Archived LODs and back-up cashiers.

[pellinore]

Today the LOD told the GSA that she couldn't call for back-up because the TMs that were working needed to get their stuff done and couldn't come for back-up.

I did a little bit of shopping before going home...two lanes were opened and both lanes had guests with large amounts of groceries to check out. There were at least three guests lined up for each register. A guest (yes, a guest) asked if they (TMs at GS) could call for back-up. The GSA answered "We're not allowed to call for back-up. The LOD won't let us." Meanwhile, as I am standing at GS to check out my one item, one of the guests was joking and asked me if I could go help check people out.....then that same guest said, "oh, I forget, Target doesn't allow any overtime."

OK...I thought that the guest came first.....that we're supposed to do what we can to be sure the guest is happy....how does NOT allowing back-up help the guest?


Anyway...Does this happen at other stores?

 

[wiredharpoon]

Sounds like your ETL has been getting their ass handed to them by the STL. Any ETL worth their weight would ensure that guest service wasn't compromised, especially with all of the new roll outs focusing on guest service. Its one thing to tell the GSTL to figure out the break situation when they are short on cashiers. Its a completely different situation when they decide to use the Walmart checkout experience.

 

[Jaxtone]

When im working on my shift I dontd really call for back up, I myself hop on to get the line short, but there was one time an LoD told me I can't call back up and I said Ok, I made sure my cashiers don't go on their breaks at same time, or call cart attendant to help me out, or send people 5 items or less at service desk.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

I've been told that by my STL several times. My ETL GE coached me for it. I can't win.

 

[REDcardJJ]

Today the LOD told the GSA that she couldn't call for back-up because the TMs that were working needed to get their stuff done and couldn't come for back-up.

lol fuck that, guest experience is supposed to be king. my ETL-GE would have a heart attack if another leader tried to tell a GSA that they couldn't call for backup

we'll pull everyone from the salesfloor if we have to

 

[OneArmedJesus]

Yeah that wouldn't work at my store, our front relies on back up .

 

[Leo47]

I feel like at least once a day we have the entire store on a register. GSTL will call hardlines for a price check and they’ll answer “we’re all on registers” lmao

 

[can't touch this]

Anyway...Does this happen at other stores?

Walmart

 

[busyzoningtoys]

When I cover the front, rather than 1+1 I’ll start calling for backup when there’s 1 guest visible past the actual lane on more than one lane. Some call at 1+1 but with how thin the team is spread, it takes a little while for them to make it up and by the time they do the lines have already subsided. This way my team (more like my one person) can get a little more done.

 

[idkwhattodo]

Nah, it doesn’t happen at my store anymore at least. Our ETL GE and ETL HR will even jump on for back up, which is always nice. Same with two of our Hardlines TLs. I’ve only really seen an issue with it once probably about a year ago.

One Saturday night I was the only cashier on the one level after 6:30 (there was at least one call out and they didn’t let us call anyone in). My GSTL was very mad and apparently whoever was LOD that night didn’t like the calling for backup, so I pushed the additional assistance button and my GSTL came down to me and was like “Our GE isn’t here and [i forget who i think one of our old Salesfloor ETLs] doesn’t like the backup calls from us. Your a pretty fast cashier. You can do it.” Then he was like “It doesn’t even matter at this point. Don’t feel rushed at all. Just do whatever you need to. They’ll just have to wait.”

Poor guy was so defeated. I felt so bad. He bought me a hershey bar right before close because he felt so bad.

 

[BadWolf4531]

Today the LOD told the GSA that she couldn't call for back-up because the TMs that were working needed to get their stuff done and couldn't come for back-up.

I did a little bit of shopping before going home...two lanes were opened and both lanes had guests with large amounts of groceries to check out. There were at least three guests lined up for each register. A guest (yes, a guest) asked if they (TMs at GS) could call for back-up. The GSA answered "We're not allowed to call for back-up. The LOD won't let us." Meanwhile, as I am standing at GS to check out my one item, one of the guests was joking and asked me if I could go help check people out.....then that same guest said, "oh, I forget, Target doesn't allow any overtime."

OK...I thought that the guest came first.....that we're supposed to do what we can to be sure the guest is happy....how does NOT allowing back-up help the guest?


Anyway...Does this happen at other stores?

It is one thing if the LOD tells the GSA that there is nobody left on the floor for backup. That's happened a few times at my store when they severely under-schedule, and we have brought everyone we can to the lanes.

I have also seen GSAs who are too liberal with the 1+1 rule... meaning they will call for backup and the line will clear by itself before somebody even gets up to the lanes.

But... if an LOD ever told me I couldn't call for backup because TMs needed to "get their stuff done," you can be sure I'd be encouraging every guest complaint I got to fill out a survey and be sure to mention that "the manager on duty, (First Name), would not let us open more lanes for you to have a faster checkout experience." A couple of those comments would nip that in the bud really quick.

 

[can't touch this]

at my store it's like four feet from the checkout lanes to the jewelry boat, and guests who are just walking in the door have to squeeze/fight through the line to get to the racetrack. It's god awful. The whole front end needs a serious redesign, it's too small and looks like it was tacked on as an afterthought. The jewelry boat is just in the way and a waste of space. It's literally only used by guests for plunking down their baskets while waiting in line.

