e-schedule screw up

Date: Aug 11, 2012

e-schedule screw up

Date: Aug 11, 2012

Kroger has a knack for taking the simplest tasks and turning them into something even a team of rocket scientists would have trouble understanding. Back in the bakery department when we did our bread breakout for the next day, we would never write anything down. You do it in your head. If something you've baked that day isn't all going out on the shelf, then you bake less the next day or you don't bake it at all. If the shelf is still empty after everything is put out, you bake more the next day. It's that simple. Of course it does help if the person who bags the bread puts it out in a timely fashion and if the person who bakes the bread makes it look appetizing.

Now they're making us use this CAP program (computer assisted production). We're suppose to go through and scan every item with the RF unit. It then shows the sales of that item for the last 4 weeks on that particular day and gives a "forecast" of what it thinks will sell the next day. We are then suppose to use that number and calculate based on how full the shelf is and whether or not we have that item in backup how much we actually need to bake. Yeah right. We then have to input that number into the machine. You have to do that for every item. If you did that for every item it would take over an hour to do. Let's see. It's forecasting 5 bags of snowflake rolls for tomorrow. We need 2 more to fill the shelf and we have 4 in backup. So if we use 2 from backup that will leave 2. So we only need to bake 3. If you follow that logic the shelves are going to be empty a great deal of the time. Now, imagine doing that for about 40 to 50 items. I don't even bother looking at the forecast numbers. I just scan, punch in how many I plan to bake, andscan the next item. After scanning everything in, you then have to run a report. Even then we still don't always follow what the report says.

Date: Aug 11, 2012

E-Schedule just rolled out in my District, As a schedule writer, I like it. Sked's old as ****, and depressing, I'm glad it's gone. We're still in the early stages of this program and basically testing the program, working out all of the bugs and glitches it has. I think the pro's greatly out-weigh the cons with E Scheduling.

AnonymousCutter · Guru

Please define "eschedule". Does this mean the computer id writing the schedule?

4hourrush · Guru

Anonymous wrote:
Kroger has a knack for taking the simplest tasks and turning them into something even a team of rocket scientists would have trouble understanding. Back in the bakery department when we did our bread breakout for the next day, we would never write anything down. You do it in your head. If something you've baked that day isn't all going out on the shelf, then you bake less the next day or you don't bake it at all. If the shelf is still empty after everything is put out, you bake more the next day. It's that simple. Of course it does help if the person who bags the bread puts it out in a timely fashion and if the person who bakes the bread makes it look appetizing.
Now they're making us use this CAP program (computer assisted production). We're suppose to go through and scan every item with the RF unit. It then shows the sales of that item for the last 4 weeks on that particular day and gives a "forecast" of what it thinks will sell the next day. We are then suppose to use that number and calculate based on how full the shelf is and whether or not we have that item in backup how much we actually need to bake. Yeah right. We then have to input that number into the machine. You have to do that for every item. If you did that for every item it would take over an hour to do. Let's see. It's forecasting 5 bags of snowflake rolls for tomorrow. We need 2 more to fill the shelf and we have 4 in backup. So if we use 2 from backup that will leave 2. So we only need to bake 3. If you follow that logic the shelves are going to be empty a great deal of the time. Now, imagine doing that for about 40 to 50 items. I don't even bother looking at the forecast numbers. I just scan, punch in how many I plan to bake, andscan the next item. After scanning everything in, you then have to run a report. Even then we still don't always follow what the report says.

I do bakery breakout and I have to say I've never had to do anything like that O_o We have good old fashion papers where we count how many of each item are out, then i get what's needed out and mark it off as I go.

Date: Aug 11, 2012

4hourrush wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Kroger has a knack for taking the simplest tasks and turning them into something even a team of rocket scientists would have trouble understanding. Back in the bakery department when we did our bread breakout for the next day, we would never write anything down. You do it in your head. If something you've baked that day isn't all going out on the shelf, then you bake less the next day or you don't bake it at all. If the shelf is still empty after everything is put out, you bake more the next day. It's that simple. Of course it does help if the person who bags the bread puts it out in a timely fashion and if the person who bakes the bread makes it look appetizing.
Now they're making us use this CAP program (computer assisted production). We're suppose to go through and scan every item with the RF unit. It then shows the sales of that item for the last 4 weeks on that particular day and gives a "forecast" of what it thinks will sell the next day. We are then suppose to use that number and calculate based on how full the shelf is and whether or not we have that item in backup how much we actually need to bake. Yeah right. We then have to input that number into the machine. You have to do that for every item. If you did that for every item it would take over an hour to do. Let's see. It's forecasting 5 bags of snowflake rolls for tomorrow. We need 2 more to fill the shelf and we have 4 in backup. So if we use 2 from backup that will leave 2. So we only need to bake 3. If you follow that logic the shelves are going to be empty a great deal of the time. Now, imagine doing that for about 40 to 50 items. I don't even bother looking at the forecast numbers. I just scan, punch in how many I plan to bake, andscan the next item. After scanning everything in, you then have to run a report. Even then we still don't always follow what the report says.
I do bakery breakout and I have to say I've never had to do anything like that O_o We have good old fashion papers where we count how many of each item are out, then i get what's needed out and mark it off as I go.

