Archived How can I be a more outgoing cashier?

[dani346]

I was hired as a seasonal cashier early November and my manager could tell at first that I was pretty quiet and shy but she gave me the job anyways because I said I could come out of my shell. Today my manager called me into her office to have a talk about keeping me after seasonal. She told me she talked to my GSTLs and they said I'm still kinda quiet. She also said she talked to most of the seasonal workers to let them know they were being let go but she said she wants to fight for me and wanted to give me a few more shifts to let me prove I can be outgoing. I feel like I have come out of my shell. I'm just kind of a naturally awkward person. One of my GSTLs told me she even put in a good word for me when discussing who they should keep with my manager. I talk to guests and other cashiers (when we're not busy) all the time. I don't understand what I'm doing wrong? My manager told me not to let her down and I really don't want to. I would love to stay because I've gotten so used to working there and it's my first job. How can I just be more outgoing if I've always been pretty quiet and shy?

 

[Kartman]

Visualize everyone naked.

That's how I do it.

 

[tgtguy]

When , I first started with Spot...I was very quiet and shy. So, shy that if someone said good morning to me, I wouldn't even reply I would just look down at the floor. I was always afraid of saying the wrong thing or coming across the wrong way. Slowly over time I came out of my shell...but it took time . To be honest, to this day sometimes I still have a hard time speaking up...when it comes to confrontation. I would rather go behind someone and clean up their mess than saying hey . you need to do your job and correct this etc. My advice would be...if you feel that you are doing all that you can do ( ie talking to guests team members) then approach your tl or etl and ask to speak to them in private....then ask them if they can give you advice on how THEY would like to see you come out of your shell. ...this way it lets them know that you hear what they are saying and are trying to correct it. Don't let what they told you get you down.Like I said I know where you are coming from.

 

[dani346]

When , I first started with Spot...I was very quiet and shy. So, shy that if someone said good morning to me, I wouldn't even reply I would just look down at the floor. I was always afraid of saying the wrong thing or coming across the wrong way. Slowly over time I came out of my shell...but it took time . To be honest, to this day sometimes I still have a hard time speaking up...when it comes to confrontation. I would rather go behind someone and clean up their mess than saying hey . you need to do your job and correct this etc. My advice would be...if you feel that you are doing all that you can do ( ie talking to guests team members) then approach your tl or etl and ask to speak to them in private....then ask them if they can give you advice on how THEY would like to see you come out of your shell. ...this way it lets them know that you hear what they are saying and are trying to correct it. Don't let what they told you get you down.Like I said I know where you are coming from.

this made me feel a little better, thank you.

 

[Kartman]

Seriously, just relax and chill. It ain't Rocket Science! Every shift will be better than the last one... so to speak.

 

[tgtguy]

When , I first started with Spot...I was very quiet and shy. So, shy that if someone said good morning to me, I wouldn't even reply I would just look down at the floor. I was always afraid of saying the wrong thing or coming across the wrong way. Slowly over time I came out of my shell...but it took time . To be honest, to this day sometimes I still have a hard time speaking up...when it comes to confrontation. I would rather go behind someone and clean up their mess than saying hey . you need to do your job and correct this etc. My advice would be...if you feel that you are doing all that you can do ( ie talking to guests team members) then approach your tl or etl and ask to speak to them in private....then ask them if they can give you advice on how THEY would like to see you come out of your shell. ...this way it lets them know that you hear what they are saying and are trying to correct it. Don't let what they told you get you down.Like I said I know where you are coming from.

this made me feel a little better, thank you.

you are welcomed

 

[PullMonkey]

I know how you feel, really. The best thing I found to do was just kinda pep it up. I wouldn't just do good morning/whatever, I'd do it with the biggest smile and cheer I could.

I dunno why, but it helped me get used to it, and get comfortable with it, as people respond well to that cheer.

 

[commiecorvus]

Often it can be as simple as a smile, a cheery greeting, a couple of lines of small talk, and a hearty parting.
But that might not be what they are talking about at all.
I am wondering what your rate is for Red Cards.
It could be that what they are talking about is you being more 'outgoing' meaning pushy about selling Red Cards.

 

[Nauzhror]

Seems odd to me, I'm not super outgoing. I'm not rude to people, but I come to work to work, not to gossip or chat. I greet guests, thank them, bid them farewell, etc., but I don't try and shoot the shit with every guest, I don't with TM's either typically. I don't really see this as a bad thing. Our most outgoing cashiers are often those most likely to be found chatting amongst themselves while on the clock and slacking off.

