Archived Huddle Idiocy and Power Trips

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Is it just my store, or are huddles full of idiocy and power trips at everyone else's store also?

If it isn't a TM trying to act like they have power because an ETL told them to "run the huddle", it is usually something said that is totally stupid.

Last night we had a huddle and I have to say it took the cake. Basically it went like this:

ETL: Guys, we need to be working on getting red cards. The store numbers are horrible. We need to be selling them to the guest and that means giving them all the details.

Team member: I wish we didn't have to give them all the details if they ask! Telling them they have to pay up to 29% a month makes them not want to get it if they ask about the interest rate!

ETL: Yea well we have to be honest with the guest and give info if they ask for it.

Me: Guys, we shouldn't be telling them that to begin with. It is up to 29% APR which is an annual percentage rate. That means they can pay up to 29% of a balance they roll over for an entire year during the course of a year, not a month.

Team member: Uhhh.... no. They pay 29% a month. I have a red card and I pay that much a month in interest.

Me: well <team members name> I can promise you that you aren't. You might be getting charged late fees or something and sometimes that will show up as an interest charge that makes you think you are paying more interest than you really are. But you are not paying 29% a month.

ETL: Look <my name> we don't need to argue about this. You aren't an accountant and no one else here is either. We need to be honest with the guest giving them basic information that we do know. We don't need to be talking about annual percentage rates and complex things with the guest. <team member's name> is right, they can pay 29% interest a month and if the guest asks we need to be honest with them just giving them the basic information. So I need you [talking to me] to let the guest know that and any other information. If you guys don't it will be a coaching.




It was a fu**ing huge face palm moment. I just shut my mouth in disbelief. The TM I can understand - the dude once told me he dropped out of school in 8th grade. The ETL with a 4 year degree saying that APR is a "complex" thing you need to be an accountant to understand telling us to tell guests it means they pay 29% a MONTH? And then threatening to coach people who don't tell guests this?

After the huddle, another TM came over to me and jokingly said "Man, you better stop saying things like that in the huddle haha. People are going to wonder if you really have an associates degree". In other words, he was telling me that everyone in the huddle thought I was wrong and that I came across like I was the idiot. I was pissed at the moment and said "Yea, maybe I will....". And I was just thinking to myself "No problem. I'll let you idiots think whatever you want"

This kind of stupidity goes on at huddles all the time. It is absolutely ridiculous.
 
It's gotten so that keeping your mouth shut and keeping your head down is the only way to get by.
Don't antagonize the ducks or they will peck you to death.
Well, they'll probably peck you to death anyway but this way you'll last a little longer.
 
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Why the heck are we talking about pushing the credit card in the first place? We might get a credit card for every 25 debit cards in our store (if that)...

Agree. Debit card is a no brainer. Unless you are paranoid or dont shop at target that regularly you SHOULD have a debit redcard, I mean seriously. Almost everyone SHOULD have a checking account and I believe they changed it where you can finish it at home so you have some privacy filling it out if you want that. You always have people that refuse to get things like that though even though they will save money in the short and long term.

For our team member discount you either have to have your card or cash and I never have cash since I use my debit for almost everything outside of target so I just figured id get the redcard and use that whenever I purchase something. I think I saved like $200 or something like that last year just from the 5%. This year im allready at $55. Granted I buy all my groceries and general needs pretty much all at target so its a larger savings than some people might have
 
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Is it just my store, or are huddles full of idiocy and power trips at everyone else's store also?

If it isn't a TM trying to act like they have power because an ETL told them to "run the huddle", it is usually something said that is totally stupid.

Last night we had a huddle and I have to say it took the cake. Basically it went like this:

ETL: Guys, we need to be working on getting red cards. The store numbers are horrible. We need to be selling them to the guest and that means giving them all the details.

Team member: I wish we didn't have to give them all the details if they ask! Telling them they have to pay up to 29% a month makes them not want to get it if they ask about the interest rate!

ETL: Yea well we have to be honest with the guest and give info if they ask for it.

Me: Guys, we shouldn't be telling them that to begin with. It is up to 29% APR which is an annual percentage rate. That means they can pay up to 29% of a balance they roll over for an entire year during the course of a year, not a month.

