basket purchases. I do however question how late it stays open at night. After 2000 it is just odd tobacco purchases. I once covered a sat night but only had one customer visit the desk in the last hour it was open. I filled single drinks and faced sandwiches, did newspaper returns, faced the pallets at the front of store and a few other little things but as for trade at the desk in the last couple of hours it was poor.
Yeah some stores I'm not sure why it's open past 8PM. My old store could've easily had it open till midnight and it would be busy enough for one person. I used to finish at 11 close to Xmas as there was continuous trade.
I just don't get it tho when it's quiet these colleagues should just do something. I used to keep busy, we always had loads to do and I'd hate standing around
Quote from: lucgeo on 21-07-22, 12:46PMThey should never have combined the desk with tobacco. Before the kiosk colleagues were on the lower rate, and CSD on the higher. It was easier to get cover for the kiosk from front end as it was straightforward checkout, with lottery training, when that was introduced.
Problems arose, because the CSD wanted the kiosk to support when busy, but the colleagues said they weren't getting the higher band! CSD was never keen to reciprocate, even made out they were busy "with other things" when standing idle, as many were of the belief higher band = higher status :-X
I disagree I think it should be one desk. I just don't think some stores implemented it right when it came in. It's a waste of hours to have minimum 2 people doing customer service and kiosk, especially with Direct being long gone. Often a lot of what you do is just tobacco & lottery. I wouldn't be surprised if the desk in some stores goes to being a call a colleague thing. After 8PM or so.
One desk makes sense, but still in my store there's a divide between ex-kiosk and ex-desk, one of the ex-kiosk staff won't touch F11s because they don't see it as their job.
We have very limited space after a store refit which does make it a pain sometimes as you are trying to move around a putback trolley (or three), a colleague doing the cigarettes, a random bag that's a stored txn from self service and six loaves of CS bread that Freda from clothing wants to leave somewhere to buy later. No wonder things get lost!
>:( Did you read the pay review 2018/2019 anyone working on CSD is classed as D grade which makes you entitled to 0.49 skill payment any format.
Hmmm maybe that's why the sudden move...
Skill payment,reward and retention
For shop floor general assistance prior to 2018
Can anyone help, because according to our PP it never existed.
Quote from: newguy20 on 22-07-22, 06:26PMOne desk makes sense, but still in my store there's a divide between ex-kiosk and ex-desk, one of the ex-kiosk staff won't touch F11s because they don't see it as their job.
We have very limited space after a store refit which does make it a pain sometimes as you are trying to move around a putback trolley (or three), a colleague doing the cigarettes, a random bag that's a stored txn from self service and six loaves of CS bread that Freda from clothing wants to leave somewhere to buy later. No wonder things get lost!
Putting things behind the desk to buy later is against policy and you could get the sack for it. It might be stopping a regular customer from getting it and then the colleague forgets. It's messes up routines and if yellow ticketed they are stopping a customer buying and potentially getting for free themselves. This is gross misconduct. There will never be enough room to store colleagues shopping as you are not supposed to do it. If spotted by the Hub it will come up as an investigation, it happens.
Quote from: Redshoes on 23-07-22, 09:00PMQuote from: newguy20 on 22-07-22, 06:26PMOne desk makes sense, but still in my store there's a divide between ex-kiosk and ex-desk, one of the ex-kiosk staff won't touch F11s because they don't see it as their job.
We have very limited space after a store refit which does make it a pain sometimes as you are trying to move around a putback trolley (or three), a colleague doing the cigarettes, a random bag that's a stored txn from self service and six loaves of CS bread that Freda from clothing wants to leave somewhere to buy later. No wonder things get lost!
Putting things behind the desk to buy later is against policy and you could get the sack for it. It might be stopping a regular customer from getting it and then the colleague forgets. It's messes up routines and if yellow ticketed they are stopping a customer buying and potentially getting for free themselves. This is gross misconduct. There will never be enough room to store colleagues shopping as you are not supposed to do it. If spotted by the Hub it will come up as an investigation, it happens.
