Archived No longer giving 5% with denied RC apps?

[KingBear]

I know, I know, ASANTS, but considering my ETL-GE assured me this was "a big corporate thing" I wanted to see if anyone else has run into this.

Basically, word came from a fellow GSA (if you see my posts in TToTM, it's the bossy prick one) in 48-pt font in an email that we're no longer giving the 5% discount to people who apply for a redcard but aren't immediately approved, and that we're not giving the 5% discount if their RC is declined at the register and they use a different card (which has happened a lot at my store with the transition to chip-and-pin -- a lot of deactivated old ones, a lot of people not knowing their PIN, a lot of messes). So I was like "haha what the hell" and I talked with the ETL-GE who claims that Spot's having a run of people who just falsely apply with fake credentials to get the 5% each time they come in the store, without actually ever getting a redcard.

I kinda smell bullshit, because a) why wouldn't AP pick up on this when the ID is scanned more than once, and b) it's not like they're not paying for their goods, although I recognize that a lot of false 5% discounts adds up to a real loss in revenue.

So yeah. Has anyone else heard anything like this? It's not like it matters because they've threatened cashiers and GSAs with an automatic final warning if we give the discount to a guest (ETL-GE claims that Spot's going to be investigating and coming down hard on people who are still doing it) so we're obviously going along with it, but I'd at least appreciate the honest answer of "we're giving away too much every day" if that's all it is.

 

[Sanzano]

This is indeed a "a big corporate thing" and REALLY not something you want to screw around with. The book is getting thrown at people hard right now about these things. Lately company focus has been on improving profit by cutting cost on practices that had a low return on investment in the first place. This would be one of them.

 

[Infinim]

The 5% thing is low on the radar. It's the offering something that shouldn't be offered that's the issue. It's if you have a red card, you get 5%. Not if you apply. AP at your store can't see as much as you think, but the people who watch the ap and the store do. Sooner or later after they add up numerous violations is when they have a full case, and will terminate you. 5% isn't even a drop in the bucket, it's cashiers offering discounts to random people when they aren't suppose to is the big thing.

 

[KingBear]

This is indeed a "a big corporate thing" and REALLY not something you want to screw around with. The book is getting thrown at people hard right now about these things. Lately company focus has been on improving profit by cutting cost on practices that had a low return on investment in the first place. This would be one of them.

That's really all I needed. I just can't trust these guys to save my life, I guess, so that's my bad.

 

[Frontlanegirl]

I haven't heard anything regarding this issue. Then again communication isn't the best working with Spot. What is a couple dollars compared to a basket of food a guest left behind that needed to be defected out because she forgot her wallet.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

My etl says do 5% off & I am doing it...

 

[ChecklaneChica]

I wonder if my store leadership is aware of this...

 

[Xanatos]

This has always been a policy. The 5% discount is for REDcard users only.

 

[BoxCutter]

Lately company focus has been on improving profit by cutting cost on practices that had a low return on investment in the first place.

We were told Spot is eliminating the $3 apology coupons. We will still honor the ones presented (as long as they look legit), but will no longer be handing them out. Instead, the store will have to find another way to make it right for the guest.

 

[Retail Girl]

A couple of years ago they sent down a pretty threatening memo telling stores that only those who used the REDcard would get 5% off, and anyone caught giving 5% to those who were applying or for those whose redcards got declined could be subject to termination. It's never been okay with corporate. It just depends on how often they start threatening people with it.

 

[griezmanns]

This is not totally unrelated but what is expected when the RedCards go down? I remember one Friday night where they just stopped working at my store. Is it not possible to give the five percent then or is that still a possible termination?

 

[Anelmi]

So if this is the case, I anticipate that the GSTL will let us know? Otherwise, if we don't know then we can't really be in trouble for giving the 5%, right? I get RCs with the "we'll get back to you in 7-10 days" all the time. I guess, in my mind, a guest getting $3-5 off isn't near as bad as the extreme couponer or the person who is actively committing fraud and gets away with it but I also don't want to be terminated for such a silly reason.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

If spot would stop raising the red card goals, that would prevent this event from happening.