Just wait. It'll eventually get to your store.

Date: Aug 11, 2012

I say we should all work the screwed up schedule that the computer comes up with. Then, when the wrong people are working messed up hours, or theres not enough trained people working the right hours, or some people get assigned to tasks they've never been trained to do...all by the all-knowing, always right computer...we can just tell management to go talk to the computer. I work in produce and have had very little to do with floral, as we have a part-timer floral clerk. Next week the computer has me assigned to an 8 hour shift all by myself as floral clerk! WTF !!

Our meat dept. manager....a 30+ year Kroger veteran....has been making his depts. work schedule for years the old fashioned way, with pencil & paper. On a bad day he says it takes him all of 20 minutes to complete...and twice that time to enter it into the computer. It takes 2-3 days for the store mgr. to look overr and approve it. It took him almost 2 hours to do the schedule under the new system. Thats Kroger's definition of progress.

It all goes back to Kroger's basic flawed premises....that all Kroger stores are exactly alike, they all operate exactly alike, what sells well in one store will sell well in all stores, and that allemployees--regardless of how many years experience doing the job--don'tknow what to do or how to do it. This is the attitude that will eventually bring Kroger down Ten years from now...or maybe less...Kroger as we know it will no longer exist. Kroger will micro-manage itself into the ground and will be ripe & easy pickings for a buy-out. Do you really think that if a buyer with the right price per share showed up today Kroger wouldn't sell !? Don't kid yourself....everything, EVERYTHING, is for sale at the right price.

AnonymousCutter · Guru

I can't give an opinon until someone explains the functions of the eschedule.

Druthers · Veteran Member

This company loves technology. Problem is, they don't understand it. They sit back and go OOOOhhhh and Awwwww, and GEE, We need this. Take the self-checkout, for instance. The company has loaded so much software into it, it keeps crashing. There's a program called "U-FIX IT" that is totally un-needed and no one is aware of it. The I-Pad was supposed to be updated in January. NOT. Management are nothing but a clusterf*ck of ties, pant suits, and arrogance.

thedude · Guru

there is nothing wrong with new technology. the thing is - you all expect it to work perfect right away. it needs time and tweeking and data put into it ti make it work the way it was designed to work. people love to bash new ideas all too quickly.

Druthers · Veteran Member

You're right. In some aspects. New technology is great, IF the person installing it knows exactly what the f**k he/she is doing. And it will only be tweaked if management agrees to it and has the sense to KNOW it needs to be tweaked. I'm not bashing new ideas. No way. I'm bashing management for installing **** that they don't need. They've just spent thousands of dollars to install big screen TVs to the front end to show who the dept heads, and management are. WHAT? The pictures around the store weren't enough? THAT has worked for years.

nocturnia · Guru

thedude wrote:
there is nothing wrong with new technology. the thing is - you all expect it to work perfect right away. it needs time and tweeking and data put into it ti make it work the way it was designed to work. people love to bash new ideas all too quickly.

I agree with you, Dude. Change is always good; hard to accept.

But new technology in the work place is only as effective as the resources management is allowed to have to implement it. I.e.: Wally has had a scanning/binning system in place for two years now. Works wonderfully on paper. Not so much when you have a reduced staff with cut hours. Yet Homo Orifice continues deep throating us with it, inSIStant that "YES, THIS WILL WORK."