I don't disagree. But that doesn't stop the fact that most of the time I'm on the CSD there's a pile of stuff that various people have left to claim later and, if you accidentally put it with the putbacks, they get mighty angry at you.
Quote from: Redshoes on 23-07-22, 09:00PMQuote from: newguy20 on 22-07-22, 06:26PMOne desk makes sense, but still in my store there's a divide between ex-kiosk and ex-desk, one of the ex-kiosk staff won't touch F11s because they don't see it as their job.
We have very limited space after a store refit which does make it a pain sometimes as you are trying to move around a putback trolley (or three), a colleague doing the cigarettes, a random bag that's a stored txn from self service and six loaves of CS bread that Freda from clothing wants to leave somewhere to buy later. No wonder things get lost!
Putting things behind the desk to buy later is against policy and you could get the sack for it. It might be stopping a regular customer from getting it and then the colleague forgets. It's messes up routines and if yellow ticketed they are stopping a customer buying and potentially getting for free themselves. This is gross misconduct. There will never be enough room to store colleagues shopping as you are not supposed to do it. If spotted by the Hub it will come up as an investigation, it happens.
one of the reasons why i recommend staff to shop elsewhere. we're not even worthy of scabby bread etc. let the customers fuckin have it. at the end of the day if they don't treat us like customers don't fuckin shop there
We had a lot of refreshers on not keeping things to buy later...but it always went the same way...something RDC or a bargain, then there was a stack in the SM 's office, the refreshers usually came when there was only the dregs left for the managers, as the shop floor had got there first! Everyone on shop floor had their hidey holes, hard to accuse a stockie of keeping stuff hidden, when it's on a cage that hasn't been worked for months, or the EPW cage!
This happened before I started at the Big T but we were always warned against it/made to sign a sheet as a bloke who'd been with the company donkeys years kept some stuff back for later on and was given the boot by their manager.
Mind you... nothing ever happened to the bloke (who has since retired) who purposely used to damage/hide stock and put it behind the pharmacy (how he never set the intruder alarms off I'll never know because if something ever fell over in there it went off!)
Back on topic and a Sainsbury's I stopped off at the other day have moved their CSD/Tobacco kiosk within metres of the self serve/smart shop checkouts now.
I think the CSD/Kiosk is on its last legs. In all my ten years working on there I've never known there to be as many clothing returns and F&F won't open their fitting rooms. We are down to a single person serving 8-5 then 5-10. We can't get returns put back. We can't get our cigarette delivery put away. Everyone on the department is stressed. We've gone from having 14 staff to 5 and were still told we are over hours. We are a large extra. We are busy all day and all night. Something is really off about this and the way the CSD is being treated. All of our equipment and tills have faults and have had them for years and despite them being logged they never get fixed.
Store manager doesn't care. Forum meetings don't do anything. CSD manager doesn't care. It's just rubbish
Who is covering your breaks, toilet breaks ???
Usually falls to checkout team leaders. When someone is off sic/holiday, the store manager doesn't give our overtime to cover the shifts. But they somehow find overtime to have colleagues "greet" people to talk about aisles moving aka walk around talking to colleagues.
We are a small superstore, selling lots of lotto and tobacco and so many returns on stupid items it's unreal. We single man most of the time and say we are over hours. We have a Friday evening shift, Saturday afternoon/evening shift and Sunday shift that no one is even contracted to so unless their covered by overtime they are screwed. Where overtime has been cut they have had to shut the desk by 7.30pm on a Saturday. There's is no room by tills for the desk to be moved. I would love for the people in their suits who sit behind a desk all day who decide on this and that to work in our shoes for couple days, they would realise what stress everyone is under. It's only going to get worse.
