MEGATHREAD 2018-2019 Store Modernization Megathread

[Frontlanegirl]

Oh and is anybody else having issues with other DBOs not answering phones or going for backup? There are several former BR and Flow people who don't answer the phones and never go to cashier. They are constantly calling up 3 of us and we are getting tired of it. The store never made sure they were trained, and now they aren't making them learn either. This is creating such a bad mood in our store and wiping out the teamwork mentality we all used to have.

This is not happening at our store, either. So the front end hours have been allocated to other areas of the store and the other areas of the store are not answering phones or responding to guest first.

 

[ShortTM]

This is not happening at our store, either. So the front end hours have been allocated to other areas of the store and the other areas of the store are not answering phones or responding to guest first.

If only they would take a minute to show me how to use the phone. I wouldn't mind responding when there is a request for a TM near a certain department and I'm pretty close. But the majority of the time it's for a call so I don't even bother. Up until recently the backroom and inbound team stayed on channel 2

 

[Frontlanegirl]

If only they would take a minute to show me how to use the phone. I wouldn't mind responding when there is a request for a TM near a certain department and I'm pretty close. But the majority of the time it's for a call so I don't even bother. Up until recently the backroom and inbound team stayed on channel 2

We are talking about answering phone calls on your MyDevice.

 

[ShortTM]

In order to sign in, go into the Target Phone app and click the button at the bottom. It should log you in immediately. Then you just do everything as normal until it rings. You can accept (green) or reject (red) the call (rejecting doesn't reject the call entirely, it still rings for other TMs who are logged in). Once accepted, you can hold or transfer the call -- use hold to look something up while keeping the guest on the line; use transfer to send the call to another area/TM/TL. The extensions, as far as I know, are 2280 - 2284, but you key them in as 2180 - 2184 when transferring calls.

So if you're in, say, market and someone calls inquiring about home décor, you'd hit transfer, key 2180, and call out that there's a home décor call on 2280. If there's already a call on 2280, it should let you know when you attempt to transfer and you can key another extension instead.

If you're in the department that another TM has transferred a call to, you just dial the number they call out over the walkie: 2280 - 2284.

Thanks! What about when they say the call is on A2 or something like that? Is there a way to dial letters and numbers? Sorry, I havent bothered looking at the phone a]p before except for when I got a zebra with the phone still logged in

 

[Aredhel]

So corporate has fired all those troublesome tms. Let’s see if the next quarter is better.

 

[PackAndCry]

Thanks! What about when they say the call is on A2 or something like that? Is there a way to dial letters and numbers? Sorry, I havent bothered looking at the phone a]p before except for when I got a zebra with the phone still logged in

They are probably saying 82 as in 2282.

Everyone panics about answering the phone, but it isn't too bad. Honestly, you just talk to them like you were helping in person.

 

[flow4areasonuno]

I can't spare the time to answer backup, myself--which usually isn't a problem because by the time I can maneuver my Uboat into a good position that's not in anyone's way, someone else has answered it anyway. I hear you asking, though, shouldn't it always be in that position? Probably. But the calls always seem to come when I'm in some awkward position, or when I have the thing at the end of the aisle (and am stocking from there, like a normal person), or some other such thing.

Additionally, there's just no time for me to with all the customers. I greet them like I'm supposed to, and they almost always need extensive help. Get me this, walk me ALL THE WAY ACROSS THE STORE, go to the backroom for this and that...

...which I'm fine with, but I've already got too much work to do. Then backup calls come in and if I were to be close enough to answer them, I'm going to lose time I need to finish the workload I already don't have enough time for.

 

[Target_serf]

Right way to answer the phone, "Hello. Thank you for calling Target. How may I help you today?"
Not so much, "Hello. Thank you for calling Buckingham Palace. Her Majesty the Queen speaking." <A minute later> "No, we do NOT have Prince Albert in a can. Good day!"

 

[Rarejem]

Our phones are on our myDevice. There is no excuse to not get to the phone unless you're doing RFID, because the phone messes with it. We log in by department, answer by department, can put guests on hold, transfer, etc. Is this not standard now?

 

[spotlife]

Can someone please explain the logic of exf’ing lows and outs when there’s a good chance that merchandise is on your u-boat coming off the truck while you’re scanning?

They want to clear the backroom so EXF-ing will clear openstock? My guess - I don’t know haha

 

[SigningLady]

Our phones are on our myDevice. There is no excuse to not get to the phone unless you're doing RFID, because the phone messes with it. We log in by department, answer by department, can put guests on hold, transfer, etc. Is this not standard now?

How do you log in by department? My store still just has one person acting as operator. Usually the softlines gal who also covers electronics breaks, lol.

