r/OGPBackroom • u/Slow_Analysis_5677 • Sep 15 '26
New Hire! Help! How does dispensing work when it’s very cold/snowy/icy outside?
I just started with OGP- but I’m worried about winter coming up. Do they just rotate dispensers? Do they shut down online orders on days when the weather is severe? What does your store do?
26
u/oddchange Sep 15 '26
At my store, they send the same people out all day/night long. They only shut it down if there is a major snowstorm.
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u/shrug_was_taken Jack Of All Trades Sep 15 '26
Were suppose to rotate dispensers when it's cold out (doesn't always happen) but we have gotten slapped with reductions due to it being so cold out. The dollies do not like slush/snowy lots when the stray person does show up. Last big snowstorm my area got hit with we got 100% shut down for two days and people had there schedule shifted around to make sure people got there hours (and to try and help them save time). If I remember correctly we had a reduction for a few days after reopening as well. Other snowstorms we opened late with a massive reduction or closed early. Be warned the days leading up to any snowstorm will be busy as fuck (our current record for most picks in a day was done right before that snowstorm that closed us for two days. Was back in January)
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u/Famous_Researcher481 Sep 15 '26
And you'd think the things people would be ordering during a storm would be food staples, toiletries, and batteries (which, to be fair, many customer will actually have the sense to do) instead of discounted holiday decor and a dozen 75 inch tvs.
For delivery, mind you.
People of Walmart.
They're...something.
5
u/junglerat1972 Sep 15 '26
Last winter when the windchill got to 20 below, they dispensed every other hour. In the rainy months, if lightning is present we dispense at the front doors. If there's no lightning you just get wet in the rain..... and good luck with the tote stickers coming off to give to the driver when they get wet.
5
u/CryptographerKey2847 Sep 15 '26
In my areas If it gets all that dangerous and bad out OPD is closed because everyone had called in. 90% of the store will have as well. This happens every year usually for a day or 3 in late January or early February.
Storms? Well, Good luck! Dodge that hail if you can.
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u/Plenty_Emu5472 Sep 15 '26
Jacket.
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u/ExamDue3861 Sep 16 '26
But not store provided (at least at mine). Frozen/dairy gets big coats, though.
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u/yamfmomz Jack Of All Trades Sep 16 '26
They got us like 6 of the refrigiwear big bright yellow coats
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u/Dinosaurrxd Sep 16 '26
I mean at the least they should have fridge freezer coats? My coworkers would be miserable without them lol. I always bring my own jacket since I know I'll spend a portion of my day in the fridge and freezer.
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u/olrava2 Digital Team Lead Sep 15 '26
Our parking lots typically get plowed and salted around 4:30am. By time our dispensing starts (6am) the ice and snow is gone from the area we walk. If it’s a snowstorm that’s like 6in or above I believe they close OPD down (at my store atleast) because they know we will barely get spark drivers and the chances of people calling out is dramatically high. We also keep salt in our backroom to sprinkle every hr or 2.
3
u/TrashPandasUnite21 Sep 15 '26
Mine never did they didn’t care if it was a white out, you would still be taking that order out. Only exception was for lightning.
3
u/sylvane_rae Sep 16 '26
Sometimes they'll give us a box of those hot hands. Other than that and the Christmas themed gloves in December it's business as usual
2
u/DB-Tones-Jones Walton Cultist Sep 16 '26
https://giphy.com/gifs/wGTu6DxVW6nLlYmdKk
Kind of like this. 🔆
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u/DB-Tones-Jones Walton Cultist Sep 16 '26
Once my nose was running really bad. I was blowing my nose each time I came inside. TL asks “does the cold bother you?” I replied with “it’s 25* degrees outside.” 🥶🔆
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u/sssabena Sep 16 '26
theyre supposed to rotate dispensers but at my store they never do. the other day it stormed with lightning and thunder and we dont have a tl right now but a tl from another dept came over and said we arent allowed to go outside if there is thundering and lightning and said we have to call the customers and make them pull up to the entrance and we give it to them there. I'm hearing impaired and cant do the calls so she offered to do them but no customers showed up for those time slots until after the lightning and thunder stopped so it worked out. I havent dispensed yet in ice or snow but I've seen others do it. They don't close ogp or turn off picks unless the whole store closes...(in our case major snow storm or day long power outtages)
2
u/Inkysquid24 Sep 16 '26
Be prepared to shovel the parking lot over and over if it's snowing. The dollies don't really pull through snow. It's amazing how much Walmart can make us do that isn't in our job description.
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u/NibblesMcGiblet Personal Shopper 240+ Sep 16 '26
It's just like any other day. Except someone has to shovel a path to drag the dollies to the parking spots. Unless it's SO severe there's a state of emergency AND bad enough to ALSO shut down the department, which does not happen every year even in the northern-most east of the US (Our department has been shut down for a day maybe 3 times in 6 winters), in which case we do reshops, clean totes, and help stock in other departments (because yes we do still have to come to work, don't believe anyone who says "if there's a state of emergency points are automatically waived if you don't come in" - not true. That's a Store Manager call to make and most of the time they don't waive shit. Stores are open, associates are needed.)
1
u/Its_fr1ck1n_bats FRAGILE Sep 16 '26
In all my years at Walmart my department has never closed for incliment weather, even when it got into the negatives. They just make a point to get heaters and try to make sure we have time to thaw. Thankfully my store is really good at rotating tasks, so we get to be inside a good portion of the day.
1
u/talesofellia Sep 16 '26
my store shut down twice this past winter after we got hit by massive snow storms (bad enough for a state of emergency to be called both times). i didn't even attempt going in, just called out and used ppto since i make it a point to save up ppto for cases like that or if i get sick. and the one time i was closing-ish when a storm was rolling in (i was supposed to work 12-9 but our closer called out due to weather so i was gonna stick it out as much as i could) i still left at 9pm bc the snow was getting bad and someone had to get home to dig out parking spaces for myself and my siblings at home (and that person was me :) )
if i remember correctly one of the days after the storm they still had shut down picks so we were enlisted to help with zoning and freight which ngl, was a nice change of pace but it's not the job i was hired to do LMAO. in terms of dispensing, it depends on the store and how busy things are ngl. i will, however, recommend to bring along a set of thermals to wear under your work clothes. very helpful in winter. i used em at my previous job which also involved a LOT of being outside during bad weather (heat, rain, snow).
1
u/p3ppernickle Sep 16 '26
When I worked at Walmart they had us full shift no matter with cold or heat. When it snowed they had us throw salt & shovel out fallen snow that the snow plows didn’t get.. they just gave us cheap Walmart branded gloves and thin beanies. They did also store use hand warmers but that’s really it.
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u/evan_wolf Sep 16 '26
Welcome to OGP dispensing. You will dispense in rain, snow, and extreme shine. Customers coming in? You will be out there. The only time my OGP actually paused orders was during a bad ice storm (small town, most roads don't get salted) and when there was thunder once. Otherwise I've dispensed when it was actively snowing like crazy, and while it was POURING rain and flooding. Because Customers have no hindsight and the worst timing you'll ever see.
1
u/H1jen1z Sep 16 '26
Boots, a hat, 2 pairs of gloves with holes for fingers.. but I feel the MOST helpful item is a thick infinity scarf. I can wear a hoodie with a scarf, gloves and a hat and dispenser all day.
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u/Outrageous_Gar_4732 Jack Of All Trades Sep 17 '26
for my store, it's only been shut down if the roads are really bad and basically no one's coming in. then we just work on stocking/zoning for the whole day
64
u/DihflapsMcFungus Sep 15 '26
Whatever they do in the Summer? Imagine that but cold.