Quote from: snufflesthebear on 26-07-22, 05:17PMI think the CSD/Kiosk is on its last legs. In all my ten years working on there I've never known there to be as many clothing returns and F&F won't open their fitting rooms. We are down to a single person serving 8-5 then 5-10. We can't get returns put back. We can't get our cigarette delivery put away. Everyone on the department is stressed. We've gone from having 14 staff to 5 and were still told we are over hours. We are a large extra. We are busy all day and all night. Something is really off about this and the way the CSD is being treated. All of our equipment and tills have faults and have had them for years and despite them being logged they never get fixed.
Store manager doesn't care. Forum meetings don't do anything. CSD manager doesn't care. It's just rubbish
I would think "they" have many reasons for moving the C/S desk.
One being they will have the option to utilise the desk as alternative to manned checkouts for when the AXE comes down on manned checkouts and they are all changed to self service.
I believe it is also to save on redundancies of C/S staff hence the union agreement to change T & C for contracts, just like Mark Antony stabbed Caesar in the back the Union have hit even lower levels with their ultimate sell out to all staff without even a vote on this contentious legislation. They will just keep pushing the older staff out given every chance the Union gives or helps them with.
All staff in the future will be on minimum hour contracts and will only get over time if you are part of the click. :thumbdown:
As from Oct when we are able to recruit we need to aim to give out minimum of 16 hour contracts. Before we can do this we need to offer out the hours to first of all colleague on less than 16 hours but once we have done this the hours can go to those on over 16 hours. Colleagues need to show increased availability before they can take on these hours, for a four hour additional shift you need to show six hours availability.
For a while now we have been briefed on aiming to give out higher contracted contracted shifts, for festive temps and roles that will probable become permanent. There just has to be a bit of give and take. If the hours are 1700-2100 we can't give to someone who wants more hours but won't work evenings. If the hours are needed on a sat we can't give out on a Tues.
Quote from: ViolationsFight on 23-07-22, 01:18AM>:( Did you read the pay review 2018/2019 anyone working on CSD is classed as D grade which makes you entitled to 0.49 skill payment any format.
Hmmm maybe that's why the sudden move...
I have a feeling they are trying to devalue the role and remove the skills payment.
Checkouts and dot compicking should be the lowest pay grade. Big fat bertha and pixkers with zero responsibility for anything. Fillers back door stock control etc 1 level up. And wages/admin and csd 1 level up from that.
Quote from: Redshoes on 05-08-22, 09:40AMAs from Oct when we are able to recruit we need to aim to give out minimum of 16 hour contracts. Before we can do this we need to offer out the hours to first of all colleague on less than 16 hours but once we have done this the hours can go to those on over 16 hours. Colleagues need to show increased availability before they can take on these hours, for a four hour additional shift you need to show six hours availability.
For a while now we have been briefed on aiming to give out higher contracted contracted shifts, for festive temps and roles that will probable become permanent. There just has to be a bit of give and take. If the hours are 1700-2100 we can't give to someone who wants more hours but won't work evenings. If the hours are needed on a sat we can't give out on a Tues.
So even the mighty Tesco has conceded to what CA 's have been saying all along, low hour contracts don't maintain staff, and the 7.5 contracts have no retention or loyalty value from colleagues.
Good to see the old ways of offering more hours to the current colleagues first has returned. It was always these are the shifts available who wants them? Those who didn't want the specific hours of a shift didn't apply?? Can't understand why a colleague would say " I can't do the Saturday, can I have the hours on a Monday instead??" Could it be from Tesco advertising jobs for specific shift times, then rejecting anyone because they were actually only available to work the shift times advertised ??? :-X
From October to offer a 16hr job to a new recruit they have to have 24hrs availability and under the new contract their 16hrs will be from within their availability window.
Hi, slightly off topic here but I'm unsure where else to ask.
In my store we have had a revamp of the self service tills. I am now asked to cover 4 scan as you shop tills and 12 self service tills on my own.
Can anyone confirm if this is allowed as I find it way too much to handle on my own.
Thanks.
refuse. it's an unreasonable request >:(
This question has come up before ??? It used to be a set amount per colleague, my hazy recollection is 4-6 depending on time of day, as in how busy the store is projected to be.