 

[Retail Girl]

So if this is the case, I anticipate that the GSTL will let us know? Otherwise, if we don't know then we can't really be in trouble for giving the 5%, right? I get RCs with the "we'll get back to you in 7-10 days" all the time. I guess, in my mind, a guest getting $3-5 off isn't near as bad as the extreme couponer or the person who is actively committing fraud and gets away with it but I also don't want to be terminated for such a silly reason.

They would ask you where you got the idea you could give the discount. Because there is nothing in any of Target's writings that this discount is permissible. And then whoever told you it was okay will throw you under the bus.

 

[KingBear]

We were told Spot is eliminating the $3 apology coupons. We will still honor the ones presented (as long as they look legit), but will no longer be handing them out. Instead, the store will have to find another way to make it right for the guest.

Funny -- our apology coupons stopped working at our store. Every single one we scan is like "this isn't a valid coupon, please have the guest call Guest Relations" but we had no idea about any of this so we've just been manually keying it in because, duh, why would our apology coupons stop working?

They would ask you where you got the idea you could give the discount. Because there is nothing in any of Target's writings that this discount is permissible. And then whoever told you it was okay will throw you under the bus.

When I first started, there was a laminated selling guide with talking points and one of them was "If you apply and aren't approved immediately, we can still do the 5% off for this purchase." I mean, I know, that was years ago and things change. I dunno, communication's never been the store's strong spot.

 

[signingminion]

We were told Spot is eliminating the $3 apology coupons. We will still honor the ones presented (as long as they look legit), but will no longer be handing them out. Instead, the store will have to find another way to make it right for the guest.

The memo says a target gc can be issued instead. My guess is they want to track the apology discounts better.

 

[Megaparsec]

The memo says a target gc can be issued instead. My guess is they want to track the apology discounts better.

It's actually just harder to "Make it rain" gift cards than apology coupons...

 

[Retail Girl]

The memo says a target gc can be issued instead. My guess is they want to track the apology discounts better.

Oh, so glad I'm gone for that. My district was trying to control all expenses before I left, so they wouldn't let anyone but the LOD for the day do requisitions. And then AP came along and said no more taking things off as a coupon without an actual coupon. So that means an annoyed guest would have to wait for the LOD to come up and give out the gift card, when there were times I could make it right for the guest by giving them an apology coupon and sending them on their way. So now instead they can piss off the guest and make them wait even longer! Good plan, there.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

The sad is, spot forgot to update the registers. I had a red card & register said, unable to process at this time. Give the guest a apology 3.00 coupon. I gave the guest 5% off for trying, instead.

 

[signingminion]

The sad is, spot forgot to update the registers. I had a red card & register said, unable to process at this time. Give the guest a apology 3.00 coupon. I gave the guest 5% off for trying, instead.

They probably won't update them for ages either.

 

[Bullseyerc]

My store has days where we do TEN percent off even if it doesn't go through. I just listen to my bosses.

 

[MyVibeForAiur]

My store has days where we do TEN percent off even if it doesn't go through. I just listen to my bosses.

I think the upper leadership at my store would dance the can-can naked, shoulder to shoulder, at noon before they handed out any such discount.

 

[mrknownothing]

They probably won't update them for ages either.

And when they do, they'll screw up something else that worked fine. And the registers will crash. Over and over again. All day. FOREVER.

 

[redeye58]

I think the upper leadership at my store would dance the can-can naked, shoulder to shoulder, at noon before they handed out any such discount.

I'd buy a ringside seat to THAT show

 

[Firefox]

I think the upper leadership at my store would dance the can-can naked, shoulder to shoulder, at noon before they handed out any such discount.

What's funny about that is that my leadership would probably dance the can-can naked, shoulder to shoulder, at noon just to GET a Redcard!