PS Greetings, Inc.

Training Session – PS Greetings Continuity Program in Family Dollar

ABOUT THE PROGRAM:

P.S. Greetings supplies the greeting cards, invitations, gift bags (located on power wings) and balloons (in selected stores) to all Family Dollar stores. All items are delivered to Family Dollar on a direct to store delivery (DSD) basis.

PS Greetings Freestanding Wire Rack / PS Greetings In-line Greeting Card Section

SERVICE FREQUENCY

  • SERVICE FREQUENCY:
  • Service frequency is based on program sales volume.
  • There are 4 levels of service
  • A volume
  • 44 everyday visits - 60 minutes per visit
  • 8 everyday & seasonal visits – 105 minutes
  • B volume
  • 44 everyday visits - 50 minutes per visit
  • 8 everyday & seasonal visits – 90 minutes
  • C volume
  • 44 everyday visits - 45 minutes per visit
  • 8 everyday & seasonal visits – 75 minutes
  • D volume
  • 31 everyday visits - 45 minutes per visit
  • 8 everyday & seasonal visits – 60 minutes

SERVICE OBJECTIVES

You are representing PS Greetings while visiting and servicing the Family Dollar stores. Your positive attitude, preparedness, and professional appearance will GUARANTEE a successful relationship with Family Dollar store management!

Dress Code – is business casual. Please wear casual dress slacks (e.g. khakis), a shirt with a collar (e.g. polo shirt) and comfortable shoes. Your clothing should be clean and in good repair (no rips or holes). The following are NOT appropriate to wear: jeans, t-shirts with graphics, shorts, tank/halter tops, sweatshirts/jogging suits, hats, tennis shoes, sandals or open-toed shoes. Also, you must always wear your Driveline Retail Merchandising nametag.

  • SERVICE OBJECTIVES:
  • Check in and out with Store Manager
  • Seasonal Endcap
  • Stock and Straighten
  • Mylar Helium Balloons
  • Re-inflate existing balloons; inflate new balloons, record damages of mylar balloons as well as helium tank level.
  • Everyday Greeting Cards
  • Stock, straighten and record number of out of stocks
  • Power Wing Service
  • Stock and Straighten gift bags, tissue paper, shred, balloon on a stick and record number of out of stocks
  • SEASONAL SERVICE:
  • After each holiday, there will be a service call to complete seasonal switch out.
  • IN-STORE TIME FOR SERVICE
  • The average service call will be allotted between 45-60 minutes per store. There will NO ADDITIONAL time given for the service calls. Therefore, you will need to ensure you prepared for a hard stop once you have reached the time allotted for this service call. You will need to include 5-7 minutes for plan prep and reporting time of the service call. Your service call time for each store and visit can be located on your Schedule page of the Driveline WEB site.

Steps to Complete the Service Call:

  1. Contact the store manager when you arrive. Let him/her know that you are here from Driveline Retail Merchandisingrepresenting PS Greetings. It is very important to meet and greet the store manager each time you service the store.
/
Greeting Store Manager
  1. Locate new product shipments

All cards, balloons and gift bags are delivered direct to store by UPS or FedEx, not through Family Dollar warehouse. Both UPS and FedEx require a signature on all packages received by store.

  • No shipments should be refused by store personnel.
  • All cartons are labeled “Greeting Card Program, Hold for Card Representative.”
  • Work with the manager to identify a good location to store the cards when they arrive each time.

SEASONAL END CAP SERVICE

  1. Locate the Seasonal End Cap.
  2. Straighten the product and stock any new product shipments or existing product shipments to the end cap.
  • If the Seasonal section is OVER 50% or half empty at least 10 days prior to the upcoming holiday then contact Meghan at PS Greetings at 1-800-334-2141 ext.113 so she can place and order. TAKE THE EXISTING PRODUCT ON THE END CAP AND SPREAD IT ACROSS THE END CAP SO THAT THE FIXTURE LOOKS FULL.

HELIUM BALLOON SERVICE

  1. Locate NEW Balloon shipment. The new Balloon product should be included with the Greeting Card Shipment sent to store.
  2. Locate the Helium Tank which should be staged in the back room of the store
  3. Move helium tank from backroom to sales floor to inflate the balloons.
  4. Inflate NEW 18” mylar balloons and place in corral. If manager refuses, contact PS Greetings from store immediately.
  • NOTE: There should be no more than 20 - 25 balloons in the corral, unless store is an A volume.
  • DO NOT EXCEED 40 balloons unless store is an A volume store – refer to your work order for sales volume.
  • Place balance of the mylar balloons (overstock) into the balloon replenishment bag located on the helium tank cart.
  1. Stock balloons on stick in holders on endcaps. (Note: Balloons on Stick are pre-inflated). Record quantity of balloons on stick that were stocked during service call and also a total count of balloons on stick in tube holders in store.
  2. Re-inflate any existing balloons in the corral which may be “low” on helium. Record total amount of balloons which needed to be re-inflated on your work order.
  3. Record helium tank level – read and record helium level based on regulator gauge. This must be a number, not a range. NOTE: It is extremely important to read the helium regulator gauge correctly when recording the helium tank level. PS Greetings uses this number to reorder helium.
  4. Shut off helium tank and release helium left in regulator by pressing on mylar nozzle.
  5. Bring the helium tank back to the backroom.
  6. Count the number of damaged balloons.
  7. Important: A balloon is damaged only if once it has been re-inflated with helium; the balloon immediately loses its air and drops to the ground. You must refill balloons first, prior to determining if a balloon is damaged.
  8. Record this number of damaged balloons on your work order and call PS Greetings (1-800-334-2141 ext.113) to advise of the quantity.
  9. Throw away damaged balloons.

