Archived first day of training for softlines, extremely overwhelmed

[99percentangel]

Hi so this is my first time posting here but I went to my first day of training for softlines and am super discouraged I worked on my computer training for the first hour or two but then was put into cashier training by my HR even though it wasn't listed in my training schedule. I've never had any experience working an actual cashier or dealing with rude customers so it ended up being a huge mess. They had me train with an older lady who was extremely sweet but she really didn't teach me much besides making me watch her. She automatically made me deal with the rest of the customers without her help and it was horrible. I wasn't sure what I was doing at all - didn't know how to bag, got so anxious I couldn't even count money correct/scan items, accidentally rang up items twice, forgot to greet customers/ask about redcards/talk at all because I was so nervous, and anything that could have gone wrong. Another cashier who was much younger helped me but was obviously annoyed and it hurt me a lot. I ended up crying at the end of my shift and left home feeling extremely worried considering I couldn't even handle the cashier aisle so how would I actually do in my department and what if they ask me to work cashier again.

I wanted to know what you all suggest I should do to solve this - maybe talk to my HR and explain to her I wouldn't be able to work cashier due to my anxiety (I take medication for it) and the fact that it'll only create more dissatisfied customers or would I not have to worry due to the fact its not my actual department and wouldn't be called up often to do it?

please help I'm extremely stressed and sad to even wake up for my 8 hour training shift tomorrow ugh

 

[Proficient]

The way I see it is that your store front end sucks and their gstms are not friendly at all they just want easy life. Also don’t worry about it to much you will get used to everything eventually it’s a learning process

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Retraining cashier for now, doing quiet times let your trainer know your issues.

 

[GoodyNN]

At my store, EVERYONE spends their first shift training on a register, no matter what work center they were hired for. You never know when you're going to need to come up for backup.

I will agree that it sounds like you needed someone more suited to training, though. Some people are great at teaching, others are not, and I don't know if my store actually has designated cashier trainers. I've been given a trainee a couple times with no warning and on a fairly busy shift, and I'm sure they came away at least a little confused. I would suggest that you talk to your TL, let them know that you don't feel like you learned much up front and ask if there's a way to get another shift training with a different TM.

 

[Sweet Pea]

Hi so this is my first time posting here but I went to my first day of training for softlines and am super discouraged I worked on my computer training for the first hour or two but then was put into cashier training by my HR even though it wasn't listed in my training schedule. I've never had any experience working an actual cashier or dealing with rude customers so it ended up being a huge mess. They had me train with an older lady who was extremely sweet but she really didn't teach me much besides making me watch her. She automatically made me deal with the rest of the customers without her help and it was horrible. I wasn't sure what I was doing at all - didn't know how to bag, got so anxious I couldn't even count money correct/scan items, accidentally rang up items twice, forgot to greet customers/ask about redcards/talk at all because I was so nervous, and anything that could have gone wrong. Another cashier who was much younger helped me but was obviously annoyed and it hurt me a lot. I ended up crying at the end of my shift and left home feeling extremely worried considering I couldn't even handle the cashier aisle so how would I actually do in my department and what if they ask me to work cashier again.

I wanted to know what you all suggest I should do to solve this - maybe talk to my HR and explain to her I wouldn't be able to work cashier due to my anxiety (I take medication for it) and the fact that it'll only create more dissatisfied customers or would I not have to worry due to the fact its not my actual department and wouldn't be called up often to do it?

please help I'm extremely stressed and sad to even wake up for my 8 hour training shift tomorrow ugh

Curious how this turned out? Did you stay w the job? My first day I cried also. : ( Im on day 4.

