Hi, I don't mean to sound ignorant, but would someone please explain what each of the acronyms ( OOM, VVM, MBA, SMM, CXM, etc.) stand for and what their role is and what their hierarchy is in each store. Serious question. Thanks
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@5orm+1qLrIa4F, thank you for describing what we as MBA's go through in our job. You nailed it perfectly. MBA is as misunderstood as the old AST Supervisor job was. Just because we have some sit down time people think it's a cushy job. My peers tell me they couldn't do my job (and I couldn't do theirs except maybe the OOM job).
All PL jobs are challenging in their own way and we certainly earn our paycheck. But haters gonna hate because that's all they know how to do.
SMM, VMM, MBA, OOM, CXM all have the same pay scale. There is no more moving up, only sideways for the same pay. The MBA sits down 99% of the time!
Wish I could upvote the disrespected MBA a thousand times. The other poster below--wah wah wah unfair. Did you even read the post below you?
I understand where the MBA below is coming from when they own AYS. I believe that is fair. But when the company decided to take AYS away from the MBA and give it to the OOM while the OOM gave signing to the SMM… the balance of responsibility felt unfair. When the MBA only had the couple of AST colleagues reporting to them, while the rest of the managers had 8-10 times that… it felt unfair. When the OOM has a captain for every function… Receiving, Fulfillment, AYS… and the SMM had just the visual captain who only did visual… it felt unfair. While all other functions, like signing, merchandising and pricing still had to get done. I am no longer an SMM for this very reason because I felt slighted in the amount of responsibility I was given. I am hoping the company sees that unbalance this year and realigns the roles and responsibilities to be more realistic what one single person can handle. But I suppose with the downsizing of managers in stores, that probably won’t happen.
MBA’s do a lot to keep the store running. Hence why the “business administration” is in the title. We review profit and loss monthly and plan the store accordingly. We hold the pocketbook of the store. We are tracking budget hours on a daily/weekly/monthly basis and adjusting the business accordingly to ensure that the store is profitable. Every new hire that comes through the door is called and training is scheduled for them. We do not know when some positions are hired because TA (corporate) hires them. We check this daily. We fully onboard these hires when they are in the building. We are over the housekeeping program which means that we are inspecting how they clean and meeting with the housekeeping manager monthly. We are over the safety program which means that we communicate out monthly safety topics to leaders and store population as well as walk the entire store to ensure that we are in compliance for the monthly safety audits. This includes walking stock rooms and safety audits. We are the liaison to HR so we drop everything on the dime to answer or get an answer to your “paycheck” related issues and much more that you run to your MBA for. We are the first person corporate will reach out to when they need to communicate with the store. We drive communication from corporate into the store. This is why we have the Store’s phone on our hips. We are phone operators utilizing a multi-line telephone to service customers, other stores, corporate, and vendors no matter where we are or what we are doing. We keep track of open jobs and store headcount to ensure that we have job postings up and that we are 100% staffed. We own supply inventory, when it’s low, we order or find another supplier if it’s out of stock from the company supplier. We compile the daily deposits and ensure that you have money in your registers. We own engagement. That means we make the store more welcoming for you to come to work. We spend hours outside of our work time shopping and getting the items for this. We have to plan for these events. They aren’t catered or outsourced. I own AYS. I meet weekly with my captain to go over goals and we walk the back room to ensure that the AYS BOH is running efficiently. I also serve as backup to AYS. I cover lunches there and run curbside. And lastly when a People Leader does not know the answer, I will bet you 1 million dollars that they go ask your MBA. This is what your MBA is doing sitting in the office. Take a day and sit with him/her and I promise your views will change.
Where does a department manager fall within this? Are they considered a CXM or a SMM?
In my store the MBA is on the floor most of time and basically the whole store reports to her because they think she's HR. Again, it depends on the store!
Small store format . Our MBA has AYS but spends all of her time in the office being the Store manager assistant in the running the fun committee… not every day needs to be celebrated. MBA needs to be out on the floor like the rest of the managers.
Our MBA has 2 direct reports . Other SMM ,OOM , and CXMs have anywhere from 12 to 30 reports plus (not including holiday )how is this equal! All management positions are I was informed are equal no one is above anyone. We all have the same pay scale . New VM position has no direct reports …. How is this equal? Just saying I’m hopeful that they will realign and consider how many direct reports each manager has .
Look, MBA varies by store. In mine the MBA busts her crack all day long doing not only her job but the other managers' too. For example, last inventory she did three overnights in a row and on the third day she left at 3am and returned at 1230pm to work until close because the other managers were too tiiiiiiired and needed two days off in a row
If anyone can make clear what the MBA does , I’d like to know. Seriously. That is the role in my store that seems pointless. The last two spent all their time in the office and relied on our great long service office employee to do everything. Both were outside hires. I am wondering what criteria an MBA is measured on / what they are reviewed on to be deemed successful. The OOM and the SSM are the work horses from my view. FYI, I work in a smaller door, above 20 mil.
MBA is in charge of the office. Also in some stores the AYS captain report to MBA
SMM - is in charge of Visual. In stores that don't have an OOM any longer, these duties have likely moved to the SMM
OOM - Omni Operations Manager: Fulfillment, Receiving, Inventory fall under their umbrella
CXM - sales manager
MBA - manager business administration
SMM- store merchandising manager
Cxm - customer experience manager
OOm- ominichannel operations manager
VVM- visual manager
all do nothing and sit in office all day reading emails
SMM is STYLE Merchandise Manager.
MBA - manager business administration
SMM- store merchandising manager
Cxm - customer experience manager
OOm- ominichannel operations manager
VVM- visual manager