Its been a while since I made my last blog on APH, productivity and the ridiculous RGIS ADP paycard. My apologies. Some of you readers have commented on several issues regarding the topics being mentioned and other subjects somewhere in my blog.
Some of you were asking which district I represent and where it is located. It's the Seattle District, in Washington State. I've been working with this district for 6 straight years now. Some of my friends whom most of them are former RGIS supervisors and AMs, asked me why I am still working with my district. Well, I told them, why not? I think my lifestyle and availabilities work well with the company.
I don't criticize RGIS just for the sake of bringing foolish discussion on the table, nor blather the company for fun, like other blogs in the Internet (no offense to my co-bloggers). While blogging this company with lots of BS stuff create some rhetoric mileage, it does not deal with the real and core issues on hand. I prefer a more reasoned critical approach to events surrounding RGIS and the whole inventory industry. If you can deal with that, then this is the right place to go.
I stepped down to supervisory level recently for a lot of good reasons.My friends know what I am talking. Also, back in my Auditor days, I was a top gun according to RGIS' current ASET level. I hope readers won't charge me of bragging this accomplishment. Top Guns are the least group among RGIS skilled inventory members. In fact it is a dying population in my district and at the verge of extinction.
Now, that I have more time with my computer and the internet, you can expect that I can spend more time on blogging than on managing.
Thanks to all of you and I hope to be more visible this time.
Happy Counting!
I've seen the 'Tales of an RGIS Auditor' blog -- although entertaining it looks like this one is a more serious look at RGIS.
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure where to focus this comment since there's a lot about RGIS that is infuriating. I guess my biggest recent concern is the whole P4 system.
P4 as seen in my district
P4 creates an 'adversarial attitude' between employees. People are now more than ever clamoring over 'easy to get high APH' areas whether they're 'prowelers' or not people are jumping in on other people's runs -- cherry picking -- skipping areas -- coming up with excuses for not being able to do things like topstock via ladder -- slipping out of stores early so they don't get stuck pulling tags. This type of behavior is rarely challenged anymore and sometimes subtly encouraged.
There's certainly more favoritism as well. If they still bother with 'protect the five' nobody is told if they're being protected or not. I can only assume it's the top 5 counters or the manager's closest friends. Adder roles are regularly give to the same people over and over as well.
Overall sloppiness. Some managers will look the other way when it comes to batching, shelf-label scanning, not filling out area tickets properly, and not scan-and-flipping folded clothing. Tagging has become a 'thing of the past' and for those who actually still tag the norm has become one per area.
Not following the Team Member Handbook. The team member handbook says to sign in (scan in the TCA) before doing anything else such as putting on equipment or attending pre-inventory meetings. The start times, however, are almost always adjusted to the scheduled store start time and we're expected to be 'ready to count' by then. People don't complain because the extra 'down time' merely drops APHs. We're also supposed to be told what the expected APH for our ASET level is. This is rarely done.
I think it is questionable whether the policy of 'putting all the fastest counters on all the easiest areas' actually makes the store finish any faster -- At first glance that might be the most 'obvious' thing to do however that's not necessarily the best option.
The generalization of comments with the knowing that most people will see an agreeing side and hate your company makes me laugh. The fact that companies progress and those that cant hack it write blogs for others to feel sorry for them make me laugh also. If you have so many friends, why are they not posting comments agreeing with you?
ReplyDeleteAll companies that want to survive need to keep changing and evolving. I find that how RGIS has been able to keep customer service so high, retain and gain market share while increasing productivity in this day and econimic times is a testimate to their good leadership at the corporate level and district level.
Why wouldn't you want to work for a company that pays you to perform? A company that doesn't tolerate substandard performance. Tenure doesnt make you money, productivity AND great customer service does.
Yes, I work for the company and have for 14 years. The changes were tough for everyone. There were growing pains. What never changed was when RGIS decided to look at everything they do and make changes for the future of the company, they didnt look back. They knew that consistency is very important and to get the great same service in Texas or Washington or Isreal was what they could do to separate themselves from the competition. This is probably where you think the changes are local. Every district should be more like the other today versus 2 years ago. Obviously, I can't imagine they are 100%, but better than it was.
To those who need to whine and complain in blogs, why do you stay with your job?
