MCAS

Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Posts: 686

Are ANY of you managing to get everything done? I don't know how much more they can dump on us and not give us the hours/people that we need. On a GOOD day we MAY have 6 people scheduled for the day(3 openers and 3 closers). We have ad sets,PCNS,out of stocks,floor displays,fill floor lists,typicals to set,plannograms,resets,signs to print,store wide signing,stock to put out,fitting rooms to clean,a huge store to try and keep straight and a bizillion pages to answer on any given day.I can't even tell you how far behind we are on marking clrx. Since they started with this recommended schedule for tasks we are allowed ONE day to COMPLETE any given area(sometimes TWO areas) when it comes to clrx. and the schedule calls for us to be working on clrx. Mon-Thurs. Who is supposed to be doing all this other stuff given the hours we get? Even if we had one person doing each thing that would mean at LEAST 10 people,and most of the tasks can't be done by one person. If you put a task on the "back burner" some one is inevitably paging you asking why it is not done. I had 2 new people start and they didn't last a week on the floor.Can't really blame them! Whoever came up with this idea to combine pricing/signing with the MCAS has obviously never done EITHER job. Every task has an estimate of the time it will take to complete it and that is how they come up with our task hours. I forget what the estimate is on ad set per sign but it is something physically impossible like a matter of SECONDS? The time allocated to put out a rolling rack is a matter of like 5 MINUTES.Where do they come up with these estimates? I want these people to come in the store and SHOW me how they can do it in the alloted time. The time allowed per sign is so funny it's NOT funny! Try and snc a sign and put it up in a matter of seconds.You can't do it....even if the snycs are working good ! We have tasks on Sundays on top of the ad sets.No can do! No matter how hard we try,the ad set on Sundays(and other days also)takes us our whole shift. Done by store opening? Not in MY store! Even if there isn't a customer in the store ALL DAY,this stuff has to be done,yet store volume determines how many MCAS you can have and how many SSG hours,and like I said the task hours are based on someone sitting at a desk coming up with a mathematical equation of how long something should take.

Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 46 Location: Pa.

To all my fellow co-workers out there in cyborspace, doesn't it make you feel good to read blogs like that of thirdtimeback. When you say to yourself surely to God no one else has to put up with this nonsense ,poof there it appears, the same crap that we all bitch about daily. In HA they have solved a lot of this mess by simply dumping it off onto us, the sales associates. We do the plan- a grams, pcns,resets, not to mention the mammoth job of moving the appliances (d/26) all over the dang place every week or so. And lets us not forget our favorite, signing. For HA i brought to the floor for this past sunday's ad a total of 700 plus signs. Triplicate signing for everything. It took two hours of sorting and throwing away just to get where I needed to be to start the process. My favorite though was taking down all the signs that ended on the 6th only to put up the same price with different end date. Talk about insanity. I suggest that we all take the money that we used to put into our 401k, and invest it into the company providing us with paper stock for sign-writer. Now, don't you feel better reading this knowing that your not alone, and better yet as an mca that your actually getting paid by the hour where i am not.

Joined: 12 Feb 2009 Posts: 15

Brandmaster, I can't speak for you, but I will say in my store at least, that any given HA associate is GUARENTEED to make on average more per hour than any MCA on our floor. Even though they are not paid hourly, when commission is factored in I am sure on an average paycheck HA associates are making over minimum wage.

That being said, I will never understand how anyone expects to get all the SL MCA work done. We don't have a problem with PCNs or POGs, mostly because I do them all. However, we are awful with getting stock out and the crazy MSP board tasks. Out of stocks are suffering and our floor is never full. We have 1, maybe 2 MCAs on the floor at any given time but between customer calls, the only thing they can have time for is cleaning fitting rooms and clearing cacs, half the time they are getting change or answering cashier assistance calls. It's very frustrating.

I agree they never should have combined the teams. They didn't combine hardlines, why softlines? Hardlines has associates there to help customers, why can it not be the same for softlines...instead we are expected to just do everything. Ugh!

Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 6309

I still remember the management talk about the conversion 2002. The SGM actually told us onetime after the conversion is done you'll never have to put up another sign again. HA!-the MCA/ISM or even the revised ISS team NEVER worked out. Thank the bozo Sears Roebuck executives from 2001-2002 for the butcher job on the MCA title. Thank You Mary Conway for shit. Now you have Kevin Holt mucking up the processeees.

Softlines needs a customer MCA period. They'll cry slow times no budget. The whole problem goes back back to 2002-2003 for not getting the kinks worked out of the ISM crew which was basically nothing more than findout what it ACTUALLY takes to do stuff. The company has NEVER fully admitted or NEVER will accept what the signing and set up really takes. But then again they didn't understand what the customers really want either-a DECADE of DECLINES.

Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 586

Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 6309

But see that's the whole problem . HA or anyone shouldn't have to be doing signs or anything out of empathy or because the way the company wants it done is freakin useless.

It's like they're using this is a 'financial crisis' so do it to save your job but they might not necessarily be there to save you. You know what yeah there's a bit a financial crisis over the last year but what was the company's excuse for the entire decade. If it's crisis management on a daily basis it's not a crisis then.

Only do what you can do. Only report what you did.

Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Posts: 686

Forgot to add...I am also a lead so on top of all the stuff mentioned in my initial post,which I have to do because I am included in the coverage/hours,I also have MOD duty and also have to run around checking on all the other MCAS.If another lead or salaried mgr. is "busy" or "tied up with a customer" I inevitably get the phone dumped on me. The thing that really gets me is when another lead or salaried mgr.(who doesn't have HALF the stuff to do that I do) changes their schedule or calls out(happens a LOT in my store). I seem to be the one they call and say "You have to take the phone for so and so". I finally smartened up and the next time I have the phone and that person is there,I go to them and say "I had to cover your shift for the phone(yesterday or whenever),so you need to repay the favor. Here you go" and hand them the phone.I could start a whole nother thread on that stupid phone. It seems the only calls I get is from customers who's call bounces to the MOD phone when no one answers at another extension,cashiers wanting change(eventhough the CAC lead is there),or an associate who's lead/mgr. is there but told them to to call the MOD.Even so...the phone seems to ring constantly and we have 2 hour shifts in my store. I especially like it when a CAC calls for change and I am upstairs,so I go all the way downstairs get their bag and get to the change fund register only to find they are wanting 2 rolls of pennies! God knows I have nothing better to do!

Joined: 16 Jul 2008 Posts: 46 Location: Pa.

Without appearing to be disrespectful to vickers or justanotherday under ideal conditions in most cases HA associates would generally make more per hour than an mca. This is not true though in all stores, I unfortunately am in one of those that is struggling, and am currently into the draw for over 200.00. Which in a small store is really hard to recover from. So forgive my bitterness, I like the rest am just blowing off a little steam.

Joined: 02 Jan 2009 Posts: 35

I feel bad for the mcas.... too much work for too little pay and no appreciation

Thats why I would never be one again. Was one a few years ago, not ever going back its just not worth it. Id much rather be harassed about credit

Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Posts: 686

No appreciation......we've just come to accept that.Does anyone realize that the MCAS are the ONLY associates/team in the store that NEVER get recognized or acknowledged? We have the cashiers and credit/Christmas Club cards,etc.We have the PA depts.,accessory sales,merch. protection plans,etc. Even the LP dept. gets recognized for apprehensions,RTV for their %,MPU for their %'s on 5 minute rule,and fusions. Not much they can acknowledge US on other then showing up but the other day an MCA had a really big store to web sale,and I told the SM.Next day at the store meeting....NOTHING! I finally piped up and said "I'd like to acknowledge so and so for a $600 store to web/saved sale". Everyone just looked at me as if to say "so???????".I swear,some days I feel like one step up from the cleaning people.

Joined: 11 Nov 2003 Posts: 12 Location: usa

I was an MCA for 2 years. I finally managed to "escape" for about 18 months before being shoved back when my lead job was eliminated. Hate it even more this time around.

Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 586

Yeah, third...I regularly say something when associates in all departments are getting rewards for credit, PAs, and whatever that thing that replaced MPAs is called...I'm like, "well, what about MCAs? Receiving? MPU? We do a good job too. Where is our candy? Why can't we get $1 off coupons?" etc, etc.

Without us, those selling associates could not make their sales. Can't sell merchandise if it's not taken off the truck and processed. Can't sell it if it's never put on the floor and organized. Can't sell big stuff if there is no one to get it and load it into a customer's car.

They never have an answer for me...

Joined: 28 Apr 2005 Posts: 2175

Joined: 02 Jan 2009 Posts: 35

What are rewards?

We dont have those in my store.

If you are up in credit, the only reward you get is not getting called to the office and asked "Why arent you trying? Obviously you arent asking everyone"

And candy is nonexistant now cause the only way we get stuff like that is if our lead personally buys it out of their pocket, and thats not happening anymore.

Joined: 23 May 2008 Posts: 373

Do other MCAs spend a large majority of their shifts having to cover breaks? or working several jobs at once because of employees not showing up at all (some call off some do not)? and still getting points and reprimands because you can't get your own job done at the same time?

Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 586

Yeah, I've been asked to cashier multiple times because of call outs.

I do sometimes jump in the cac if it gets backed up, but I dislike it when it is expected of me.

C'mon, I have my *own* job to do. I can't be expected to respond to every cac assist. That's what the floaters and managers are there for.

Keep in mind, if I am nearby, I respond. If I am not or if I'm cleaning out a fitting room, I don't. Simple.

Posted: Fri Oct 09, 2009 7:33 am Post subject:

I think that this whole thing of combining ISS and MCA was a bad move on every level. I wish you could see why in my store. I never remember since I started with Cannonball every seeing our warehouse filled to the max in softlines for more than a week maybe two. Slight hiccup, and then corrected. It got to the point it was so bad that we had to inventory 15 z-racks this year when REGIS was in. And now that we are in fourth quarter, that number theoretically has quadrupled. There are still three weeks of merchandise on skids that are 4 and 5 skids out from the wall and no where near the 25 to a pile( C&C Standards) in all softlines departments, all available z's older fashion racks and baker's racks are filled, and there is no end in sight. And let's not even talk about the 8, 24, and 96 that has been sitting in a pile since.............. anyone care to venture a guess............end of JULY?! Surprised

. All the MCA's are so burdened with PCN's Mark-downs/ups, signing, price integrity, OOS, Fill Floor's, the list goes on and on, that freight only moves now about once a week is a four hour shot just to be hammered again on the next truck. Now that I think about it, I don't THINK this was a bad idea, it was a bad idea, kinda like RECV, PMT and RTV becoming BRAS. That's another post for another time.

Joined: 21 Sep 2003 Posts: 686

Portman...I know what you are talking about. We have so much clearance on the floor in ALL areas that we have no room or racks to get SL out. That is the main reason rec. is so full but on top of that the people/hours that we have are taken up with all the other stuff you mentioned.I don't see any increase in SSG hours which is where the hours are for putting out receipts,and the task hours they give us for the other stuff is a joke.They gave us one hour to set the Christmas home decor stuff in HF. That's ONE hour to locate 2 tables,get them where they need to go,gather up all the stuff to go on them and set them up according to the plannograms. The worst time allotments though are what we get for ad sets and markdowns.We are basically allowed one day to do all the markdowns in any given area.Even if we had 10 people working on them it can NOT be done. I set the ad in HF with one other person and it is not unusual for them to give us a time estimate of 24 hours to set that ONE area on a Sunday. Where am I supposed to get 4 people working 6 hour shifts to get that ONE area set? I am lucky to have 4 people to do ALL of SL. After conversion,when we had a separate marketing team that did ad sets and plannograms PLUS a pricing team(that only did PCNS),we were able to schedule MCAS heavy on truck days and that's all we did was put out receipts.Now we are one team doing what we used to have THREE teams to do. Do we have the same amount of people or the hours from all 3 teams combined? Not even close ! I came across an old marketing team schedule awhile ago and there was 14 people on it! Just to do ad sets,display work and store wide signing.There were 4 people on the pricing team,and I bet at least 14 people on the MCA schedule,plus 2 marketing leads,a pricing lead and 2 MCA leads. That's 32 people plus 5 leads. Currently I have 12 people plus 2 leads. How can you cut back 3 leads and 20 associates and expect things to get done? Not to mention the 12 associates we have do not all have open avail. Very few have early morning avail. and a lot of the tasks we have are supposed to be done before store opening. Sorry for the rant,but when you cut back more then 50% on your help but the work load doesn't change how can you possible expect anything but failure?

