Archived small problem with leadership in our store...

[watchdog9000]

Ok, all of the following is a hypothetical situation. Any resemblance to something that might have happened in your store is PURELY coincidental.

You are the GSA/GSTL and are coming into a closing shift on the day after Christmas. Already knowing what to expect, you are not surprised to see the Guest Service desk backed up about 20 guests deep. You walk up to the desk to help and one of the guest service desk team members tells you that they are almost out of 20's. You check the drawer and they have about $60 in 20's left. You check the drawer next to it and it ALSO has about $60 in 20's.

You call the LOD for an advance for the guest service desk. The LOD says it will be a few minutes.

10 minutes pass and no sign of the LOD.

You head back to TMSC and find the LOD working on something that is time sensitive so they definitely get a pass in this situation. The ETL-HR is there with her and seemingly not doing anything. You ask them if one of them could please let you into the cash office for the advance, after explaining the situation at the guest service desk.

The ETL-HR gets up, says "I never heard you say ANYTHING over the walkie, turns around and walks down the hallway towards the breakroom.

At this point you throw up your hands in frustration and head back to the ever growing lines up front. 10 minutes later the LOD calls you into the cash office and you get the advance for both registers.

Now dear reader, in this hypothetical situation, how would you handle this being the GSA?

 

[FrontEndKnowItAll]

Tell your HR to stop acting like a child and do some 'real' work and stop trying to work vicariously through her 'minions' as she most likely calls them!

 

[naterstx]

While the other guys suggestion is amusing, I'd suggest something like...

Tell her you did call over the walkie and you apologize if she didn't hear it.

That's about all you can do. I personally take the strategy of giving people about 2 minutes to show up when they say they're coming somewhere, be it a CA for a team lift, a BR TM pulling something for a guest, etc. I'd of called the LOD again and if he said he was busy, I'd of asked for another ETL/SrTL.

 

[watchdog9000]

Tell her you did call over the walkie and you apologize if she didn't hear it.

Even if she didn't hear it over the walkie, doesn't the fact that I'm standing there asking her to help kind of negate that. Maybe ETL-HR's only communicate via walkie and not face to face

 

[redeye58]

I remember asking an ETL to let me in CO for an advance & was told to "call XXX" since THEY were the LOD.

I wanted to ask them "...and you're......what?"

 

[watchdog9000]

I remember asking an ETL to let me in CO for an advance & was told to "call XXX" since THEY were the LOD.

I wanted to ask them "...and you're......what?"

Wow, now granted they might not have been the scheduled LOD, but like I said earlier, it takes a grand total of 5 minutes to get an advance, especially if the GSA does all the paperwork for you.

Maybe they are hoping people will get frustrated and decide not to return their merchandise AFTER all!

 

[naterstx]

Even if she didn't hear it over the walkie, doesn't the fact that I'm standing there asking her to help kind of negate that. Maybe ETL-HR's only communicate via walkie and not face to face

I don't disagree, I'm just saying that there's not much else you can do. I don't like placating jerks (which is what your ETL-HR sounds like), but as the song goes, "That's the name of the game".

 

[talan123]

Next time they say it's going to take a few minutes, then just say that you have guests walking out. If they don't care about that then it's time to go over their heads.

/You shouldn't have to lie to get your job done but that's what Target wants.

 

[coolsocks]

I remember asking an ETL to let me in CO for an advance & was told to "call XXX" since THEY were the LOD.

I wanted to ask them "...and you're......what?"

Target seems way too caught up in their upper management titles. I've thought that from the very beginning. All of these people are managing others to some extent, thus they are managers who need to get their heads out of their butts and start managing their employees. After all, this is only Target. If they had better options (which they should since most of upper management holds a college degree of some kind) then they would be using those options to find a better job.
/rant over.

 

[naterstx]

Target seems way too caught up in their upper management titles. I've thought that from the very beginning. All of these people are managing others to some extent, thus they are managers who need to get their heads out of their butts and start managing their employees. After all, this is only Target. If they had better options (which they should since most of upper management holds a college degree of some kind) then they would be using those options to find a better job.
/rant over.

What "better options"? An ETL with 2 years experience, on average, makes 50k. A STL, on average, clears 100k. How many jobs make this sort of money? You could argue the hours, but in terms of pay, management at Target isn't poor. Heck, TLs, with a couple years of experience and/or a degree usually clear 35k.

