I'm Lost! No More GSAs...? What are they now?
I just want to share how our store has handled the 'new mod' we were a pilot store and have had pretty good results. Some hiccups, but mostly good stuff.
First let's kill the myth that Target is asking advocates to do more work/responsibility with no pay increase... it has increased... and continues to increase to $15. GSAs for a couple years now have not made anymore than base pay. With the incentive that it was better hours and a POTENTIAL stepping stone. Now we have opened that stepping stone up for any S&E TM it's fair game. If you can show me potential & dedication we will develop a deeper understanding of the business with you. (Although we talk to all of our advocates about the business, if they seem uninterested then that's a red flag. SO there's that/
First thing is the S&E TL (or anyone that wants to show initiative) needs to start using the new terms (S&E TL, advocate, FOS attendant) Service advocate and checklane advocate are the roles you are playing THAT DAY but FOS TMs are ALL Guest Advocates. Gently remind and correct the team from using older terms. So if someone says "I'm a cart attendant I can't run register" or "I'm just a cashier, I'm not interested in opening the front" you can lean in on the new culture and gently remind "We are ALL guest advocates and while you might be doing a carts SHIFT, you are still expected to be a well rounded TM" and without skipping a beat add "I understand you might not feel prepared but that's what I'm here for, I'm going to make sure you have the toolset required to do a great job." BOOM.
Try not to fall down the trap of trying to equate new titles to old jobs... they are NEW, and no need to confuse the new hires with talk of "HoW wE uSeD tO Do iT"
Next, former GSAs, deserve to have a 1-on-1 with the TL. It should be explained "We are not demoting you. You were seen as a higher level TM before and we still see you that way, even if there is no specific title. We are going to need your help getting the entire team up to your level and you'll be recognized for your work" If you were a GSA that was interested in development you need to understand, you'll have to take these changes in stride and be a helping hand in making them work... store leadership is only interested in people who "just make it work" and that they can count on to get the job/project done. Again you have the right to complain just don't belly ache to your leaders,my moto is "don't complain, unless you can offer a workable solution."
NOTE: There were some GSAs who I for sure did not think were GSA material but I came into my store with them already in role.. during the new OPS MOD I also had a talk with them "Hey, we've been talking about your performance in the past and I still haven't seen the improvement that I would have expected you to make. Lot's of new TMs are going to be coming in and trained, and we are elevating the rest of the team to "GSA" level so there are going be some that are going to outshine you unless you step it up." And I've followed through with that either terming some old GSA for poor performance, and some are only suited to be schedule mid day when they don't play a crucial role other than running a register.
We don't get training hours to elevate the team. So we have to be creative with how we spend our time as teams and team leaders to coach our teams.
Most former GSAs and outstanding advocates (even one great new hire) were Identified as "Trainers" with name badges and all. They are the people that I would pass out training guides to follow (follow by the book). First week of roll out the TLs did "Train the Trainers" then 2nd week we began training the team.
We started with our weakest TMs. Pulled them to SCO and trained them there. "TELL,SHOW,DO,REVIEW" Up their level of guest interaction, get them comfortable with troubleshooting equipment, taught them how to add/remove money from the machine. How to do service recovery. And most importantly make them self sufficient learn how to make a right decision without needing validation from a TL.
Once everyone on the team was on the same level at the checklanes (managing cash/coin, troubleshooting, self-sufficient, using myCheckout,) and we validated with every TL things like "what is 1+1?" "How would you call for backup? What about when no one responds?" "how would you fix XYZ for a guest" --- after that --- then we began pulling the team off 1-by-1 to cover drive ups. Because there is time away from the guest in this role. During this time we spent time training at the service desk, running orders outside, and teaching them how to "watch" the front. Except we called it how to manage the front, because just watching is wrong and we specifically said "watching is a waste of payroll and we don't want watcher we want doers" Meaning you are doing brand recovery, replenishment, engaging with guests that walk by etc.... HERE'S THE MAGIC once you get to this point, and have pulled every TM out and done this lesson and reviewed with them and validated. (by having them run the front for and hour)... once you get here ...NO ONE PERSON NEEDS TO RUN THE FRONT. They are all collectively running the front, answering their own questions, cleaning their own reshop before 15s, walking out and inviting guests in. AT THIS POINT the S&E TL spends time keeping up this expectation not letting the team falter. Really drill into specific improvements that an advocate can make. Roll play during a slow period. share news (there's always news NPS scores, new changes etc)
Finally, you start sending advocates to cover breaks at the service desk (this is how TMs will be identified as ready to cover a full shift there.