Stock & Straighten the Card Rack

  1. Stock and straighten the rack. Put cards back in their original location and straighten cards and envelopes in their pockets. Start with the bottom rows of the rack and work your way towards the top of the rack. Misplaced cards are often found towards the bottom of the rack – shoppers tend to replace cards in pockets below their assigned pockets.
  2. Important: $1 cards and 2 for $1 cards must be stocked in their correct pockets as per the planogram. For all everyday cards:
  3. $1 cards and 2 for $1 cards are displayed on all sides of the greeting card rack (except seasonal section).
  4. Each title card identifies the caption and price point: $1 or 2 for $1:

Title cards showing caption and price point:
$1 OR 2 for $1


  • If you are missing any title cards, call PS Greetings to order these title cards immediately.
  1. $1 cards have protective wrapping (cello wrap) and have a $1 sticker in the upper right corner (see below).
  1. Pocket stickers are color coded for $1 pockets vs. 2 for $1 pockets. Green sticker = $1 cards; Yellow sticker = 2 for $1 cards.

GREEN Pocket sticker = $1 pocket / YELLOW Pocket sticker = 2 for $1 pocket

As you stock the greeting cards, follow the steps below:

  • Locate the assigned pocket number in the lower left corner on the back of the greeting card.
  • Locate the pocket numbers on the rack. Stickers will be found on the back of all pockets except the seasonal endcap. These stickers identify each pocket number and have a barcode.

Pocket number on back of card
  • Place the pack of cards in the assigned pocket.

$1 Cards – no more than 9 cards should be stocked per pocket (Important: do not “overstuff” pockets, as some $1 cards are thicker)

2 for $1 Cards – nomore than 12 cards should be placed per pocket

  • Place new card stock behind the older card stock
  • Place all cards in the front of the pocket and all envelopes in the back of the pocket. Envelope flaps should always face the back of the pocket.

WRONG – envelope flaps must not face forward (need to face back of pocket) / CORRECT – stocking cards and envelopes with envelope flaps facing back of pocket

Power Wing Service (Gift Bags, Tissue Paper, Tissue Paper Shred & Balloons on Stick)

  1. Stock gift bags, tissue paper and tissue paper shred onto the power wings located on the ends of the seasonal end cap.
  2. New product for the gift bags, tissue paper and tissue paper shred will be in the same shipment as the greeting cards. If you cannot locate new product shipment, ask the manager if an order arrived.
  3. Count and record the number of empty peg hooks on the power wings for gift bags, tissue paper and tissue paper shred.
  4. NOTE: If the store you are servicing does NOT have the power wings installed, contact Meghan at PS Greetings at 1-800-334-2141 ext.113. Report ‘0’ on your work order under qty empty peg hooks.
  5. Stock balloons on stick in holders on endcaps. (Note: Balloons on Stick are pre-inflated). Record quantity of balloons on stick that were stocked during service call and also a total count of balloons on stick in tube holders in store.

NOTE: You are NOT responsible for placing orders for the gift bags, tissue paper and tissue paper shred. PS Greetings will ship these based on auto-replenishment to the stores.

Power Wing #1 Power Wing #2

Ordering Supplies

  1. If you need any supplies for the greeting card rack – header signs, endcap signs, etc., call PS Greetings at 1-800-334-2141, ext. 113 to request the needed supplies. PS Greetings will ship these supplies to your store with your greeting card order.

Last Steps of Service Visit

  1. At the end of your service visit, review your service call with the store manager. Have the manager sign your paperwork (work order) and get a store stamp on your paperwork (if available). This is VERY IMPORTANT. If any questions arise about service in this store, your work order will be available as proof of your visit. Review with the manager when you will be back to service the store.
/
Manager reviewing service
  1. Make sure to keep your copy of your work order in your files to review with your district manager. Report your visit and order on the Driveline Retail Merchandisingwebsite on the same day as your store visit.
  2. You have now successfully completed the PS Greetings basic service call in Family Dollar stores. Thank you for helping to make PS Greetings a success in Family Dollar stores!

STEPS ON HOW TO COMPLETD A SEASONAL SWITCHOUT (Removing Previous Season’s Cards, Setting New Season’s Cards)

An endcap of the PS Greetings card rack is dedicated for holiday/seasonal cards. When a holiday/season takes place, any leftover seasonal greeting cards for that season need to be removed promptly. The next upcoming holiday/season will then be set in the seasonal section.

