Im sorry, but all the talk about pushing Pro are all lies. I was hired as a Pro Specialist, and we work 0% at pro per week. We are never at the desk, at the phones, and contractors have all given up trying to get service. We are glorified cashiers, and lumber associates. We unload trucks, and sweep up concrete. We wheel out grills, and wheelbarrows every day. The 2 specialists there when I started never did red vest training, and had no training at all. The two new guys too - no training at all and after 5 months, one man still cannot even do the simplest tasks. He asked me again yesterday for the 30th time, "what screen do I go to , to sell something?" Jeesh! I told the other guy, "dont forget to sell it as an LD." He replied, "whats an LD?" These are PRO's people!!!
But you cant blame them. Someone hired these people, put them in these positions, and left them there to rot with no training.
So, lets get something straight. Marvin has made Pro WORSE! By cutting staff and hours. My managers, after complaining about lack of service, told us to walk out on customers and go on lunch. This was after being so short staffed we would work through our lunches assisting pro customers and getting sales. Corporate cared more about OT (what that? $30?) than thousands in the register. I was working on a 20k order, and my pro supervisor told me to stop, and go cull furring strips.
Focus on Pro? Where?
We complained, and human resources told us in our market (region 30, market 7) Lowes expects us to work lumber. So we do as we're told. Then, management says we arent doing our jobs, and we have poor performance, and "are not working out." Thats what happened to the last 2 specialists. They did exactly as told by unloading trucks, working register, etc, and then looked upon as poor employees and subsequently fired and removed from pro. Now they bring in 3 newbies and it all starts all over again.
Lowes is not pushing pro, and pro sales will get worse. They have no plan, and are not prepared. No guiding principles, and managres who simply cannot get the job done. They lie, and make excuses. We went all the way to the RVP, and he didnt care. Why should we?
There is no Pro at Lowes, and every contractor will tell you so. Oh wait! They have, with the hundreds of complaints filed through surveys and call ins!
Corporate knows Pro is a failure, and its because they at corporate DO NOT know what it takes to run it properly, and even if they did, wouldnt suply the resources needed. Corporate could screw up a wet dream. I have lost all respect for them.
Excellent post from @ZhVBeiK-aij.