Archived New GSA troubles

[ChangeRequest]

This thread is primarily for me to vent my frustrations out, however, your advice and comments are most welcome! 🙂

Okay, I have been a GSA for about 3 weeks now after receiving 3 days of training. Previously I was an Electronics TM. Everything has been going fine up until this week. Literally, every single day I have worked I have been taken into the ETL-GE office and coached about issues I wasn't even aware of or things I had no idea were part of my job.

Summary of the week:

Issue 1: GSTL (who is 19) coaches me on not being assertive enough and "owning the lanes"; I need to be her GSTL-OnDuty when she isn't there. I need to make sure I am being respected.

Response 1: I say okay, perhaps I do need to be more assertive, but I'm not going to be an asshole. I then start being more assertive, I ask the cashiers when they're leaning against their register when they have no guests "do you think you can wipe your lane down and push candy while we aren't busy, hun?" And I get a "sure thing response". Simple enough right? A cashier is clocked-in and standing around chatting with other team members, I say " are you clocked in? If so I need you to get on a lane, other cashiers would like to go home".

Issue 2: My ETL-GE calls me into her office and tells me that I need to adjust how I say things and that I'm coming off as too bossy. She says I should ask them how their day is going or something friendly before telling them todo something.

Response 2: I say okay, maybe I came off rudely, so I adjust. However, I made it noted that our GSTL talks to cashiers in the same manner, someone who I am supposed to be like when she isn't here.

Issue 3: I get left a note from our ETL-GE/fellow GSA told to "coach" a team member about using their cellphone one the lane when we aren't busy, I take the team member to the side and say "hey I was made aware that you were using your cellphone while we aren't busy, can you just make sure you're only using it to help guests?" The team member then blows up and says " I am tired of being harassed by you, leadership here, and our STL said it was fine, I was connecting to wifi to help guests with cartwheel. Our ETL-GE flies out from around the corner and begins to lecture the TM and then tells me to disengage. Well that TM has filed an eHR complaint now and I feel like I might get taken into this mess.

Response 3: I now refuse to coach team members for something like that, and especially if they have only left me a note telling me todo so, I need more details before doing so.

Issue 4: our GSTL is 19, is in a relationship with a Sales Floor TM, she texts and calls our ETL-GE like they are best friends, one of our others GSAs is her best friend as well, and they hangout all the time, snapchat at work, sleep over at each others houses, gossip outside of work about work, and etc. so I was told be another TM that one of the other GSAs was gossiping about me.

Response 4: I went into the ETL-GE office with the other GSA and said "I'm not sure if this is true, but I'd like to speak with you". "I was told that you were gossiping about me, if you were I wanted to let you know, if you have an issue with me you can come straight to me and discuss it, but I do not have time for this high school drama, I'm not in 9th grade, I have bills to pay, I'm I'm college full time, and I work full time hours". "I will be talking to the GSTL tomorrow about his gossip".

Issue 5: our ETL-GE is a first year and constantly preaches policy, policy, policy, and VIBE VIBE VIBE. Our store is now able to refuse coupons and certain returns due to HIGH fraud activity. Well, I tell the guest no, call the LOD, and she completely overrides me and gives them cash! I am then told I need to be a GSTL/GSA and Vibe with guests and how's VIBE is expected of me. I'm sorry, but last I was told, VIBE is there for out honest guests, not the fraudsters.

My APTL has suggested I go straight to our STL or ETL-HR about these issues. I don't seem to ever have these problems with any other ETL. I know I could make a complaint, but if KNOW I would feel a doubled edged sword, the other ETLs would then possibly "not trust" me if I turned in one of their own. I am not lying when I say my store front-end is like high school!!!

I may have forgotten details, please ask any questions or give any advice!

 

[commiecorvus]

Can't really offer you much in the way of suggestions just support and to say,
Illegitimi non Carborunbum

 

[Retail Girl]

Your "assertive" comments do come off as bossy. You aren't a TL, so you really have to watch how your comments come off, more so than TLs do. Being a GSA is an odd position. They will happily remind you that you are a leader at the front lanes and not really the TMs peers when it is convenient. But at other times they will happily remind you that you are just a TM. It's obnoxious.

GSAs don't coach. If you see something happening, you can redirect the behavior...but especially if you weren't even there when it happened, then they had no business asking you to even get involved.

Gossip...gotta love it. I ignore it as best as I can. And bringing in the ETL would probably be a very last resort, as even acknowledging it in front of them could link you to it in their mind.

Vibe and bold are out there for all guests right now...not just the honest ones. At this point, policies are made to be broken. If you aren't being backed up, and feel the ETL-GE would have had your back, talk with the ETL at some point about the situation...tell them what happened...don't name the LOD...and just ask how you should have handled it before the LOD came up. This shows you are willing to learn and figure out how to apply it to new situations. Or, figure out which LODs are going to be more lenient than others, and adjust your policies accordingly. In the end, your stress isn't worth it.