 

[can't touch this]

broke: calling for backup
woke: scheduling more cashiers than sales projections call for
masterstroke: removing all registers except one and paying me $100 an hour to run it

 

[IWishIKnew]

There's more to guest service than the checkout, though, and if the store is a disaster because, say, you get a 3000 piece truck the night of a major snowstorm so hardly anyone can make it for flow or many other positions and the very few sales floor TMs that can make it in are trying to help guests, push freight, answer call boxes and keep things from falling apart then, yes, it might be called for to sacrifice backup calls at times.

We must have had a bunch of call ins or something on Monday because they literally had the entire sales floor running lanes at times, and then tried to call for someone to watch guest service while the GSA jumped on the lanes. Well, no, that's not going to work because the only ones left are Beauty and Electronics and the grocery team is never expected to come for backup (or answer call boxes outside of their area, so let's hope none of them go off, either!).

I can also see a situation where an ETL is fed up with the store underscheduling cashiers while counting on the floor to fill in the gaps (while the store falls apart) and forbidding backups in the hopes that guests will complain and reverse the underscheduling of the front end.

 

[Pikachu Libre]

at my store it's like four feet from the checkout lanes to the jewelry boat, and guests who are just walking in the door have to squeeze/fight through the line to get to the racetrack. It's god awful. The whole front end needs a serious redesign, it's too small and looks like it was tacked on as an afterthought. The jewelry boat is just in the way and a waste of space. It's literally only used by guests for plunking down their baskets while waiting in line.

I was so happy when my store got rid of our jewelry boat lol

 

[IWishIKnew]

I'm assuming it will go away in the remodel, right? What a waste of space.

 

[Pikachu Libre]

I'm assuming it will go away in the remodel, right? What a waste of space.

I've worked in a few stores that have gotten remodels and all of them lacked a jewelry boat, so I super hope so

 

[wiredharpoon]

There's more to guest service than the checkout, though, and if the store is a disaster because, say, you get a 3000 piece truck the night of a major snowstorm so hardly anyone can make it for flow or many other positions and the very few sales floor TMs that can make it in are trying to help guests, push freight, answer call boxes and keep things from falling apart then, yes, it might be called for to sacrifice backup calls at times.

We must have had a bunch of call ins or something on Monday because they literally had the entire sales floor running lanes at times, and then tried to call for someone to watch guest service while the GSA jumped on the lanes. Well, no, that's not going to work because the only ones left are Beauty and Electronics and the grocery team is never expected to come for backup (or answer call boxes outside of their area, so let's hope none of them go off, either!).

I can also see a situation where an ETL is fed up with the store underscheduling cashiers while counting on the floor to fill in the gaps (while the store falls apart) and forbidding backups in the hopes that guests will complain and reverse the underscheduling of the front end.

While I agree, checkout is the last experience the guest receives. If they have to stand in line for a century that is the last thing they will remember. As for underscheduling that might not be your GE's fault. The STL is the one that allocates hours to workcenters. If they decide to take hours away from FE and give them to salesfloor or flow you will need backup.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

I would be hitting guest button on register, if I was in line & off the clock. Spot needs to understand that backups cause lost sales. Guests don’t want wait...

 

[can't touch this]

O, that this too too long line would melt
Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!
Or that Spot had not fix'd their canon 'gainst overtime! O God! God!
How weary, stale, flat and unprofitable
Seem to me all the ways of this company!
Fie on't! Ah, fie! 'Tis an unweeded garden that grows to seed
Things rank and gross in nature possess it merely. That it should come to this!
O, most wicked speed, to post with such dexterity to unapproved employee forums!
It is not nor it cannot come to good
But break, my heart; for I must hold my tongue.

 

[pellinore]

Today when I was at work I asked about the LOD who said that we couldn't call for back-up....wanted to know if this happened much. The answer was that with this particular LOD it has been happening more frequently recently.

I guess that I'll just have to pay more attention to this LOD when I have a late shift.

[QUOTE="mathprofmatt, post: 428450, member: 5389

But... if an LOD ever told me I couldn't call for backup because TMs needed to "get their stuff done," you can be sure I'd be encouraging every guest complaint I got to fill out a survey and be sure to mention that "the manager on duty, (First Name), would not let us open more lanes for you to have a faster checkout experience." A couple of those comments would nip that in the bud really quick.[/QUOTE]

I already told two guests (that afternoon) to do their survey. Hopefully at least one of them did.

I will tell guests who have comments to do their surveys because it is more likely that their comments will make a difference then if TMs say anything.

When I work in the mornings and guests complain about all the stocking going on I'll tell them to do their survey.

While Spot won't listen to us sometimes spot will listen to guests.....notice, I said sometimes.

 

[buliSBI]

Doesn't the Add'l Assistance button go to metrics. I would be hitting it like crazy. The LOD can ignore it. But it needs to be recorded that the lanes are getting hit hard at times.

 

[Anelmi]

^^ does it really?

 

[busyzoningtoys]

Doesn't the Add'l Assistance button go to metrics. I would be hitting it like crazy. The LOD can ignore it. But it needs to be recorded that the lanes are getting hit hard at times.

I too was under the impression the additional assistance button was part of a metric. That’s why I don’t let Target Mobile press it at electronics to summon the electronics TM lol. We also tolerate it being pressed st the service desk, but it’s a no no to push it at the lanes.

 

[Leo47]

Lmao we press it heavy at guest service, sometimes we’ll have to push it 3 times before someone comes. I usually press it, help a guest or two, press it again, and repeat until someone comes.

I press it at the lanes if my line gets long and the GSTL is hanging out chatting at the service desk. It gets their attention and makes them call for backup lol. But if they’re around the lanes and trying to speed weave and all that I won’t press it, they’re already trying.