Archived Redcards... HELP!

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Hey Everyone!

So I've posted a couple times on here, and I've spent the last two hours reading as much as I could on previous threads but I want to get some serious feedback.

Brief Intro... I've been with T for about 3 months now (with a lot of previous retail experience, especially sales and guest service) as a GSTL. I love my job so far and this is my first time in a leadership position. I've walked into a bit of a tough situation, as I am the only GSTL in my store and I only have two GSAs. My team is having a really tough time in general, a lot of them have serious attendance issues, everyone gets "sick" constantly (even while they're working), the morale seems pretty low, and to top it off, our conversion is just plain rotten :-/.

I am actually trying to become an ETL, so I am learning a lot right now and I am trying to grow and adapt as much as possible. I am a highly positive person and luckily one of my strengths is motivating others. However, I have a team that only performs when they are being monitored second to second. I AM NOT a micromanager. I have hated this from previous managers in the past and I know how it feels, especially when you are working your butt off with no appreciation, so my goal is to have self-sufficient cashiers that don't need babysitting. (Please note that I rarely leave the front end, so I am ALWAYS available and within 30 ft of the registers, so I am not an absent leader.)

I need some ideas about how to get my cashiers to offer redcards and explain the full benefits, without constantly giving them physical rewards. I disagree with conditioning them to constantly want a prize, and I am very adamant about praising them (I give them high fives, congratulate them, call them out over the walkie while they are nearby so they can hear the woohoos, and I do not ever ever say "now get me more!")!

I have already spent a lot of time with each cashier giving them tips, role playing both as a guest and as a cashier, explaining expectations, answering questions, showing them week after week of their individual and our stores conversion scores, you name it... but the only way they seem to do what they need to is if I hang over their shoulders. (We have climbed from a 1.2 to a 2.0 since I started, but I was gone for ONE week and we went from a 2.7 to a 1.3 :-///)

I have even made it a point to back up cashier constantly (something they requested I do when I asked during my WTV), take over their lines if they want to sign someone up, and I consistently get Redcards to show them that I hold myself to the same expectations.

Sorry for all the info, I just want everyone to see that I'm coming from a point where I don't know where else to turn. The low reliability added to the low morale makes it incredibly difficult to motivate, unless I promise them riches or stand over them (which frankly, I have no time for since I am doing about 3 peoples jobs right now :-(... ). Any advice would help because we are DEAD last in our group and we are getting constant visits and phone calls over our conversion. I want my cashiers to love coming to work, but also know they have a job to do!



Thanks guys!!
 
First, I would say just keeping on pushing the way that you are. At some point the hard work should pay off and the culture at your store will change. That being said, I would look at a few things:
1) Are all of the GSAs performing equally? In other words, does one drive and get a bunch of cards and another does not? If this is the case, spend time helping to course correct with the one that is struggling.
2) Take a look at the schedule. You cannot take away hours from tms that don't perform, but you can ensure that your best performers are not all on/off at the same time. Spread out the great performers so that everyone gets excited when there are redcards coming in. It might motivate others to be a part of the excitement for the day.
3) Use the great performers to be teachers. Put them on the lane behind those that are struggling and let them listen to the great things the top sellers are using to get apps.

I agree that you do not want to give them a prize everytime they a redcard. It is still fun to do some type of contest for the course of a week or month though. Maybe you can put out a goal of 2.5% for the team and have something they can all do to celebrate if they achieve it for a month (i.e a store bbq or pizza party) Just chat with your ETL-GE and STL to get this arranged.

My team thinks it is fun to have the ETLs do something when the team meets a goal. An ETL can cover a break for a cashier, get a pie in the face, sing a song, wear a goofy hat, etc. This is more fun than a "prize" and might help with morale. Of course, that is assuming you have a group of ETLs that would participate.

Hope something here helps a little. Good luck and keep on keepin' on.
 
i think your main problem here is that you walked into a situation where there was not any accountability before and you're dealing with that.
How are your gsa's? can you count on them to do things when you're not there? If not i would start there and get them on the same page.

Otherwise i would start with having a conversation with every single cashier and setting your expectations for them and go over their core roles. After this you need to start holding them accountable and holding them to those expectations. It's not acceptable for them not to be doing what they should if you're not standing there. We're going through this right now and our DTL has given up a higher turnover goal for this year because we're trying to get ourselves a team that is focused on guest service and redcards which we do not have right now. Since we have started doing coachings and holding cashiers accountable our conversion score has gone WAY up and our call-ins have gone way down. My cashiers know that I am fair. I am consistent. I don't take any bs. but i will be your biggest fighter if you have my back too. So when they bring me drama or they do something they shouldn't be doing they know that I am going to be fair across the board but they aren't going to get away with it.

