Archived Just Hired Externally as GSTL

[GSTL4LIFE]

Hey everyone...
I worked for Target about three and a half years ago for about two and a half years and I am now coming back. I was a Guest Service Team Member, I left for a different company and I am now back as a GSTL (not at the same store).

Since it's been a while, can someone tell me the roles and responsibilities of a GSTL? What abilities do we have that GSA's do not and so on and so forth? I was told it is myself, another GSTL, and 3 GSA's. Any advice on how to get my TM's on board with me being an external hire? I will be training at a different store than the one I am working at. Any and all advise is appreciated! I'll have to get back into the Target ways...hopefully, it'll just all come back to me after a couple of days.

Thanks!

 

[NKG]

Hey everyone...
I worked for Target about three and a half years ago for about two and a half years and I am now coming back. I was a Guest Service Team Member, I left for a different company and I am now back as a GSTL (not at the same store).

Since it's been a while, can someone tell me the roles and responsibilities of a GSTL? What abilities do we have that GSA's do not and so on and so forth? I was told it is myself, another GSTL, and 3 GSA's. Any advice on how to get my TM's on board with me being an external hire? I will be training at a different store than the one I am working at. Any and all advise is appreciated! I'll have to get back into the Target ways...hopefully, it'll just all come back to me after a couple of days.

Thanks!

GSA's cant coach TMs or order on SAP. Other than that the GSA performs the same tasks as a GSTL.

 

[TM2]

Take the time to get to know your team. Not just the front end, but the sales floor tms too. Make it your goal to be able to look down at a grid and know a little something about each person (maybe not flow, given that your interaction with them will be quite limited). Build a strong relationship with your GSAs and understand that they'll likely be upset you got the job they wanted.

 

[Anelmi]

Read this.... @SilentCrow and @Hardlinesmaster have excellent tips.

Guest Services - HELP - https://www.thebreakroom.org/threads/help.18600/

 

[IIlllIIllIIIllIl]

GSA's cant coach TMs or order on SAP. Other than that the GSA performs the same tasks as a GSTL.

In all reality, I really wish at least two of my GSAs had the power to at least start documentation or even pull team members off the floor for conversations.

 

[Yetive]

They can.

 

[NKG]

They can.

What???

 

[Yetive]

In the past, when there is a high performing GSA, I have encouraged them to have conversations with tms.

 

[HRZone]

What???

I think what yetive is saying is that its okay for a GSA to have a verbal coaching if they are trustworthy and are able to accurately identify and redirect the poor performance.

Unlike a gstl, they can't write people up but it's no different from how when I was an hrtm I would scold people who hit compliance even though I couldn't write them up.

 

[Leo47]

During my GSA training I was told that if I noticed anything coach-worthy (not asking about red cards, not engaging with the guest, etc) to write it down for the GSTL so they can speak to the cashier about it

 

[SilentCrow]

I encourage my GSAs to have the conversation. Sometimes I'm not there and the team member needs to be addressed. Once I'm in the building I'll follow up.

 

[LearningTree]

Understand that as a leader you are expected to make this job a priority. I have 2 GSTLs that will not advance simply because they don't care enough about the job. I just recently promoted one to a GSTL who doesn't seem to understand the expectations are different now. The other GSTL is constantly asking me for days off after the schedule is written. Doesn't seem to understand that if I just give it to her there will be no one to take on the GSTL responsibility. She's done it so much I've had to be a real hard-ass and tell her straight up not to ask me if she doesn't have a backup plan and that I won't consider a time off unless she formally submits a request.

If you want to be great and really get on your ETLs good side:

• Take care of as many guest complaints as possible before it gets to your ETL
• Don't tell your ETL about all the difficult guests/problems you had to deal with that day. They have enough to do and it would be a waste of their time to listen to you when there is no action needed from them. Basically you come off as either complaining or gossiping. If you need to vent, go talk to a friend.
• Really own your department and don't wait for your ETL to tell you to set up new equipment, send out old equipment to be repaired, performance manage your team, etc.
• Work on your problem solving skills. My biggest grievance for 2 of my newest GSTLs is that they simply refuse to think and figure something out themselves. For example the printers were not working at the Service Desk one day. Instead of switching them out they let defectives pile up until I came in to close to ask me what to do. Don't ask me how to fix the broken register. Call CSC and just let me know when the tech is coming in.
• Leading off of that: Check Workbench/call CSC first before asking your ETL how to do something. Most of what you need is detailed somewhere.
• If your ETL asks you to do something, make it a habit to write it down right in front of them. They'll know you're taking it seriously and you're less likely to forget. I have 1 GSTL on a corrective for consistently forgetting to do what I've asked her to do. Every time its "OMG I'm sorry, I forgot".
• Be flexible with your schedule. If another GSTL calls off or quits suddenly, be very open about which shifts you can cover.
• ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS keep your team busy. The most frustrating thing for me (and a huge waste of payroll) is when I purposely schedule more cashiers than necessary with the intentions of them working on projects only to find out my GSTL/GSA didn't get any of it done and instead let them all stand around until it got busy.

 

[HRZone]

Understand that as a leader you are expected to make this job a priority. I have 2 GSTLs that will not advance simply because they don't care enough about the job. I just recently promoted one to a GSTL who doesn't seem to understand the expectations are different now. The other GSTL is constantly asking me for days off after the schedule is written. Doesn't seem to understand that if I just give it to her there will be no one to take on the GSTL responsibility. She's done it so much I've had to be a real hard-ass and tell her straight up not to ask me if she doesn't have a backup plan and that I won't consider a time off unless she formally submits a request.

If you want to be great and really get on your ETLs good side:

• Take care of as many guest complaints as possible before it gets to your ETL
• Don't tell your ETL about all the difficult guests/problems you had to deal with that day. They have enough to do and it would be a waste of their time to listen to you when there is no action needed from them. Basically you come off as either complaining or gossiping. If you need to vent, go talk to a friend.
• Really own your department and don't wait for your ETL to tell you to set up new equipment, send out old equipment to be repaired, performance manage your team, etc.
• Work on your problem solving skills. My biggest grievance for 2 of my newest GSTLs is that they simply refuse to think and figure something out themselves. For example the printers were not working at the Service Desk one day. Instead of switching them out they let defectives pile up until I came in to close to ask me what to do. Don't ask me how to fix the broken register. Call CSC and just let me know when the tech is coming in.
• Leading off of that: Check Workbench/call CSC first before asking your ETL how to do something. Most of what you need is detailed somewhere.
• If your ETL asks you to do something, make it a habit to write it down right in front of them. They'll know you're taking it seriously and you're less likely to forget. I have 1 GSTL on a corrective for consistently forgetting to do what I've asked her to do. Every time its "OMG I'm sorry, I forgot".
• Be flexible with your schedule. If another GSTL calls off or quits suddenly, be very open about which shifts you can cover.
• ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS keep your team busy. The most frustrating thing for me (and a huge waste of payroll) is when I purposely schedule more cashiers than necessary with the intentions of them working on projects only to find out my GSTL/GSA didn't get any of it done and instead let them all stand around until it got busy.

Nodded my head while reading this.

Especially frustrating that the same gstl who screams for backup wont send someone out to do reshop when it's slow. They shoot the s--- At IGS even though salesfloor is always bailing them out.

 

[SilentCrow]

Well my ETL knows absolutely nothing so I'm the GE without the pay. I'm not exaggerating when I say nothing, he seriously doesn't knows anything at all. Not even how to coach team members. I would start developing a mindset of owning the department and having the GSAs be the ones to help you execute the plans you come up with.

I've been through four GEs during my GSTL/GSA stretch. Only one knew what he was doing. Be prepared to know as much as possible because in my experience, they usually put the ignorant ETLs in the GE role. (Don't take it as if I'm saying there are no strong ETL-GEs please). Just a warning.

 

[LUR99]

Well my ETL knows absolutely nothing so I'm the GE without the pay. I'm not exaggerating when I say nothing, he seriously doesn't knows anything at all. Not even how to coach team members. I would start developing a mindset of owning the department and having the GSAs be the ones to help you execute the plans you come up with.

I've been through four GEs during my GSTL/GSA stretch. Only one knew what he was doing. Be prepared to know as much as possible because in my experience, they usually put the ignorant ETLs in the GE role. (Don't take it as if I'm saying there are no strong ETL-GEs please). Just a warning.

Luckily, my ETL GE has many years of experience. We had some fill in ETL GE's when he was gone for medical reasons and they were brand new out of college and totally clueless.