RGIS did not change for the good of the future for its employees. It changed to maximize profits for Blackstone with very little regard for the auditor. This post was BS in 2009 and still BS today. Obviously an upper management point if view.
DeleteDear 10LongYears,
ReplyDeleteFirst, I appreciate your comments. I think that you strike a vital point.
Here's my take on P4:
Recently, Henry Schneider, a Division and Vice President at RGIS LLC, has issued a Fact Sheet to all RGIS Team Members. This is the direct result from the creation of RGIS' P4 philosphy.
For readers who are new to RGIS parlance, P4 stands for PEOPLE, PROCESS, PRODUCTIVITY and PAY.
This implementation simply states that RGIS will implement the new concept of PEOPLE training, who can well perform the updated inventory PROCESS, that can result to a better PRODUCTIVITY which commensurate to a better PAY to all RGIS Team Members.
Part of this implementation is the creation an dupdating of ASET levels to the system. Recently, you may have been scheduled by your Manager to watch an updated 'how-to-count-better' video from your local District office or perform an actual 'trade' test for your speed.
Data were collected and became a basis for your ASET level.
Few years back, cherrypicking is abonimable! You do it once (and caught), you get warned, you do it more than once(and get caught), RGIS can kick your ass. But now, although 'cherrypicking' is not the proper term for ADDERS who prowl all over the store at inventory, it means the same thing.
ADDERS are part of the P4 implementation but LADDERers(auditors who climb ladders at inventory) are exempted. Maybe you can suggest that to your District or Region to be included with the p4. Who wouldn't want to get paid an addition of $2.00 per hour on top of your base rate just by climbing ladders?
Here's my take on 'favoritism' and 'protect the 5' that you've raised:
Team Leaders, AMs, and even DMs that are running stores have their own trusted counters or personal preferences for specific areas and specific ADDER responsibilities that they think can deliver an accurate and timely inventory.
Most of the time, ADDER responsibilities are given to people who can count fast and accurate. Counters who can deliver a better results. But believe me, there are Team Leads including AMs and DMs who prefer ADDER roles to counters who are have Specialists ASET level. And it works for them.
A good Team Lead should alternately utilize ADDER responsibilities to Top Guns or Experts to avoid being viewed as showing favoritism.
The 'protect the five' does not refer to your top 5 fast counters. It refers to PIQUA (Post Inventory Quality) rating, of 5 being a perfect inventory rating.
Your District or Region will be evaluated on the general average of PIQUA you it performed. On average, a District that has a 4.1general PIQUA is a good indicator. Nobody gets a general PIQUA of 5.0 on District level!
Dear 10LongYears,
ReplyDeletecontinuation....
You raised about downtime, TCA, and APH. Here's my take:
This is a common scenario on inventories. They happened most of the time when the RGIS Team Lead is huggling up at the start of the inventory because he/she was late or running out of time for the inventory preparation.
When it happens, chances are, there would be no time or little time for a proper pre-inventory briefing. Since no TCA has been set up yet, everybody will clock in at a later period and the RGIS Team Lead will do the necessary time adjustments when time allows.
There are situations when the RGIS Team Lead totally forgot to properly adjust the timesheet report at Inventory Close Out and final transmission to the RGIS HQ. If this happens, there will be isssues -serious issues- thereafter.
You said,
"I think it is questionable whether the policy of 'putting all the fastest counters on all the easiest areas' actually makes the store finish any faster -- At first glance that might be the most 'obvious' thing to do however that's not necessarily the best option."
The crux is:
'Putting all the fastest counters on all the easiest areas' DOES NOT make the store finish any faster. Believe me. I should know. But putting fast and accurate counters to large and multiple areas certainly makes the inventory a lot faster.
10LongYears, you raised some valid scenarios. I can relate with your negative experiences and they mostly represents the very basic sentiments of most RGIS Team Members particularly the hourly employees.
Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteYou've raised several questions:
First you asked,
"If you have so many friends, why are they not posting comments agreeing with you?"
Let me state my position one more time and I will quote again a portion of this specific topic from my blog:
"I don't criticize RGIS just for the sake of bringing foolish discussion on the table, nor blather the company for fun, like other blogs in the Internet. While blogging this company with lots of bull---t stuff create some rhetoric mileage, it does not deal with the real and core issues on hand.