Date: Sep 5, 2012

where is the echedule website? i need to change my availability

Date: Sep 19, 2012

I absolutely understand what you're going through! I work part time at Kroger fuel: i have a fulltime job at the library nearby. At the library I work every third weekend: sat> 9:30 am to 6 pm; on the weekend that I work saturdays at the library I am available to work Friday at 5:45am to 12:45 pm. Because of the e schedule website the schedule that comes from the great beyond does not know which Fridays and Saturdays I can work what times. To avoid a screw up by being scheduled 5:45 AM on a day I work early at the library I removed my 5:45 AM shift availability and left the 6:15 PM to 11:15 PM. I see someone changed it back to 5:45 Am and this week I am scheduled to work a shift that I will be unavailable at that time. Mr. Lucia's email is not operable in the contact field and neither is the other 2 e mail addresses! The great people website is not user friendly.

Date: Sep 28, 2012

The catch to all these programs is that there is an enormous investment made by people who really have no clue as to the daily operation of a store other than just looking at numbers. Any company that becomes as large as Kroger becomes further removed from its customers and employees. As much as I hate to say this Kroger never really promised me anything other than a pay check with some type of benifits. Therfoer its fallst upon me a as a person to decide when enough is enough. How long will I really continue to work for a company that no longer values my talents and experience is up to only me. And frankly I'm making my escape as soon as the pieces are in place. 1 day, 1 week 1 year who knows. But I'm working toward that day! disbelief yawn confuse wink furious biggrin bleh

Date: Sep 28, 2012

To start with The Great People Website is bull. Kroger employees are a liability on the balance sheet, plain and simple.

If some one changed your availability, now, they may have over ridden the the availability on the schedule whedule when it was run, would be completely moranic! I would never do that to my department people. It sounds to me like the schedule writer is either an idiot who doesn't care about you or he or she wants you out. It also could be they took an easy route out. It took me a total of 5 hour to make the first e schedule.

That could be because i'm not smart enough, but I make sure that those that protect me are protected!!

Date: Jan 5, 2013

shut up kroger sucks its a greedy discusting company the only thing they care about is making u be there b**** no raises no promotions unless your on your hands and knees blowing the nerdy border line queer management whom still watch spider man and pokemon shows. if your goal in life is to manage a kroger have fun workin there for 50 years and being hated by just about.....everyone.

Date: May 11, 2013

LOOK BUDDY BCK OFF U MY HATE KROGER BU ITS A JOB IT NOT MY FAV PLCE BU GE OVERUR SELFIF ITS THAT BAD THAN QUIT SOP B***ING ABOUT IT SERIOULY.

Date: May 11, 2013

It does no good to put in your availability.because they never go by it. They do what they want. I think all employees should strike at every Kroger until they treat us right.

Date: May 13, 2013

OK SO U WANT TO GO ON STRIKE BECAUSE TEHEY WONT DO WHAT U SAY..... MMMM.... LAST TME I CHEKED U THE EMPLOYIE NOT THE MANAGER. YUP LET GO ON SRIK SO WE CAN LOOSE PAY THAT MAKES SENSE. ITS NOT LIKE U HAVE TO WORK THERE. BE LUCKY YOU HAVE A JOB. STOP BITCHIG SO MUCH. THANKS.

Date: May 15, 2013

Anonymous wrote:
OK SO U WANT TO GO ON STRIKE BECAUSE TEHEY WONT DO WHAT U SAY..... MMMM.... LAST TME I CHEKED U THE EMPLOYIE NOT THE MANAGER. YUP LET GO ON SRIK SO WE CAN LOOSE PAY THAT MAKES SENSE. ITS NOT LIKE U HAVE TO WORK THERE. BE LUCKY YOU HAVE A JOB. STOP BITCHIG SO MUCH. THANKS.

This must be the guy that invented the e-schedule. Moron.

thedude · Guru

Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
OK SO U WANT TO GO ON STRIKE BECAUSE TEHEY WONT DO WHAT U SAY..... MMMM.... LAST TME I CHEKED U THE EMPLOYIE NOT THE MANAGER. YUP LET GO ON SRIK SO WE CAN LOOSE PAY THAT MAKES SENSE. ITS NOT LIKE U HAVE TO WORK THERE. BE LUCKY YOU HAVE A JOB. STOP BITCHIG SO MUCH. THANKS.
This must be the guy that invented the e-schedule. Moron.

