If your division / store is using the new 'high falutin" Zebra handhelds, tell us if they are as great as Kroger Corporate thinks they are supposed to be!
Have you had any problems with them?
Are they making your job easier or harder?
Is the software good?
Are the Zebra units good quality? (speaking of the physical/hardware, not any software issues)
If your division / store is using the new 'high falutin" Zebra handhelds, tell us if they are as great as Kroger Corporate thinks they are supposed to be!
Have you had any problems with them?
Are they making your job easier or harder?
Is the software good?
Are the Zebra units good quality? (speaking of the physical/hardware, not any software issues)
I never liked any handhelds I refused to use them. I only ordered supplies the Manager did not like the fact I sat down at a workstation took my time and ordered what was needed.
I even came in on Sunday mornings when I was off just to order. He asked every time why was I not using the handheld.
I know this post was brought to the top by a spam post but...
I started using the Zebra 3 weeks ago. We can still use the telxon for now. I decided to switch to the zebra and figure out how to make it work for my job. I am a night manager and do ordering with it.
The physical quality is good and it is light. I have only dropped the one I was using twice. I think someone pressed too hard on the touch screen on one of them because one night I was using one that wasn't reacting correctly. People are used to the clicking(physical movement) of the telxon buttons. The first week my hand was sore from tapping swiping the screen. They cost about $1k. I can see them getting lost or stolen easier than a telxon. It is a TC-52 if anyone is curious. Zebra Touch Computer 52. Thickness and weight of two cell phones.
Once I get logged in, the software transitions smoothly. It has been sluggish a few times but not near as bad as the telxon freezing up.
I was told that it will log you out when you clock out on kronos. I do not believe this because one night I came in at 9pm and and someone was still logged into the one I used that night. I think I do get logged out automatically at 7am tho.
The telzon has always been based on trust. It works best when everyone is doing their job. Warehouse sending correct pallets, backstock being ran daily, people putting product in correct place on shelf. With the Zebra, I have to trust 3 times more people and have less control over what they do.
I use data a certain way on the telxon to decide what to order. I don't have access to the data in a simplified way on the zebra. I will be using one application to order but need to back out and go into another application to see allocation or to change the BOH or allocation. There isn't a normal logical way to fix BOHs and Allocations. It can be done but that application is purposed for something else. There isn't a clear logical way to check backstock at the end of the night. It can be done but I don't think it is the correct purpose for the application.
I can only see the last order for the order history. I use the last 6 orders in order history on the telxon to figure out if something is a mispick. They are still working on getting the distros to show correctly on the zebra. I use movement history to see markdown prices to see if something was discontinued. Can't tell with the zebra.
When I order, I assume the boh is correct. If it says I have 25 boh and forecasts 6 in sales for the next day, then I do not add anything to the order. When product is empty, I have to guess how much to order to fill because I can't see the allocation unless I go into another application. I am supposed to let the zebra decide how much to order, but for paper towels it orders too little. To see the forecast(I do like the graph), I have to swipe up two long strokes. To see the last order history, I have to swipe up one long stroke. I have to be careful when using the keypad to enter amount I am ordering. I ordered 12 and then pressed the check mark. The check mark is next to the 9. So, I ordered 129 instead. Thankfully, it got scratched. lol.
CAo order closes and sends at 3am here. Zebra closes at 245am. I should be checking the pc to make sure I didn't order something wrong. But lately I have been ordering for 15 minutes using the telxon.
I order agressively with the telxon to keep the shelves full. Mostly paper towels and toilet paper. I am trying to let the zebra fill the store but it is lacking. Still orders too much of wrong stuff and not enough of the right stuff. The most important thing I can do is fix BOHs as soon as I know something is missing.
I like scanning the baler label with the zebra. Scanning out damage is smooth too. Quick and painless.
The store sales application is nice but really doesn't improve my job.
There are a few tasks I can't do on the Zebra yet so I have to use the telxon. Making price tags and researching product I have never seen before.
Grocery Department uses the zebra one way. I am under the impression that GM and Produce use different processes to do their ordering.
Overall, I like the Zebra.
-- Edited by Anonymouse1 on Sunday 5th of December 2021 04:22:48 PM
-- Edited by Anonymouse1 on Sunday 5th of December 2021 05:08:30 PM
I know this post was brought to the top by a spam post but...
I started using the Zebra 3 weeks ago. We can still use the telxon for now. I decided to switch to the zebra and figure out how to make it work for my job. I am a night manager and do ordering with it.
The physical quality is good and it is light. I have only dropped the one I was using twice. I think someone pressed too hard on the touch screen on one of them because one night I was using one that wasn't reacting correctly. People are used to the clicking(physical movement) of the telxon buttons. The first week my hand was sore from tapping swiping the screen. They cost about $1k. I can see them getting lost or stolen easier than a telxon. It is a TC-52 if anyone is curious. Zebra Touch Computer 52. Thickness and weight of two cell phones.
Once I get logged in, the software transitions smoothly. It has been sluggish a few times but not near as bad as the telxon freezing up.
I was told that it will log you out when you clock out on kronos. I do not believe this because one night I came in at 9pm and and someone was still logged into the one I used that night. I think I do get logged out automatically at 7am tho.
The telzon has always been based on trust. It works best when everyone is doing their job. Warehouse sending correct pallets, backstock being ran daily, people putting product in correct place on shelf. With the Zebra, I have to trust 3 times more people and have less control over what they do.
