Service & Engagement Fast service needed to the front lanes

[Time2runX]

All day we hear the call for backup. When we arrive we see ETL-SE and SETL at the front standing around talking or they are in the back office. Is there a procedure for the front lanes to use their own before calling for backup. Is it written down somewhere?

 

[The Dude Abides]

Leaders should not be on a lane, so good luck with that.

 

[TheCartGuy]

I'm not sure if there is an actual in-place procedure. But it would be nice if the ETL-GE...er, SE, hopped on; it would give him something to actually do.

 

[sunnydays]

every store is different. my peers, etl and i are always on lanes before we call for backup

 

[DBZ]

Any TL, especially the SETL can jump on a lane, if the ETL is there to cover them. Also, the FOS attendant can come in from getting carts, and if there is more than one person at GS then that person should flex over. But, good luck with all that!

 

[Priceslasher]

I think it’s disrespectful to the entire team and store to stand up front as leader and an executive of that work center chatting it up. The least they can do is direct traffic. I can only wish for myself,my team and any others that deal with this on the daily. SPEEDY TURNOVER!

 

[RedcardReba]

Leaders should not be on a lane, so good luck with that.

Absurd....

 

[The Dude Abides]

Absurd....

No, it is not absurd. They are there to resolve issues and can not do that if they are stuck in a transaction on a lane.

With that said, no they should not just be socializing while calling for backup they should step in to direct guest traffic and ensure that any backup responder is able to get off of the lane promptly.

 

[RedcardReba]

All day we hear the call for backup. When we arrive we see ETL-SE and SETL at the front standing around talking or they are in the back office. Is there a procedure for the front lanes to use their own before calling for backup. Is it written down somewhere?

To answer, yes there's a procedure. Right now, for example, in my store, whomever is running the front calls for backup from a backup list. People on floor have an hour designated for backup. Since we're not terribly busy, we rarely use it. Right now we use front end attendants first....carts can wait.

But our team leads jump on lane. Our back ups can be cleared pretty fast. I tell you, if they don't jump on lane, the store manager will embarrass them, because she sure will.

And yes, that's happened.

 

[RedcardReba]

No, it is not absurd. They are there to resolve issues and can not do that if they are stuck in a transaction on a lane.

With that said, no they should not just be socializing while calling for backup they should step in to direct guest traffic and ensure that any backup responder is able to get off of the lane promptly.

Not guest obsessed, then. Lol. That wouldn't fly in my store.

 

[The Dude Abides]

Not guest obsessed, then. Lol. That wouldn't fly in my store.

Ah so then when you get the inevitable guest that wants a leader your SETL should be making them wait as they take care of a $400 transaction on a register and the guest gets more pissed off. Unless you have two SETLs or your ETL GE/SD are there to cover your leader should not be getting on a lane.

 

[RedcardReba]

Ah so then when you get the inevitable guest that wants a leader your SETL should be making them wait as they take care of a $400 transaction on a register and the guest gets more pissed off. Unless you have two SETLs or your ETL GE/SD are there to cover your leader should not be getting on a lane.

We get maybe 1 or 2 requests a day for managers. If that should actually happen, they'd use walkie, call someone up and let them take over.

I can tell you, your way would have our store manager up the tree. She doesn't like seeing them not helping. They run drive ups, jump in at guest service, jump on lanes, straighten carts, whatever

The focus is on guests....not on roles.

 

[The Dude Abides]

We get maybe 1 or 2 requests a day for managers. If that should actually happen, they'd use walkie, call someone up and let them take over.

I can tell you, your way would have our store manager up the tree. She doesn't like seeing them not helping. They run drive ups, jump in at guest service, jump on lanes, straighten carts, whatever

The focus is on guests....not on roles.

They should be helping they should NOT be getting involved in tasks they can not separate themselves from easily. Their job is to lead the team not be a worker bee.

 

[Fluttervale]

We call the SETL out of the back if they aren't up there and someone calls for backup.

Since we started calling them out on the walkie, they started being up front more.

