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What’s On My Plate: Back of House 101
What, you may ask, IS “Back of House?” As Guests, you’re familiar with the sales floor where all the action seems to take place. But behind those double swinging doors is a whole other, equally important Healthy Living world!
Last month, I wrote about how our Category Managers curate our shelves; picking, sourcing, and pricing our products. But how do these products actually get INTO the store? There's a whole bunch of things that happen before you take that loaf of bread off the shelf. Someone has to drive a truck, and our team has to welcome the truck driver, unload the truck, check in the order, create correct inventory data, and finally get the product to the correct department so that we can finally put that can of tomatoes ON the shelf!!
Once again, it’s more complex than you might have thought. Why am I telling you all this? I really want you, our Guests, to understand what it takes to make Healthy Living GO. The daily operation is a giant mix of hard work, meticulous attention to detail, heavy lifting, unexpected events, new product integration, challenges, hiccups, and as much joy as possible!
Each of our stores has a Receiving Department staffed by an amazingly energetic team. They not only welcome truck drivers, but also complete the long list of tasks that ensure the products you love will be on our shelves. Check out my conversation with Patrick Quinn and Christina Roush below, two of our dedicated receivers:
Patrick: Hi, I’m Patrick Quinn, the Receiving Manager, and I’ve worked at Healthy Living for 8 Years.
Christina: And I’m Christina Roush. I am the Receiving Assistant Manager and I’ve been with HL for 3 years.
Katy: So what does a receiver do? What are your day-to-day responsibilities?
Patrick: Show up! We are typically the first ones in the building, so that is extremely important. We are the tip of the spear for checking in each item that is delivered to the store, and we are responsible for accurate inventory management for each department. It all starts with us!
Katy: If you've worked in other Receiving Departments, how does HL differ?
Christina: My old job was just one giant delivery three or four days a week (like our overnights here). Here I enjoy getting to see many more folks all day instead of just once a day. It makes the day go faster because it's so many little deliveries. And many of the delivery folks are also the owners/managers of the farms and bakeries around town, so it's been great getting to know them more, and I enjoy going to see them at their stands at the BTV Farmer’s Market during the summer or in their own shops.
Patrick: I’m a former Truck Driver who delivered to Healthy Living. Right away, I knew this stop was different! I immediately felt welcomed and appreciated for bringing my local products to the store and felt a sense of camaraderie with the staff that truly seemed genuine. The receivers treated me like part of the team and Healthy Living quickly became one of my favorite stops to deliver to.
Katy: Your job involves a lot of receiving, does it also involve giving?
Christina: A lot of our drivers love snacks, so we try and keep some around for them!
Katy: If you could share one thing with the Guests at HL, what would it be?
Patrick: It’s a blast working back here! Some people have a negative idea of what a backroom or warehouse might be like working in or delivering to and honestly, it’s so much fun. Yes, at times it can be stressful or hectic, but we laugh while we do it! It’s also super refreshing when every day is different, presenting a new set of challenges and especially a few new faces to get to know and build lasting relationships with for years!
Hey, thanks for reading all this! Now you know more about what goes on behind the scenes to ensure YOU, our Guests, get the stuff that makes your world go round. Our super-charged staff members are the people who make shopping at our stores possible. I am grateful for every one of them!
Katy
