A Visit in 2025

[Him]

Posting this in the Leadership Forum as I’m curious as to what one is nowadays. I’m beginning to see Spot trying to “bring back” some of what Target 🎯 did back in the early years. I heard that Target 🎯 as a whole company is going through a “reshuffle” Org wide. A”visit” used to be when District Team Leaders would visit said store 🏬 in their respective Region and implement their “take” on needs, wants, Takeaways and my personal “favorite” Opportunities. (Till this day I still can’t stand that word). So, TL’s ETL’s please 🙏🏾 comment on this. As always, don’t sugar coat anything.

 

[Captain Orca]

Interesting question, see what develops.

 

[jackandcat]

Interesting that no ETLs or TLs offered any thoughts on this.
Some of the "Store Modernization" stuff has been quietly dropped, replaced as you said. Theoretically we still have DBOs for different sections of the store....

 

[FlowTeamChick]

It seems like Target reinvents the wheel every few years. "Here's our great new and improved way to push the truck! Yay!" Sometimes, the changes are actually at least sort of good, more often they're not, but whatever. Everyone adjusts, gets used to it, and it stays in place for a bit. Then here we go again! Sometimes, I think it's change just for the sake of change.

 

[redeye58]

More often it's like "Oh! THAT'S why we don't do it that way. Carry on...."

 

[Black Sheep 214]

Fingers crossed that eventually perhaps someone will get an f’ing clue and bring back the Backroom Team. We had one for a reason, Corporate, back when things were going well…🙄

 

[Him]

Agree 👍🏾 100% with not only this but Specialty teams period. To me Backroom, Price Change and Plano Teams are what separated Target from other retailers. Many layers to doing business. One team in place to keep everything together. Each one coming together to make a difference. Now to have 1 person doing the work of many, yeah 👍🏾 Turnover WILL (probably is all over the world 🌍)!!!

 

[boobooduck]

We still have ample visits but District doesn't seem to call out as much as 10 or 15 years ago. Personally, I think it is because Corporate is bleeding upper store talent and District tries to be firm yet understanding as most store leaders don't have years experience in Target like in the past.
Also, I have noticed a tightening up on culture issues- water bottles on floor, appropriate attire, friendly greeting to guest before 10-4 rule rolled out, etc.

 

[MrT]

Im not really understanding the question tbh. Visits never really went away and stores get visits all the time and its still the same as it was. You can get visits from any district or higher level leadership. They only really went away in covid but the still did the whole virtual walks with the stupid tablets, its just back to more hands on. If you store is getting visited frequently then interested is a reason, if not then your store is probably OK or atleast better then the rest of the district.

 

[Him]

We still have ample visits but District doesn't seem to call out as much as 10 or 15 years ago. Personally, I think it is because Corporate is bleeding upper store talent and District tries to be firm yet understanding as most store leaders don't have years experience in Target like in the past.
Also, I have noticed a tightening up on culture issues- water bottles on floor, appropriate attire, friendly greeting to guest before 10-4 rule rolled out, etc.

Thank you 🙏🏾 for this feedback. Yes I too have noticed more focus on culture issues.

 

[Him]

Im not really understanding the question tbh. Visits never really went away and stores get visits all the time and its still the same as it was. You can get visits from any district or higher level leadership. They only really went away in covid but the still did the whole virtual walks with the stupid tablets, its just back to more hands on. If you store is getting visited frequently then interested is a reason, if not then your store is probably OK or atleast better then the rest of the district.

You answered my question 🙋🏾‍♂️. I wanted to know the optics of a visit nowadays versus what was considered a visit years ago hence why I went into vivid detail into describing one years ago. Thank you 🙏🏾 for this valuable information.

 

[Uberdead]

Love how a visit really was not a surprise. They would use what top store was doing as a club on poor performance ones. Smh

 

[Him]

I can’t tell you how many times the other stores in the district was like children trying to clean their room before their parents came home 🏡. One time, our STL was like “They just wrapped up from Store 1234…” which was the first amongst us in our region”. They literally called not only our STL and ETL’s, but told them what vehicle 🚗 they were going to be arriving in. It was quite a show to be honest. Meanwhile the rest of us are doing our best to make the customers happy. One thing I’ve always appreciated about guests, they read through Bullshit 💩 a mile away. Definitely pumped my chest out when guests asked for me or someone from my team!! We were small, but impactful.

 

[SilentCrow]

Visits still happen very often. I'm in a market that gets many visits. GBP, RVP, CEO, COO, etc. We have seen it all.

I'll tell you recently the visits are about experience, zone, and LOD. Guest interaction and really making sure all zones are amazing at all times is heavily pushed. For example, all pegs having inventory control clips and being used to zone products on pegs, front end not having any outs, what area is not 100% with zone and when do you move resources to fix it.

Honestly, expectations are very high on the SD level. I would say that although the expectations are high with zone, experience, and LOD, they are more open to feedback and actually seeking information from us these days.

 

[FlowTeamChick]

they are more open to feedback and actually seeking information from us these days.

Who's more open to feedback and seeking info? The higher-ups who are visiting?

Given the current vibe at my store, not sure I'd be willing to say much of anything for fear it'd come back to bite.

 

[BKop16]

what area is not 100% with zone and when do you move resources to fix it.

Sorry but I already moved all my resources to SFS to deal with the 20 to 30% above plan + callouts.

 

[SilentCrow]

Who's more open to feedback and seeking info? The higher-ups who are visiting?

Given the current vibe at my store, not sure I'd be willing to say much of anything for fear it'd come back to bite.

Yeah. Actually surprised by some of the questions. Then again we as a company are not in the best position so do they really have a choice at this point. One of the visits, Adrianne constantly ask what can they do better to help stores over and over. I've even heard them admit that large volume stores may need to have SFS removed or limited as it's clearly too much for them to juggle.

Sorry but I already moved all my resources to SFS to deal with the 20 to 30% above plan + callouts.

SFS is draining to the entire store. Incredibly frustrating and absurd all resources in the building. Then they hit you with the extra workload. My favorite is getting the email saying hey tomorrow expect an extra 30% add resources like you can snap your fingers and getting 15 extra tms in the building.

They say schedule properly. Schedule this forecast properly smh.

Sorry SFS gets me heated.