Specialist Hours

Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 214

A question to all Specialist out there or anyone else on varible overtime or better known as "Chinese Overtime". Do you seem to be working more hours this year so for than ever before.? Have you been threatened about not making budget, but at the same time given more things to do that pull you away from making those sales. It seems as though we're being set-up for the kill, telling us we will be terminated if we don't make the sales, and then trying to make sure we don't make it. Could this be the way to get rid of what they consider high paid employees?

Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Posts: 10 Location: lowes

Cabinetman,
At my store in AR all specialist work around 48-50 hrs. I have not heard of anyone being threatened with budgets. We have a low turnover of specialist. I don't think it has changed much in the high volume depts in the last 4-5 years. My numbers for last year were double the budgets in installs and SOS. I don't know how I would react if I were threatened in any way by a manager who wants me to sell for them.

Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Posts: 110 Location: illinois

How many stores have the specialist open and have to do freight. I had a specialist jump all over me one day. He said it is against the law or at least against policy for him to have to do freight. He also said, when he was told to zone all day and then go help lumber or L&G at close, he will let at 48 hours. I told him he has to be let out of the store by a manager because the doors are locked. He said at 48 hours he is leaving and they WILL NOT stop him. I guess he will find out the this is not Lowes of New York(that's where he came from).

Joined: 06 Jul 2003 Posts: 32

Has anybody noticed the new commercials that advertise in the Cabinet Departments? Well, on the commercial they say just ask any of our "Installed Project Managers" This might be over the moon thinking, but I am not a trust worthy person when it comes to lowes.....lol But do you think they could be changing Specialist a form of "management" to the official install project MANAGER so they can legally make them work over 40 and pay them the chinese overtime? With no extras because of spiffs, sos incentives and so on? Could this be a Ripley's Belive It Or Not?

Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Posts: 110 Location: illinois

Haven't heard that one, but then I usually hit mute when I hear that stupid music come on.

Joined: 11 Sep 2003 Posts: 6

Joined: 05 Mar 2005 Posts: 110 Location: illinois

We never have specialists come to register. Who the hell is in the departments? Your store sounds like ours was last year. Every manager is suppose to come up for code 3's, not specialists.

Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 214

I have heard of some stores in my district when Specialist had personal budgets, that when they were coming up short they would put them on the register to make their numbers. They do mention from time to time here for the Specialist to train on the register, but like I told them, if I wanted to run a register thats what I would have applied for. Thats a very good way to get rid of an employee, someone who is not use to a register could come up short, and we know they would be gone.

I haven't heard to commercial about the " Installed Project Manager", they're probibly talking about the Installed Sales Manager. They do try to tell Specialist at my store that they are part of Management, but we know better, they need to read policy.

Specialist at my store up to the start of this year did open and close and come in early to unload trucks. Now all of our Specialist work 8 to 7 , no open's or closes. As for as the Specialist leaving at 48 hrs., if thats what is on the schedule thats when they can leave, that goes for anyone, if you are scheduled 8 to 7 and you punch out at 7 they can't do anything about it, they can ask you to stay but you have the say so on that. Remember once the schedule comes out they can't change it without your permission.

We were all over budget last year also, but that didn't stop the threats, we thought we were going into the first meeting of the year for maybe a pat on the back, but the exact words were, if you don't make your SOS and Install budget you may want to look for other employment. That really wants to make me get out there and sale, sale , sale. Naughty!

Good morale booster "RIGHT"

Joined: 06 Jul 2003 Posts: 32

Specialist does trucks, responsible for irp's, stocks, zones morning till closing..... when are they suppose to sell? As a former specialist, I know full well how hard specialist have it, why, because I am in management now. I don't and never will understand how you can hold a person responsible for a budget and yet not let them have the opportunity to sell. When I was a specialist I was lucky enough to have a manager let me work 9 to 8 for almost 2 years.

Then when a new manager came in he told me I could not do this schedule because if he gave me a set schedule he would have to give everybody a set schedule ... ok ... so then I put in for DM, I got it ... had a great crew, we all worked together, always made budget. But low and behold ... new manager needed to stir things up... moved all DM's to different depts.
You might think I am crazy, but I said no ... step me back to specialist ... why? Because they wanted me to go to a millwork where no woman could lift and work side by side with their co workers ... maybe I am not made to be a deligator, but I always was a person that would not ask you to do something that I would not be on my own knees beside you working.

So then I went back to specialist, until almost a year ago... I am now a ISM and proud to say we have some of the best people in our store. Specialist work their asses off right beside CSA's. As for specialist running registers .... it does no good to run a register. In the past it did, but things are a changing! If you look at the reports that come out with specialist numbers... they are only for Installs and SOS's. Hope I haven't bored all of you ... kinda think that most people think specialist act like prima donna's ... there are some ... but at most .... its management who creates these prima donna's Mad

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Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Posts: 214

LowesLadyOnceAgain,
There are alot of employees that think Specialist are just overpayed employees that do nothing, but as you say, you have to be in that position to understand the stress and responsibility involved. As an ISM now you probibly feel the heat even more if the Specialist aren't allowed the chance to make the budgets, the heat comes down on the Sales Manager, then on you, then the ISC and then the Specialist. The problem is "and it may be different at your store" that other members of Management have the Specialist doing things they want them to do, they don't worry about sales thats the Sales Managers problem, they want you to clean, stock, cover other departments, and the list goes on and on. G.O. knows this is going on, and if we are to have any chance at reaching the budgets we have this year, they need to lay down the law to the Store Managers.

Joined: 25 Aug 2004 Posts: 4

as a speclist in OPE I do 80 to 90 percent of the work in the department. we are short staffed with a new manager no team leader (i was the last) and allbut one of the other 3 workers is parttime and work mostly nights and weekends this leaves me opening most of the time doing yellow dots, puting away freight, code 50's & code3's, loading and droping freaight in bullpen for nasco. every time I go to do somthing (print labels, load ect) the stupid call button goes off and I am halfway across the store or I and helping one customer within 10 feet from the callbutton and some asshole sets it off right after I tell them I will be right with them. the other thing gets me with all this going on we have one zone manager that walks around testing call buttons, you run either from the other side of the store or climb out of the racks and down ladders to find out it ass hole testing the button. he could at least call or tell you before hand.
we also have a manager in electrical who use to be our department team leader, they no all most nothing about electronics and wiring and if there is a customer in our department and no one is near instead of helping or answering questions they know they page use wheather or not we are free to help.

Joined: 28 Aug 2003 Posts: 30 Location: #606 Dothan, AL

I was told once before that "Specialists Aren't Coverage" but if that was so, why do they appear on the Departments regular schedule? Department Managers aren't considered COVERAGE, but we are. It all boils down to TEAMWORK! If my specialist get a big order I will gladly pull the order!!!

Jonesy

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