On another note we try not to do too many prizes for redcards because we want them to remember that it's part of their core roles but we do do games and prizes once in awhile. One of our biggest conversion drivers as far as games/contests go is we split the frontend and salesfloor up into teams with each team having an ETL and GSTl/GSA as a leader and have a contest to see who can get the most cards in a week or two. I don't know why but they love it and we our score always goes up. We do that about once every two months or so and always have different teams.

If i can help in any other way please let me know!
 
First, I would say just keeping on pushing the way that you are. At some point the hard work should pay off and the culture at your store will change. That being said, I would look at a few things:
1) Are all of the GSAs performing equally? In other words, does one drive and get a bunch of cards and another does not? If this is the case, spend time helping to course correct with the one that is struggling.
2) Take a look at the schedule. You cannot take away hours from tms that don't perform, but you can ensure that your best performers are not all on/off at the same time. Spread out the great performers so that everyone gets excited when there are redcards coming in. It might motivate others to be a part of the excitement for the day.
3) Use the great performers to be teachers. Put them on the lane behind those that are struggling and let them listen to the great things the top sellers are using to get apps.

I agree that you do not want to give them a prize everytime they a redcard. It is still fun to do some type of contest for the course of a week or month though. Maybe you can put out a goal of 2.5% for the team and have something they can all do to celebrate if they achieve it for a month (i.e a store bbq or pizza party) Just chat with your ETL-GE and STL to get this arranged.

My team thinks it is fun to have the ETLs do something when the team meets a goal. An ETL can cover a break for a cashier, get a pie in the face, sing a song, wear a goofy hat, etc. This is more fun than a "prize" and might help with morale. Of course, that is assuming you have a group of ETLs that would participate.

Hope something here helps a little. Good luck and keep on keepin' on.

all great ideas too! our team loves when the ETL's take a pie, or wear a silly hat around, or do the chicken dance at huddle. :)
 
Thanks for the reply! I actually really like the idea of using the ETLs :) I think some of them would definitely have fun with that.

As far as my GSAs go, without being too specific on here, I am struggling with their performances as well. I've tried to get to know them, see what they want to achieve with Target, give them my HOORAHS and support, however, one is a temporary and the other is great at tasks but has difficulty with motivating.

I have run a couple raffles and tried some competitions, but most of the cashiers get frustrated because we have a couple people who consistently rock it with Redcards and even when I do raffles, or spur of the moment prizes, they aren't happy for long. Unfortunately in my store, as I'm sure it is with many other stores, I do not have enough people to get cashiers off the register to watch myself or those top performers demonstrate how they do it. I've tried teaming up with my ETLs, TLs and sales floor to get coverage so I can do this, but everyone always has other things to do.

Like I said, I really enjoy my job so far, I just feel a little lost...

But I will definitely talk to them about getting the ETLs involved. I LOVE that idea!

:)
 
Thanks for the reply! I actually really like the idea of using the ETLs :) I think some of them would definitely have fun with that.

As far as my GSAs go, without being too specific on here, I am struggling with their performances as well. I've tried to get to know them, see what they want to achieve with Target, give them my HOORAHS and support, however, one is a temporary and the other is great at tasks but has difficulty with motivating.

I have run a couple raffles and tried some competitions, but most of the cashiers get frustrated because we have a couple people who consistently rock it with Redcards and even when I do raffles, or spur of the moment prizes, they aren't happy for long. Unfortunately in my store, as I'm sure it is with many other stores, I do not have enough people to get cashiers off the register to watch myself or those top performers demonstrate how they do it. I've tried teaming up with my ETLs, TLs and sales floor to get coverage so I can do this, but everyone always has other things to do.

Like I said, I really enjoy my job so far, I just feel a little lost...

But I will definitely talk to them about getting the ETLs involved. I LOVE that idea!

:)

even if you can't get them off a lane put them on a lane in front of or behind a top performer and they'll here how they do it during their shift and hopefully get some ideas!
 