 

[StaticSun]

Eh. Next time, just go on the walkie and keep calling "LOD to 239".

 

[mrknownothing]

Eh. Next time, just go on the walkie and keep calling "LOD to 239".

Say "GSTL/GSA needs assistance at 239. LOD, please respond." Then say it again, ending it with "second request." Then say it again, ending with "final request." If they still haven't responded yet, then say "GSTL/GSA needs assistance at 239. Last request incomplete! LOD, please respond!" over and over until they answer. But you have to say all of it in the Indyme lady's voice.

 

[StateofTarget]

What "better options"? An ETL with 2 years experience, on average, makes 50k. A STL, on average, clears 100k. How many jobs make this sort of money? You could argue the hours, but in terms of pay, management at Target isn't poor. Heck, TLs, with a couple years of experience and/or a degree usually clear 35k.

How many jobs make this sort of money, you ask? Just about any job in this country that requires a degree. In fact, most will pay far more. ETL pay seems like a lot to us (i.e. those with no degree), but among the "college educated crowd", ETL jobs are small cookies. Go on Monster.com and look for any job that requires a 4 year degree. You will be hard pressed to find any that aren't paying at a minimum around 50K or more unless it is for some off the wall fly by night company. You are comparing ETL jobs to jobs that do not require a degree. You have to remember that, by virtue of having a 4 year degree, ETL's *should* be able to get all kinds of professional jobs depending on what their degree is in. Police officers, probation officers, office managers, investment bankers, computer programmers, the list can go on. That is the whole point of getting a 4 year degree!!! To get a professional job! You don't go to college to go be a manager at a retail store. (and hell, outside of Target most retailers don't even require a degree for management!) Basically, ETLs have something in their background that prevented them from entering those "professional" jobs all their college friends got.

I have always casually made small talk with our ETLs. (and in my time with target that has been a hell of a lot of ETLs) Being a TL, they usually will open up to me. What I have realized over the years of asking ETLs details about their background is this - most ETL's are working at Target because they were not able to get hired by other companies. Many of them either made straight C's and D's through college, picked a completely worthless major (i.e. women's studies, general studies, anthropology), or went to an extremely shady school. (exclusively online schools, schools that are not accredited, etc.)

Interesting little display that I remember taking place about two years ago. We were all in a closing huddle with our ETL-HR. All of a sudden this 20-something year old runs up to her.

"God Krystal is that you? How have you been? We went to school together. What are you doing working at Target?" Our ETL-HR was obviously caught off guard and said "Well, no one else would hire me". (I'm sure she wasn't thinking before she spoke, because some TMs felt offended after the huddle)

You should have seem our ETL-HR's face. The embarrassment was practically bleeding out her pores. I felt bad for her honestly, but it just illustrates my point. For most of those who have degrees, they would not be caught dead working retail.... In any capacity.

And as for TL's clearing 35K - LOL. I have been a TL for years - every year I make an "EX" or "O" on my reviews. I just this year cleared $14/hour. After years my friend.

 

[StaticSun]

Say "GSTL/GSA needs assistance at 239. LOD, please respond." Then say it again, ending it with "second request." Then say it again, ending with "final request." If they still haven't responded yet, then say "GSTL/GSA needs assistance at 239. Last request incomplete! LOD, please respond!" over and over until they answer. But you have to say all of it in the Indyme lady's voice.

Configure a call button, and drop it in the cash office slot. Tell the LOD that there is a call button in there, and they have 60 seconds to respond before the score gets a ding. Let's see how fast they move!

 

[mrknownothing]

Configure a call button, and drop it in the cash office slot. Tell the LOD that there is a call button in there, and they have 60 seconds to respond before the score gets a ding. Let's see how fast they move!

There's an idea. We have all these metrics for Team Member performance, so why not one for the ETLs?

 

[naterstx]

SOT,

Average starting teacher salary (public and private, elementary through HS) is just around 33k, in many states it starts below 30, none are above 40. The average teacher salary period is around 44k, few states are above 50, some are below 40.

Average cops salary is 50k, the average start is just below 40k... this is country wide, regardless of jurisdiction. Probation officers salaries are significantly lower.

I have several friends who are computer programers (my dad is one as well, or at least was), they have MASSIVELY varying salaries, some make bank, some are worse off than teachers. It really depends on what their expertise is and a 4 year degree isn't going to get you the buku bucks, it won't even help.

