Archived No one wants to be me

[Him]

oh, in Texas stores dont have roofs, or Air conditioners. Were you doing your job naked without any shade?

Literally had me on the floor Laughing Out Loud. Seriously @Planosss, you truly missed your calling to be comedian. Either that or one hell of a critic.

 

[tellmeaboutatime]

Did the GSTL thing for almost 10 years, and by the end I totally hated it. All TL positions have their issues. But it was by far physically the easiest. Mentally it did take its toll. I always felt that they had an "out" when they got busy with the additional cashier button. FlowTL, your truck is 3000? Suck it up and get it done. The backroom is packed with clearance and you have to unload a truck? Deal with it. Call off? Try calling someone in at 4am...um that doesn't work. Sales floor TL your endcaps are trashed, and the 2 people you have on the sales floor have been at the lanes all night. Deal with it. 25 carts of reshop, clearance and pulls on the line? Get it done. Front end had a call in, they are going to take one of the 2 sales floor team members. Work harder. GSTL needs a break, cover the lanes. GSTL needs to coach someone, cover the lanes. You need a break, no one covers you. You need to coach a team member. Make it quick. POGTL pull 3 carts of reshop out of an aisle you are setting. Put it away but still get the pog set, filled, researched and signed in the same amount of time. 300 hours of workload. Given 250, make it work. Call offs? Don't replace them we are over on hours. Team on lanes for hours while GSTL is at electronic boat chatting. Need 4 shelves from the fixture room. Good luck you can't even walk in there due to it being a dumping ground for every single person at the store. You get the idea.
I don't want the GSTL job because in my opinion its a glorified babysitter position. But as far as strategy, physicality, and planning it is the bottom rung on the TL ladder. Some people excel at the position. They actually speed weave, coach for performance and manage the front end. Unfortunately that is the exception.

 

[SilentCrow]

I never get that kind of support in my store. Often I could be waiting for back up forever. Mind you we have Dawn of the dead lines. I have never been given a sales floor team member to cover a call out. Had one light on before and that never happened. I also dont get coverage. If I need a break and there is no GSA I'm only getting the mandatory 45 after they argue over who is going to break me since they're all scared to do it. My 15s simply aren't going to happen.

Nice that your GSTL can chat at the boat. I go to pee and my walkie is going off "GSTL location", "who's watching the front!?".

Definitely depends on the store volume. The difficulty of the position drastically changes. I agree physically it's less barring. I do have to run around crazy because we have over 20 registers and about 16 SCOs, but I've worked with the flow team and it's a physical toll. We all have it rough. It depends on the volume and the person when it comes to what is most difficult.

IMO all TLs have it rough. There have been days I seen every TL in the building working like slaves while the ETLs status at Starbucks. At the end of the shift recognition was given to the ETLs. Just lovely.

 

[Kartman]

WHO gave the recognition???

 

[TTGOz]

Our CA's also wave trained as are two of my GSA's

Pssh... I wanna be wave trained!

Working the front end, I've come to realize how important it is to respond to backups, whenever I'm on the floor with nothing or not that much to do I will backup. If I'm just zoning, I'll back up. I've said it before that I probably wouldn't accept a GSTL or GSA position, but you know what? Screw it, if it gives me the push to go onto greater opportunities, then sure, I'll do it.

Just earlier today, someone on my flow team stocked a bunch of baby wipes in their freight package still in a $2.99 spot, guest comes up to SCO with two boxes of 3 each(when they were really suppose to be stocked individually) and says "Huh.. there's no barcode!" and I go "oh, huh, that's weird." and I examine it a little bit, find no barcode, open up the box, scan the barcode on the wipes, rings up for $2.99 for one package of wipes. I start the whole "I'm sorry, I think someone was suppose to stock these individually." and of course I know she's gonna throw a fit, so I close by saying "NOW... I'm not the managerial guy... so let me grab the one that is!" and she goes "Alright."

takes fucking balls to rip someone off like that. Obviously, it's a huge mistake on our part, and morally... if the customer expected it still, the moral thing would be to just give it to her for that price, BUT at the same time it still makes sense that we wouldn't change it. Here's how it went down;

A GSA working a cashier shift walks by, I ask "Hey, are you GSA/GSTL today or is that X?" and he goes "oh no that's X let me grab him for you" and walkies him over and everything. I explain what's happening, the guest pitches in, and he just straight up "nope, sorry. Unfortunately I can't do anything for you." and I'm surprised she didn't get THAT verbally pissed. She asks "Okay, well, is there anything you can do to reprimand me of this mistake?" and again he says "Nope, I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do." and OF COURSE she resorts to "Well, okay, I'll just go buy them again at walmart where it's CHEAPER" and I respond with "haha.. yeah..." and apologize again. (as if that threat even fucking bothers or affects anyone)

I do have to thank her for not being THAT upset and accepting it, but the point is, takes fucking balls and years of not just giving a shit to just do that. I'm glad he's at that point, she shouldn't of gotten it still. Our mistake, yes, we admitted that, but we can't honor that.. most guests don't take that the right way.