Is your store doing huddles for the cashiers? If not, this would be good for two reasons...first, all tms are supposed to attend huddle. Second, it give you a chance to train and inform without guests. I would be lying if I said my store is great at this, but when we succeed with these huddles, it is because we do it right after the main huddle. We send the sales floor to cover the lanes for the next 10ish minutes and do the cashier huddle. It might be another way to drive a message and even help engage other leaders.
 
Thanks redandkhaki! Like I said to YepanSTL, one GSA is a temp, and intends to leave soon, and the other is more of a tasker, but I'm working with that one constantly and things have improved slightly. I've done a few competitions that tend to only get a couple cashiers excited, and I just started up something new and I've gotten Pharmacy on board and I've partnered with Electronics... so I'm hoping things will start looking up.

We are currently handing out coachings left and right, we had each cashier sign their core roles as an understanding and agreement of their expectations, and we are going to start performance coachings as well (we have maybe two cashiers that are consistently green, and quite a few that have had a 0 for something like 10+ weeks... it's pretty bad). Tis rough stuff over here!
 
Is your store doing huddles for the cashiers? If not, this would be good for two reasons...first, all tms are supposed to attend huddle. Second, it give you a chance to train and inform without guests. I would be lying if I said my store is great at this, but when we succeed with these huddles, it is because we do it right after the main huddle. We send the sales floor to cover the lanes for the next 10ish minutes and do the cashier huddle. It might be another way to drive a message and even help engage other leaders.

Actually, when I started as a GSTL I asked for more huddles so my cashiers would feel included. It happened a couple of times and then didn't :-(. I supposed I just have to keep prodding my leaders for the assistance.
 
Thanks for the reply! I actually really like the idea of using the ETLs :) I think some of them would definitely have fun with that.

As far as my GSAs go, without being too specific on here, I am struggling with their performances as well. I've tried to get to know them, see what they want to achieve with Target, give them my HOORAHS and support, however, one is a temporary and the other is great at tasks but has difficulty with motivating.

I have run a couple raffles and tried some competitions, but most of the cashiers get frustrated because we have a couple people who consistently rock it with Redcards and even when I do raffles, or spur of the moment prizes, they aren't happy for long. Unfortunately in my store, as I'm sure it is with many other stores, I do not have enough people to get cashiers off the register to watch myself or those top performers demonstrate how they do it. I've tried teaming up with my ETLs, TLs and sales floor to get coverage so I can do this, but everyone always has other things to do.

Like I said, I really enjoy my job so far, I just feel a little lost...

But I will definitely talk to them about getting the ETLs involved. I LOVE that idea!

:)

even if you can't get them off a lane put them on a lane in front of or behind a top performer and they'll here how they do it during their shift and hopefully get some ideas!

I totally would, except we also have an extreme issue with our registers at the moment... I have 9 registers down, so everyone has to go wherever there is a functional register, and of course they aren't registers that are next to each other!! That would be easy :)... and without an SFT, that alone has been a giant nightmare.
 
10+ weeks? OUCH! I really think once you start with the performance coachings thing will look up. You walked into a crappy situtation but if you stick to it it will get better! When i read your thread i felt like i was reading something i wrote when i became a TL. Things aren't great yet but things are WAY better than before.
 
9 registers are down....ahhhhh!!! That is a major issue. Where is your ETL-GE in all this? Where is the DFM? Where is the STL? No way should there ever be that many registers are broken.

As a matter of fact, I have been on the phone for HOURS with CSC, as well as my ETL-GE, and the STL has escalated the issues, but it's always the same... You need a software update (NO I DON'T!!) and then they send out a tech, then it's a resolved ticket, then we resubmit the issue, same process multiple times, then they replaced the memory, didn't fix things, put in another ticket. Same process all over again. A couple of my registers have had AT LEAST 5-7 tickets on them since I started :-/... I just put in a work order for our newly returned SFT to clean out all the registers and I continue to send emails to all my leaders about the issues. Not much is happening there, and I do NOT have the time to get on the phone to argue with CSC for 3 hours again (as you can see, I apparently need to be monitoring my cashiers 24/7).
 
10+ weeks? OUCH! I really think once you start with the performance coachings thing will look up. You walked into a crappy situtation but if you stick to it it will get better! When i read your thread i felt like i was reading something i wrote when i became a TL. Things aren't great yet but things are WAY better than before.

I'm crossing my fingers!! I've always worked in stores where the team was so much more cohesive. It's a bummer to see so many people just detest their jobs :-(.
 