Oh! Is that who it is? I thought it was my 11 year old son the way it was written in all caps and with all the crazy spelling errors LOL

VWguy90 · Veteran Member

thedude wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
OK SO U WANT TO GO ON STRIKE BECAUSE TEHEY WONT DO WHAT U SAY..... MMMM.... LAST TME I CHEKED U THE EMPLOYIE NOT THE MANAGER. YUP LET GO ON SRIK SO WE CAN LOOSE PAY THAT MAKES SENSE. ITS NOT LIKE U HAVE TO WORK THERE. BE LUCKY YOU HAVE A JOB. STOP BITCHIG SO MUCH. THANKS.
This must be the guy that invented the e-schedule. Moron.
Oh! Is that who it is? I thought it was my 11 year old son the way it was written in all caps and with all the crazy spelling errors LOL

Even though there are so many spelling errors, and it looks like a 4 year old posted that, they are correct. Going on strike is a stupid idea, even for a large company. I mean, look at what happened to Hostess. Some people just don't appreciate having a job and a paycheck.

styles · Guru

thedude wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
OK SO U WANT TO GO ON STRIKE BECAUSE TEHEY WONT DO WHAT U SAY..... MMMM.... LAST TME I CHEKED U THE EMPLOYIE NOT THE MANAGER. YUP LET GO ON SRIK SO WE CAN LOOSE PAY THAT MAKES SENSE. ITS NOT LIKE U HAVE TO WORK THERE. BE LUCKY YOU HAVE A JOB. STOP BITCHIG SO MUCH. THANKS.
This must be the guy that invented the e-schedule. Moron.
Oh! Is that who it is? I thought it was my 11 year old son the way it was written in all caps and with all the crazy spelling errors LOL

seriously a 5 year old in america should be able to write better than this guy

Date: Jul 10, 2013

I was wondering if the e-schedule changes what time people work. Like I'm a pastry chef and I usually work 9to 5 now other stores are saying ill have to work 11 to 7 that will ruin my life not to sound dramatic but it is directly in the middle of the day. has it changed other peoples normal shifts??

Date: Jul 11, 2013

Anonymous wrote:
I usually work 9to 5 now other stores are saying ill have to work 11 to 7 that will ruin my life

LOL!

4hourrush · Guru

I've worked 1-9, 4-8, all sorts of weird afternoon shifts, and even after a year and a half i'm at the bottom of senority in my department.E-schedule makes us close at 9:30 now instead of 9.

It does suck sometimes but sorry if I don't think 2 extra hours shifted "ruins your life".

Date: Jul 11, 2013

This e schedule is the most retarded thing I've ever seen!! they made it sound good when They first introduced it but it has been disaster ever since our store has gotten it. I am a night leader and my whole crew and I have not been able to clock in since the e schedule was put in. I've had people not paid right every day you gotta make sure someone puts your hours in and at the end of the week hope some how some one didn't make a mistake. I HATE this thing what was wrong with the way we used to it?

Date: Jul 11, 2013

Anonymous wrote:
where is the echedule website? i need to change my availability

Greatpeople.me

http://krogerforum.activeboard.com/t54056818/how-do-i-change-my-availability/

Date: Jul 20, 2013

Been a year now. How long before bugs are worked out. LOL, E-scheduling still a waste of time. Literally

Date: Aug 16, 2013

I understand that it's important to have employees scheduled for when the customers are there but doesn't it make more sense to have employees there BEFORE all the customers come in so they can fill the shelves and get some things done so the customers can easily find what they need and be in and out? I work in the bakery and it's stupid to have a cake decorator work 10-6 or 11-7. We need to be there before the customers show up to make sure the floor looks good! If Kroger would give our store more hours, then we could hire a mid shift person to help out with the odds and ends of the bakery and the customers. We are not a super market store but our numbers are just as good and sometimes better! I'm sick of complaining about it though, Kroger will realize that our customers aren't happy sooner or later, even if they don't hear about it every day like we employees do!

Date: Oct 9, 2013

Well it can make a persons life near impossible, if they have kids that need to be picked up from school (and are too young to be home alone afterwards).... Doctor's appointments, weddings, graduations, birthdays, etc... Full timers have now lost all rights officially with this system. You are only permitted by contract so many personal days per year off (days off with pay that will not lose you either your seniority, or your full time status and benefits). In our contract that is 3 days per year.

E-schedule forces full time employees to use requested days off as "day of without pay". We also have to sign a disclaimer to do the e-schedule on our own time w/o pay- so if it does take an long time to check it, you have now worked for Kroger's, for free. ( I recommend only checking it on the clock, at work!- or requesting them to print out a hard copy for them...tell them you do not have internet access at home, etc ..)

Full time employees under our local contract- are to be available 7/24. No set schedules. We have already been told in our store that if as a full time employee we change our work availability in any way to ask for ANY special shifts or times (that do not hand our lives over to Kroger's 7/24)- we will most likely be put in the system as unavailable- and hours will be cut, since full timers are not allowed to be "unavailable".

