Most SM's that I've seen are glorified Tech Sups. Only thing their good at is sales and bossing around part-time techs to hook pc's up to the matrix. And the tech sup does the same sh--...wtf is the point of having both?? Ops sup is good role in my opinion, specially if that person has been an IS. Used to doing a lot. IS isn't bad if you're team supports you but if not, get the hell out if it. Cpc sup is the tough one, staples expect you to grow a business with out help...totally unfair...no manager help really unless the ops sup comes around but what about the sales and service manager....lmao!
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Right off the bat, no matter how good or bad the store is, Ops sup is in a bad spot because they doing the same job someone else was recently making $20,000 more to do. And the Ops sups have less support than Ops mgrs. did.
The tech sup position can go either way.
I have seen tech sups that are very good, and in fact should be SMs themselves, but are held back by their insecure SM. I have seen bad ones, placed in that position for lack of a qualified candidate.
It all depends on the store managers - a strong, qualified TS can wallow and fail under bad management while in the next store over a bad tech sup can keep his job (for at least a little while)because the managers are to lazy to fire and replace him.
CPC sup is good usually a good position, but again, it varies by store.
If it's a busy CPC and there is a CPC manager it helps a lot, but most do not.
If the cpc associates under the sup are consistent and turn over is low, it helps a lot. If turnover is high and training lags - it's very, very bad.
If associates in other departments are cross trained in cpc to help back it up and cover breaks - it helps a lot. The complaint I hear from cpc sups most often is that they can't take breaks/lunches and can't leave on time due to coverage.
Setting customer expectations is also key - if cpc can dictate when orders will be completed and so forth, it's a positive. When customers make outlandish demands and managers insist cpc meet the demands to retain their business - its a nightmare.
"Think of Ops Supervisor as having the responsibilities of an Operations Manager, but with a much lower pay scale, while also having the duties of a Team Supervisor."
Many ops sups I have seen are struggling badly. More work, more responsibility, less pay , less support. Many of them have new GMs that don't have a clue and SMs that don't give a rat's ass about anything Ops related, but expect the ops sup to keep the #s up.
Make more happen..for less
Make Ron's bonus happen
Retail?
If you happen to have a good team is easy tech the Tech Supervisor job is easy. It can be a challenge if they are inexperienced as a supervisor or if they are in a store with a weak team, then it will be dumped on them to fix the problems themselves (by either their GM, or SM if they have one).
Copy Center Supervisor is pretty much the same as Tech Supervisor, although their life is typically easier if they have a CPC Sales Manager, but those stores are far and few between. CPC Managers have more of a sense of urgency to help their supervisors because they are a dying breed and don't need to give field management any reasons to raise eyebrows.
Operation Supervisor will most likely be the hardest of the three, especially considering the new store structure requires them to be more involved with MODing. As an Operations Supervisor, not only do you have full accountability of store inventory and merchandising of product, you pretty much control the store when another manager isn't present in the building. If the Copy Print Supervisor or Tech Supervisor have a customer related issue they can not fix, and another manager is not in the building, the ops supervisor will step in and make the executive decision acting as the Manager On Duty. Think of Ops Supervisor as having the responsibilities of an Operations Manager, but with a much lower pay scale, while also having the duties of a Team Supervisor.
Tech sup is usually the fall guy for the SM. Thrown under the bus often. A good gm will help a good TS though. Cpc is good if you know your sh-- and have a good team. All to often I see cpc sups quit from the stress of not being supported, Ops sup is a lot of work. It helps if your in a busier store and have an ops mgr too