I prefer a more reasoned critical approach to events surrounding my district and RGIS as a whole. If you can deal with that, then this is the right place to go."
My blog is not for a common cause or anything like that; that is why I don't invite my friends to log on and read my stuff. I don't have to. We always see each other at inventory time and we can discuss anything imaginable, RGIS related or not.
Why don't you visit 'Tales of an Auditor' blog and you read that virtually all commenters are agreeing with one another. My blog is not dedicated to that genre.
Anonymous asked,
"Why wouldn't you want to work for a company that pays you to perform? A company that doesn't tolerate substandard performance. Tenure doesnt make you money, productivity AND great customer service does."
I completely agree with you. I strive to be one of the best in my district. RGIS is a productivity and customer service intensive company where the word tenure is not in its corporate vocabulary.
That is RGIS. And that is the reason why the system that RGIS has created rendered the senior and older hourly employees became extant and most of them are at the verge of extinction now. Others are different. Lots of company prefers tenure a way of making money-yes, good money.
Yes, RGIS is evolving to a much better 800-million dollar company. RGIS boosts its dominance with over 45,000 experienced and fully-trained employees in more than 400 offices worldwide with its presence to 15 countries.
It performs more than 400,000 inventories annually with unmatched visitation rate guarantee of at least 99.93%!
Again, Anonymous asked,
"To those who need to whine and complain in blogs, why do you stay with your job?"
Why would thousands of Microsoft employees currently employed blog and think that Microsoft sucks? Why would thousands of current Google employees blog their company that give them a living? Are they bad employees? Not necessarily.
Why would 63% of Americans thought that former US President George W. Bush sucks and blog about him and his performance? Were the 63% of Americans bad? Of course not! Why do we criticize our government?
You questioned the motives of other people from this blog and from others' blogs.
You've complained about the complaints of other people. Does that not constitute whining?
You've been in the business for the last 14 years. You should know about check and balance.
(Try google "microsoft sucks" How about "google sucks" OR better yet, "rgis sucks." Can you spot the difference? ).
Some replies to a couple points you made in your comments (thanks for the reply btw):
ReplyDeleteI do understand that a lot of decisions as to who gets what roles depend on the counter's skills. For instance there's one person in our district who does belts and ties really fast, accurate, and keeps them neat. It only makes sense for inventory managers to put him on ties and belts. It benefits everyone especially since he does them faster than most shirts.
Some people, however, are good at ladder work. They don't mind climbing a ladder and work reasonably fast on a ladder so inventory managers are going to ask them to do ladder work. The problem is ladder work is going to ALWAYS be significantly slower than most other counting. Also, most stores I've seen *DO NOT* consider ladder work an 'adder role' and they *ARE NOT* excempted. Ladder work only hurts one's ASET score and paychecks.
It sounded like you suggested asking management to make ladder work an adder role. That's already been asked and we've been told that if a store's instructions don't provide for that adder role, you don't get it -- end of story.
Another issue I have is that you mentioned "Protect the Five" applies to PIQUA ratings .. not to protecting averages. I have to disagree here -- I've talked to a few people in management and that's certainly not what they've been told. "Protect the Five" means protecting the top 5 (either 5 individuals .. or 5%) of auditors ASETs by assigning them to things which allow them to make their ASET goals.
In many cases this makes sense since it also depends on auditor skills (example: putting fastest keyers on hand-keyed precount sheets) however if you're giving someone an assigmnet just because you're 'protecting the five' -- thats a disinjenuous excuse and could easily be abused via favoritism.
10LongYears,
ReplyDeleteYes, you are correct when you mentioned about "protect the five" meaning protecting the topmost 5 counters at the inventory and I stand corrected.
I got mixed up with the 'protecting the five' as related to top 5 counters and 'protecting your 5 rating' as related to PIQUA inventory rating.
I remember couple of months ago, our District Manager and the rest of the AMs and TLs gathered together to address the issues related to the low PIQUA average of our District. Our DM says, "... you have to protect and keep the 5 rating from your inventories."
Well, as you said, one of the best ways to protect the five is to have a flow plan which makes the best use of the best counters (Protect the Five).