Krogers has slowly been trying to move it's work force to be a higher % (ratio) of Part -timers versus Full time. This method is a mere tactic to force early retirements, tear up personal lives (in hopes that the full time employees will quit), and create strife between employees. Keep in mind the Krogers family work enviorment has been long gone... they are strictly in it for the dollar- and have been for quite some time. Most employees stay not out of loyalty- but due to the economy, and lack of other livable salary jobs in their region.

We now have 3 employees leaving on early retirements within the next few weeks- and I "forecast" quite a few more following. With them goes a vast array of Kroger knowledge and experience- that will take a good 4-5 part time high school employees to replace, lol . Our baker who has come in for decades overnight to supply the entire in store bread goods (incuding wrapping , pricing, and merchandising it...) Has been informed that "that shift no longer exists"..... I have told her take the daytime hours- and if the baked goods burn as you are doing customer first needs, so be it :)

Union is our only umbrella now. Read your local contract- use your seniority...there are many loopholes in many contracts that can be used against Krogers as much as they are using the E schedules, against our lives. Biggest one is file grievances on any union jobs in your store that management preforms. They cannot (in most contracts) be a bagger, checker, grab shopping carts off the lot, run the service desk, stock normal store shelves (they can set up some displays, and endcaps) . Document the manager's name, the tasks you saw them perform and basic length of time. Then file your grievance- you will be paid for the hours they took from a union employee's job. The company will fight it of course, but if every store has numerous complaints and grievances ( all legal by contract)- they cannot fight that.... They have ramped up the amount of our hours that they are "just helping out a bit" lately. But truly it "helps" none of us- if management steals 20 hours in a week this way (and that is a low-ball figure) that is a job lost , or extra hours denied to a store's union member.

Main thing- keep your cool...Watch language and statements within the stores walls. Work the tasks and schedules given to the best of your ability- but if your time your short let them know that you did the best possible in the allotted time frame :) That you took care of your task to the best of your ability, while adhering to the companies "customer first policies" :) They cannot write you up for work not done if it was impossible to finish, or customer first issues arose. I wish everyone the best with this new mess- stay strong..and aware that it is probably only the first on many new changes.

techelite · Guru

Anonymous wrote:
(I recommend only checking it on the clock, at work!- or requesting them to print out a hard copy for them...tell them you do not have internet access at home, etc ..)

There is supposed to always still be a paper copy of the schedule posted in the store. If there isn't, someone isn't doing their job.

Date: Oct 18, 2013

it breaks union contract.. and will have a class action law suite soon

Date: Oct 18, 2013

it breaks union contract.. and will have a class action law suite soon

techelite · Guru

Anonymous wrote:
it breaks union contract.. and will have a class action law suite soon

Highly doubt that. It may or may not be violating parts of contracts, but it has been out long enough that if we could do anything about it, it'd have already been done.

dandaman · Member

People, wake up. We have more power than you think. And the union is not going to help us.We are the first line of contact with the customer! Kroger doesn't get that a happy employee is a good employee. if you are unhappy with Kroger (and at this point, who isn't) then let that spill over in customer service. Stop greeting customers with a happy face, if they ask if you if we have have something in back, the automatic answer is no, we're out. when our unhappiness spills over onto the sales floor, customers will notice and stop shopping. then and only then will Kroger take notice. they don't give 2 ****s about you, so why the hell should we give 2 ****s about being pleasant! You have power, use it. Oh, and sloooooow down! Don't work as fast. as long as you're moving, there's nothing they can do. Our union sucks, so take matters into your own hands!

dandaman · Member

oh, and here's the latest joke. Kroger is offering a $10.00 bonus if the customer surveys improve 3%. lololololololololollol. Lets make sure they go down 6%

dandaman · Member

i have an opinion....you're an arshole or in management...or both. this is a direct reply to the anonymous person who likes e schedule!

-- Edited by dandaman on Sunday 10th of November 2013 05:29:17 PM

dandaman · Member

Does everybody on this blog notice that the people that defend Kroger are illiterate. Another shining example of the morons Kroger can hire! What kind of idiot wants a job that pays minimum wage, has no benefits for over a year,and you gotta pay union dues, not to mention the union takes initiation fees; Independents starting pay is at least a dollar more an hour! Maybe its because the independents won't hire illiterates!

-- Edited by dandaman on Sunday 10th of November 2013 05:47:43 PM