Archived Coaching Question

[Serri330]

The other day two fellow electronics TMs of mine were coached for not responding to a toys kiosk. One was with a guest, the other busy working on signing. Both of them have worked at Target for several years, and neither have ever been coached.

I know everyone on the salesfloor is responsible for responding to kiosks, but I don't really think it's fair that they were singled out, rather than the TMs who were actually in those departments. If they got in trouble for not responding, shouldn't everyone who was on the floor, including TLs? Is there anything they can do about this? They are definitely not the type of TMs that would just stand around and not respond. They're both always quick to a help guest, even in another area of the store, so it's absurd they were accused of this.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

It is possible. My etl hl took all sf tm's on the blue side to the br & told me to cover the floor with a cashier because those tm's were missing call buttons left & right. He was coaching them on Not communicating why not or not answering their walkies. He did it because I getting them all for p-fresh.
No tm in sight when I got there.

 

[SrTLRep]

The biggest thing is making sure if you can't get the button you say so. "I'm with a guest who else can respond" or "I'm at the top of a ladder who else can respond". CYA.

Can you say for sure the other team members were not coached? I know I don't make a habit telling other TMs who I have or haven't coached and I don't coach in front of other team members or guests, it's disrespectful and demeaning.

Guest service is also the focus while the store is open. (Without knowing the full details) I would say that the TM working on the signing (unless doing so caused a safety issue) could have responded and probably should have if no one else called it or everyone was unavailable.

 

[planoguy]

The biggest thing is making sure if you can't get the button you say so. "I'm with a guest who else can respond" or "I'm at the top of a ladder who else can respond". CYA.

Can you say for sure the other team members were not coached? I know I don't make a habit telling other TMs who I have or haven't coached and I don't coach in front of other team members or guests, it's disrespectful and demeaning.

Guest service is also the focus while the store is open. (Without knowing the full details) I would say that the TM working on the signing (unless doing so caused a safety issue) could have responded and probably should have if no one else called it or everyone was unavailable.

100% agree

 

[Serri330]

The biggest thing is making sure if you can't get the button you say so. "I'm with a guest who else can respond" or "I'm at the top of a ladder who else can respond". CYA.

Can you say for sure the other team members were not coached? I know I don't make a habit telling other TMs who I have or haven't coached and I don't coach in front of other team members or guests, it's disrespectful and demeaning.

Guest service is also the focus while the store is open. (Without knowing the full details) I would say that the TM working on the signing (unless doing so caused a safety issue) could have responded and probably should have if no one else called it or everyone was unavailable.

I definitely agree that all TMs should either respond over the walkie, or say whether their with a guest, etc. Unfortunately, this isn't necessarily the practice in my store, though it's something I wish would be implemented. I had already mentioned that one of the TMs had been with a guest and the other signing. From what I've been able to gather, the one signing was either on this way to the back, or was coming from the back, and was pretty far away. Should he have said so over the walkie? Well, yeah, he should have. But when no other salesfloor TMs came up with reasons why they couldn't get it, why was he singled out?

As for whether anyone else was coached, I'll have to check. A few other TMs had talked to the Hardlines crew about what happened, and no one else mentioned being coached.

To shine some light on to situation, there are definitely Target 'politics' within this whole issue, especially concerning the LOD who did the coaching. By it'd be difficult to mention without basically giving away my store. If anyone's curious, PM me.

 

[MorurDreamcat]

hell, in my store, the Team Leads and ETLs are the LEAST to respond. And there are always the same Team Members that are running for back up or responding to indymes, or picking up phones. It's frustrating. I don't even know why I take a walkie anymore. I have a Deadline on everything I do during the week. I need to be done by Friday (sometimes Saturday if I am scheduled). I don't have time to do a 60 hour workload, waste a good 45 min on 2 huddles and another 45 minutes being at the registers, or standing with my walkie in my hand, trying to get a hold of a TL to ask them a question that a guest needs answered....and being scheduled for 25 hours. ... really? Then they have the guts to call us out by name, while you can hear chewing in the walkie because they are busy shoving another burger or doughnut in their face. ... and yes, there are also the TMs that fall into that same category along with them... and nothing is done about it.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Gosh!