 

[PJ5]

Hi so this is my first time posting here but I went to my first day of training for softlines and am super discouraged I worked on my computer training for the first hour or two but then was put into cashier training by my HR even though it wasn't listed in my training schedule. I've never had any experience working an actual cashier or dealing with rude customers so it ended up being a huge mess. They had me train with an older lady who was extremely sweet but she really didn't teach me much besides making me watch her. She automatically made me deal with the rest of the customers without her help and it was horrible. I wasn't sure what I was doing at all - didn't know how to bag, got so anxious I couldn't even count money correct/scan items, accidentally rang up items twice, forgot to greet customers/ask about redcards/talk at all because I was so nervous, and anything that could have gone wrong. Another cashier who was much younger helped me but was obviously annoyed and it hurt me a lot. I ended up crying at the end of my shift and left home feeling extremely worried considering I couldn't even handle the cashier aisle so how would I actually do in my department and what if they ask me to work cashier again.

I wanted to know what you all suggest I should do to solve this - maybe talk to my HR and explain to her I wouldn't be able to work cashier due to my anxiety (I take medication for it) and the fact that it'll only create more dissatisfied customers or would I not have to worry due to the fact its not my actual department and wouldn't be called up often to do it?

please help I'm extremely stressed and sad to even wake up for my 8 hour training shift tomorrow ugh

Sorry hear this. Remember that you will still have to deal with guests in soft lines, not as much as cashiering though. Honestly a retail job is not the way to go if you have bad anxiety unless you work unloading the trucks I suppose.

 

[RightArm]

Ouch. I'd die if I found out any of my trainees cried after their shift. On the floor we pair them with someone to train for a week and sometimes two. Everyone is always available and open for questions if needed and trainees are encouraged to ask if they don't understand. As long as you are willing to learn and try hard you won't have any trouble. If you're a lazy slacker who is only there to get paid for as little work as possible, then eventually the whole team will have your number and you might not find everyone so friendly and you definitely won't last past season. A&A is not an easy job. Now that the company requires us to totally own a section from truck push to backstock to set/vmg and zone and go backs... there is NEVER a time when there isn't something to do. No one should be standing around idly chatting, EVER. Or at least not for long. Having said that, I know such is not true for every store.

I'm sorry to hear your experience thus far hasn't been good. The process of modernization is a hard one and not every store is dealing with it very well. Your leadership has a lot to do with how everything runs. Apparently your front end leadership is not paying attention to their trainees well enough. Your trainer should have been available your entire training shift and answered any and all questions as well as jumping in when you got slammed to help push the guests through faster. On a side note we had a team member in A&A who was very uncomfortable with cashiering and asked for my help. I got permission from my TL and the GSTL to take over a register for about an hour and work with her. She learned in time to be comfortable with the task even if she didn't like it. The thing is always ask for help if you're struggling. People won't know you need help unless you tell them.

As an A&A team member you will only be required to backup cashier when the lanes are slammed. When that happens red card metrics are not nearly as important as getting the guest out the door. If you keep an eye on your screen the prompts are generally intuitive - asking questions and telling you which buttons to push for the answers.

Good luck and I hope your training on the salesfloor goes better than the front lanes...

 

[Tessa120]

I remember early cashier shifts were scary, and I had a bit of retail cashier background. I'm an extreme introvert and I find cashier work exhausting. I feel physically worse and worn out after an hour of backup than I do after an 8 hour shift on the floor. Plus, cash handling scares, what if I make the wrong change kind of thing.

You are a bit late in discussing your anxiety, you should have told the person who was interviewing you. Definitely, definitely tell HR now, and see about reasonable accommodations. You may need some doctor's paperwork.

Probably ASANTS, but see if the FRO is exempt from backup and if so volunteer to carry that phone whenever you have the chance. Most people hate answering the phone, so getting hold of it should be easy. Phones are better than face to face; you get flustered - "please hold for a moment" and park on 2280 while you take a few deep breaths.

And my secret to sanity, there's always a table somewhere that needs to have the back side folded. Don't get me wrong, I work hard at fixing that table, I'm not just sitting/standing there. There's just something mentally calming about not being easily seen, so little worry about an aggressive guest, and keeping the hands busy and mind still while doing a repetitive task.