# verifying infs



## Qwerty12343 (Jun 24, 2021)

I’m a fulfillment TL and am wondering how other fulfillment tls verify infs while TMs are in opu orders? Currently I just have them walkie me the dpcis and I’ll just check. But I’ve noticed that other stores will have the tm leave the batch so the leader can hop in. What’s the best way of doing this? Any advice will be appreciated !


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## Megatron91 (Jun 25, 2021)

Not a TL but way my store does it is over walkie or if tl is near by check with em in person


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## Jayunderscore (Jun 25, 2021)

At my store the expectation is that TMs will have already checked the home location, end caps, side caps, reshop, the backroom location, and know when it was last sold and delivered before they call for a leader who may have other suggestions.


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## JiJi (Jun 25, 2021)

Jayunderscore said:


> At my store the expectation is that TMs will have already checked the home location, end caps, side caps, reshop, the backroom location, and know when it was last sold and delivered before they call for a leader who may have other suggestions.


This is how it is at my store - but then the lead goes and checks anyways AND makes us double check all the locations we've already checked. So we literally waste half our time looking.


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## BadWolf4531 (Jun 25, 2021)

A few years ago we used to have TMs pause their carts so someone else could hop in and look for the INFs, but that got to be too overwhelming and really messed up individual metrics. I would continue having them walkie you about INFs. If that gets to be too much, especially around 4th Quarter, then I'd recommend trying to delegate and selecting 2-3 of your best TMs to approve INFs for your team as well (check with your ETL to be sure that's okay).


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## Zxy123456 (Jun 25, 2021)

At my store they always call a leader for inf’s.


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## gracefulfillment (Jun 25, 2021)

At my store we have generally have a TL and/or captain scheduled. If someone can't find something, they call it out and the tl/captain goes and looks with them.


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## ION the Prize (Jun 25, 2021)

What, no one bothers to ask the "experts"? No consultation with the "business owners"?!

What am I here for but to find your Lavender Scented Seventh Generation Fabric Softener Sheets?!


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## Planosss enraged (Jun 25, 2021)

I love it when my SD talks about productivity, when we are standing in the backroom amongst all the unlocated, unorganized freight…


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## spottymcspot (Jun 25, 2021)

We dont check in unless its 4th q. As long as we stay green we are trusted.


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## MrGSTLman (Jun 30, 2021)

As a Small Format store there are only so many places we can look, and for the most part our team has gotten pretty good about checking the "usual spots" and looking at the last known before they call me.  But with small format stores comes a lower volume of orders so sometimes one or two units can put you in the red, so I generally try and scour the store (and a lot of times I direct the TMs to look in the unusual spots, too (I've found several that way), but if I spend more than 20 minutes trying to find an item I give the okay with the direction that the TM audit the item right away so we don't get another one.

I can often predict how well the day will go with INF if you have one in the first batch of the day.  It sets the tone for the day which is why I try and avoid them like the plague.


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## Fluttervale (Jul 1, 2021)

Ours have to verify with the TL of the area if that person is in the building before calling the fulfillment TL.  If the area TL isn’t in they find another person from that department.
Also the rest of us are expected to be responsible people and tie things.


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## ericdacleric (Jul 2, 2021)

I use to oversee fulfillment and this is what worked best for me.  I had the fulfillment experts work tons of stray, freight, sort repacks for DBOs all over the store in the downtime.  I used them to push the backroom to stay clean.  I explained by the store being clean, things are easier to find.  I also would ask them the delivery date, autofill date, and last sold.  I would always help them if it is a "repack" item before everything was pushed by inbound. 

In a way, by having a clean backroom and service desk allowed them to be more efficient which gave more time to them to help them keep the store stay clean.  Somedays though they couldn't touch a box of freight to meet goal times but they were hungry to stay busy and we always have boxes/projects to do.

Also if I saw batches in there I would explain that we need X amount for this much and Y amount need to do other things.  No loly gagging around, need to stay busy but ready to switch at a moments notice.


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## Ringwraith917 (Jul 2, 2021)

This is the dumbest part of working OPU. I call for INF, wait for my TL to meet me, he walks with me through areas I've already checked. Waste of time.


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## MrT (Jul 2, 2021)

Ringwraith917 said:


> This is the dumbest part of working OPU. I call for INF, wait for my TL to meet me, he walks with me through areas I've already checked. Waste of time.


I agree.  My tms know to look in the usual areas and will have all the information ready for me.  Unless i have an idea where an item might be that i will allow my tms to inf.  I will however check periodically and make sure they are actually checking reshop, checking the sf, and all that after.  You have to keep the tms moving otherwise you cant keep up and actually have the extra time to look.  I will have conversations if i do find items though which actually happens quite a lot.


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## seasonaldude (Jul 2, 2021)

The only time I even bother to mention potential INFs to leadership is if it's a security item or if it's going to be a big hit to the numbers, e.g. someone orders 10 cans of dog food and we don't have any.  I guess I occassionally mention a perishable I can't pick for date reasons. But, that's it. Ask me to verify INFs with leadership? Not going to happen. No way. No how.


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## Dead and Khaki (Jul 2, 2021)

If I can't find it, we don't got it.


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## NightHuntress (Jul 2, 2021)

Ringwraith917 said:


> This is the dumbest part of working OPU. I call for INF, wait for my TL to meet me, he walks with me through areas I've already checked. Waste of time.


Maybe a waste of time for you. If you are actually looking at all the places you should and your TL also looks and can’t find it, then fantastic. You did your job. But there are TM’s out there that don’t look at all the places they need due to time constraints or pure laziness. By having to call a leader this makes them more likely to really search.


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## Fluttervale (Jul 5, 2021)

targetuser said:


> Maybe a waste of time for you. If you are actually looking at all the places you should and your TL also looks and can’t find it, then fantastic. You did your job. But there are TM’s out there that don’t look at all the places they need due to time constraints or pure laziness. By having to call a leader this makes them more likely to really search.


This.  We flex vendor product into seasonal and have a few who NEVER check there for chips or soda.


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## seasonaldude (Jul 5, 2021)

Fluttervale said:


> This.  We flex vendor product into seasonal and have a few who NEVER check there for chips or soda.



You could....I don't know....store tie that shit?!?!?!?! Let vendors put their crap wherever, don't expect me to look all over the store for it.


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## Caliwest (Aug 1, 2021)

Ringwraith917 said:


> This is the dumbest part of working OPU. I call for INF, wait for my TL to meet me, he walks with me through areas I've already checked. Waste of time.


When I call for inf I tell them everywhere I v covered and ask " any other suggestions?" LOL. They always say " no go ahead"


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