 

[rio de generic]

As a sometimes operator, it makes my ears steam when there is silence on the walkie. If that is your area and you cant go, tell us. If their is radio silence, and your close, let us know. Same with endymes. I always say "Im with a guest can someone get it" Or I'm coming from snacks, but if someone is closer, could you get it." Communication.

 

[stupid rules]

I agree with most others and say communication is the key. I will say that the TM working on signing should have received a coaching while the one with a guest should have received a warning type conversation to not let it happen again.

 

[TMhardlines]

At my store if they know you'll run to the call buttons or for guest first they'll expect you to pick up the slack for the rest of your team. If you fail to pick up the slack they chew you out for it. Oh the bull ************ of Target.

 

[SuperTTM]

I agree with most others and say communication is the key. I will say that the TM working on signing should have received a coaching while the one with a guest should have received a warning type conversation to not let it happen again.

A coaching is a warning type conversation.

A lot of TM make a big production of it when they do get coached. However if the behavior is not an ongoing issue, it is really no big deal, don't let it happen again.

Our HR will not even let us use a performance discussion form that is more than a month old as a basis for CCA anyways.

If your leadership team is on their game, most team members will be coached at some point, its part of your development.

 

[stupid rules]

A coaching is a warning type conversation.

A lot of TM make a big production of it when they do get coached. However if the behavior is not an ongoing issue, it is really no big deal, don't let it happen again.

Our HR will not even let us use a performance discussion form that is more than a month old as a basis for CCA anyways.

If your leadership team is on their game, most team members will be coached at some point, its part of your development.

I am not sure why you quoted part of my message so to clear up any confusion let me rephrase. I would have pulled the TM, who was working on signing, into the office and went over the expectations of his position that he did not meet, the effect it had on the store/team/guests, the expectations going forward and finally the consequences of him not meeting those expectations. I would then type it up on a documented coaching form and put it in the binder in HR.

The other TM that was with a guest would have heard roughly this - next time make sure you call out over the walkie that you're with a guest so someone else can get the call box.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

As a sometimes operator, it makes my ears steam when there is silence on the walkie. If that is your area and you cant go, tell us. If their is radio silence, and your close, let us know. Same with endymes. I always say "Im with a guest can someone get it" Or I'm coming from snacks, but if someone is closer, could you get it." Communication.

I do exactly that everytime. Then, the lod would say, who else is responding for call button or backup? I know where HLM is at. Don't make me start calling names....
I start laughing & head to call button or backup, in case of no response.

 

[Leonhart621]

Recently got coached for holding a paid clearance product in the backroom. Item didn't fit in the guest's car so they need to come back later.

Didn't know about that rule at all. 4am Log BRTM so not quite sure about all the rules for salefloor TMs when assisting guests. I was in the salesfloor pushing some pulls.

Didn't know that we can't hold the product even though it's paid and guests have to return the product if it didn't fit in their car.

From now on I now know that I'll assist the guest till we reach the registers and let the gstl handle the rest and go back to my workcenter

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

It is highly suggested to ask that question before you pull the item to sf tm. What size is their car?

 

[Leonhart621]

the clearanced products are already in the seasonal section, %75 off. me and another presentation Tm was pushing BTS when the guest needed help so we grabbed 2 flats.

she bought two of those seasonal metal benches, one in box and one display. she also bought 3 furnitures, 2 chairs and a round table. the display one didn't fit due to the boxed one in her suv.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

the clearanced products are already in the seasonal section, %75 off. me and another presentation Tm was pushing BTS when the guest needed help so we grabbed 2 flats.

she bought two of those seasonal metal benches, one in box and one display. she also bought 3 furnitures, 2 chairs and a round table. the display one didn't fit due to the boxed one in her suv.

