Archived Curious about coaching

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lifewithtarget

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So the other day I was cashiering and had been there for about a half hour. From the corner of my eye, I noticed my GSTL was randomly standing a register away looking at me on and off. Eventually he came over and switched my light off. When I finished with the guest, he told me to come with him to the office.

He basically lectured me about the conversion rate and how if we don't meet it, people can get fired including himself. Then he told me he was observing me and saw I wasn't asking for red cards and I wasn't interacting with the guests or doing my job efficiently. I admitted I didn't ask guests for red cards because I felt uncomfortable and that I was bugging the guest. I did stand up for myself and said I did interact with guests and was doing my job otherwise efficiently. He said he was not going to write me up, it was not a coaching, he was just letting me know.

So this week I had one cashier shift since that day. I tried my best to suck it up and ask for redcards. Today I get on my lane and ask people if they want a redcard. Within 30 minutes, my GSTL comes over and says I'm one of bottom three cashiers because of my conversion rate. I understood and said okay and he told me just to ask every guest.

So my question is, if I atleast ask every guest, will I still continue getting in trouble?
 
I'm encouraged, no, expected to coach if I don't think you are being sincere/effective in your approach. In other words, asking, "Do you want to sign up for a REDCard?" is not sufficient. Along with the formal coaching, I will pull you aside and train with you until you feel more comfortable with it. We are expected to push our cashiers to make an honest effort to *sell* the REDCard, not just mumble something about 5% to some of the guests some of the time. If you aren't comfortable driving the REDCard, then you shouldn't be a cashier.
 
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I do not cashier regularly but I still like to offer a savings to the guests. This is what I consider the red cards to be, not bugging them. I know they also save spot money.

I think you should take advantage of this verbal coaching and try to appreciate the fact that you are not getting a written warning.
 
If I were a guest and felt bugged every time I shopped at Target for their credit card I'd complain to corporate. As a team member this is why I am not a cashier. Plus, working on the salesfloor is just way more fun in my opinion.
 
I can see why you think this is "bugging". Seems like you have a negative opinion of the red card. I would also if it were just the credit card that was being offered. It is not though, it could be a check card, no interest, no bills, free shipping, easy cash withdrawals and people save 5% using it.
 
My concern with aggressively pushing Red Cards can be summed up in one word: Saturation.

Once you've signed up every man, woman, and child who walks through the door and wants to apply for a card... Then what?

Our entire district is struggling with conversion now, and to me at least, it's clear why.
 
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the more people who use redcards when shopping the easier it is to reach your conversion score. I hate that excuse when cashiers give it to me.
 
And in my store, we're at 14% saturation. That means for every 14 people who use a REDCard, 86 don't. That's hardly everybody signed up. I do not believe there is a market in the US that has 100% saturation.
 
My concern with aggressively pushing Red Cards can be summed up in one word: Saturation.

Once you've signed up every man, woman, and child who walks through the door and wants to apply for a card... Then what?

Our entire district is struggling with conversion now, and to me at least, it's clear why.

One thing I always try to teach my cashiers is to make sure they are fulling informing guests about REDcard benefits, even as they are signing them up. Guests need to know about TCOE and free-shipping and the rest of them from YOU! Its easy to skim through the crap you get in the mail and dismiss it all. The TCOE is my big one. When I forget to inform guests about it while they are applying and I mentioned it after, every single one will say they declined further information about it. Make sure guests know all the benefits and they'll keep using it!

Also, if you have a guest say "I already have one", when asking about a REDcard, that doesn't mean its the end of the convo. If they have one, but aren't using it, there is a problem! They more than likely have the credit card, but they don't want more debt. Say something like "You do have our debit card, right? I love mine so much more than my old credit card!" Get them to hear what you have to say.
 
So the other day I was cashiering and had been there for about a half hour. From the corner of my eye, I noticed my GSTL was randomly standing a register away looking at me on and off. Eventually he came over and switched my light off. When I finished with the guest, he told me to come with him to the office.

He basically lectured me about the conversion rate and how if we don't meet it, people can get fired including himself. Then he told me he was observing me and saw I wasn't asking for red cards and I wasn't interacting with the guests or doing my job efficiently. I admitted I didn't ask guests for red cards because I felt uncomfortable and that I was bugging the guest. I did stand up for myself and said I did interact with guests and was doing my job otherwise efficiently. He said he was not going to write me up, it was not a coaching, he was just letting me know.