 

[StaticSun]

I was a 19 year old GSA with a 20 year old GSTL (both male). Luckily, I was able to develop a great working relationship with him, and he was a great mentor.

He was also very mature, unlike your GSTL. If I were you, I'd suck up and do whatever she says!

 

[Barcode]

Yeah it sounds like you have some dysfunctional front end leadership... I dealt with some of this at my old store, fortunately my ETL-GE was very fair and impartial, which made it somewhat less of a mess to work in.

 

[BadWolf4531]

Or, figure out which LODs are going to be more lenient than others, and adjust your policies accordingly.

This. I can't tell you how much easier your life will be as a GSA if you take the time to learn which ETLs will back you up and which ones will let the guests get away with murder. Granted, there are some issues where I will tell the guests "no" regardless of who the LOD is, but often you have to deal with out-of-the-box issues on a case-by-case basis.

 

[paidtosmile]

Welcome to being a GSA... It's great isn't it?

 

[redeye58]

Yep, GSAs are basically front end punching bags.

 

[The Dude Abides]

The great thing about being a GSA is how when the store is struggling on conversion it is your fault for not inspiring the cashiers to get red cards. When the store is green on conversion it is thanks to the wonderful leadership of the GSTL/ETL-GE.

 

[King of Cards]

So GSA's are pretty much expected to do everything & be everywhere. When things are going great And your producing results expect little to no recognition it will go to your tl's but when conversion is falling, no one will take accountability and you will be at blame. As far as the TM's its hard because you are expected to lead, but lead by example. When it comes to coachings; I would do a seek to understand instead. & let them verbally know its not a coaching but that it will be documented for future reference. Document everything so that way if the tables are turned you have proof & if you have to get a TL to sit in. I would look for ETL's/TL's in other areas that see your hard work & passion & that will support you in all things you do..its a tough role with constant struggles but in the end it definitely shows how resilient & adaptable you can be

 

[ChangeRequest]

Your "assertive" comments do come off as bossy. You aren't a TL, so you really have to watch how your comments come off, more so than TLs do. Being a GSA is an odd position. They will happily remind you that you are a leader at the front lanes and not really the TMs peers when it is convenient. But at other times they will happily remind you that you are just a TM. It's obnoxious.

GSAs don't coach. If you see something happening, you can redirect the behavior...but especially if you weren't even there when it happened, then they had no business asking you to even get involved.

Gossip...gotta love it. I ignore it as best as I can. And bringing in the ETL would probably be a very last resort, as even acknowledging it in front of them could link you to it in their mind.

Vibe and bold are out there for all guests right now...not just the honest ones. At this point, policies are made to be broken. If you aren't being backed up, and feel the ETL-GE would have had your back, talk with the ETL at some point about the situation...tell them what happened...don't name the LOD...and just ask how you should have handled it before the LOD came up. This shows you are willing to learn and figure out how to apply it to new situations. Or, figure out which LODs are going to be more lenient than others, and adjust your policies accordingly. In the end, your stress isn't worth it.

Agreed @Retail Girl! Thank you for your advice sweetheart! 🙂

 

[ChangeRequest]

So GSA's are pretty much expected to do everything & be everywhere. When things are going great And your producing results expect little to no recognition it will go to your tl's but when conversion is falling, no one will take accountability and you will be at blame. As far as the TM's its hard because you are expected to lead, but lead by example. When it comes to coachings; I would do a seek to understand instead. & let them verbally know its not a coaching but that it will be documented for future reference. Document everything so that way if the tables are turned you have proof & if you have to get a TL to sit in. I would look for ETL's/TL's in other areas that see your hard work & passion & that will support you in all things you do..its a tough role with constant struggles but in the end it definitely shows how resilient & adaptable you can be

I definitely agree @King of Cards. Our daily goals are typically 10-20 REDcards, my shifts will usually bring in half the daily goal. Today, for example my team during my GSTL/GSA shift brought in 10 REDcards (4 of which were my own) by 12pm, however, the praise was given to the GSTL when she arrived later that afternoon.... I also, as a GSA, have the highest conversion score in the store. So I do get frustrated when I'm belittled about redcards when we are having a bad week.

 

[Target Muppet]

The GSA position is one of the worst positions and like @King of Cards said you get all the blame but none of the glory. You need to leverage the fact you aren't a team lead making you more approachable at times and talking to cashier about conversion explaining what they need in order to be green. I print the cashier report every Tuesday and show them the growth over every week over time they start to get in to it. I usually tell them other people were in similar position and tell them how being green can play a role in their review as well as any cross training. I also make sure I send emails to all leadership about any front end new any equipment out, registers down, or coupon/return problem. Also not having access to SAP shouldn't stop you from ordering write down a list of supplies need and pass it off to your GSTL or better yet partner with another TL and then send a email to your ETL-GE, the LOD, and even the STL about the supplies you order. All these thing may seem like you are trying to beat out your GSTL but it actually take some workload off them and allows them to follow with cashiers about REDcards or will a least earn you praise from leader ship. I did as GSA and after 4 months I finally got offered a GSTL position.