So in other words, whatever the workers on the floor stocks wrong, comes back to the front end and resulting in a pissy guest. This time happened to be one of my better times.

 

[SilentCrow]

WHO gave the recognition???

STL over the walkie lol

 

[Kartman]

ETL to ETL

LOL

 

[LUR99]

I could never be a gstl staying in one location of the store would kill me. I like to move.

When I fill in for the GSTL/GSA I get about 17K steps. They don't really stay in one spot.

 

[Flow Warrior]

oh, in Texas stores dont have roofs, or Air conditioners. Were you doing your job naked without any shade?

No thats LA. Don't confuse the two.

 

[Flow Warrior]

Our CAs are wave trained as well. It helps the one BR TM not have to run to the complete opposite end of the store to grab bags/supplies. What's the harm in them grabbing bags when there's enough carts in the cart well?

Bagged supplies have a dedicated on floor spot in the back room.

 

[Flow Warrior]

Lordy... not all of my shifts are as a CA and many times I transition from one workplace to another.

Hence, I'm a CA who is wave trained.

Good for you. However, since we can't seem to keep one for more than six months, they are just that, CAs.

Oh and since you gave me Ramsey shaking a sausage. Here's Ramsey becoming a sausage.

 

[Flow Warrior]

It's not like using the wave is hard. 10 minute training + a few uses to really figure it out.

Never said it was. I have power licenses for 3 different devices including a fork lift (from wal-mart) that however, isn't the point.

 

[Flow Warrior]

Pssh... I wanna be wave trained!

Working the front end, I've come to realize how important it is to respond to backups, whenever I'm on the floor with nothing or not that much to do I will backup. If I'm just zoning, I'll back up. I've said it before that I probably wouldn't accept a GSTL or GSA position, but you know what? Screw it, if it gives me the push to go onto greater opportunities, then sure, I'll do it.

Just earlier today, someone on my flow team stocked a bunch of baby wipes in their freight package still in a $2.99 spot, guest comes up to SCO with two boxes of 3 each(when they were really suppose to be stocked individually) and says "Huh.. there's no barcode!" and I go "oh, huh, that's weird." and I examine it a little bit, find no barcode, open up the box, scan the barcode on the wipes, rings up for $2.99 for one package of wipes. I start the whole "I'm sorry, I think someone was suppose to stock these individually." and of course I know she's gonna throw a fit, so I close by saying "NOW... I'm not the managerial guy... so let me grab the one that is!" and she goes "Alright."

takes fucking balls to rip someone off like that. Obviously, it's a huge mistake on our part, and morally... if the customer expected it still, the moral thing would be to just give it to her for that price, BUT at the same time it still makes sense that we wouldn't change it. Here's how it went down;

A GSA working a cashier shift walks by, I ask "Hey, are you GSA/GSTL today or is that X?" and he goes "oh no that's X let me grab him for you" and walkies him over and everything. I explain what's happening, the guest pitches in, and he just straight up "nope, sorry. Unfortunately I can't do anything for you." and I'm surprised she didn't get THAT verbally pissed. She asks "Okay, well, is there anything you can do to reprimand me of this mistake?" and again he says "Nope, I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do." and OF COURSE she resorts to "Well, okay, I'll just go buy them again at walmart where it's CHEAPER" and I respond with "haha.. yeah..." and apologize again. (as if that threat even fucking bothers or affects anyone)

I do have to thank her for not being THAT upset and accepting it, but the point is, takes fucking balls and years of not just giving a shit to just do that. I'm glad he's at that point, she shouldn't of gotten it still. Our mistake, yes, we admitted that, but we can't honor that.. most guests don't take that the right way.

So in other words, whatever the workers on the floor stocks wrong, comes back to the front end and resulting in a pissy guest. This time happened to be one of my better times.

I tend to agree. The standing rule is 'if the error is under $10 we honor it and solve the problem' Thats $12 but it makes the guest happy so we eat the money then find whose ass we need to rip. Fortunately for us, we don't have that problem unless we get a group of Non retail newbs.

