The Woolworths Thread (42 Viewers)

[TG Fan]

I really don't want my docket saying, "You were served by Liz or Elizabeth on register 13" makes me feel like my privacy is being invaded (Yeah I guess thats why we wear name badges also) but I dislike being called my name on duty by customers who don't know me, makes me feel really uncomfortable.

I'm agree with you on that one! If there's one thing that I hate are customers saying "Hi, TG Fan"..etc...etc..and me thinking "who the f*** are you?!" Personally, I don't use someones name until we have been introduced.

 

[ytrbut]

Today, I worked 4 am - 9 pm.

You beat me! 2pm yesterday - 6am today.

 

[NC8000]

On another note... a few moves in senior management coming up, effective July 1.

Marty Hamnett (current GM Supermarket Operations) is retiring. Ziggy Kwarcinski (current GM of National Store Design and Construction) will take his position.

Michael Whalan (current Big W Controller of Stores Planning and Construction) will move into Ziggy's role as GM of National Store Design and Construction.

The newly created role of Chief Operating Officer will be filled by Grant O'Brien (current Director of New Business and Business Development). This position will report to Greg Foran (Director of Supermarkets, Liquor and Petrol) and will control Australian food and petrol.

Ramnik Narsey (current GM of Petrol) will move across to GM of Cost Focus, relieving Kathryn McLay who is going on parental leave. James Aylen (current GM Longlife) will relieve Ramnik in his role as GM Petrol. Stephen Bate (current GM Fresh Foods) will fill James' position.

James has been over in petrol for a few weeks already, Marty finishes at the end of this week when he will take 2 weeks to judge store of the year taking him up into the new year.

Enjoy, Lots to come

 

[Bugs51]

Hi all,

I'm fairly new to Woolies and feel I need to let a few things out.

From the first week I started there I hear others say, "Ohh! You're so and so, you must be the new supervisor!"... Errr no. Never mentioned in the interview and not mentioned afterward.

I tried setup on my own for 2 hours one morning and I was anxious as all hell, the phone rang and I just froze. I told them I wasn't ready to deal with the responsibilities, I'm an incredibly shy and nervous person.

I'm just worried the supervisor thing will be pushed on me and I won't be strong enough to say no.

I'd love to work in grocery, bakery or anywhere but registers, but scared I won't be able to because I haven't been with the company for very long.

Anyone have any advice or experiences to share to put my scared little brain to ease?


Bugs

 

[killer-cupcakes]

Ouch! my grocceries 21C hurt his finger so badly at work yesterday and it actually doesn't look that bad, he said it doesn't really hurt. He got it caught between a pallet and palletjack! OUCH! so looks like hes on light duties....He'll try to do harder jobs, he hates being the one who can't do much.

 

[lordtopcat]

Phew, just finished a 30 minute phone interview with head office for a position there. Out of 36 applicants I was shortlisted to 5.

*FINGERS, TOES AND EYES CROSSED*

 

[killer-cupcakes]

Phew, just finished a 30 minute phone interview with head office for a position there. Out of 36 applicants I was shortlisted to 5.

*FINGERS, TOES AND EYES CROSSED*

Good Luck

 

[lordtopcat]

Good Luck

WELL DONE!
good luck!!

Thanks!

 

[jirwin]

Phew, just finished a 30 minute phone interview with head office for a position there. Out of 36 applicants I was shortlisted to 5.

*FINGERS, TOES AND EYES CROSSED*

Good Luck!

 

[Harry778]

1 week off for me starting yesterday. Then NO more holidays..god I hope I have enough for the end of the year..its not looking good :S

 

[jirwin]

1 week off for me starting yesterday. Then NO more holidays..god I hope I have enough for the end of the year..its not looking good :S

Lucky you! I put in unavailable for most of the last week of June (only available on the Sunday). But that's because I have like 4 assessments due that week - the Saturday is for recovering and celebration.

 

[timw7845]

did anyone else get really flat and start hating it after their 1st month...

i think ive worked like 120 hours so far.. and i couldnt muster the courage to go to work today so i called in sick...

has this happened to anyone else?

 

[killer-cupcakes]

did anyone else get really flat and start hating it after their 1st month...

i think ive worked like 120 hours so far.. and i couldnt muster the courage to go to work today so i called in sick...

has this happened to anyone else?

Yep :wave: the novelty of working in a supermarket has worn off, to be honest I hated work after my first shift

 

[timw7845]

i dont mind working at night like after 7...

4-7 is a prick... all the asshole public servents come in and are really rude...

 

[TG Fan]

did anyone else get really flat and start hating it after their 1st month...

i think ive worked like 120 hours so far.. and i couldnt muster the courage to go to work today so i called in sick...

has this happened to anyone else?

Hating after the 1st month....nah. I've grown to hate it after 4 years though. Hence the reason I will be looking elsewhere very, very shortly! WooHoo! Getting the hell out of Woolworths!!!

