15-104-1001

DOCUMENT NUMBER: 15-04-01 SECTION: MANAGING THE FRONT END TAB: SUBJECT: THE FRONT END THE FRONT END MANAGER __________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

DATE: MARCH 11, 2002 PAGE: 1 OF 5

THE FRONT END MANAGER FULL TIME RESPONSIBILITY

FMI STATISTICS

The last two Sections of this Tab (The Front End) described extensively many subject areas. In any type of organization and in any type of operation, management of all the activities necessary for a smooth completion of all tasks is imperative. As the modern-day Supermarket has grown both in size and sales volume – along with a dramatic change in the number and types of activities performed at the Front End, it is obvious that an associate designated as Head Cashier can no longer manage today’s checkout operation. What is required in most operations is a fulltime Front End Manager. So, at what point does a Supermarket warrant a Front End Manager? Although it may seem to be a moot question, and that all Front Ends should have someone in charge; the consensus varies. The answer depends on the activities that this associate would perform. Generally, the decision is based solely on the dollar volume of the operation. Some retailers recognize the need for a Front End manager when sales reach $10 million, while others peg it at $6million. According to the accepted definition of a Supermarket, which is based in part on dollar sales, few stores with annual volume under $5 million are considered Supermarkets today. In fact, according to the Food Marketing Institute (FMI) statistics compiled yearly in the publication The Food Industry Speaks, sales of Supermarkets have averaged $200,000 or over $10 million annually since the mid-1980s. This means that the organization chart of virtually every Supermarket is incomplete if it does not include the position of a Front End Manager who is also available to handle secondary tasks during low-volume periods. The storeowner must decide upon the extent of the position’s responsibilities, duties and limits of authority for a Front End Manager to function effectively.



ONE PERSON-ONE BOSS STORE MANAGERS PART SUPERVISORY FUNCTION

Management should be particularly careful so as not to create a conflict in management control in stores where there is a Head Cashier position. Whatever responsibilities the Head Cashier has, in order to follow the accepted one person-one boss concept of management, the Front End Manager should have final responsibility in all Front End decisions. Some retailers encourage their Store Manager to run the store from the Front End during peak periods. This may be a sound policy because the Front End is where most of the action takes place when customer traffic is the heaviest. Although the Store Manager must make routine tours of the store at periodic intervals, for the most part, he/she should position himself/herself at the Front End during peaks. It is important however, that the Store Manager not interfere with the Front End Manager’s responsibilities when running the store from that location. The supervisory responsibilities of the Front End Manager vary within organizations. The time allotted the Front End Manager for performing supervisory functions depends on many factors. For example, the number of people checking out and the number of people waiting in line, which in turn, dictates the number of people working at the checkstands. When store traffic is slow, the Front End Manager may be involved in a myriad of different activities including scheduling, building displays, training activity, and so on –as long as he/she is available at the Front End when needed to keep the department functioning efficiently.



FRONT END MANAGER POSITION DESCRIPTION

Following is a Position Description for the Front End Man-ager:

Position Description/Front End Manager Supervisor: Store Manager Function: To assure that all customers receive prompt, efficient, and courteous service by coordinating the activities of checker, bagger, bottle return, parcel pick-up associates. To assist in any other Front End, office, or store activities, as directed by the Store Manager. Responsibilities/Duties The Front End Manager is responsible for the performance of the following duties:

1. Preparing associate schedules for cashiers, baggers, bottle return, and parcel pick-up sta-tions, and keeping those stations manned in accordance with the customer service policy.

2. Handling all cashier, bagger, and parcel pick-

up breaks and lunches.

3. Maintain customer service level by:

a. Anticipating changes in checkout traffic by checking the sales area.

b. Opening lanes if cashiers are available and calling up additional baggers when checkout traffic is increasing.

c. Sending cashiers and baggers to other work pre-assigned by the Store Mana-ger.

d. Directing customers to lanes with shor-ter lines, small orders, or opening lanes.



e. Keeping the open lanes spread across the entire Front End.

f. Keeping baggers spread out among the open lanes, working on large orders, and changing lanes between customers.

4. Tracking and monitoring price-marking and

legibility problems and reporting unmarked merchandise (if in a store that is required to price mark products.)

5. Observing closely all activities, making sure

checkers ring up all merchandise leaving the store, and that all customers pay for it.

6. Inspecting outgoing carts to be sure that all

bottom-of-the-cart items are labeled (if this is store policy), and later correcting the cashiers who fail to follow the procedure.

7. Training new baggers and monitoring their

performance.

8. Making cash pick-ups when requested and at specified intervals.

9. Handling customer complaints and bringing

those that cannot be satisfactorily resolved to the Store Manager.

10. Assuring that all Front End Associates follow

all company policies with regard to dress code, cart handling, customer complaints, sanitation, etc.



The Front End Manager is responsible for seeing that all checkout associates are performing their job functions as they were initially trained, and retraining as needed. The primary responsibility of the Front End Manager is to make sure that the Front End is running smoothly. He/she can carry out this function by allowing adequate time to supervise it properly. During peak hours, the associates in charge of the Front Ends should be supervising the checkout operations and all other areas related to that part of the store, including assisting customers, watching for security problems, and handling the supervisory duties to which they have been assigned. If the individuals are busy bagging orders or performing and handling other physical tasks during peak periods, there will be no supervision when it is most needed, and the value of those associates will be lost. With as much as one-fourth of the store’s payroll being spent at the Front End, and all of the store’s receipts passing through the checkstands and the office, the Front End offers many opportunities for cost-savings and profit building. The Front End Manager position should aid in achieving this.

15-104-1001

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