Archived carrying personal cell phones at work.

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ncc1701

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I was always told that team members could not have a cell phone in their pocket, that we had to leave the phone in our locker and could only use it on break or lunch.
All the team leads/ETL's ignored this and carry their phones with them. Recently someone said we can now carry them so we can demonstrate cartwheel, target ticket, etc. to the guests.
Sometimes we can not find a PDA because they are all in use and if I had our phone with us we could look up items for guests to see if we carry them. Has anyone else heard anything new about cell phones being allowed/not allowed on the floor? Obviously you dont want to walk around on the floor talking on the phone, it would look bad to the guests, but it sure would be nice to use our wi-fi to look up things.
 
We use ours to help guests, ETLs, TLs and TMs. Hell, I used my phone to try to look up information about a product that wasn't on the box but the guest wanted to know.
 
funny - at our store we are NOT allowed to have cell phones on the floor, however with these "app" rollouts they keep showings that we should demo the apps for the guests, and people are always sharing "vibe moments" where they used their phone to do so - but if you explicitly ask if you can have a phone on the floor to do so - the answer is given is always no.
 
We have been told expressly that we ARE allowed to have our phones on us now, not to text or mess around, but to demonstrate using the apps to guests. They're strongly encouraging it, actually. I do wonder how long they will let it go before people start abusing the privilege and they ban phones again...anyway, I'm enjoying having a PDA substitute in a pinch.
 
Technology use at my store is actually kind of lenient as well. I am one of like 3 main Electronics TMs (next to my Sr.TL of course) and generally we can use them as long as we don't mess around either. I have used my phone before to look items for guests or even pull up for price challenges to see if it'd be a waste of time or not to send them up to GS (as sometimes I am the one that ends up doing the price challenge anyway)
 
Pfreshbackroomguy said:
At some huddles i went to last week, the LOD (STL & an ETL) had the team act out a good and bad vibe moment between customers (guests) and team members. With the STL, he said we can make a better vibe moment by showing the guest the cartwheel app and the target.com app.

We have not been told directly by our STL, ETL HR, ETLs or TLs that would could use our phones on the floor but said we can make a better vibe moment by showing the guest the cartwheel app and the target.com app. The only way that is possible is with a smartphone.

I personally am not going to use my phone to help guests. Target doesnt pay for my cell phone bill. When they help pay for it, I will use my phone with all my might.
Click to expand...

You could use the Target free Wi-Fi, then your phone bill won't be any higher , just maybe some negligible wear and tear on the phone.
 
greydot said:
funny - at our store we are NOT allowed to have cell phones on the floor, however with these "app" rollouts they keep showings that we should demo the apps for the guests, and people are always sharing "vibe moments" where they used their phone to do so - but if you explicitly ask if you can have a phone on the floor to do so - the answer is given is always no.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure the policy changed on that.
 
Just about everyone at my store keeps their phone with them. I typically don't just because we have crappy service and even connecting to the wifi my battery dies incredibly quick so it stays off in my locker unless I'm on lunch.
 
Yep now you can use YOUR phone while on the clock to help guests. We are encouraged to do so. So what happens when you damage your phone while helping a guest? It gets dropped, guest grabs it etc? Bull! You want me to use a phone to help guests, then give me one to use while on the clock. This company just gets cheaper and cheaper,pretty soon we will be "encouraged" to bring in our own PDAs and walkies.
 
I was told at my orientation a few months ago that the new policy was we could have them to demo Cartwheel and use the Target app.
 
Yes we have been encouraged to "Get Appy" during this time. After all the important thing is whatever your work center that you remember that the idea is to make a sale and retain the guest loyalty. If you use your phone, your knowledge of red cards, your familiarity of your store, your smile and friendliness, it's all "Brand". :excited:
 
My store is all about getting appy, like I'm sure all Targets have been lately, but at the same time we have recently cracked down on having cell phones on us while on the clock. They insist on keeping it in the lockers.
 
We were told that we could have our phones to help guests but it is at our own risk. If it breaks or gets stolen then it is on us, not the store. I leave mine in my locker.
 
Yes , well I'm not leaving a 600 dollar phone anywhere especially not in a locker. We are allowed and encouraged to have them on us to demonstrate Target Apps or even do online research for a guest. Some of us keep them clipped to our belt with an impact resistant case. If you feel like you can do your job better and won't abuse the privilege of having your phone on you then all you have to do is partner with your ETL and STL about it. I've even seen the iPad used for older guests who are visually challenged. Our store is high volume in an upscale area. It would be counter productive if we weren't with the latest trends. We have a young STL who is AMAZING!
 
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I have a gophone with 250 minutes and unlimited texting for $25 month, no data though. I would love an iphone and could afford $99 for the 5c, it's the $70 monthly minimum (lowest of any carrier I shopped around) that prevents me from having.
 
I didn't answer the original topic LOL. Everyone has their phones on the floor but we all know not to use it too much while working. Every girl in softlines you walk passed has one sticking out their back pocket. LOL
 
Regardless of what the policy is if you want to use your phone just dont be so stupid about it! No texting in front of the bosses! go to a back end cap the only way you will get caught is if for some reason they walk a back end cap which they hardly do! If you get caught just say you were checking the time! for the most part they will give you the benefit of the doubt
 
You can do both. Ive managed to work many years at Target and always beat my time lines and finished all my work and never left my peers hanging and still found time to send a message or two. Stopping to talk to a peer for a few seconds is no different than sending a message to someone who is not there. Half the time I am sending a message to someone to ask there location in the store as there is not enough equipment to go around nor do I want the entire world to switch to another channel on the walkie and listen to our conversation.
 
I don't trust my phone in the lockers either, so I take mine every where I go. when I was a cashier I'd use the calculator and now I carry it to text my ETL if i need to get a hold of them.
 
I was told that, as a team lead and a member of the ERT that we could carry our phone in the event we needed to call 911.
 
We're encouraged to carry our phones now, but only to use them for guest purposes. Just watched an ETL catch someone texting on the floor this week and talk to him about it. Then again this same ETL goes ballistic if he sees someone with a drink on the floor, while he has a Starbuck's cup of his own in hand, so....
 
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