Keeping in mind ASANTS (All Stores Are Not The Same) as you read this. I work at a fairly large store.
I haven't been at Target very long, but do have some words of advice I would like to share since I also am a Softlines Team Member. This is based on my store's processes and may vary based on your location. I started off as a Seasonal Softlines recently Team Member and will be able to stay after the holidays! Yay!
When you arrive, you should clock in and then check the board above the clock, if you have one. If there isn't one, there will most likely be an LOD (Leader-On-Duty) behind the desk that you can talk to. If there is a break-down (paper with a list of who is working when for that day with notes on who works in what areas), refer to that first. There should also be a break schedule on the board. Try to take your breaks when you are scheduled to. For lunch, you have to take your break by your fifth hour or you will hit compliance. Since you have to clock out and back in for lunch and it is unpaid for that half hour, they will know when you are taking that break. For short shifts, you will only have 15-minute paid breaks. Once you are clocked in, take notes of your assignment for your shift, and when you should be taking your breaks. You must ask someone for access to the equipment room, and sign out your devices on the provided binder. AP (Assets Protection/Security) will check every once in awhile so always make sure you're doing this right. Usually an LOD will be available but other team members may be able to let you in as well (At my store they can). A walkie is very important to have, and I also recommend checking out a battery if you're going to have a longer shift. A MyDevice is not completely necessary in Softlines, but if your TL (Team Lead) asks you to help with PCV (Price Change Verification), you will need one for sure. Since you're not trained on PCVs yet, you probably won't have to worry about it.
🙂 However, a MyDevice is helpful for helping guests because sometimes they will ask for a product that is on the Hardlines side of the store and you will have to check if it is in stock and where it is. If you don't have a MyDevice and a guest asks for an item location, consider calling someone on the walkie. More than likely the Operator (Fitting room attendant in Softlines who deals with phone calls to the store) will be able to switch over to the cordless phone and bring you one.
How to use the MyDevice:
You must create an eHR account to use the MyDevice. Your username is your TM# and your password is one you choose. The app you will use the most is "MyWork". To scan a product, you will wait for it to beep and then hold both side buttons down at the same time. Then, line the red light up with the product barcode until it scans and pops up.
GoBacks/Reshop/Returns: At the fitting room, there are baskets and a "Z-Rack". The Z-Rack is a rack for hanging Ready-To-Wear items. It is sorted by brand and location. There will be marked baskets for folded and other items in Softlines' zones. A foreign basket is taken care of by Hardlines, and taken up to Guest Services as it is filled at my store.
Operator: There are about five of us Softlines Team Members at my store that are trained on being Operator, myself included. When the phone rings, you have to greet the guest by saying the store location and by asking them how you can assist them. Most times, guests will be asking for products and if they can be put on hold. Other times, you will have to transfer calls. Always make sure the team member you are transferring calls to is available to take that call by asking them on the walkie. Use the walkie often for anything you need, because they are an essential communication device and can help you make sure you're completely assisting guests and letting TLs and LODs know when you're going on break/lunch so they don't call for you when you turn your walkie off.
My advice is to get to know other team members. I haven't been at Target long, but have many team members in several departments that I can rely on. It also is nice to have someone to talk to at the fitting room when I am sorting my GoBack basket from my zone instead of an awkward silence. The last thing I would like to mention is that when you zone, you should first grab a basket and then place foreign (items that do not belong in your zone) and repack (items that are missing price tags or need to be packaged again). Once the basket is full, work out the items that are from your zone that actually belong in the zone (usually clearance items may be moved by guests to other racks, for example). Then, take the rest of the items to the fitting room to sort and give to the operator to repack. If any items are broken, ripped, or defective, place them in the foreign basket. For clothes, you may have to tie a knot in them first. HBA in my store is both Softlines and Hardlines and is called "the Hardlines Baby Aisles". You may be assigned this zone, unless they are the Health and Beauty Aisles at your store. Shopping is when a guest places foreign items in your zone. For shoes and backstock, here is some important info: Shoes will have empty boxes because sometimes shoes are taken from their boxes to be moved to the display. If that happens, take the empty box to the trash located in the backroom by the travel aisles. Then, take the empty basket back to the sales floor and put it away. For backstock, take the items that are too loaded on the sales floor (say for example there's 10 shirts on the table and they're toppling over each other.) Take a few of them back to the backroom (Softlines backroom by the Men's/Electronics aisles) and then place it on a flat rolling bin and label it as backstock and take it over to the appropriate (labelled) zone backroom location. Don't be afraid to ask questions though! More than likely, a more experienced member of your team will be wanting you to ask questions instead of silently suffering. Hope this helps!
Refer to this thread for more detailed information on zoning:
https://www.thebreakroom.org/threads/softlines.25/
