Any new rumors to the elimination of ASM's?

Has anyone heard anything new? I'm a little worried here.

I VERY seriously doubt they will be cutting off that position.

If your management structure is set up correctly in your store, the ASM level is very important.

I really doubt it.

Them cutting the H/Rs.... yeah I saw that coming. ASMs? Doubt it.

if your sales go down to far,your asm headcount for your store might go down

hd person wrote:

if your sales go down to far,your asm headcount for your store might go down

I must disagree with the comments concerning ASM's. They used to have a function under the direction of the SM of a particular store. My past 3 years experience has shown that ASM's (at least in the stores that I have worked in) are no more than sub standard individuals. When there is a problem in a store, I can rarely find or contact an ASM to solve a problem! They love to hide from the public (customer) and definitely afraid to say NO to a customer. They rarely use common sense in dealing with a customer. They kowtow to the customer rather than make a professional business decision. They are subservient to the customer when the customer is clearly in the wrong. To make it short, the ASM has a total lack of common judgement and rather relies on the fears of Corporate

Anon wrote:

I VERY seriously doubt they will be cutting off that position.
If your management structure is set up correctly in your store, the ASM level is very important.
I really doubt it.
Them cutting the H/Rs.... yeah I saw that coming. ASMs? Doubt it.

That statement "management structure" is ever so true. Whether you agree or not......since we should agree to disagree......THD management is fractured. Communication is definitely lacking to an extreme. There was a reason to "cut" H.R. positions. It never materialized! There are less associates on the floor now than before the cuts. The recently re-enacted "power hour" from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. from Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Sat. and Sun. is failing. Imagine, you as a customer, entering the building and being subjected to 8 or more associates asking if you, as a customer, need assistance? Many customers have indicated to me that they feel quite uncomfortable with being invaded by so many questions. While the associate is in the front of the store, culprits will and have pilfered products in the aisles. Yet, when the so-called "power hour" is complete, most of the associates have gone home for the day......leaving a skeleton crew to close....therefore, not giving adequate service to the customer.....are you getting my drift? There is no time to perform shelf maintenance, down stock, and service the customer both during and after the "power hour".

Silverado wrote:

<quoted text>
That statement "management structure" is ever so true. Whether you agree or not......since we should agree to disagree......THD management is fractured. Communication is definitely lacking to an extreme. There was a reason to "cut" H.R. positions. It never materialized! There are less associates on the floor now than before the cuts. The recently re-enacted "power hour" from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. from Monday through Friday and from 8 a.m. until 8 p.m. on Sat. and Sun. is failing. Imagine, you as a customer, entering the building and being subjected to 8 or more associates asking if you, as a customer, need assistance? Many customers have indicated to me that they feel quite uncomfortable with being invaded by so many questions. While the associate is in the front of the store, culprits will and have pilfered products in the aisles. Yet, when the so-called "power hour" is complete, most of the associates have gone home for the day......leaving a skeleton crew to close....therefore, not giving adequate service to the customer.....are you getting my drift? There is no time to perform shelf maintenance, down stock, and service the customer both during and after the "power hour".

I see where you are coming from. This is what happens at my store EVERY DAY!!! It is so frustrating to know that when you walk into the store you can't "task" or do anything that has to do with making your department look good. For some reason we have a greeter that stands at the door during "power hour" and that person can not leave that position until they find a replacement. The greeter is always an associate from garden or electrical because of the way our store is set up. I don't mind being a greeter as long as there is someone else in my department providing great customer service if you know what I mean.:)

KC Lady wrote:

<quoted text>
I see where you are coming from. This is what happens at my store EVERY DAY!!! It is so frustrating to know that when you walk into the store you can't "task" or do anything that has to do with making your department look good. For some reason we have a greeter that stands at the door during "power hour" and that person can not leave that position until they find a replacement. The greeter is always an associate from garden or electrical because of the way our store is set up. I don't mind being a greeter as long as there is someone else in my department providing great customer service if you know what I mean.:)

Thank you for your honest reply. A company that started out so great in the beginning is self imploding and will continue to force itself out of business! I foresee, within the next couple of years, the demise of THD because of the management structure from the top down. Frank Blake, as was Bob Nardelli, is in the wrong position. The corporation needs a revolutionary leader which it does not have. The company is run on a thread and needle approach. I, for one, will more than likely return to the real business world within the next six months. I can see the company failing each and every day. These young, so called experts in Atlanta have no clue how to run an efficient business. Call it you may, it is a greedy business and in the end will self destruct. As in most THD setups, the electrical and garden departments are located in the front end of the stores. I have found that most American shoppers are compulsive/impulsive shoppers with extremely little knowledge of what they are getting themselves into, while the true tradesmen stand back and laugh! Mark my words, if you have any investment in THD, SELL! Eventually the company will be, if it is not already, up for sale. More than likely to a foreign investment firm.

THe power hour thing is terrible and a mistake. It is so bad now that our store stays almost empty from 10 to 2. It seems no customers want to be barraged with hellos.

Anonymous wrote:

THe power hour thing is terrible and a mistake. It is so bad now that our store stays almost empty from 10 to 2. It seems no customers want to be barraged with hellos.

Yes it is a huge mistake. Ditto with the store I work at.