 

[JAShands]

How do you log in by department? My store still just has one person acting as operator. Usually the softlines gal who also covers electronics breaks, lol.

We just had all of our devices assigned to specific departments at my store. I’m sure this is Phase 1 in actually being able to connect to the correct department when you call the store.

 

[qmosqueen]

Only certain stores can do department selection. It's coming for all stores soon.

I think we only have only 3 lines for food and they are always logged in ETL, TL and 1 tm so I cannot log in to the phone app. Yeah.

 

[countingsheep]

My store is once again pushing the if your dept doeant make sales we cut your hours spiel. We are in the midst of remodel which ia going slower than a snail up hill. Our etl on the floor just bailed (unofficially atm but we all kniw :/ ) and they only give everyone 18hrs atm. Sooooo this threat means nothing.

 

[flow4areasonuno]

My store is once again pushing the if your dept doeant make sales we cut your hours spiel. We are in the midst of remodel which ia going slower than a snail up hill. Our etl on the floor just bailed (unofficially atm but we all kniw :/ ) and they only give everyone 18hrs atm. Sooooo this threat means nothing.

I work 1 day a week, they'd have to fire me if they wanted to cut my hours any more

 

[Aredhel]

Eventually something in the damaged process has to give.
The pieces:
Too many tasks and not enough time
Botched processes to unload and backstock
Jettisoning experienced tms and management
Poor training. Not enough equipment, inconsistent and shifting software
Poor communication between -well everyone
This company has hemorrhaged common sense as well as money
Be prepared for trouble, unemployment
Upon contemplation my menopause joke was inappropriate and was deleted

 

[PackAndCry]

It's amusing seeing all the experienced people leave, and HQ thinks that's a good thing because the new people will be better somehow. Then things get even worse, and now all your experienced people are gone. Oops!

 

[redeye58]

Experience costs too much: experienced people make more, know how to push back to a degree, know what their rights are, know what works (& what DOESN'T) & can spot a bullsh*t process a mile off.
Corp doesn't want to pay for experience.

 

[KindaOverIt]

Experience costs too much: experienced people make more

Not at my store. With the pay rise bumps. There are people who’s been there for a decade making the same as the kids coming in the door. That’s why the whole review thing is worthless. When the base pay goes up, veteran TMs should be paid more than that, like by a couple dollars.

But this company isn’t even smart enough to figure that out. Shit like this really lowers morale.

 

[RedcardReba]

Not at my store. With the pay rise bumps. There are people who’s been there for a decade making the same as the kids coming in the door. That’s why the whole review thing is worthless. When the base pay goes up, veteran TMs should be paid more than that, like by a couple dollars.

But this company isn’t even smart enough to figure that out. Shit like this really lowers morale.

Does it, truly? Just my observation, but the new people catch on fast. They hop onto the technology and grasp it quickly, and that clearly is the future.

Many longterm employees still try to scan veggies when checking themselves out. It's sad.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

Back to answering the phones...I’ve noticed when I call other stores in my area it makes me select a department but we can’t open the app to a specific department. So, that’s something that is rolling out soon? Do some stores already have that capability?

 

[JAShands]

Back to answering the phones...I’ve noticed when I call other stores in my area it makes me select a department but we can’t open the app to a specific department. So, that’s something that is rolling out soon? Do some stores already have that capability?

Both 😂

Eventually everyone will have calls sent to the department the guest selects. But I’m sure most will hit 1 or 2 just to not have to wait for the department they’re looking for to be said.

 

[ShortTM]

I was asked what it would take in order for me to catch up and come clean. I said an extra day and my ETL was shocked. Well, repacks can take anywhere from 1 minute to over 10 minutes in the most extreme situations. Combine that with getting out of the way for guests and helping them when needed, fixing everything from when other TMs push, and cleaning up strays cause guests don't know how to put items back. I think 4 hours would get me right where I need to be.

It's nice when other TMs help push after I leave but they only make it worse. Found products still wrapped in plastic, full casepacks pushed to wrong location, products over pushed. Binders is the worst. Whenever one drops in an auto I usually pull 5-10 that shouldn't be on the floor.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

Does it, truly? Just my observation, but the new people catch on fast. They hop onto the technology and grasp it quickly, and that clearly is the future.

Many longterm employees still try to scan veggies when checking themselves out. It's sad.

Many new employees will scan the organic banana barcode based on how many bananas there are in the bunch. Had to fix this error 3 times last week.

 

[ShortTM]

So apparently I'm on the grid now to do GM reshop. Didn't know this until they were calling me over the walkie as I was punching out for lunch. I was former inbound and was never told what to do for reshop. Do I just grab it from GS and push it back out to the floor? I'm sure it's not difficult, it's just frustrating when there is no communication about it