Archived New(er) Team Member Cashier/Service Desk

[chippersen]

Hello! Starting off, I am a new (ish) team member. I have been working as a cashier for about 1 month or so and I have those good days and bad days. When I first started, I had nothing but questions constantly. I didn't understand so many things, but after getting the GSTL/GSA over there over and over, I learned over time what to do in certain situations. The thing is, when I had questions, the GSAs and GSTLs would act extremely annoyed at me for asking. I always feel the need to ask though because if I don't ask, then I'll either never know or I will do something I'm not supposed to. Then there is another cashier/service desk team member that is extremely rude and hateful to me. She is constantly criticizing the things I do and trying to find ways to make herself superior to me. I have even heard her and a GSA talking about somebody (assuming it was me because of the context) and it made me feel awful. The thing is that the coworker that criticizes me is best friends with the GSA.

Finally, I was told that I was being trained on the service desk (that's the reason I was hired. They needed somebody on service desk.. so they brought me in as cashier and then wanted to put me on service desk...) about a week ago. One of the GSAs were like "You're being trained over here?!" in sort of an unconfident way, so i was just like "is that a bad thing?" and she was just like "no. It's just uncommon for new people to be put over here." and I'm like ok...

Well, I started service desk training 2 days ago and trained yesterday and today. I am doing extremely well over there and I'm grasping it much quicker than the cashier position. However, I feel like everyone looks down on me and I don't feel welcome. I feel like I'm being criticized constantly, watched, talked about, and everything, so it distracts me. Also, I heard them talking about me not getting RedCards once (the rude coworker and her BFF GSA).. but the thing is, I ask almost every guest, so I'm doing what I'm asked to. I'm really wanting to pursue and do my best, but I constantly feel out of place and like they never answer the questions all the way. I actually got a RedCard on my first try tonight at the Service Desk and was congratulated. I also talked to one of the GSAs and told her about how I had so many questions at the register and she just asked what they were and I told her it was pretty much just coupons and she just explained how she is on it and said that it will come in time and everything.

I guess I'm asking for some advice on what to do. Please don't tell me to go to the HR and all of that because they're all best friends and of course will back up the older employee... but I just want to know how to feel more confident, how to deal with the rude coworker, how to prove myself, and some just general advice on everything.

On the bright side, my trainer on Service Desk was excellent and has helped so much. I asked a TON of questions to go ahead and get them out of the way. I'm really wanting to pursue in this and do my best and feel confident and not hating going to work and feeling judged.

Thanks!

 

[ULV GSA]

From the sounds of it, the GSA/BFF duo are a couple of jerks. Who cares what they think? When you work with that GSA, just keep your head down and do a good job at service desk.

I doubt you are quite the center of attention/judgment that you have psyched yourself into thinking you are. The GSA who was surprised that you were being trained at SD was probably just genuinely surprised because, yes, it is unusual at some stores for a cashier to train at SD after their first week. Some of what you are perceiving is probably just because you are new. Once you've been there a while and established that you're a valuable part of the team, you'll have the respect of the people whose respect is worth having.

And eventually you'll get lucky with your conversion. It really is mostly luck.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Welcome!
Here is a link to our guide on guest service. & service desk. It should help you on most questions.
http://www.thebreakroom.org/index.php?forums/guest-service.20/

 

[eleuthreophile]

The GSA and cashier are definitely out of line. You're SUPPOSED to ask questions when you're new. It's true that usually new people don't get moved to the service desk (they usually will take a veteran cashier instead, so it's less to learn all at once), but if you have a lot of past retail experience or if they like your personality or something, it can happen. I agree that you should just keep your head down when working with the bitchy GSA and just do your best. If you absolutely have to, you can always ask the LOD questions if you feel uncomfortable talking to the GSA.

 

[Nauzhror]

I wish our cashiers asked more questions to be honest.