Hey Lowes Employees welcome to our site! By the way my store numbers are smashing last years. Positive comp for you folks that actually know what you are talking about. Power Hours are working great and our VOC is off the chart. If you guys are really working for THD please express your displeasure to your management team. I have associates who are looking for the chance to move up in the organization!

It's all location, location, location, and management attitude. Kudos to your success! Why can't the rest of HD stores do the same? I'm sure we have expressed our displeasure.....unfortunately all we get are shrugs and "oh well" attitudes. It sounds like you have a great team

I love my job at Home Depot, obviously you guys would rather bitch than work. If you can't say anything good about the company that puts food on your table & pays your rent, maybe you should work somewhere else!

Home Depot employee wrote:

I love my job at Home Depot, obviously you guys would rather bitch than work. If you can't say anything good about the company that puts food on your table & pays your rent, maybe you should work somewhere else!

It barely puts food on the table and pay the bills. Fortunately, I have a retirement fund that I can live on! Employees are seeing their so-called benefits dwindling each year while corporate lives "high off the hog"! Many full time employees cannot work another job because of their schedules...so they are beholden to THD! There are many parents that work so their children can have the minimum. I'm wondering who has control of the Homer Fund and how it is distributed. You must have an exceptional job in Atlanta...with plenty of associates manning the aisles?

I have worked for Home Depot for the last 12 years and I can stil say "I love my job" for me it is a great Company and I have worked to be where I am and do what I'm doing. And if I want to move on I have the oportunity to do so. Be thankful that you complainers have a job... Just think if you HATE Home Depot, why don't you apply at Lowe's? oh I know, becuae you really have to WORK for your paycheck, slackers!!!

I think the power hour is a good tool, people who don't like to interact with customers or don't like to wear their aprons are the ones who complain, why? because now they need to stay in their department and help customers, organize shelves,front face product,price tag shelves,put away go backs... oh that's right you have to stay in your department and not in the breakroom as you usually do, slackers!!!

It's sad you have to completely halt your operations in order to compete with Lowe's consistent amazing customer service. I'm excited to watch Home Depot continuously lose market share in our Arizona markets. Too late for power hour!

Home Depot
Sales* 75.52 Bil
Income* 3.30 Bil
Sales Growth*-2.10%
Income Growth*-21.00%
Net Profit Margin 4.37%
Debt/Equity Ratio 0.63
__________
Lowe's
Sales* 48.46 Bil
Income* 2.60 Bil
Sales Growth*+2.90%
Income Growth*-7.90%
Net Profit Margin 5.36%
Debt/Equity Ratio 0.30

the SF Valley associate wrote:

I think the power hour is a good tool, people who don't like to interact with customers or don't like to wear their aprons are the ones who complain, why? because now they need to stay in their department and help customers, organize shelves,front face product,price tag shelves,put away go backs... oh that's right you have to stay in your department and not in the breakroom as you usually do, slackers!!!

I agree the "power hour" is a great tool......competing with Lowes. But when you have 8-13 associates in the front of the store asking the same question to every customer, the customer tends to become irritated. I believe the associate should and must be in the aisles assisting the customer aka the "ten foot rule"....not in the front of the store. The rules have been not to point........but to escort the customer to the aisle and to the product. I've observed more managers/supervisors point rather than escort......there seems to be two sets of rules and I'm sure it depends on the management. They abuse the rules more than anyone. There is absolutely no shelf maintenance performed from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. daily. It doesn't take a math wizard to figure out the loss in productivity each day. It adds up during the week. What good is the power hour when there are no products on the shelf? You may be working in a store that has an abundance of associates. I've noticed sales dropping significantly in the past month because the associates are becoming non-productive because of the "power hour". My experience is the associate would much rather be productive rather than just stand around to be "greeters". They are being paid to do a job yet they are told not to do their jobs. It just doesn't add up to good management and productiviy.

IHEARTLOWES wrote:

It's sad you have to completely halt your operations in order to compete with Lowe's consistent amazing customer service. I'm excited to watch Home Depot continuously lose market share in our Arizona markets. Too late for power hour!

THD is continually losing market share because of the structure of the business. In the beginning THD was going after the contractor business, then the average homeowner "do it yourself" business. My experience is we are losing both now and it starts from the top. You cannot put a manufacturing CEO into a people business....it just doesn't pan out. Lowe's is set up completely different than that of THD. I cannot say the products are definitely better but the store set ups are more attractive to the home owner. Customer service is definitely #1 at Lowes....but I've gone to Lowes and found the same problems..........NO APRONS ON THE FLOOR.

the SF Valley associate wrote:

I have worked for Home Depot for the last 12 years and I can stil say "I love my job" for me it is a great Company and I have worked to be where I am and do what I'm doing. And if I want to move on I have the oportunity to do so. Be thankful that you complainers have a job... Just think if you HATE Home Depot, why don't you apply at Lowe's? oh I know, becuae you really have to WORK for your paycheck, slackers!!!

I do not believe that any associate HATES Home Depot. The good associates become extremely angered at the management style. Management is completely "fractured" in most stores. The good management at certain stores shows that the associate is valued therefore successful. There are more incompetent managers than there are good managers.