In my district, we monitor each individual APH performance every other hour (assuming a store inventory goes beyond 3-hour period) and we push those counters that are lagging behind.
But, what if for some reasons, the best counters are not keeping up with the required individual APH and it is beginning to hurt the store's APH?
What are you supposed to do if you were the Team Lead aside from pushing them for more?
Well, send them home. Maybe the areas that allow for them to achieve the highest APH have been done and the slow areas were the only ones remaining to count.
wow, this is really the corporate kiss butt blog.
ReplyDeleteHi Anonymous,
ReplyDeleteThanks for your comment and I respect your opinion. I like your idea about "corporate kiss butt" but unfortunately, its not my cup of coffee. You can browse each of the blog entry and see for yourself the contents of my criticism for and against the company.
Maybe "butt kicking" would be a more accurate description.
Thanks.
This whole RGIS APH system is just blatantly unfair period. I have worked for companies that are on a productivity type pay but nothing like this. I have been with the company close to 2 years now and the only reason I stay is I need the job. In my area there is way over 10% unemployment and I can make some income. But with all jobs I have had in the past I give 100% to my work and have been rewarded in my past jobs with promotions and raises. Are district has a DM that does not ply fair at all and looks out for the DM's ass and no one else. To get the DM's bonuses. The DM has and does have favoritism in the company. I am one of those in the company for some reason the DM don't like me and that hurts me with work. I get crappy schedules and when at an inventory get crappy low APH areas. The joke in my district and with my friends all know that the DM don't like me and it shows. My asset is specialist. I can only speak for myself here. There has been time in past where I have on times have done high APH areas and have shown to achieve the higher asset levels. for example on one inventory for a major department store the DM showed up there and also made out the sheet to were people were to be placed in what area to work. There were many people there and also auditors. I was placed in jewelery dept that constantly has a low APH. That was no accident. I should of not been put there to work and friends all came up to me asking what happened and that someone don't like you, referring to are DM. I have also never been asked if I was interested in running stores or been given flow leader or any other extra positions in an inventory. It is always the same people. I am a person that has a good work ethic and will scan and work any time or day or area in an inventory and many of the supervisors on the inventory know that. Do they take advantage of me many time, yes I feel but, I feel I have to show that I can do the job. I can not give the DM any excuse about my work. Even one day I over heard the supervisor on a inventory talking to the DM on the cell phone and heard them speak about me and them a short time later I was sent home from the inventory for having a low APH. Oh did I say that the supervisor on this inventory gave me most of the bad low APH ares to count. Them I was sent home for having a low APH. If you were in my shoes you would of been really pissed off as much as I was that night for being sent home. Other employees on that inventory stood up for me and say that that was wrong what they did but, what can you do.
ReplyDeleteSo to the writer of this Blog. How do you expect me to achieve a higher APH asset level when the forces in the company are against you? One of the major problems with the APH system is it is to available to be manipulated by DM's or AM's or supervisors. If you are not on the favorite list or kiss ass or things like that, don't expect to do anything great in RGIS. I have been a good employee in RGIS and have had to fight for all I have gotten in RGIS. I show up on time and don't miss inventories and am nice. I do all that you said in you blog. I have spoken to many in RGIS that have had similar things happen to them and how unfair the APH system is.
I have been in management in the past and always treated my employees under me with respect. Even if they were not your quality type employees. There has to be a better way to the APH system that is fair. Many of the top guns in are district are know in circles to cheat and batch to get there high APH but most are on the good list of the DM so, they turn a blind eye to it to get the higher pay and bonuses.
Anonymous ( so no retaliation)
Anonymous ( so no retaliation)
ReplyDeleteTo continue from last post do to too many characters.
Maybe RGIS need to start some kind of policy that all have to do all kinds of ares low,med,hi APH ares. To give all the ability to work hi to low APH ares. To me that says that if your the top gun as you say you are as a fast scanner you should be able to achieve a consistent higher APH regardless of the area you work and give others the chance to achieve a higher APH for working the high APH areas.
I fill that if this continues like this that one day RGIS will face a law suit on this for some kind of discrimination at work.
Anonymous ( so no retaliation)
thanks for the shared resources.
ReplyDeleteits very helpful for me.
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