Joined: 14 Jul 2006 Posts: 586

Third, you get TWO people for HF? Not fair! I do it all myself. I've also given up on scanning my signs in and out and I've flat out told them that I can't get it done and possibly even start on kids before the store opening if you expect me to scan all my signs in and out. And now that 4th quarter is here, there will be NO chance for me to even think about kids.

Some of our managers--like ops manager--they are freaking out about the amount of stock we having sitting in the back. It's not that we are being lazy--we just have too much other things to do. Our SGM is trying to work around it by giving us more hours (but we need more people, that's the problem) or giving us cashiers who need more hours...*any*thing to help us get the store ready for 4th quarter.

It's our most important quarter, right everyone? So why are we being bogged down with so much other things. People are coming in and asking for coats and winter items...and now we have a lot of it out but before, I kept having to tell them..."well, what do you need; I'll look in the back." Customers can't shop what they can't see.

And I wish I could tell you some stupid crap we are having to do right now but it would totally blow my cover because I think it's specific to my store at this point. Mad

Joined: 15 Jan 2006 Posts: 119

Joined: 09 Jan 2009 Posts: 35

Did they officially change the name of MCAs to M&Ps? (Mechandise and Pricing Associates). I seen that term on a memo somewhere.

"MPAs" is a lot easier for me to remember. Smile

Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 6309

SearsLongAgo-ops always had mca's the register is job

It might be in the job description but it's their priority but since they make selling PAs which is PART of the job description why not fork the mca's as well.

This has been on for years especially in the slower/smaller stores. It has gotten to the point where you have to give up a small sale or two so the MCAs can get there 30% parity on 3 sales. I'v had MCAs all but beg for a drill replacement agreement and if I didn't give it alot of potential sales would've been directed somewhere else. But the same MCAs have jumped in for bill payments or a bs screw driver sale.

But since everyone winds up doing everyone else's job half the time that's why commission selling associates frequently get buried in plano's.

Joined: 15 Jan 2006 Posts: 119

Er, I should clarify: I mean softlines MCAs. The hardlines MCAs are all commission at my store, so of course their duties include selling merchandise, along with the planograms and all the other stuff they have to do. Softlines MCAs are already bogged down from all the pricing junk they have to do, as well as helping customers find things and keeping the fitting rooms cleaned out. Not to mention having to dust fixtures and do truck on top of it all.

When I was an MCA I was always asked, politely, to help out if I had time and saw a line at the register. I would do that, because in return the cashiers would help me put away some fitting room stuff when they had a spare moment.

Now it's being demanded, as part of their job description, to help man the registers. Which of course means they're subject to the credit pressures, gift card pressures, Heroes at Home, the Christmas Club Cards, and whatever else the cashiers have to get now-a-days, on top of all their normal MCA and pricing team duties.

It just seems like a bit much..

Oh and cashiers don't help the MCAs out any more. In fact, they get yelled at if they go more than two or three steps outside of the box...

So I think the MCAs are getting hosed over.

Joined: 23 May 2008 Posts: 373

Well in my store MCAs aren't given a choice of whether they cover breaks and cover for absent associates - but the odd thing is MCAs aren't supposed to be absent - or be helped when it gets busy. I have seen 5 people in shoes and in cashwrap in a huddle talking and texting and the MCA is still supposed to do it all.

Joined: 23 May 2008 Posts: 373

:|

	Forum Index -> Sears Holding Corporation / Sears Canada	All times are GMT Goto page 1, 2 Next
Page 1 of 2