 

[NNS7]

did anyone else get really flat and start hating it after their 1st month...

i think ive worked like 120 hours so far.. and i couldnt muster the courage to go to work today so i called in sick...

has this happened to anyone else?

lol I remember thinking after my first shift "what have I got myself into?!" many years later I still think about that day, everyone remembers their first customer, I had this hippie chick who had almost entirely all produce that I had never seen before and there were no pictures on the old style checkouts! I just about hyperventilated on the spot!

That being said timw7845, woolies isn't for everyone, some days I love it some days I just want to quit, but in the end its a job, its not meant to be fun but you should still get some enjoyment out of it. If your thinking about quitting I'd suggest perhaps trying another department, job roles vary widely within the store and you may find something you like doing more

 

[britto89]

lol I remember thinking after my first shift "what have I got myself into?!" many years later I still think about that day, everyone remembers their first customer, I had this hippie chick who had almost entirely all produce that I had never seen before and there were no pictures on the old style checkouts! I just about hyperventilated on the spot!

That being said timw7845, woolies isn't for everyone, some days I love it some days I just want to quit, but in the end its a job, its not meant to be fun but you should still get some enjoyment out of it. If your thinking about quitting I'd suggest perhaps trying another department, job roles vary widely within the store and you may find something you like doing more

first customer was a casual teacher from my school, lol. it was also with the old style registers. 88 > Sign On > Password > Enter.

spin that produce wheel, key those PLUs. ok, trip down memory lane over.

In relation to the earlier post of getting sick of woolies after a few weeks, or shifts i didn't really notice it. I did my induction on a saturday, two register training shifts during the next week and was working a 5hr shift the next saturday a week after induction. next thing i knew it was christmas, new year, etc. time flew and now i've worked there for 5.5yrs. working monday nights 4 - 8pm checkouts was always a social thing. there were a few of us all school age that were regulars on that night. we made it enjoyable for each other.

work (registers in the early years) and in general when i moved onto the shop floor has always been social. i always found when i was opposite another cashier if we were chatting we'd always try and involve the customers in between. never effected the scanning rate and i'd quite often get comments on my service. on the stop floor i always say hi to customers as well, even if it was just a glance up at them. it always seems to me that the staff that complain about customers being blunt, annoying, etc. are the ones that don't engage them. i agree that some customers are beyond help and are just in a bad mood and we are "in the way" but if you engage everyone you'll find that majority out weigh the negatives. nothing shits me more now going through a register and not being engaged by the staff member, i wouldn't have went through self serve if i wanted that level of service. it annoys me because i've been in their shoes, god knows what impression it leaves on customers. if you talk to them, or the staff around you it will make the shift fly by. one of the things i miss about registers is the constant interaction with people, it makes the day go quicker. so show some personality and loose the robot voice and actions and who knows what will happen.

work is what you make it at the end of the day. i've always found that if i treat it as a more social thing and engage customers its good. obviously there are bad days, but bad days exist everywhere in life so you can't just blame woolworths. let the good outweigh the bad and if thats not enough motive then look at your bank balance.

 

[timw7845]

lol I remember thinking after my first shift "what have I got myself into?!" many years later I still think about that day, everyone remembers their first customer, I had this hippie chick who had almost entirely all produce that I had never seen before and there were no pictures on the old style checkouts! I just about hyperventilated on the spot!

That being said timw7845, woolies isn't for everyone, some days I love it some days I just want to quit, but in the end its a job, its not meant to be fun but you should still get some enjoyment out of it. If your thinking about quitting I'd suggest perhaps trying another department, job roles vary widely within the store and you may find something you like doing more

i been thinking about maybe dedicating time to two depts..

i see people on my roster have some split shifts between frontend and night fill..

i been considering deli.. but that would mean id have to do all the food safety jazz..

would it even be possible?

 

[britto89]

i been thinking about maybe dedicating time to two depts..

i see people on my roster have some split shifts between frontend and night fill..

i been considering deli.. but that would mean id have to do all the food safety jazz..

would it even be possible?

What department do you currently work in? I was originally on registers/trolleys > registers > perishables/registers > grocery. When i was in grocery I got asked one day to go in the deli to help out because they were short staffed. I observed and was shown how to use the scales and went from there.

There are two main concepts for food safety anyway.

• Hot food needs to be hot, cold food needs to be cold
• Raw food needs to be cooked, cooked food can be eaten as is(or doesn't need to be cooked)

As long as hot never meets cold and raw never meats cooked everything is fine. Majority is common sense and the rest is in the training manual to have a read of. I've done a few shifts in the deli from time to time when they were short and had to step in and serve whilst duty manager some times when it got crazy.

In answer to your split shift question I used to do a Saturday split shift frontend/perishables. I'd work 5 hrs in frontend and then go to perishables in the afternoon. I got the shift one day because i was heading home after my register shift and the perishables guy asked if i could stay back to help because they were short. that ultimately got me off registers and onwards to grocery, weekend storeman and liquor.

britto89

 

[killer-cupcakes]

I prefer deli, longlife/grocceries and perishables compared to service, but i like shifts on self serve.

WOO double time and a half on monday