Archived Recognizing REDCards

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Does anyone else think it's silly that a primary means of recognizing team members who get a REDCard is to announce it over the walkie? None of the cashiers in my store have a walkie -- so they can't even hear it. But guests all over the store can hear it, and that must leave a less than stellar impression. I would be annoyed as a guest if I kept hearing all this emphasis on REDCard this and REDCard that. I already know I'm gonna get pitched to death when I get to the register, why would I want to hear all that banter while I'm shopping too?

I just think it's silly and that a more authentic and meaningful recognition should be established. Don't know what that would be other than a sincere thank you and job well done, but surely there must be SOMETHING.

Discuss?
 
I feel the same way about announcing it that way. I know also that it is a losing battle. So the option as I see it, is how it is announced over the walkie. By saying "Sally Sue just helped a guest save 5% today!" sounds much better and may help create a dialog. I agree that the cashiers do not get the recognition because they cannot hear it. Why not have a dry erase board by the time clock with daily red card results? Like Thursdays Red Card Warriors -Sally-3, Jenni -1 ext. that way the cashiers can see their contributions
I just cringe when I am in another Target and I hear "Jim just got another Red Card". If a guest overhears it that way they know they are in for "the pitch" when they checkout
 
Back in the original Red Card days, my store would overhead with the count of every credit app for the day with "Target 1"..."Target 2"
 
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Our store tries to make sure they are by the cashier when they do the recognition, so they can hear it. But what always drove me nuts when I was still up front was when the ETL's would try to do pep talks about getting more red cards, and if they were trying to bribe with prizes, when like most stores, there are no walkies up front.
 
I feel the same way about announcing it that way. I know also that it is a losing battle. So the option as I see it, is how it is announced over the walkie. By saying "Sally Sue just helped a guest save 5% today!" sounds much better and may help create a dialog. I agree that the cashiers do not get the recognition because they cannot hear it. Why not have a dry erase board by the time clock with daily red card results? Like Thursdays Red Card Warriors -Sally-3, Jenni -1 ext. that way the cashiers can see their contributions
I just cringe when I am in another Target and I hear "Jim just got another Red Card". If a guest overhears it that way they know they are in for "the pitch" when they checkout

I think that is such a great idea!
 
I feel the same way about announcing it that way. I know also that it is a losing battle. So the option as I see it, is how it is announced over the walkie. By saying "Sally Sue just helped a guest save 5% today!" sounds much better and may help create a dialog. I agree that the cashiers do not get the recognition because they cannot hear it. Why not have a dry erase board by the time clock with daily red card results? Like Thursdays Red Card Warriors -Sally-3, Jenni -1 ext. that way the cashiers can see their contributions
I just cringe when I am in another Target and I hear "Jim just got another Red Card". If a guest overhears it that way they know they are in for "the pitch" when they checkout
That is just the BEST way to announce it!

I despise when it is announced as a customer - I hate feeling like nothing more than a number/stat.

i'm actually going to suggest this to our store!!
 
That's how I announce it...it works well for me. There's not many more things more awkward than just being about to ask the guest about the REDCard when the old starts up with,"who's gonna get us our next REDCard...let's keep asking team." Or someone will call for the spider wrap key and the LOD will say, "don't forget to ask them about the service plan." I mean, really?
 
It is beyond silly. I finally started wearing my earpiece on my walkie so that the guests around me wouldn't be bombarded with "Restroom follow up is needed..." followed shortly by "so and so just saved someone 5 percent today and everyday with a red card with the endless woo hoo's being shouted out by over enthusiastic tl's and etl's trying to make it seem like we just scored the game winning touchdown. Nothing like watching guests roll their eyes at how ridiculous spot's guest service has become.
 
Thank God I'm not the only one who realizes this. One my favorites was when a cashier got the first red card of the day around 1pm or so and the GSA announced it and the ETL goes, "Better late then never."
Seriously? Our store has gotten horrible. One of the newest things is, "Our sales is blah blah blah, that puts us down 3,000. So lets vibe and get items in guest carts." Something along those lines. If I heard that while shopping I'd seriously think twice about shopping there. I can put my own things in my cart, thanks.
 
