Absolutely NO ONE answering phones for 1 and a half hours

[IHaveNoIdea]

Trying to call out today, dealing with family issues amid the covid-19 anxiety already putting a ton of stress on us. Nobody in any department has answered the phones. I'm assuming they have everyone there working on fulfillment for the mass amount of people that took LOA and are short staffed. I called 10 times (and every department) since 8 am! WTF! 🤬I'm supposed to be there at 10 am today! Am I going to get a NCNS?

 

[SeasonalOG]

I recently (early March) tried to call out for about two hours, gave up, did not show up, and no one called me that day or said anything about it until two weeks later when i turned in my LOA and my direct report said, "I figured this was coming when you no showed".

honestly the communication issues at this particular store are why I chose to LOA target and prioritize another essential worker job... i can't imagine being active at Target during this and being completely unable to communicate with management without going to the store in person.

all of which is to say, if you need to no show, just no show and see what happens. most stores can't afford to term anyone right now, if they call tell them what you did to try to call out and screengrab the call log from your phone in case you need to prove it later.

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

I recently (early March) tried to call out for about two hours, gave up, did not show up, and no one called me that day or said anything about it until two weeks later when i turned in my LOA and my direct report said, "I figured this was coming when you no showed".

honestly the communication issues at this particular store are why I chose to LOA target and prioritize another essential worker job... i can't imagine being active at Target during this and being completely unable to communicate with management without going to the store in person.

all of which is to say, if you need to no show, just no show and see what happens. most stores can't afford to term anyone right now, if they call tell them what you did to try to call out and screengrab the call log from your phone in case you need to prove it later.

Thanks for the response, sounds like I'll just have to wait it out today. I've been a bit on edge of the whole situation at home and work.

 

[dannyy315]

You can call electronics and ask them to talk to an LOD, it wouldn’t hurt.

 

[NightHuntress]

Sounds like no one was signed into the phones. Or just too busy to answer. But at my store it’s usually because they “forget” to sign into the phones and with no overhead system now it won’t go through. If at least 1 person in the entire store is signed in no matter what dept you call it will reroute you that 1 person. Usually that person gets annoyed they are receiving all the calls and will walk or others to get them to sign in too

 

[Tessa120]

Unless things have drastically changed, you can call out up to 2 hours after your start time. Keep calling, judging from your post time you have until noon.

 

[Anelmi]

Usually TMs who need to call out use the GS option bc we are required to be logged into the phone.

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

Usually TMs who need to call out use the GS option bc we are required to be logged into the phone.

Do you not have a hardwired phone? Us and HR do at my store.

 

[Tessa120]

Have you tried pressing 9 during the department extension listing ("Press 1 for...")? It's not spoken as an option.

 

[Kit330]

Honestly, if you have been calling on your phone then you have proof. Just make sure to keep those call attempts logged, so that you can show them you tried calling.

 

[Xanatos]

Honestly, if you have been calling on your phone then you have proof. Just make sure to keep those call attempts logged, so that you can show them you tried calling.

This^

If one of my team members no call no showed, but they showed me 10 unanswered calls over the course of a couple hours, I’d say they did their best and it was not their fault that they couldn’t officially call off. There’s only so much you can do.

 

[IHaveNoIdea]

Well I tried and tried, thanks for everyone's suggestions. Tried electronics, food market, hr dept, all other departments as well as the number 9 hidden option. 🤷‍♂️
I'll just have to try to explain it all tomorrow and show them my phone log.

 

[DBZ]

Sorry GS is too busy with DUs to answer the phone and the rest of the team is on OPUs.

 

[sunnydays]

Do you not have a hardwired phone? Us and HR do at my store.

the only hardwired phone left in my store is in the TL office and it is always muted

 

[oath2order]

So now people have to be at the store. Hm.

 

[ISMike]

When I had this problem, I started calling/texting people directly in the store until I found someone working in order to get them to get an ETL next to a phone. Otherwise,as people said, keep your call history log

 

[Leo47]

Yeah I would say if you had any coworkers that you know are there to text them and be like “hey could you let TL know I’ve been trying to call for a couple hours and no one is answering but I’m not coming in today”

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

Yeah I would say if you had any coworkers that you know are there to text them and be like “hey could you let TL know I’ve been trying to call for a couple hours and no one is answering but I’m not coming in today”

Or email ETLs/TLs. Firstname.Lastname@target.com (double check in workday)

 

[Tessa120]

I didn't think of it earlier, but there were a few times when there was either a phone error (it genuinely happens) or no one was picking up, someone would call CVS and ask them to inform leadership about the phones not picking up.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

There could be a network outage on the phones. Keep a phone number of your tl, handy.

 

[Tarshitsucks]

There could be a network outage on the phones. Keep a phone number of your tl, handy.

That's a great idea. A leader or coworker number to call in with.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

That's a great idea. A leader or coworker number to call in with.

It's great to have when you are waiting to get into spot for 4am shift, no key carrier has come to open the door.

 

[jackandcat]

Phone call response time, or lack of answering phones altogether, remain huge problems. The lack of dedicated staff assigned primarily to answering phone calls from guests, vendors and team members betrays the whole concept of the Target "Guest Experience". The person assigned to phone calls can also handle clerical tasks and other tasks which can be interrupted frequently. Some phone callers are "high maintenance" and need several minutes of our time, others are efficient, but we also have the experience (common in any successful business) of receiving multiple phone calls at a time.

I'm sure Corporate just blames the SDs who remind the ETLs, TLs and TMs but ultimately nobody really is 100% assigned to phone duty (and nothing other than non-time-sensitive tasks) rather than putting the burden almost entirely on the busiest customer-facing part of the store.

 

[DBZ]

A leader's #s ought to be automatically signed in to take all calls.

 

[Tessa120]

Too bad that no one at corporate can think of the brand new concept of having a store operator, someone not at GS and therefore more leeway with the time calls need.....