I use data a certain way on the telxon to decide what to order. I don't have access to the data in a simplified way on the zebra. I will be using one application to order but need to back out and go into another application to see allocation or to change the BOH or allocation. There isn't a normal logical way to fix BOHs and Allocations. It can be done but that application is purposed for something else. There isn't a clear logical way to check backstock at the end of the night. It can be done but I don't think it is the correct purpose for the application.
I can only see the last order for the order history. I use the last 6 orders in order history on the telxon to figure out if something is a mispick. They are still working on getting the distros to show correctly on the zebra. I use movement history to see markdown prices to see if something was discontinued. Can't tell with the zebra.
When I order, I assume the boh is correct. If it says I have 25 boh and forecasts 6 in sales for the next day, then I do not add anything to the order. When product is empty, I have to guess how much to order to fill because I can't see the allocation unless I go into another application. I am supposed to let the zebra decide how much to order, but for paper towels it orders too little. To see the forecast(I do like the graph), I have to swipe up two long strokes. To see the last order history, I have to swipe up one long stroke. I have to be careful when using the keypad to enter amount I am ordering. I ordered 12 and then pressed the check mark. The check mark is next to the 9. So, I ordered 129 instead. Thankfully, it got scratched. lol.
CAo order closes and sends at 3am here. Zebra closes at 245am. I should be checking the pc to make sure I didn't order something wrong. But lately I have been ordering for 15 minutes using the telxon.
I order agressively with the telxon to keep the shelves full. Mostly paper towels and toilet paper. I am trying to let the zebra fill the store but it is lacking. Still orders too much of wrong stuff and not enough of the right stuff. The most important thing I can do is fix BOHs as soon as I know something is missing.
I like scanning the baler label with the zebra. Scanning out damage is smooth too. Quick and painless.
The store sales application is nice but really doesn't improve my job.
There are a few tasks I can't do on the Zebra yet so I have to use the telxon. Making price tags and researching product I have never seen before.
Grocery Department uses the zebra one way. I am under the impression that GM and Produce use different processes to do their ordering.
Overall, I like the Zebra.
-- Edited by Anonymouse1 on Sunday 5th of December 2021 04:22:48 PM
-- Edited by Anonymouse1 on Sunday 5th of December 2021 05:08:30 PM
Bakery worker here. The only thing I like about using a Zebra is not having to physically connect it to a printer when doing markdowns. I still use the Telxon (RF unit) for ordering because when you process the order it lists all the items that got scratched from the last order and asks if you want to re-order them. The Zebra doesn't do that. At least ours doesn't. Yours may be different. I can't use the Zebra to do CAP reports. It doesn't have that capability. I do have to use the Zebra to scan outdates. It's fine if you're simply scanning something out as outdated or damaged, but it's a real pain and time waster if you have to scan stuff out as a donation. When you scan something out as a donation, it asks if the item is leaking or damaged. That in itself is stupid. I wouldn't be scanning it out as a donation if it was damaged. Duh! Anyway, you have to tap yes or no on the touchscreen in order to continue. The problem is you have to tap it 20 times or more to get it to register. Imagine having to do that for a full bascart of stuff. This happens with all of them and with everybody. It's not just me. Also, if the next item you scan is the same as the first, then it doesn't ask you if it was leaking or damaged. That's stupid too. Just because the first one wasn't damaged doesn't mean that the next one isn't damaged.
Well, we have to use them, and I don't mind using them...Our various other department managers on the other hand, have other thoughts, esp. concerning their accuracy...The numbers in the CAO are honestly, not that accurate...There are a lot of variables that have to be in place for them to be 100% accurate and some of the managers are just happy right now if they can get close enough...Maybe that's a kink that needs to get worked out eventually...As of right now, though, it's the little issues that have been a pain...Of course, I've never been a diehard truster of ANY technology, computer or otherwise, because even the best technology screws up once in a while...
Boy, I had an older neighbor several years back who ran an independent meat market with his dad back in the 40's-50's and he used to tell me how they would order product by noting it down on a special pad, well before scanners were even invented...I even had family members who I found out last year at a reunion ran their own general store in the early 1900's...It makes me wonder what those times must have been like, before all hell broke loose...
I think it kind of funny how the big idea was to consolidate all the devices into one handheld. In reality, this was already the case before Pickup, with everything using the RF guns. Pickup came along and just used whatever devise the software vendor wanted and then tried to use take it inhouse with the devise the company developed. They tried to do this in-house years ago with RAD and PAL devices, and GUESS what happened. Hopefully this succeeds, but KTD doesn't have a good track record, SCAN TUNNEL, EDGE Shelf, SCAN-BAG-GO, SCO conversion...the phrase "TOO BIG TO FAIL" comes in mind....but they did (excluding SCO, which just too forever to get stable).
Like everything else, shouldn't they have already eliminated all the bugs before rolling this out? I have always thought its funny, they want Associate buy-in, but don't get how its hard for Associates to buy-in when the device has issues from day one. An Associate saying "The devise works better then is used too" after months and or years of rollout, it a horrible comment for a Product Owner. So basically, your device didn't work in the beginning and its taken months/years to eliminate the flaws? In a workers hand a program/devise working 90% of the time is still a horrible percentage. OH....saying it doesn't effect the "Customers Experience" is also a phrase indicated too often and its funny how its always said by the Rollout Team and or Product Owners. Isn't the Rollout Team/Product Owner customer the store Associate?
I use it for required tasks and so far it isn't awful. We are all required to do several training minutes each day so it is the usual b s. Makes some routine accounting procedures easier. Unfortunately this versatile device will adapt to the usual chaotic corporate baloney. I'm sure as hell not using my phone.