So this week I had one cashier shift since that day. I tried my best to suck it up and ask for redcards. Today I get on my lane and ask people if they want a redcard. Within 30 minutes, my GSTL comes over and says I'm one of bottom three cashiers because of my conversion rate. I understood and said okay and he told me just to ask every guest.

So my question is, if I atleast ask every guest, will I still continue getting in trouble?

Yup.. Sounds like you have a gstl who cares about nothing except Redcards. Oh wait... That's all of them.

As for your gstl saying that wasn't a coaching, well that's a crock of bull. You'd better believe he documented that discussion, and he could use it against you down the road if he decides to write you up.

I suggest just asking people if they want to save 5% and go from there. If you at least get one or two a week they can't really do ****.


Also to the people saying they offer it because its helping the guest save.... NO! It's really not. People with Redcards always buy more merchandise with their Redcard than without... In the end the extra purchases greatly exceed the amount saved.. Our stl gave us the numbers and its something like 20-30%. Are you people really naive enough to think Target would do something more beneficial to the guest than for them? Rofl!

It's all about perceived savings... The king of all retail tricks.
 
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I think the first convo in the office may have been a knock off "seek to understand" and the 2nd was an actual coaching conversation. The first one gave him some great "ammunition" for the 2nd one though either way b/c now he's definitely looking for LWT to be disengaged and not asking.
 
Yea, watch out.
I've discovered the hard way that what I thought were casual conversations actually had been written down and later came up.
It's always fun to get sandbagged that way.
 
Not trying to be harsh but asking guests about the Red Card is your job. Anytime that prompt comes up, you have to ask the guest. You can go the extra step about asking every guest.

Red Cards help keep Target's credit and transaction fees down so they push the responsibility of that on to the cashiers.

Yes its annoying to ask people about the card but its your job. Now if the you asked the guest and pushed it down their throats several times and have the mindset they aren't leaving until they apply...thats too much.

Just know there are the store credit and debit cards, know all the benefits to the cards, and everything to the application process. Find out a quick statement that would get a guest interested in applying.

Don't worry about the guest getting annoyed.
 
I'm encouraged, no, expected to coach if I don't think you are being sincere/effective in your approach. In other words, asking, "Do you want to sign up for a REDCard?" is not sufficient. Along with the formal coaching, I will pull you aside and train with you until you feel more comfortable with it. We are expected to push our cashiers to make an honest effort to *sell* the REDCard, not just mumble something about 5% to some of the guests some of the time. If you aren't comfortable driving the REDCard, then you shouldn't be a cashier.

If I have to stop in the middle of pulling CAFs to come up for back up, the best you're going to get is the "do you want fries with that" approach.
 
Honestly, I'd be surprised to get that much from the back ups. But if you're gonna take a cashier shift, then I expect that you'll perform all the duties for that position, which includes driving REDCards.
 
Ask them to get the core roles and show you where and how the language reads on red card expectations. I'm sure it says something along the lines of "drive red cards...". Ask them what they would like you to say (if the core roles don't), day it sincerely and you will be safe.
 
Thanks guys for the advice. I tried my best today and got a redcard, needless to say my GSTL was proud of me and I think the more I ask, the more comfortable ill get doing it. Thanks again!
 
I think the more I ask, the more comfortable ill get doing it.

When I was a new cashier 2.5 years ago, I often wasn't sure what to say when asking guests if they wanted to open a Red Card. Once I figured out a pitch that I felt comfortable using, it felt less awkward and bothersome to ask every guest.

I had to train three new cashiers within the last couple weeks, and my GSTL got on me to make sure they were asking every guest (not just when prompted) while observing them. I wrote down the pitch I've been using and gave it to each of them so they would have somewhere to start, and once they got comfortable with it, I encouraged them to ask every guest.
 
