Archived In our store Red Cards are the only things that matter.

[pellinore]

I know, we're only supposed to ask at the prompts......but the leadership team (at my store) seems to think that our RC rate will be higher if we annoy each guest each time! Next time I see my STL, I'll ask her about the RC policy just to see what she says.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

I wish I could things are improving but they aren't. I really feel bad for our guests. The lines are longer than ever. Our registers are crashing or the belts or card readers aren't working. For some inexplicable reason the GSTLs/GSAs never tell anyone about registers not working. I'm so tired of going up for backups when a guest has already started unloading and having to move them to another register. I've been giving "apology coupons" to them. It's embarrassing. No matter what the Red Card cheerleading on the walkies never stops.

 

[DidItAllAtSpot]

Yes, red cards will be the death or life of your store. Has any store created a competition for whoever gets the most red cards?

IE. Red cards= hot dog combo -_-
= lunch with your STL
= FREE cookie

Common team, what kind of other things would you like to win for getting the most red cards besides the usual hot dog combo.

Ideas?

 

[neversaynever]

Cash. Gift card.

Anything you listed isn't going to be enough for me to overly harass guests that are shopping in the store and paying cash. THey don't trust us yet... when they do, well, then maybe a hotdog will work.

And last time on the lanes (I worked in the pharmacy all last week - no soda sales!!!!), I had my first elderly lady that had been lied to about the card being just a rewards card. SHe didn't know it was a credit card... I refuse to EVER stoop to that, even if it means I get canned.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

We've done all kinds of prizes and contests. The GE-ETL is trying to make the RC rewards more consistent. I've never understood why they tie up the walkie with RC chatter. It's either pressuring us to get more cards or loud cheers and whoops when someone gets one. Thing is, cashiers don't have walkies! It's not unusual for cashiers to think no one even knows they got a RC. Unless a sftm is standing near them they may not know about prizes or recognition. It is really hard to get them right now. It makes it worse when you think no one even notices when you do manage to get one.

 

[neversaynever]

As a guest I despise hearing about the RC over the walkie. Really just.... bad.

The one I've gotten recently my GSTL had to stay on register backup for me - at least he could see why!

 

[BullseyeBabe]

I think the idea our newish GSTLS came up with is everyone's favorite. She decorated a big box and filled it with prizes. When anyone gets a RC they get to draw a prize from the box. It could be anything from a candy bar to a DVD. An extra 15 min break is my favorite.
Everyone's least favorite?
When they think up embarrassing things the GSAs have to do.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

The worse thing for me personally is when guest has just got the, "...needs further review." I always put a positive spin on it. But it's awkward when the guest hears, "Whoo! Who! GREAT JOB _____! That's number __! OK team we only need 25 more to reach..." I turn off my walkie but sometimes there other tms and the guests hear anyway.
We miss call buttons because they talk over the robot lady! Ugggggg!!!!

 

[oath2order]

I remember one night on the walkie, the STL was asking electronics about their attachments, then she asked GSTL how many RedCards we got. GSTL responded with "four". STL was pretty happy with that.

 

[doxie71]

My store has us ask every guest, prompted or not. They offer gift cards, Bullseye dogs, etc for simply getting one. Lately the person who gets the most during the day gets to get something out of the Bullseye shop. We tend to get around 3-5. Our goals are anywhere from 15-25. And they expect us to reach that amount. I always thank the lord that I'm in market most of the time because when someone starts on a red cart speech over the walkie I just turn it down or even off for a minute and enjoy the quiet time.

 

[pellinore]

Whenever I get a Redcard, I wait for awhile before telling my GSTL or GSA. This way I'm safe from having to hear my GSTL or GSA talk over the walkie.

I hate it when a Redcard is announced and I've got a guest at my register......it makes it seem like getting Redcards is the only reason for us to talk to the guest.

 

[Guest]

I would laugh for probably 5 minutes if I heard an ETL say "I need 5 more redcards from you guys today so I am able to get my bonus". That would crack me up. You know it's true. Let's be honest, do you really think the ETLs would give a crap about redcards if they didn't receive some type of bonus for them?

 

[sigma7]

Well, another reason ETLs care so much is because their job depends on it.

 

[ElectronicsAndSuch]

We're really trying to drive RedCards at the Front End at this point but in a Positive Way. There are no conversations about losing your job if you don't get "2 RedCards before your shift ends!" All we ask is that the cashier's are asking every guest - If you're asking every guest if they would like to sign up for a RedCard, there isn't much more you can do!

 

[BullseyeBabe]

I'm happy to hear that. Yelling at & threatening cashiers is NOT a good way to inspire them to work harder to get red cards! Yesterday they were telling them they would cut their hours even more if they don't get more. I imagine the conversations the ETLs must have.
"How many red cards did you get today?"
"Only 5 but I made 2 of them cry!"
"Amazing!"
"High five!"