9 registers are down....ahhhhh!!! That is a major issue. Where is your ETL-GE in all this? Where is the DFM? Where is the STL? No way should there ever be that many registers are broken.

LOL I actually told multiple CSC Techs that we are turning into a register graveyard...

And, btw, how often do people get hung up on with CSC, because NO JOKE it has happened to myself and my ETL-GE while discussing the registers at least 3 or 4 times now, and we always get someone new and have to start all over. OOOOOOOHHHHHH retail <3
 
Do they have all the same problem? Is the new ones or nec ones? Did CDC mention anything about your servers?
 
Do they have all the same problem? Is the new ones or nec ones? Did CDC mention anything about your servers?

A few of them reboot mid-transaction, sometimes when we are slammed, sometimes when it's slow. We have several that lag or fail to open their drawers when cashiers need to give change. Most of them just freeze mid-transaction and the cashiers have to reboot them and move to another register. Obviously very frustrating and annoying. We also have card readers on some that will work some days and not others... and even if we replace the card readers we have the same issue, so it seems like a connection problem. Our store isn't that old at all, but I was told we received old registers when we first opened. So they aren't anything new.

My ETL-GE and I have just been constantly reporting the issues and begging for new registers, but I'm under the impression that will probably not happen. One can dream though....
 
Do they have all the same problem? Is the new ones or nec ones? Did CDC mention anything about your servers?

A few of them reboot mid-transaction, sometimes when we are slammed, sometimes when it's slow. We have several that lag or fail to open their drawers when cashiers need to give change. Most of them just freeze mid-transaction and the cashiers have to reboot them and move to another register. Obviously very frustrating and annoying. We also have card readers on some that will work some days and not others... and even if we replace the card readers we have the same issue, so it seems like a connection problem. Our store isn't that old at all, but I was told we received old registers when we first opened. So they aren't anything new.

My ETL-GE and I have just been constantly reporting the issues and begging for new registers, but I'm under the impression that will probably not happen. One can dream though....

The software has changed within the last 6 months and I have noticed quite a few issues like you are reporting... I will say that MOST of these issues can be fixed with one common trick, CTRL + ALT + DELETE and go to restart... just using the power button to restart a register will not fix your issues most of the time! Card Readers, Printers, Drawers not opening, and hand scanner issues all generally will get fixed when the register comes back up after using this method to restart it! Most of these bugs you are experiencing are happening because these specific functions need to be programed to a certain register and if you just plug in a card reader it will power up, but not send any info to the register (so they will swipe the card and nothing will happen)... The list goes on for these issues, but ALWAYS just ctrl alt delete and see if it fixes itself when it turns back on!

Back to your original post... Conversion is going to be tough this year! STLs actually got direction that 2013 is the year that the company wants to performance out any poor performing ETL-GEs and GSTLs/GSAs, which is why I think the goal was set so high in the first place! This trickles down to front end team members as well, because achieving a 2.50 conversion on a consistent basis means you can have very few poor performers, and need to focus on managing talent so that your team is made up of sales people! It wasn't as large of a focus a few years ago, and if there are team members who were around then and can't get with the times they probably will need to go in 2013! It sucks but you need to change with the times!

I think you are doing the right things and we are in VERY similar situations (actually surprisingly so...) but I think you are doing the right things! Its great that your win is engage and inspire others and that is what got your team from a 1.2 to 2.0! The thing about a 2.0 is that it is a very achievable goal with the right leader in place through teaching, training, and motivating! Going from a 2.0 to a 2.5 or 3.0 in some districts means that you have to MAINTAIN what you have done in terms of engage and inspire, while leveraging managing talent to start replacing poor performing cashiers with ones who can perform! For many stores the difference between 2 and 2.5 is maybe 10 to 20 Redcards (in larger stores for sure.. maybe even less as volumes go down)... If you look at your team and have those handful of team members who got NONE for an entire week and could be replaced by someone who could contribute a few on a consistent basis, you would be making your goals! It sucks but this is the year that front end is going to feel the pressure, and cashiers either need to get with the program or find another job!
 
Do they have all the same problem? Is the new ones or nec ones? Did CDC mention anything about your servers?

A few of them reboot mid-transaction, sometimes when we are slammed, sometimes when it's slow. We have several that lag or fail to open their drawers when cashiers need to give change. Most of them just freeze mid-transaction and the cashiers have to reboot them and move to another register. Obviously very frustrating and annoying. We also have card readers on some that will work some days and not others... and even if we replace the card readers we have the same issue, so it seems like a connection problem. Our store isn't that old at all, but I was told we received old registers when we first opened. So they aren't anything new.