One thing that i really don't understand about Target is that they push and push and push for these redcards but why is there no standardized training on how to speak about them? i'm not talking about scripts, but all the benefits to the card, rates, etc. whenever i have ever gotten someone on the hook for a card they will ask some specific question that i don't know and this is where the leadership says "oh, just tell them its in the brochure" and boom, guess what - guest lost. if target really wants to push these cards they need to educate people on how to and what it is that they are selling. just like sticking someone in electronics that knows nothing about the hot items or service plans or that you need a controller with an xbox, they won't do as well. what do you want TMs to do? read the booklet on break and work off the clock? i know i have never seen anyone ever told to read through it. maybe because i am removed from the front end but this just seems like a glaring "opportunity" as they like to say.
 
In our store they want us to ask every single guest about the red card but they don't go nuts on us if they don't say yes. Our store wants to ensure that the guest is informed and knows the benefits of the card. They also want us to be giving accurate info to the guest. If the guest says no then we'll put a pamphlet in their bag.
 
Know thy guest:
If their kids are with them, 1% of their purchases go to the school of choice - public, private, religious, etc (as long as the school enrolls in TCOE).
Using a debit card? Get a Target debit card & save 5% every time plus being able to get up to $40 cash back whenever needed.
Redcard/debit card: 5% every day shopping, 1% back to the schools, payments at the service desk, extra time for returns, free shipping on target.com purchases.
 
And in my store, we're at 14% saturation. That means for every 14 people who use a REDCard, 86 don't. That's hardly everybody signed up. I do not believe there is a market in the US that has 100% saturation.

Where is this information about market saturation? Can any TM look it up?

I'd love to see my store saturation %.


I did see that the company average conversion rate is 2.2%.....they want us at 3.0% now, don't they?
 
This happened to me today, but the person to coach/discipline me had already left so I am not to that step. What should I expect/say? I ask when the prompt comes up but I get no bites. I would of had two today but the guests did not have their checkbooks so I gave them brochures. Hope whichever cashiers they get enjoy the free cards, since I'm normally a FA employee. For some ungodly reason I keep getting CA shifts.

I really don't need to get fired at this point. Even when I find a new job after school, I don't want to leave on bad terms. Spot might help me out later on down the road if I need a job/move. I don't know if it was all a bullying tactic or if I am in serious trouble. I've been with Target since 2013 and I've gotten maybe four RedCards.

Any advice or link to a good script? I don't like to waste customers time so mine is really short. Right after the hellos, I say: "Would you like to save 5% today and everyday with the Target Redcard? Costs absolutely nothing and has no fees, links directly with your checking account?" Then they answer/respond. I have an alternate method where at the end I ask them if that is something they would be interested in/would they like more information. But it never gets to that point.
 
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This happened to me today, but the person to coach/discipline me had already left so I am not to that step. What should I expect/say? I ask when the prompt comes up but I get no bites. I would of had two today but the guests did not have their checkbooks so I gave them brochures. Hope whichever cashiers they get enjoy the free cards, since I'm normally a FA employee. For some ungodly reason I keep getting CA shifts.

I really don't need to get fired at this point. Even when I find a new job after school, I don't want to leave on bad terms. Spot might help me out later on down the road if I need a job/move. I don't know if it was all a bullying tactic or if I am in serious trouble. I've been with Target since 2013 and I've gotten maybe four RedCards.

Any advice or link to a good script? I don't like to waste customers time so mine is really short. Right after the hellos, I say: "Would you like to save 5% today and everyday with the Target Redcard? Costs absolutely nothing and has no fees, links directly with your checking account?" Then they answer/respond. I have an alternate method where at the end I ask them if that is something they would be interested in/would they like more information. But it never gets to that point.

Basically, they just want to make sure that you're asking every single guest if they want to get a Redcard. I'm definitely in the same boat as I just haven't gotten many redcards. My GSTL just asked if I was uncomfortable with asking or what the issue was on why I wasn't asking/getting redcards. So, tell them that you're asking, tell them what you say actually. Tell them the line you would tell the guest, so that they can either help you tweak it or just roleplay with you. Don't be afraid to ask for advice and help because I did and I think it helped with my confidence in asking guests, instead of avoiding it.

My GSTL told me that you need to find the saying that is comfortable for you because if you're comfortable saying it, then you're gonna follow through and do it. If what your saying doesn't work, think about where you could maybe tweak it or add something. Just make sure that you ask every guest and find a comfortable way to tell them about the redcard.
 
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