 

[Kaitii]

back in my day the leads were the first to get on

we even had the stl get on

(i taught him how to do wic and the guests thought he was new and told him he did well lmao)

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

My ETLs and STL have no problem hopping on at GS when we need them. I respect them for that.

 

[sunnydays]

the modernization guide was very clear that setls should be on lanes as part of the backup process, with the etl-se running the front and if they needed to be on a lane another etl or the sd is supposed to be up front managing

 

[timelord78]

Thats absolutely ridiculous. The SETL is paid to be a leader. Target just spent two years trying get team members to do their jobs so the leads can do theirs. To expect the TL to be a cashier is not right. We are to be free and accessible for any guest issue in the store at any time. We will certainly help out with SCO or drive up but not get trapped on a lane where we can’t get away if needed.

To answer, yes there's a procedure. Right now, for example, in my store, whomever is running the front calls for backup from a backup list. People on floor have an hour designated for backup. Since we're not terribly busy, we rarely use it. Right now we use front end attendants first....carts can wait.

But our team leads jump on lane. Our back ups can be cleared pretty fast. I tell you, if they don't jump on lane, the store manager will embarrass them, because she sure will.

And yes, that's happened.

 

[timelord78]

the modernization guide was very clear that setls should be on lanes as part of the backup process, with the etl-se running the front and if they needed to be on a lane another etl or the sd is supposed to be up front managing

You do realize most stores don’t have an SEETL right? Only highest volume.

 

[sunnydays]

You do realize most stores don’t have an SEETL right? Only highest volume.

anything B and above should have an ETL-SE. and if you don’t that’s fine, you have other executives or key-carrying TLs in the building who can watch the front while the SETL is on a lane

To expect the TL to be a cashier is not right.

this feels kinda sh itty and arrogant

 

[Amanda Cantwell]

You do realize most stores don’t have an SEETL right? Only highest volume.

That’s not correct. Low volume stores don’t have one but most others do. May be combined with specialty sales in LV stores.

 

[timelord78]

anything B and above should have an ETL-SE. and if you don’t that’s fine, you have other executives or key-carrying TLs in the building who can watch the front while the SETL is on a lane



this feels kinda sh itty and arrogant

If you’re expecting the leader to just sit on a lane and cashier then he isn’t a leader and you are wasting money. Our STL always stops me when she sees me doing work that’s beneath me. She says “you have people for that. You need to be observing.”

 

[timelord78]

That’s not correct. Low volume stores don’t have one but most others do. May be combined with specialty sales in LV stores.

I was under the impression it was only A and B stores. I answer to my SD since we don’t have an ETL. We are C.

 

[sunnydays]

If you’re expecting the leader to just sit on a lane and cashier then he isn’t a leader and you are wasting money. Our STL always stops me when she sees me doing work that’s beneath me. She says “you have people for that. You need to be observing.”

i expect you to hop on a lane and cashier when the need arises, when you have already called for backup and gotten all the backup you can get and you're still exceeding 1+1. that is when you should be on a lane, and an executive or your sd should be watching the lanes.

also "beneath" you? ugh

ugh

 

[timelord78]

i expect you to hop on a lane and cashier when the need arises, when you have already called for backup and gotten all the backup you can get and you're still exceeding 1+1. that is when you should be on a lane, and an executive or your sd should be watching the lanes.

also "beneath" you? ugh

ugh

Yes, leaders are supposed to lead. One constant problem is leaders have to pick up the slack for team members work and can’t do the planning and observing they need to do. Have you never heard “lead at the right level”. That phrase has come up a lot over the years. We pay a cashier the same amount as managers make in small strip plaza stores. They should be able to work out that if they need help they should as their peer who doesn’t have a line to help. Example: service desk has a line, SCO is steady,regular lane is empty. The IGS person should observe this and ask the ashier to come clear IGS and return to the regular lane. You can’t leave SCO because that one post is responsible for 4 guests at one time. Five if there is a drive up. A cashier and IGS is only responsible for one at a time. But the three of them should be smart enough to figure out what to do in the absence of a leader directing.