You'll notice some TM won't catch on... work with them harder! Make it work, try your best to make them learn.. if they still can't then a conversation needs to be had about performance with the ETL possible term. You have to try your best and so do they.
Identify capable TMs to open and close but all TMs need to be trained on this and TMs after their 2 weeks or 30 days need to be trained on it. There will be the right TM for the job but all need to be ready to step in and do it....
it's gonna take some time and you've got to be positive but real with your selves/team but its doable and not a crazy unrealistic thing .. these are all adults fully capable of these tasks for a very fair pay
First let's kill the myth that Target is asking advocates to do more work/responsibility with no pay increase... it has increased... and continues to increase to $15. GSAs for a couple years now have not made anymore than base pay. With the incentive that it was better hours and a POTENTIAL stepping stone. Now we have opened that stepping stone up for any S&E TM it's fair game. If you can show me potential & dedication we will develop a deeper understanding of the business with you. (Although we talk to all of our advocates about the business, if they seem uninterested then that's a red flag. SO there's that/
First thing is the S&E TL (or anyone that wants to show initiative) needs to start using the new terms (S&E TL, advocate, FOS attendant) Service advocate and checklane advocate are the roles you are playing THAT DAY but FOS TMs are ALL Guest Advocates. Gently remind and correct the team from using older terms. So if someone says "I'm a cart attendant I can't run register" or "I'm just a cashier, I'm not interested in opening the front" you can lean in on the new culture and gently remind "We are ALL guest advocates and while you might be doing a carts SHIFT, you are still expected to be a well rounded TM" and without skipping a beat add "I understand you might not feel prepared but that's what I'm here for, I'm going to make sure you have the toolset required to do a great job." BOOM.
Try not to fall down the trap of trying to equate new titles to old jobs... they are NEW, and no need to confuse the new hires with talk of "HoW wE uSeD tO Do iT"
Next, former GSAs, deserve to have a 1-on-1 with the TL. It should be explained "We are not demoting you. You were seen as a higher level TM before and we still see you that way, even if there is no specific title. We are going to need your help getting the entire team up to your level and you'll be recognized for your work" If you were a GSA that was interested in development you need to understand, you'll have to take these changes in stride and be a helping hand in making them work... store leadership is only interested in people who "just make it work" and that they can count on to get the job/project done. Again you have the right to complain just don't belly ache to your leaders,my moto is "don't complain, unless you can offer a workable solution."
NOTE: There were some GSAs who I for sure did not think were GSA material but I came into my store with them already in role.. during the new OPS MOD I also had a talk with them "Hey, we've been talking about your performance in the past and I still haven't seen the improvement that I would have expected you to make. Lot's of new TMs are going to be coming in and trained, and we are elevating the rest of the team to "GSA" level so there are going be some that are going to outshine you unless you step it up." And I've followed through with that either terming some old GSA for poor performance, and some are only suited to be schedule mid day when they don't play a crucial role other than running a register.
We don't get training hours to elevate the team. So we have to be creative with how we spend our time as teams and team leaders to coach our teams.
Most former GSAs and outstanding advocates (even one great new hire) were Identified as "Trainers" with name badges and all. They are the people that I would pass out training guides to follow (follow by the book). First week of roll out the TLs did "Train the Trainers" then 2nd week we began training the team.