Note: Some stores will have a “Hispanic seasonal endcap.” This endcap will include Hispanic everyday cards and English seasonal cards. Important: Do not remove or destroy the Hispanic everyday cards – these are permanent everyday cards that must stay on the endcap.

Samples of PS Greetings Seasonal Endcaps:

Valentines Seasonal Endcap / Easter Seasonal Endcap / Summer Promotional Seasonal Endcap – gift wrap, tissue, etc.

Steps to Complete the Seasonal Switchout:

  1. The seasonal switchout should be completed at the beginning of the service visit. Greet the manager and identify that you will be completing a seasonal switchout during this visit.

  1. Locate the box of new seasonal cards. All seasonal shipments will have a bright yellow label on the outside of the box identifying: Seasonal Greeting Cards (see photo right).
/
  1. A seasonal planogram will be included with the cards. On occasion, there may be different products for the seasonal endcap: gift bags, tissue paper, packaged product, etc.
  2. Remove and count all previous holiday/seasonal cards from the rack and destroy them AT THE STORE.
  3. Set the new seasonal cards according to the planogram provided. The seasonal endcap does not have any specific numbered stickers or pocket numbers. All seasonal cards will have a title card that will be set with each card design.
  4. Seasonal cards can be reordered only if: 1) the seasonal section is over 50% (half) empty, AND 2) with store manager approval, AND 3) must be 10 days prior to the upcoming holiday. If you would like to place a seasonal order, please call PS Greetings at 1-800-334-2141, ext. 113 to request the seasonal cards. You cannot order these seasonal cards on the website.

REFERENCE GUIDE

  • GREETING CARD RACK CONFIGUATIONS:

There are five rack configurations offered, 7ft freestanding, 9ft freestanding, 15ft inline, 19ft inline and 23ft inline. Each store’s configuration is determined by Store Allocation. Any changes to stores current rack size must be approved by buyer.

7FT/9FT FREESTANDING RACK Seasonal endcap Clip Strips of notes

  • Freestanding fixture includes:
  • Adjustable signage above rack
  • On wheels, in case it needs to be relocated
  • 16 tier wire racks on wheeled frame
  • (2) - power wings for gift bags, tissue, shred and balloon on a stick
  • (2) – solid green back panels and (4) graphic panels on each side of rack.
  • (4) - Clip strip of notes and invites hanging on power wings
  • 7FT FREESTANDING
  • 352 Everyday pockets
  • 96 Seasonal pockets
  • (2) - 3ft endcaps and (2) - 4ft sections in center back to back
  • 9FT FREESTANDING
  • 480 Everyday pockets
  • 96 Seasonal pockets
  • (2) - 3ft endcaps and (2) - 6ft sections in center back to back

15FT/19FT/23FT INLINE RACKS Seasonal Endcap Clip Strips of notes

  • Inline fixture includes:
  • 14 tier wire racks that are attached to store gondolas
  • (2) - graphic panels on each side of endcap
  • (2) - power wings for gift bags, tissue, shred and balloon on a stick
  • (4) - Clip strip of notes and invites hanging on power wings.
  • 15FT INLINE
  • 336 Everyday pockets
  • 84 Seasonal pockets
  • (1) - 3ft endcap and (3) - 4ft sections in adjacent aisle
  • 19FT INLINE
  • 448 Everyday pockets
  • 84 Seasonal pockets
  • (1) - 3ft endcap and (4) - 4ft sections in adjacent aisle
  • 23FT INLINE
  • 560 Everyday pockets
  • 84 Seasonal pockets
  • (1) - 3ft endcap and (5) - 4ft sections in adjacent aisle

STATIONERY:

  • Stationery items (includes invitations, thank you notes, blank notes and stationery sheets) are located on (4) clip strips and are placed on the ends of the power wings.
  • NOTE: In stores that have 72” gondola, stationery items are hung above the greeting cards.

72” Gondola set up Clip Strips

GIFT BAGS:

There are 2 power wings in every store allocated for gift bags.

BALLOONS:

Tank must be chained to cart Helium tank cap attached to chain

  • Placement of corral
  • If store has inline set up, the corral will be installed to the gondola of seasonal greeting card endcap.
  • If a store has freestanding fixture or if inline store cannot have it on seasonal greeting card endcap gondola, then it will be installed to the gondola of 4ft of gift bags or 4ft of toys.
  • NOTE: This corral does NOT hang from ceiling. It attaches directly to the uprights of the gondola.

BALLOON REPLENISHMENT BAG ATTACHED TO HELIUM CART

  • BALLOON STRING HOLDERS:
  • Each store should have two balloon string holders that are attached to the upright of the balloon corral to prevent strings from interfering with cards.
  • BALLOON ON A STICK:
  • Each store should have two Balloon-On-A-Stick tube holders.
  • These attach to the gift bag power wings.
  • Each tube holds 4 balloons on a stick, 12 balloons total per holder.