Archived GSA Best Practices/CO Routines

[Barcode]

We have 3 GSTL and 2 GSA, as well as 2 Cash Office TMs (I know this position doesnt exist anymore, so im not sure what their job titles are under...)

1 of the CO TMs does 4 days a week in CO, me and the other GSA/CO TM each do 1 day a piece.

GSTLs don't touch cash office at all unless its an emergency (call in sick, etc.)

 

[targetismylife09]

Sadly, our store doesn't utilize GSAs as development to GSTL but merely as a cheap way to fill in GSTL shifts on the cheap.

Mine, too, red! In fact, for several months recently, we didn't even HAVE a GSTL. The GSAs were completely in charge, and did a terrific job. Unfortunately when it came time for GSTL interviews, were any of them seriously considered? Of course not. They hired from outside the store as usual.

 

[Jettajunky]

GSA = GSTL on the cheap

Amen sista!

 

[Jettajunky]

Mine, too, red! In fact, for several months recently, we didn't even HAVE a GSTL. The GSAs were completely in charge, and did a terrific job. Unfortunately when it came time for GSTL interviews, were any of them seriously considered? Of course not. They hired from outside the store as usual.

Don't you hate that $hit!! Its total bs, happens at my store every fracking time I myself am completely capable of the GSTL position and have applied many times only to be told I don't interview that well, I have a lot of "ummmmm, uhhhhh" moments when I'm in the interview but that shouldn't matter, they know damn well I can do the job, they see me doing it everyday as an underpaid GSA. Ive pretty much given up on it though and am pursuing other opps outside the company.

 

[redeye58]

I can't say how many times I interviewed when we had GSTL spots to fill.
Suffice it to say, it took being declined enough times that I took the hint.

 

[Jettajunky]

I can't say how many times I interviewed when we had GSTL spots to fill.
Suffice it to say, it took being declined enough times that I took the hint.

I swear we're the same person just different gender.

 

[redeye58]

I swear we're the same person just different gender.

Awwwww :girl_sigh:

 

[Rock Lobster]

The biggest advice I have to anyone looking to promote is to look over the leadership expectations... go over all of them carefully and multiple times! These may seem cheesy but tons of companies use a setup similar to Targets for their leadership teams and its an important step in being a leader! Go sentence by sentence of these expectations and highlight green, yellow, and reds... and then decide your personal wins and opps! Ask for feedback from leaders in your store about what they think your wins and opps are and use that info to assess yourself honestly! Being able to evaluate yourself is very important in being a leader... and being able to show you can grow from that feedback is important as well! If you can't show that as a team member, you shouldn't be a leader because you will be evaluating yourself in every business walk, status, and review for the rest of your career... an inability to do that means you won't make it!

Once you have figured that all out, it will make more sense as to why you will or won't get a promotion! Trust me, my first no when I applied I was pissed... but looking back I didn't deserve to get promoted yet! I hadn't given it my all in developing myself into a leader, and once I did, I knew I was ready! I never applied to be a GSTL... it was another position entirely! I would say front end was my weakest area actually, but there are reasons I got put up there too! I am very best practices driven, able to demonstrate courage and get buy in from others when I need it... And that is exactly what my area needed to improve! Someone confident who could drive us to those results... I don't know your specific situations obviously, but I warn GSAs to not expect to be next in line for GSTL just because it opens up! Sometimes your spot is going to be somewhere you least expect it and be the best fit to your wins and opps... not necessarily what you know the best! If that were the case I would have been in Hardlines!

 

[redeye58]

After experiencing problems with spotty coverage in specialized areas of the front end, I spearheaded a cross-training program that identified the 'guru' in each area - photo, service desk, carts, cash office, etc - then put together a list of recommended cashiers with potential. With the help of strong GSTLs (that we had at the time), we set up a rotation of these TMs to train in different areas of front end. As a result, we eliminated the coverage problems & generated a more efficient team. It also gave TMs with potential to showcase their abilities through development. It took time but it paid off. We also had a solid team of cashier peer-trainers for Q4. I was only a specialist at the time.
We've now had a complete turnover up front & much of that program is now gone.
Frustrated doesn't even begin to describe it.

 

[watchdog9000]

GSA = GSTL on the cheap

Oh god don't get me started on this one. Having a lazy GSTL that makes you do all his work as a GSA for your "development" over 3 years makes it even worse

 

[brasolt03]

Rock I am GSA at low volume store. We have 2 gstls and two gsas one of the gstls is Senior team lead we have the strangest schedule i have seen in a while mine for next week is as follows, sun mon off Tuesday cashier 12-5 wed closing GSA 300-1030 Thursday closing GSA 300-1030 Friday closing GSA 3-1030 and Saturday opening GSA 745-415. The other gsa and I both do cash office on the cash office days i usually work 8-430 8-10 cash office and 10-430 guest service. I usually have one if not two of those a week as well as a cashier shift. Where it gets strange for us is when the senior team lead is scheduled for an LOD shift if its a mid LOD shift the senior team lead will work 9-12 guest service shift then be LOD from 12-5 if the senior is the closing lod she will work a 2-5 guest service and 5-close lod.We also have three other people trained in the cash office they do the days the gsa's can't, our gstls are NOT trained in the CO. Me as a gsa am included in almost everything, we take on projects help with redcard games and collaborate with gstls on schedules we are basically gstls we are held accountable for signing, redcard goals, and keeping the team on task, It does confuse the cashiers quite a bit they think of me as their boss which I have told them on many occasions I am not.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Your gstl's should be trained on co.

 

[walruses]

Your gstl's should be trained on co.

Actually if you read the core roles it only mentions cash office in the GSA roles.

 

[StaticSun]

Actually if you read the core roles it only mentions cash office in the GSA roles.

GSTL should know how to do everything in their workcenter. 239, carts, photo, cashier, guest service, and at a minimum backup for cafe/sbucks.

 

[mrknownothing]

GSTL should know how to do everything in their workcenter. 239, carts, photo, cashier, guest service, and at a minimum backup for cafe/sbucks.

This. If they're leading team members in these workcenters, they should know what their team's work is.

 

[redeye58]

This. If they're leading team members in these workcenters, they should know what their team's work is.

"Should" being the operative word.
I think we all agree on the definitive differences between GSA & GSTL core roles but HOW each store utitlizes the GSA role is splattered across the spectrum.
During my yrs in the front, I made it my role to learn every area & I studied to become a team trainer for each one. Whenever a GSTL was hired from outside or an EIT was doing their GE rotation, leadership entrusted them to me & I coveted that trust. Was it part of my role? No, but it was part of my self-development to prove that I was capable of leadership.
Did it work? Obviously not.

 

[GSAnchor]

We still 2 CO specialists, but they have recently started training all of us GSAs and the GSTL, as well as a few cashiers on CO now. Since we only had 2 girls in the entire store trained on CO for like 2 years.