Noe there's a few supporters on here who'd definitely know the ratio, and there's some reps who can find out from their area office. So if there's any one out there, in the know, then please can you clear this up or point to where it can be found? Let's put this query to print for future reference for new colleagues :thumbup:
we have 1 person covering 8 self service tills,at all times regardless of if it's busy or quiet
at the beginning it was agreed with usdaw that one person runs no more than 4. but over the years it seems to have become the norm for one person to run up to 8. usdaw will agree with tosco no matter what >:(
Regrettably Usdaw takes our money and delivers nothing. Not seen a Union officer in years, last time one turned up spent their time in the office with management. Ever any consultation with member over the pay diktat. Shocking example of a Union
Quote from: kaled78 on 10-09-22, 08:35AMwe have 1 person covering 8 self service tills,at all times regardless of if it's busy or quiet
We have 6 and when all 6 are in use the person complains it is too busy. So we put a 2nd person on at times and all they do is stand together and yap.
"Regrettably Usdaw takes our money...." - :thumbup: It doesn't take mine.
Quote from: Redshoes on 05-08-22, 09:40AMAs from Oct when we are able to recruit we need to aim to give out minimum of 16 hour contracts. Before we can do this we need to offer out the hours to first of all colleague on less than 16 hours but once we have done this the hours can go to those on over 16 hours. Colleagues need to show increased availability before they can take on these hours, for a four hour additional shift you need to show six hours availability.
For a while now we have been briefed on aiming to give out higher contracted contracted shifts, for festive temps and roles that will probable become permanent. There just has to be a bit of give and take. If the hours are 1700-2100 we can't give to someone who wants more hours but won't work evenings. If the hours are needed on a Sat we can't give out on a Tues.
What about those on for example 23 hours an week part time permanent contract working three days are they expected to be available for overtime and be flexible with the new contract? What about if they aren't flexible and cant do any more hours except the hours they are doing now?
If you are not flexible only put your current hours that you work. Don't put any more and you can't put less. It is not a must that you put more down it is only an ask from the company. It may hamper your chances of overtime but if you don't do any it makes no difference. If you need overtime each week, your mgr will talk to you directly if you are seen as an asset to the dept (if they have any sense). We don't put our overtime down on the system 3 weeks in advance. We go to the staff directly, this stops anybody putting their name down for overtime.
Quote from: Bobmay on 10-09-22, 11:48AMQuote from: Redshoes on 05-08-22, 09:40AMAs from Oct when we are able to recruit we need to aim to give out minimum of 16 hour contracts. Before we can do this we need to offer out the hours to first of all colleague on less than 16 hours but once we have done this the hours can go to those on over 16 hours. Colleagues need to show increased availability before they can take on these hours, for a four hour additional shift you need to show six hours availability.
For a while now we have been briefed on aiming to give out higher contracted contracted shifts, for festive temps and roles that will probable become permanent. There just has to be a bit of give and take. If the hours are 1700-2100 we can't give to someone who wants more hours but won't work evenings. If the hours are needed on a Sat we can't give out on a Tues.
What about those on for example 23 hours an week part time permanent contract working three days are they expected to be available for overtime and be flexible with the new contract? What about if they aren't flexible and cant do any more hours except the hours they are doing now?
Everyone is being asked to increase availability, it is only an ask. If additional hours come up and you want to take them on as contracted hours the expectation is that you will show 1.5 availability for these hours. Additional contracted hours should be offered to those on less than 16 hours first. Then it goes to those on more than 16 hours if not taken up by others. I think a lot of this will then depend on how difficult it is to fill a shift but the brief is that if not taken up by existing colleagues it can then be advertised. Even so, the store needs to put together a business case to show recruitment is needed.
If you are on a fixed contract you are only being asked if you are able to increase availability. You are not required to do so. You will soon be able to change availability online, you can't permanently reduce it online but you can do temp changes and modify.