We started with our weakest TMs. Pulled them to SCO and trained them there. "TELL,SHOW,DO,REVIEW" Up their level of guest interaction, get them comfortable with troubleshooting equipment, taught them how to add/remove money from the machine. How to do service recovery. And most importantly make them self sufficient learn how to make a right decision without needing validation from a TL.
Once everyone on the team was on the same level at the checklanes (managing cash/coin, troubleshooting, self-sufficient, using myCheckout,) and we validated with every TL things like "what is 1+1?" "How would you call for backup? What about when no one responds?" "how would you fix XYZ for a guest" --- after that --- then we began pulling the team off 1-by-1 to cover drive ups. Because there is time away from the guest in this role. During this time we spent time training at the service desk, running orders outside, and teaching them how to "watch" the front. Except we called it how to manage the front, because just watching is wrong and we specifically said "watching is a waste of payroll and we don't want watcher we want doers" Meaning you are doing brand recovery, replenishment, engaging with guests that walk by etc.... HERE'S THE MAGIC once you get to this point, and have pulled every TM out and done this lesson and reviewed with them and validated. (by having them run the front for and hour)... once you get here ...NO ONE PERSON NEEDS TO RUN THE FRONT. They are all collectively running the front, answering their own questions, cleaning their own reshop before 15s, walking out and inviting guests in. AT THIS POINT the S&E TL spends time keeping up this expectation not letting the team falter. Really drill into specific improvements that an advocate can make. Roll play during a slow period. share news (there's always news NPS scores, new changes etc)
Finally, you start sending advocates to cover breaks at the service desk (this is how TMs will be identified as ready to cover a full shift there.
You'll notice some TM won't catch on... work with them harder! Make it work, try your best to make them learn.. if they still can't then a conversation needs to be had about performance with the ETL possible term. You have to try your best and so do they.
Identify capable TMs to open and close but all TMs need to be trained on this and TMs after their 2 weeks or 30 days need to be trained on it. There will be the right TM for the job but all need to be ready to step in and do it....
it's gonna take some time and you've got to be positive but real with your selves/team but its doable and not a crazy unrealistic thing .. these are all adults fully capable of these tasks for a very fair pay
we have a OPU TM that runs driveups out and acts as double coverage at service desk and keeps the brand up at the FOS.
We were a store that was selected for the "fulfillment investment hours" so where all stores get these hours for highvolume weeks like labor day, or christmas we get them every week
- Joined
- Oct 13, 2019
- Messages
- 10
Our guest service people are to do drive ups, but if we are too busy we have to call for someone to come up and get them. Problem we have is certain people absolutely refuses do even do drive ups at all.
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2019
- Messages
- 165
I need a vacation... can I come advocate at your store and stop all of my SETL stuff and entire stores workload??? I DON’T KNOW HOW these SETLS are getting away with doing nothing, bare minimum effort, I need one of them to train me. 😂
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2019
- Messages
- 165
My store too, but haven’t noticed anything but work doubling and hours sliced.
Dog
Former TL ૮ ･ ﻌ･ა
- Joined
- Jan 4, 2018
- Messages
- 1,608
SETLs really do nothing at my store lol mine used to always give me shit for “not watching the front” when she was literally in the building
Marcellow
No and that’s final
- Joined
- Apr 5, 2017
- Messages
- 365
Well come on down! 😁
- Joined
- Nov 27, 2015
- Messages
- 3,223
Here's the thing though. At the end of the day, people still want someone to be in charge. It doesn't matter if they know how to do things, they still want someone to be in charge, that can give authority to those times when there are questions or nasty guests or whatever.
If the GSTL is not in the building and there are no GSAs anymore, there is still someone who is in charge so to speak. So yes I'm a cashier that bosses around other cashiers. But that's how my store has set it up bc the closing LOD can't be all places at all times.
If the GSTL is not in the building and there are no GSAs anymore, there is still someone who is in charge so to speak. So yes I'm a cashier that bosses around other cashiers. But that's how my store has set it up bc the closing LOD can't be all places at all times.
Last edited:
- Joined
- Jul 24, 2018
- Messages
- 521
Are you training tms to step in? It's simple stuff.