It might of fit, if you took the one item of the box. It's 5 or 6 flat pieces.
Good job getting everything else in the car.

 

[Target0963]

I am a cashier most of the time, but I do take shifts on the sales floor from time to time. What I have experienced is that our TLs will actually get call buttons and answer calls; they seem to be very good about this. What I haven't seen is the ETL's ever answering calls, I have seen one or two of them answering call buttons from time to time. Communication with the walkies is essential, unless of course your flow team hides all the walkies like ours does. 😕

 

[buliSBI]

Usually when I worked Electronics, I was usually responsible for the buttons for Seasonal/H&B/MMB/Office/Toys. If I was with a guest and a button went off, I would ask around if anyone else was available. If not, I would excuse myself from the 1st guest. Hit the button and tell the 2nd guest wait a moment while I finish helping the 1st guest, then return.

 

[Bullseye Flow TM]

What really got on my nerves was when I was working sales floor our STL we get on the intercom and page me by name to the registers for back up. Often I was with guest, what to do?? Try and finish with the guest? Try and find someone else to cover. I didn't carry a walkie, so that added to my delima. I worked jewelry and that often involved changing batteries or watch bands. (Does that tell you how long ago that was?) 😉

We never have the problem above with flow team and walkies. When we're on 4am, our cardboard guy is the only one with a walkie. (Besides the TLs and ETL)

 

[MorurDreamcat]

As a sometimes operator, it makes my ears steam when there is silence on the walkie. If that is your area and you cant go, tell us. If their is radio silence, and your close, let us know. Same with endymes. I always say "Im with a guest can someone get it" Or I'm coming from snacks, but if someone is closer, could you get it." Communication.

oh I love when I know there are at least 6 People on the floor, the operator asks a question repeatedly... and not ONE answer... and me, being on the opposite end of the store... feel bad, and make my way over there, making it CLEAR on the walkie what a messed up situation it is... I probably will get in trouble for this one day, but do I care? nah...
I say things like: " Well I'm way in the back, but since everyone seems to be on break, I will help you out"
or: "I will check on it for you. I have to walk ALL the way up there, so its going to take me a bit"
Sometimes they suddenly come out of the woodwork... probably cause they realize that I am going to see them close to that area making my way up there... sometimes I see them sticking their heads deeper into their Pda or re-shop cart or whatever they are working on as I'm running past them. :facepalm:

 

[stupid rules]

Some of my pet peeves are when some of the specialty team ignore call buttons, guest calls, back up requests and everything else you can lump in that category. A call box will go off and I come from the other end of the store to see someone from pricing or plano will be 3 aisles over. Hey operator I know you're swamped with a ton of work and millions of calls but do you think you could screen some of these? I mean seriously I could have told you over the walkie we were out of the minifridge that's on sale or that we do carry pillows.

 

[Target0963]

Well each night when I close, there are all of the walkies and PDA's in the fitting room being charged. Each morning when I open, the sales floor team members who get there at 6 in the morning sometimes do not even have walkies or PDA's? I don't think that it is the sales floor so it must be the flow team correct? And the cleaning people at night do not use that equipment and it always seems to turn up at around noon time when the flow team members are gone.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Well each night when I close, there are all of the walkies and PDA's in the fitting room being charged. Each morning when I open, the sales floor team members who get there at 6 in the morning sometimes do not even have walkies or PDA's? I don't think that it is the sales floor so it must be the flow team correct? And the cleaning people at night do not use that equipment and it always seems to turn up at around noon time when the flow team members are gone.

Count them & see who signed them out in the am. then ask the folks who signed them out to take all calls after 8am. why does all flow team have walkies? there is limited use there.

 

[Bullseye Flow TM]

why does all flow team have walkies? there is limited use there.

I've only seen our TLs and ETL-LOG with walkies in our store for flow. If our BR TL is off anther BR TM will grab a walkie. I too don't see the need of flow having walkies.