I might find it slightly annoying if they were asking the same question every day though (not saying you are). But so long as it seems like they're actually attempting to remember the answer and not asking how to do the same thing over and over I'd prefer to be asked lots of questions and have competent cashiers than have cashiers that just put in the minimum amount of effort possible.

We do have one GSA that sounds like the GSA at your store though (actually she's our SBTL, but she was a GSA before that, and very rarely still picks up GSA shifts). The last time I worked with her I told her one of our newer cashiers had service desk trained for the most part (as in, he'd have no trouble with most transactions, but might not be fully 100% self-reliant and might have a question or two every now and then) and that he could cover my break she visibly shuddered, said no thanks, and that she'd rather just cover my break herself rather than have to hold someones hand.

 

[PinkZinnia]

I'm sure you are asking less questions at the service desk because you asked a lot as cashier and learned. At the store I work at, the service desk/photo people are a bit of a clique and they don't welcome outsiders in very fast. The group at my store talks down to anyone we send over from the front end to help out and when new people are hired for the service desk, they scrutinize everything they do and tattle to the gstl/gsa's if it's not to their liking. When they say something to me about a new hire, I tell them to train the person so they know what they are doing, this way they won't have problems. I don't know if they are training the tm's but they have stopped complaining to me. I don't tolerate TM's complaining about new hires. Everyone needs their own pace to catch on. Sometimes the ones who learn things the fastest end up being slackers. Every person is different - and that is something MANY tm's, tl's & etl's forget.
Continue to be fast, fun and friendly to the guests and ask the other tm's at the service desk what you need to know. You don't need to be their friends and they don't need to be yours. All you need from them is the knowledge they have so you can do your job quickly and efficiently.
Soon you won't be the new person anymore and things will get easier.

 

[Nauzhror]

When they say something to me about a new hire, I tell them to train the person so they know what they are doing, this way they won't have problems. I don't know if they are training the tm's but they have stopped complaining to me. I don't tolerate TM's complaining about new hires

I suppose without context this is a bit hard to determine, but are you sure they're trying to get the new TM's punished, and not just uncomfortable essentially "coaching" them since that isn't something they have the authority to do?

ie. Example, two of our new cashiers I have taken over for so they could go on break, and glanced down into their garbage and realized they'd been throwing coupons away, both times I retrieved them from the garbage, put them in the drawer, and let the GSTL know so he could keep an eye out to ensure they didn't do it again and ensure they understand that coupons do not go in the trash. My intent was not for them to be punished.

 

[mrknownothing]

When they say something to me about a new hire, I tell them to train the person so they know what they are doing, this way they won't have problems. I don't know if they are training the tm's but they have stopped complaining to me. I don't tolerate TM's complaining about new hires

I suppose without context this is a bit hard to determine, but are you sure they're trying to get the new TM's punished, and not just uncomfortable essentially "coaching" them since that isn't something they have the authority to do?

ie. Example, two of our new cashiers I have taken over for so they could go on break, and glanced down into their garbage and realized they'd been throwing coupons away, both times I retrieved them from the garbage, put them in the drawer, and let the GSTL know so he could keep an eye out to ensure they didn't do it again and ensure they understand that coupons do not go in the trash. My intent was not for them to be punished.

In your example, it's more than reasonable to advise the cashiers that they shouldn't do it. You're not coaching them, just giving them a helpful tip. But it's good that you let the GSTL know so he can watch out for it - perhaps it's an area of deficiency in the training.

In the OP's case, it sounds like the GSA and other TM are jerks. There's no reason for anybody in any position to act like that, especially with a new team member who's still learning.

 

[chippersen]

Thank you everyone for your replies. I try extremely hard to be my best at work. The main reason I ask so many questions is so I will be well rounded in knowledge about my job. Every day something new comes up and requires a different approach, so I ask a ton of questions to help myself know which way to approach the situation. Over the past few weeks, I have improved and don't ask nearly as many questions, but I do still ask some every once in a while.