Ours are the ads left up that someone forgot to pull down, the price changes not done on the shelf but done in the system etc

 

[glo]

Never said it was. I have power licenses for 3 different devices including a fork lift (from wal-mart) that however, isn't the point.

That's exactly the point. The CA using the wave just a couple times will recoup that 10 minutes spent to train him for the BR TM.
What you're saying is that no one should be cross trained in anything that isn't absolutely necessary. Why train any TM that isn't BR to pull batches? That's the BR TM's job, who cares about how much time they have, right?

 

[Planosss]

Pssh... I wanna be wave trained!

Working the front end, I've come to realize how important it is to respond to backups, whenever I'm on the floor with nothing or not that much to do I will backup. If I'm just zoning, I'll back up. I've said it before that I probably wouldn't accept a GSTL or GSA position, but you know what? Screw it, if it gives me the push to go onto greater opportunities, then sure, I'll do it.

Just earlier today, someone on my flow team stocked a bunch of baby wipes in their freight package still in a $2.99 spot, guest comes up to SCO with two boxes of 3 each(when they were really suppose to be stocked individually) and says "Huh.. there's no barcode!" and I go "oh, huh, that's weird." and I examine it a little bit, find no barcode, open up the box, scan the barcode on the wipes, rings up for $2.99 for one package of wipes. I start the whole "I'm sorry, I think someone was suppose to stock these individually." and of course I know she's gonna throw a fit, so I close by saying "NOW... I'm not the managerial guy... so let me grab the one that is!" and she goes "Alright."

takes fucking balls to rip someone off like that. Obviously, it's a huge mistake on our part, and morally... if the customer expected it still, the moral thing would be to just give it to her for that price, BUT at the same time it still makes sense that we wouldn't change it. Here's how it went down;

A GSA working a cashier shift walks by, I ask "Hey, are you GSA/GSTL today or is that X?" and he goes "oh no that's X let me grab him for you" and walkies him over and everything. I explain what's happening, the guest pitches in, and he just straight up "nope, sorry. Unfortunately I can't do anything for you." and I'm surprised she didn't get THAT verbally pissed. She asks "Okay, well, is there anything you can do to reprimand me of this mistake?" and again he says "Nope, I'm sorry, there's nothing we can do." and OF COURSE she resorts to "Well, okay, I'll just go buy them again at walmart where it's CHEAPER" and I respond with "haha.. yeah..." and apologize again. (as if that threat even fucking bothers or affects anyone)

I do have to thank her for not being THAT upset and accepting it, but the point is, takes fucking balls and years of not just giving a shit to just do that. I'm glad he's at that point, she shouldn't of gotten it still. Our mistake, yes, we admitted that, but we can't honor that.. most guests don't take that the right way.

So in other words, whatever the workers on the floor stocks wrong, comes back to the front end and resulting in a pissy guest. This time happened to be one of my better times.

I am glad things are working out for you at target, at this rate youll be an ETL in no time, who knows, maybe a CE

 

[Kartman]

we can't seem to keep one for more than six months

I've never seen one last more than a month.

 

[LUR99]

I've never seen one last more than a month.

Ours last forever. One of them has been with us for 15 years! The others have been with us 3 years and 1 year. I honestly think they should be the same pay rate as flow!
Getting carts all day in 100 degree heat, below freezing and pouring down rain deserves more than what cashiers and Salesfloor make. Our CA are amazing! I call them for a vomit clean up and they respond right away with a smile on their face while I am trying to hold my lunch in. Someone has explosive diarrhea all over the bathroom? They respond right away and get it cleaned up without complaining. We call for back up at the lanes? They help out with that as well.

 

[TTGOz]

I am glad things are working out for you at target, at this rate youll be an ETL in no time, who knows, maybe a CE

Hahahaha thanks, man. It's definitely an interest in me possibly, unfortunately, I must pursue a degree, which I plan to start. Then the whole ETL-Intern thing and Recruitment etc. Hell, if I don't have to move more than 60 miles away from my home, then I'll do it. Although, I have been interested in other pursuits which could yield the same salary + more in other fields. Car Sales/Owning a new car dealership is one of them, another might be Cyber Security, and other various things here and there that might benefit from a Business/Sales degree.