I feel the same way about announcing it that way. I know also that it is a losing battle. So the option as I see it, is how it is announced over the walkie. By saying "Sally Sue just helped a guest save 5% today!" sounds much better and may help create a dialog. I agree that the cashiers do not get the recognition because they cannot hear it. Why not have a dry erase board by the time clock with daily red card results? Like Thursdays Red Card Warriors -Sally-3, Jenni -1 ext. that way the cashiers can see their contributions
I just cringe when I am in another Target and I hear "Jim just got another Red Card". If a guest overhears it that way they know they are in for "the pitch" when they checkout


I'm totally stealing this idea! That is SOOOO much better! I'm glad I posted here, if only to know that I'm not alone. As a GSTL I hate making those announcements and my LOD last night made a comment they weren't hearing me make enough announcements. :/ A valid enough criticism if that's what they want to hear, but that makes me feel like I can at least frame it in less offensive ways. As a guest it drives me NUTS to hear these announcements at other stores.
 
I take issue with the whooping and hollering by every single female ETL present in the store... We have one who does a quick "whoop!" that sounds like a dog's yip. There's another that sounds like the start of a police siren. The male ETL's are usually just like "Yeah! Way to go." and that's that. Sometimes I wonder if I could get away with leading a "Hip-hip-hooray!" over the walkie. -__-;;
 
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I think if they are going to Red Card announcements they should also do ones for attachments in electronics, every time plano sets an aisle, back room completes their cafs, or price change hits their marks.

We're told over and over that Red Cards are part of the job expectations for cashiers so it seems to me if we are going to celebrate their accomplishments we should do the same for everybody else.
 
The difference is that people who use the red cards spend more $$ and thats the bottom line

I understand that but isn't there a subtle shot every time you hear that voice come on the walkie?
"Hey everybody, this poorly paid cashier who is struggling to get enough hours to be able to keep her insurance has just saved a guest 5% on every purchase which will make Spot a lot of money. Meanwhile the rest of you who are working your asses off really don't deserve recognition. Woo Hoo!"
 
Oh I TOTALLY get that! As someone who works logistics I head the whipping boys of the store. Overstocked? flows fault. Understocked? flows fault. Food in break room gone? flows fault. No hours? flows fault. Things in wrong location? flows fault. Bathrooms a mess? flows fault.But great job closing team for getting out on time! (meanwhile flow finished all 15 carts of reship from last night, no recognition)Like I said to begin I hate that we say it over the walkie and are congratulating team members who will never hear it because they don't wear walkies.
 
I was actually just talking about this with my stl yesterday... After eight, i repeat, eight, team leaders and ETL's congratulated a cashier for getting one red card. Now we're hopefully going to make the recognition shorter and the only one who should be responding with a congratulations is the LOD.
 
I was actually just talking about this with my stl yesterday... After eight, i repeat, eight, team leaders and ETL's congratulated a cashier for getting one red card. Now we're hopefully going to make the recognition shorter and the only one who should be responding with a congratulations is the LOD.

This is especially fun when you need to call out a phone call but can't get through because people won't shut up.
 
Oh I TOTALLY get that! As someone who works logistics I head the whipping boys of the store. Overstocked? flows fault. Understocked? flows fault. Food in break room gone? flows fault. No hours? flows fault. Things in wrong location? flows fault. Bathrooms a mess? flows fault.But great job closing team for getting out on time! (meanwhile flow finished all 15 carts of reship from last night, no recognition)Like I said to begin I hate that we say it over the walkie and are congratulating team members who will never hear it because they don't wear walkies.

This a hundred times. I ran the Flow team and hated hearing everybody's negative comments about my team. :p
 
I think if they are going to Red Card announcements they should also do ones for attachments in electronics, every time plano sets an aisle, back room completes their cafs, or price change hits their marks.

We're told over and over that Red Cards are part of the job expectations for cashiers so it seems to me if we are going to celebrate their accomplishments we should do the same for everybody else.


Ha! In my store we DO make announcements for attachments in electronics - which is hilarious because most of the year there's only one person scheduled back there. But the STL holds the hoop, we all just jump through it.
 
I always blame the flow team but in a joking manner. I'm in an ULV store where almost everyone is on flow for a couple hours.
 
This is especially fun when you need to call out a phone call but can't get through because people won't shut up.

If I had eight members of leadership congratulating a single cashier for a redcard, I'd be tempted to go over the intercom to announce phone calls.
 
Why not have a dry erase board by the time clock with daily red card results? Like Thursdays Red Card Warriors -Sally-3, Jenni -1 ext. that way the cashiers can see their contributions

We actually have a board at my store in the hallway outside one of the ETL's offices (at the entrance to TSC basically) that shows counts like that. They're also usually announced over Walkie as something along the lines of "Karen just helped the first guest of the day save 5% today and everyday" which is a bit less silly than some of the other options mentioned. The congratulations can go on for a bit though which can get aggravating, not much to be done about it though unless some sort of rule is implemented.
 
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