My ETL-GE and I have just been constantly reporting the issues and begging for new registers, but I'm under the impression that will probably not happen. One can dream though....

The software has changed within the last 6 months and I have noticed quite a few issues like you are reporting... I will say that MOST of these issues can be fixed with one common trick, CTRL + ALT + DELETE and go to restart... just using the power button to restart a register will not fix your issues most of the time! Card Readers, Printers, Drawers not opening, and hand scanner issues all generally will get fixed when the register comes back up after using this method to restart it! Most of these bugs you are experiencing are happening because these specific functions need to be programed to a certain register and if you just plug in a card reader it will power up, but not send any info to the register (so they will swipe the card and nothing will happen)... The list goes on for these issues, but ALWAYS just ctrl alt delete and see if it fixes itself when it turns back on!

Back to your original post... Conversion is going to be tough this year! STLs actually got direction that 2013 is the year that the company wants to performance out any poor performing ETL-GEs and GSTLs/GSAs, which is why I think the goal was set so high in the first place! This trickles down to front end team members as well, because achieving a 2.50 conversion on a consistent basis means you can have very few poor performers, and need to focus on managing talent so that your team is made up of sales people! It wasn't as large of a focus a few years ago, and if there are team members who were around then and can't get with the times they probably will need to go in 2013! It sucks but you need to change with the times!

I think you are doing the right things and we are in VERY similar situations (actually surprisingly so...) but I think you are doing the right things! Its great that your win is engage and inspire others and that is what got your team from a 1.2 to 2.0! The thing about a 2.0 is that it is a very achievable goal with the right leader in place through teaching, training, and motivating! Going from a 2.0 to a 2.5 or 3.0 in some districts means that you have to MAINTAIN what you have done in terms of engage and inspire, while leveraging managing talent to start replacing poor performing cashiers with ones who can perform! For many stores the difference between 2 and 2.5 is maybe 10 to 20 Redcards (in larger stores for sure.. maybe even less as volumes go down)... If you look at your team and have those handful of team members who got NONE for an entire week and could be replaced by someone who could contribute a few on a consistent basis, you would be making your goals! It sucks but this is the year that front end is going to feel the pressure, and cashiers either need to get with the program or find another job!


Thanks for the reply, and yeah I'm definitely feeling the pressure!

I'm gonna keep at it and continue to motivate those who can be motivated and coach those that don't care about their job and hope that my team culture and morale gets a big boost :) I just kinda wish they started this process before I got here so that we could be in the later stages at this point.

And thanks for the register pointer. I will have to try it out because I'm pulling my hair out over the crashing registers and crashing kodak kiosks and unreliable guest service kiosks and jamming registry printers... yeah I'm gonna call it a night on this one ;-)
 
Redisrad, if you can show a genuine dedication to your team, you should have no problem getting their loyalty. If they feel like you don't care, they won't care. Welcome to a minimum wage workcenter, lol.

Also, use coaching as an opportunity to help cashiers improve, not to scold and punish them.

For the registers, you can speed dial the CSC at 701. Let them know you have registers down and request a service call on them.
 
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Redisrad, if you can show a genuine dedication to your team, you should have no problem getting their loyalty. If they feel like you don't care, they won't care. Welcome to a minimum wage workcenter, lol.

Also, use coaching as an opportunity to help cashiers improve, not to scold and punish them.

For the registers, you can speed dial the CSC at 701. Let them know you have registers down and request a service call on them.

Coaching has to have two faces to it... Coaching for development purposes is seeking out ways to have them improve! Share scripts you learned, tips on getting redcards etc... If they improve with a few of these sessions then awesome! You have a TM who should be consistent at all times! If they do not improve after a few teach/train moments it is time to coach on performance! It is not THAT impossible to get a Redcard... Just observe a few transactions of theirs, watching for people who are not using a Redcard (specifically people using normal Debit Cards or Checks) and see if the TM brings it up! If they don't then they aren't trying and need to be talked to!

This is a core role... If a SFTM missed a single call box one day you would seek to understand and see what happened but probably let it slide... if callboxes consistently get missed when a certain SFTM is working then that needs to be a coaching! The same thing goes for cashiers and Redcards :)
 
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