I've expressed my desire to move up in the ranks with my ETL-GE and a few team leads in different areas of the store. They all seem to understand my desire, but I have noticed slight things in attempt to... develop me? Perhaps? I've been offered to work an overnight shift in demerching our entire grocery section for whatever reason, and I took it. I've been asked to stay late to help in departments that need help that I may or may not have worked very much in, and have been getting shifts in other work centers. I can't tell what my future is at Target, but perhaps it'll be smart for me to stay with Target during my years in college.

Has any ETLs or TLs ever been hired earning or doing a degree instead of already having one? Might make or break my career at Target.

 

[HRZone]

? I've been offered to work an overnight shift in demerching our entire grocery section for whatever reason, and I took it.

This was so the vendor could clean the refridgerators. Every store had this.

 

[TTGOz]

This was so the vendor could clean the refridgerators. Every store had this.

Oh damn, that makes sense then. I'll have to get more info next time in though to see what we're specifically doing involving that. I was just told "hey we're looking for 12 people to do an overnight demerching grocery, you wanna do it?" and left it at "yes"

 

[HRZone]

Oh damn, that makes sense then. I'll have to get more info next time in though to see what we're specifically doing involving that. I was just told "hey we're looking for 12 people to do an overnight demerching grocery, you wanna do it?" and left it at "yes"

Yup 3 shifts right

5 people 10 to 630. 2 people 11 to 730 and 5 people 4 to 8 or so

 

[TTGOz]

Yup 3 shifts right

5 people 10 to 630. 2 people 11 to 730 and 5 people 4 to 8 or so

Yup, it's two shifts for my store, 10-6:30 or 11-7:30, I think I'm getting a 10pm starting shift.

 

[SilentCrow]

Hahahaha thanks, man. It's definitely an interest in me possibly, unfortunately, I must pursue a degree, which I plan to start. Then the whole ETL-Intern thing and Recruitment etc. Hell, if I don't have to move more than 60 miles away from my home, then I'll do it. Although, I have been interested in other pursuits which could yield the same salary + more in other fields. Car Sales/Owning a new car dealership is one of them, another might be Cyber Security, and other various things here and there that might benefit from a Business/Sales degree.

I've expressed my desire to move up in the ranks with my ETL-GE and a few team leads in different areas of the store. They all seem to understand my desire, but I have noticed slight things in attempt to... develop me? Perhaps? I've been offered to work an overnight shift in demerching our entire grocery section for whatever reason, and I took it. I've been asked to stay late to help in departments that need help that I may or may not have worked very much in, and have been getting shifts in other work centers. I can't tell what my future is at Target, but perhaps it'll be smart for me to stay with Target during my years in college.

Has any ETLs or TLs ever been hired earning or doing a degree instead of already having one? Might make or break my career at Target.

They hire ETLs without degrees too. There isn't a set rule really as far as I can tell. I know having a degree increases your chances, but it's still possible without one.

I think they're toning down the straight out of college hiring. More often than not, it doesn't work out. You should talk to your STL though.

 

[GSSUPREME]

GSTL is very difficult. I know it sounds ridiculous and whatever, but it gets so exhausting dealing with guests and a massive team, among about 500 other things in a single shift. However, try doing that and Starbucks together! What a horror show! I’ve done it, and it is not fun! On top of all of the policies and processes up front I have to know, I also need to know Starbucks and the 1,000 plus drink combinations. Plus food safety, plus added team members on my alignment. I probably had almost 30 up front alone, plus another 8 to 10 at Starbucks. Starbucks is a whole other beast to deal with. It’s not fun trying to do both, when one is sinking so my attention needs to be pulled from the other to deal with it. It really was not fair to either of my teams to have to put up with.

 

[TTGOz]

GSTL is very difficult. I know it sounds ridiculous and whatever, but it gets so exhausting dealing with guests and a massive team, among about 500 other things in a single shift. However, try doing that and Starbucks together! What a horror show! I’ve done it, and it is not fun! On top of all of the policies and processes up front I have to know, I also need to know Starbucks and the 1,000 plus drink combinations. Plus food safety, plus added team members on my alignment. I probably had almost 30 up front alone, plus another 8 to 10 at Starbucks. Starbucks is a whole other beast to deal with. It’s not fun trying to do both, when one is sinking so my attention needs to be pulled from the other to deal with it. It really was not fair to either of my teams to have to put up with.

Damn, my store has a TL for Food Ave and sbux combined, I'm actually really surprised you were put in charge of sbux while having to deal with a whole front end. I kind of want to call shame onto your store for doing that, your case is pretty severe and unique. Did you ever talk to your ETL-GE and STL about getting your Food area TL to take in sbux?