Investment bankers need MBAs at minimum and WTF is an office manager?


ETLs make fine pay, generally speaking, it's not the top paying job in the world, but it's far from chump change. Much like any job, it depends on your:

1) Interview
2) Resume
3) Experience
4) Charisma
5) Education

Finally, I make more than you... significantly so, and I'm a pretty new TL, but I also live in a somewhat high cost of living area. This is why averages are relevant, I live in a somewhat high COL area, but it's not a particularly big city, nor is it a particularly high volume store. There's also the chance you're just getting ripped off. I'm the lowest paid TL at my store, fairly safe to say one of the lowest in the district and I make more than 20% more than you... that's not bragging, that's you needing to talk to your HR.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Eh. Next time, just go on the walkie and keep calling "LOD to 239".

Best answer!
Also, tell your etl-hr, lod is busy. My etl-hr would say, on my way to 239.

 

[Barcode]

you guys actually had to advance for SD registers?? Damn lol. We don't really go through the cash that bad over there.

We did have to do multiple advances for our Change Fund though.... Was crazy lol.


But yeah, just keep nagging at them and throw out the words "we have guests waiting", that should stimulate a response (Hopefully). When closing at night I have to constantly pester the LOD to come up and lock up the cash bags for the night.. Really annoying.

Say "GSTL/GSA needs assistance at 239. LOD, please respond." Then say it again, ending it with "second request." Then say it again, ending with "final request." If they still haven't responded yet, then say "GSTL/GSA needs assistance at 239. Last request incomplete! LOD, please respond!" over and over until they answer. But you have to say all of it in the Indyme lady's voice.

Haha this would be awesome.

 

[watchdog9000]

But yeah, just keep nagging at them and throw out the words "we have guests waiting", that should stimulate a response (Hopefully).

Something tells me they would either turn off the walkie, or switch to channel 3 and conveniently forget they are on the wrong channel.

Say "GSTL/GSA needs assistance at 239. LOD, please respond." Then say it again, ending it with "second request." Then say it again, ending with "final request." If they still haven't responded yet, then say "GSTL/GSA needs assistance at 239. Last request incomplete! LOD, please respond!" over and over until they answer. But you have to say all of it in the Indyme lady's voice.

Best answer ever, seriously made my day.

Configure a call button, and drop it in the cash office slot. Tell the LOD that there is a call button in there, and they have 60 seconds to respond before the score gets a ding. Let's see how fast they move!

I would be too tempted to set it to "Hoop Hut" haha.

 

[watchdog9000]

you guys actually had to advance for SD registers?? Damn lol. We don't really go through the cash that bad over there.

It seems this year that people SERIOUSLY overspent on Christmas gifts, because tons of people were returning items they purchased with their debit card. They hardly ever want it back on their card though, since it does take a few days to show up back in their account. We literally burned through at least $1500 in 20's alone on that day.

 

[Barcode]

90% of returns at our store are credit lol.

as for debit returns, don't offer the cash.... Only time i've ever had to give cash out is if they don't have their card with. I just ask for the card and they never have a problem with it.

 

[watchdog9000]

Yeah, I wouldn't offer the cash, but 9 times out of 10 they either

1) Don't have the debit card on them
2) Their S.O. used THEIR debit card to purchase all their crap (last four digits are usually different), so of course they don't have the card
3) Ask how long it takes to get back on their card, and they ALWAYS say cash back when I say a couple of days. Yeah I could just say I dunno, or it's INSTANT but that would seriously come back and bite me in the butt the next day

 

[buliSBI]

Sounds like the ETL HRs at my last store. They think they are the exception to help out. If they do carry a walkie, its always turned down.

As the ETL-HR is walking toward the breakroom, walkie over "ETL-HR to 239...ETL-HR to 239."

 

[lovecats]

Our etl-hr is great. She always is one of the first for backup. Always has her walkie on in her office.

 

[GlobalTM]

Our etl-hr is great. She always is one of the first for backup. Always has her walkie on in her office.

Same here. Our ETL-HR is great, helps out on guest first when needed, and is always helpful and around to check on things. Honestly, everyone at our store is like this and always eager to help out. It's one of the best places I've ever worked, due to the quick responses, eagerness to help out fellow team members, and willingness to go above and beyond to do what needs to be done and help out guests.