 

[BullseyeBabe]

Once again, yesterday, we missed call buttons partly because the LOD talked over the robot lady and team members trying to ask what call button it was.

 

[Anonymous]

My store is focused pretty heavily on RCs. It really sucks. Not only do we have to ask each and every guest that checks out we also have several TLs and ETLs that use the overhead page throughout the day and read a script they wrote advertising red cards. We also have seemingly endless walkie pages asking for updates from our STL, and in between those we have GSAs and GSTLs going over the walkie "asking" the sales floor team to pitch red cards, which in itself turns into a long winded pitch for any guest that happens to be walking around a walkie. I honestly turn my walkie down when they do that. Gives me a headache.

But that's not all.

While it's not enforced often, our STL wants the entire team, during the last five minutes of every hour, to walk around the area they're working in and engage every guest and pitch red cards and inform people about Cartwheel.

 

[oath2order]

I GOT ONE TODAY The guest asked for it. Yay!

 

[Dreamwolf31]

GSTL: " I didn't hear you ask that guest if they wanted a red card"

Me: "They were eight years old, man"

 

[Anonymous]

Redcards are a huge deal in my store as well. We have competitions with teams and everyone has to get at least a couple to be apart of it. Anyways when the breach happened they still forced us to ask for about a week even though we all mentioned what happened. Eventually they made us quit asking when the prompts were shut off and that continued for about a month or so. So we really just focused on the zone of the front end, See Spot, guest surveys, etc ... but now we've been asking again for every guest. And they continue to beat us about it every 5 minutes, "any redcards yet? HMM HMM HMM?@?!?! OH YOU GOT ONE YAAAAY *screams and giggles on walkie*". But in all honesty I do ask every guest and I design my spiel about it depending on the person; it's just some days I can get 3 or 4 on a short shift and then 0 or 1 on an 8 hour shift. And if I am not getting them they're yelling at me, threatening me and telling me to try harder and how important it is for the store. The only problem personally that I have is that I am not the person to keep nagging and nagging people about it. It makes me feel awkward and very uncomfortable...I will kindly ask them and explain the benefits and if they say no thanks then I say that's okay, or if they're still uninformed I give them a brochure about it. All in all we have some cashiers who are like car salesmen about it and others like me who are the opposite.
Anyways still lots of grumpy people paying cash asking if our credit card problem was solved and making it seem like I personally did it..."yep, you found me out". Lol, Target.

 

[mrknownothing]

we also have several TLs and ETLs that use the overhead page throughout the day and read a script they wrote advertising red cards.

I'm curious as to how this is even remotely brand.

 

[pellinore]

My store is focused pretty heavily on RCs. It really sucks. Not only do we have to ask each and every guest that checks out we also have several TLs and ETLs that use the overhead page throughout the day and read a script they wrote advertising red cards. We also have seemingly endless walkie pages asking for updates from our STL, and in between those we have GSAs and GSTLs going over the walkie "asking" the sales floor team to pitch red cards, which in itself turns into a long winded pitch for any guest that happens to be walking around a walkie. I honestly turn my walkie down when they do that. Gives me a headache.

But that's not all.

While it's not enforced often, our STL wants the entire team, during the last five minutes of every hour, to walk around the area they're working in and engage every guest and pitch red cards and inform people about Cartwheel.

we also have several TLs and ETLs that use the overhead page throughout the day and read a script they wrote advertising red cards.

I'm curious as to how this is even remotely brand.

We're barely able to use the overhead...usually just for closing announcements....and once in awhile when the pharmacy needs a guest to return there.
Wow.

 

[defang]

This whole thing just SCREAMS hotline. OP, call ASAP and tell them about all of this.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

Update. The ETLs are more frantic than ever. I'm still trying to get call buttons & trying to communicate with the team if I can't get to one. They are ignoring them. If they stop yelling on the walkies long enough for us to even hear the alert they talk right over anyone trying to respond. We absolutely can't say anything about the situation because people are being coached and threatened everyday. It just makes me so sad because I care about guest service.

 

[commiecorvus]

Update. The ETLs are more frantic than ever. I'm still trying to get call buttons & trying to communicate with the team if I can't get to one. They are ignoring them. If they stop yelling on the walkies long enough for us to even hear the alert they talk right over anyone trying to respond. We absolutely can't say anything about the situation because people are being coached and threatened everyday. It just makes me so sad because I care about guest service.

Wait till their GS numbers go red for a couple of months than they will be screaming about that like it's something new and 'why weren't paying attention!'.
Reactive piss poor planning that is penny wise and pound foolish.