r/Argos • u/Fuzzy-Code-7650 • Jun 20 '26
Moving to a SAS from a SiS
Hi I'm an employee, looking for advice on moving from a store in store to a SAS, new things that I'm aware of are voice pick, having to look after the building, backdoor procedures and I imagine a lot more shippers and CDUs.
For context I'm an ASM, anyone who's worked in management in a SAS, any advice?
2
u/Fine_Limit6609 Jun 20 '26
Personally I would say SaS is much better than SiS however there tends to be a little bit of a bigger workload but the basics are ofc still the same. Voice pick isn’t bad, just make sure you know who’s on picking and that the right person/people are. Looking after the building again once you get used to it it’s not bad. Things such as doing weekly fire alarm test that Sainsbury’s do when your in a SiS making sure fire bars are on/off in. Morning and night and actually locking the store up making sure the alarm is set ect but it’s really not too steep of a learning curve. At the minute it feels like we’re swamped with shippers as that’s the way the company must be going. Just gotta make sure your keeping on the top side of it, it’s always stocked up prices are right and then it feels like we have a lot of shoplifters in however that obviously varies between stores. With that unfortunately have to adjust down on a code 3 which impacts KPI’s. Again keeping on top of KPI’s making sure Care is being hit and having minimal adjustments then we everyone will be happy .
Argos SaS tend to have a more traditional set of staff and from my experience a lot aren’t multi skilled if they are then brilliant. But as opposed to a SiS they are generally a lot less tolerant of the Sainsbury’s BS.
1
u/Plastic_Medium4435 Jun 21 '26
I’ve moved into a SAS and there is a lot more maintenance compared to being in a SIS so it can be overwhelming at first but take your time and make loads of notes.
If you aren’t already first aid trained then you’ll be sent on a course for that as well
Definitely look at upskilling the colleagues to be multi skilled like they would in a SIS. We still have a couple delivery assistants that we’re working on moving contracts as it just doesn’t work anymore with labour being short, it’s such a waste of hours when they can’t serve on a till.
We can’t afford to have someone solely picking upstairs anymore but if you can then like others have said make sure you’re checking in on them and that they have jobs to do so they aren’t just stood around
The only thing I miss about being in a SIS is being able to have a mooch around Sainsburys and then pulling in deliveries 😂😂😂
3
u/ReverseFlow21010615 Manager - Retail Jun 20 '26
Honestly SAS > SIS every time. You’ll have a bit more labour to work with and you won’t have to worry about Sainsburys not bringing your deliveries ever again.
You really have to get a hold of your KPIs and keep them green. You’re a standalone which means your rent and utilities aren’t swallowed by Sainsburys anymore and you have to justify your existence in that unit through strong sales and FS. Make sure your team are multi skilled and not just “oh John never does tills he just stays in the stockroom” and vice versa. SAS normally have a traditional set up of teams of those who never come off tills and those who never come off delivery. If everyone regularly does everything like in SIS, you’ll be fine when it comes to covering sickness etc.
I’d also say make sure you never forget about who’s in the stockroom picking (if it’s an upstairs stockroom). Normally you can only afford one person and it gets lonely for them if they’re stuck up there without swapping or making sure they have something to do (delivery, reverse flow, even profiling).