 

[RedMan]

Pretend that you are an actor, an actor who is being paid to be happy and cheerful and talk about how wonderful life at Target is. Really, this is what you are. Target is paying you to pretend that you are happy, upbeat and love the REDCard. You are on stage as soon as you walk out of the TSC.

Anybody who says that they love being a cashier or GSA or GSTL 100% of the time is lying. We have to pretend and it's okay. That's what you're paid to do. I get paid to motivate you to act like you're happy and on top of that, I have to act like I'm happy, too! Weird, huh?

 

[Nauzhror]

Anybody who says that they love being a cashier or GSA or GSTL 100% of the time is lying.

Or on really good drugs.

 

[RedMan]

Anybody who says that they love being a cashier or GSA or GSTL 100% of the time is lying.

Or on really good drugs.

I'd have to agree. Just don't call a code green.

 

[evilSF]

I come to work a bit early to get in target mode. I see how the activity has been so I can dive right in. I pretend to be excited about every single thing. I also try to have fun with it because it'll make me miserable if I don't.

Get to know the guests, you'll see some regularly. I've had guests tell me how happy they are to see me because I'm so friendly and many others aren't. Comment on what they are buying. Whether it be a pair of shoes, say you love them or can't believe what a great deal they got.

Sometimes guests are having a rough day, by being nice, you're improving their mood. It takes practice, but you fake it till you make it.

 

[mrknownothing]

Visualize everyone naked.

That's how I do it.

I don't recommend doing that at my store.

When , I first started with Spot...I was very quiet and shy. So, shy that if someone said good morning to me, I wouldn't even reply I would just look down at the floor. I was always afraid of saying the wrong thing or coming across the wrong way. Slowly over time I came out of my shell...but it took time . To be honest, to this day sometimes I still have a hard time speaking up...when it comes to confrontation. I would rather go behind someone and clean up their mess than saying hey . you need to do your job and correct this etc. My advice would be...if you feel that you are doing all that you can do ( ie talking to guests team members) then approach your tl or etl and ask to speak to them in private....then ask them if they can give you advice on how THEY would like to see you come out of your shell. ...this way it lets them know that you hear what they are saying and are trying to correct it. Don't let what they told you get you down.Like I said I know where you are coming from.

This. You, sir, deserve a GTC Vibe Card.

 

[thatgirl]

Have the guest fill out surveys about their experience with you. And act like you know them well and talk to them

 

[RedBoy]

Something I've gotten better at doing is finding specific things to discuss with each guest. A guest bought some Annie merchandise, for example, and I laughed about how annoying that Hard Knock Life song is, always being looped at the electronics dept. The guest and the guest next in line laughed, and we all discussed Annie, then the Sony hack, then The Interview, all as the first guest was slowly filling out a REDCard app. It was fun and not at all small-talky and I actually enjoyed those brief few minutes.

Sometimes a guest is wearing a shirt that I like (usually licensed stuff) and I bring up that thing. Other times I just make a silly joke, which works with some depending on what mood they're in, while other times falls completely flat. It's really difficult for me to socialize as well, I feel incredibly self-aware and nervous in general and at work it's even worse. But guests that like to chitchat generally make the process pretty easy, and those that don't are happy to be left alone. Don't worry if you don't strike a perfect conversation with each and every person, just work towards making the process of talking a bit more automatized and you'll be golden.

 

[Nauzhror]

Something I've gotten better at doing is finding specific things to discuss with each guest. A guest bought some Annie merchandise, for example, and I laughed about how annoying that Hard Knock Life song is, always being looped at the electronics dept. The guest and the guest next in line laughed, and we all discussed Annie, then the Sony hack, then The Interview, all as the first guest was slowly filling out a REDCard app. It was fun and not at all small-talky and I actually enjoyed those brief few minutes.

Small talk is an informal type of discourse that does not cover any functional topics of conversation or any transactions that need to be addressed.

What exactly did you think small talk was? Or did you think Annie, Sony, and The Interview were functional topics of conversation that needed to be addressed?

 

[RedBoy]

What exactly did you think small talk was? Or did you think Annie, Sony, and The Interview were functional topics of conversation that needed to be addressed?

It wasn't small-talky, in the sense that we all really got into the conversation, specifically the Sony stuff. We had more to say than what is on the surface of that topic, so it just felt like talking to friends to me. I might have used the phrase "small talk" incorrectly.