Team member: Uhhh.... no. They pay 29% a month. I have a red card and I pay that much a month in interest.

Me: well <team members name> I can promise you that you aren't. You might be getting charged late fees or something and sometimes that will show up as an interest charge that makes you think you are paying more interest than you really are. But you are not paying 29% a month.

ETL: Look <my name> we don't need to argue about this. You aren't an accountant and no one else here is either. We need to be honest with the guest giving them basic information that we do know. We don't need to be talking about annual percentage rates and complex things with the guest. <team member's name> is right, they can pay 29% interest a month and if the guest asks we need to be honest with them just giving them the basic information. So I need you [talking to me] to let the guest know that and any other information. If you guys don't it will be a coaching.




It was a fu**ing huge face palm moment. I just shut my mouth in disbelief. The TM I can understand - the dude once told me he dropped out of school in 8th grade. The ETL with a 4 year degree saying that APR is a "complex" thing you need to be an accountant to understand telling us to tell guests it means they pay 29% a MONTH? And then threatening to coach people who don't tell guests this?

After the huddle, another TM came over to me and jokingly said "Man, you better stop saying things like that in the huddle haha. People are going to wonder if you really have an associates degree". In other words, he was telling me that everyone in the huddle thought I was wrong and that I came across like I was the idiot. I was pissed at the moment and said "Yea, maybe I will....". And I was just thinking to myself "No problem. I'll let you idiots think whatever you want"

This kind of stupidity goes on at huddles all the time. It is absolutely ridiculous.
I wouldn't have let that slide. I'd have challenged that ETL in front of everyone. I'd say, "Ok genius. If the interest is 29% monthly, then what does APR stand for? And what's the Webster definition of annual? It means yearly, therefore, you need to go back to business school and ask for a refund. "

I'm sorry but I wouldn't allow such idiocy to go unchecked, regardless of retaliation.
 
Lol, good job antagonizing your idiot team. Brownie pts to you sir.

Who would have thought APR is such a hard concept? If that idiot was paying 29% a MONTH, that means his $100 balance would turn into $126... Uhh no... Its not quite that crazy or people with balances over $1000 would be going bankrupt...


(APR) / (365) * (DAYS IN BILLING CYCLE) = monthly interest ... more in the 1-2% range typically
 
I think I have mentioned this before but it still boggles my mind that corporate doesn't provide a simple a simple standard fact sheet to give out to all cashiers or at least keep at the registers and familiarize TMs with FACTS about the card. not a script, mind you, but just simple facts that answer the top questions instead of expecting TMs all to just figure it out.
 
I hate to agree with your ETL but he is technically correct in that an APR isn't calculated purely based on the interest charged on the balance but he is wrong with regard to agreeing with the team member that it is 29% interest per month. APR is actually a more complex calculation and the actual disclosure of an APR is the subject of significant portions of the Truth in Lending Act. The reason for this is because credit lenders were obscuring their credit costs by leaving out certain charges that were actually fees on a credit card. Here's a wikipedia article on it if you really want to dig into it http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annual_percentage_rate
 
I never go to huddles because I don't have time, but went to one the other day. TMs got there first and were sitting on patio furniture. I was surprised, but didn't say anything. I zoned while I waited for the ETL. When the ETL got there, she sat down! I was shocked, but whatever.
 
We have ours in the fitting room usually, and sometimes at Target Cafe in the morning. People usually sit. Everyone doesn't sit of course. When we have them in hardline areas, it's usually because they're shorthanded and they wanna do a mid-day team zone or whatever. I always go. It's not all useful information, but I figure if they thought it was important enough to delay work by a few minutes, I should probably go.

But, huddles at my store haven't included anything as stupid as a monthly APR. Yet.
 
Thanks Pullmebackin for the wiki article. One sentence that stood out that seems to apply to this situation is;

"Credit card companies can advertise monthly interest rates, but they are required to clearly state the annual percentage rate before an agreement is signed."

There was so much conflicting information given at that huddle, it goes to prove we shouldn't try and explain APR to guests, but we must tell them to read the brochure before they sign up for the credit, so they can make their own educated decision.
 
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