Archived So I have had Target guests hound me like a dog all week

[MorurDreamcat]

It was a totally different world.

From a social perspective, it was very laid back. Pay and benefits were much better, and it was not uncommon for TMs to get 40 hour weeks consistently if they wanted them. Because of that, most TMs/specs/TLs were in their 20s or 30s. (no offense to teenage TMs) Because of that, there was a more "mature" atmosphere in the store. Basically, the store had much less high school style drama that a lot of stores see today. People would usually be friends outside of work, and it wasn't uncommon for everyone to have dated lots of people in the store at some point in time because everyone had worked together for years. It was more a closer community in the store. Hell, back then we used to call it a "family", and it was almost kind of true.... we saw the same people for years, often more hours than we saw our own family because most people were working 30+ hour weeks.

There was lots more social time. TMs/specs/TLs/ETLs would frequently stop and just stand around talking to each other for 30 minutes at a time. Because we had so much payroll, everything still got done and the store was green even though people socialized a lot.

Lots of the processes were different. Back then, we didn't have PDA's. We had what were called LRTs.... which looked like PDAs, but they were black and white and slow as hell. What do I mean by slow? Pretend you were scanning an item under NOP. It would take about 30 seconds to get a response from the LRT with the NOP info. It wasn't instant like it was with the PDAs. All of the registers were old black and white crap..... they moved almost as slow.

The store had a totally different style. Lots of the department signs were actually neon light signs.

We had specialists, which were above TMs but under TLs. They were usually damn good. They ran departments and knew what they were doing, and they actually had official authority over TMs. It was the rule that if a TL wasn't in the department, the specialist was in charge. This was good because every TM usually had someone there to provide leadership direction, so TMs were much more capable of doing more advanced tasks because they more "in" on the overall game plan of the department. Specialists actually spent a lot of time talking to TMs about where the department stood, what the goals were over the coming weeks, etc. We actually called specialists "level 2's" and TLs "level 3's". Promoting to a specialist back then was a big deal.... it would usually mean you were making over $10 easy sometimes $13 or $14. (remember, minimum wage back then was about $5 hour).

ETL's were *never* fresh out of college people. Almost always, ETLs were experienced managers hired from other retailers. Almost all of them were 40 years old or older. In fact, we never had an ETL under age 40 until the early 2000's at my store. I don't ever remember any of them having the "I am gods gift to this store" attitude that the younger ETLs have these days.

There wasn't really a "headcount" as far as TLs and specialists went as well. Let's say you were a damn good TM, but your store already had a specialist in every department that usually needed one. Well guess what? Your STL could still promote you to specialist. So basically if you were a hard working dedicated TM, you were pretty much guaranteed to promote at some point.

There is probably lots more I am forgetting.

Those were the days ... Oh how I miss them ...

 

[Ajax11]

I still remember TPC setup on Tuesday mornings, we would have like 6-8 TLs and specs come in to put them up and they would all invade Food Ave right at 8am to grab breakfast.

 

[talan123]

I remember the LRT's.

Here's what our store did... All of our electronics team member's carry phones and if a vendor has a guest that needs help, instead of pushing the button to call for help they push the LOCATE button on the phone to call us specifically over. Doesn't mess with the scores, keeps everybody happy, and there is a lot less stress for all.

Now as the part for recognizing whether or not an STL is stupid, let me say this: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA I have met some STL's that think that as long as they follow federal law that they don't have to follow State law because, for some reason, they think it supercedes it.

Everybody has moments of stupidity and it's whether or not they repeat those said moments over and over again with the same lack of thinking is what makes somebody stupid to me. So far I have not been impressed with most of the STL's Target has chosen.

 

[TargetOldTimer]

This should become a new thread. "I remember when...."

I knew a stock team member who later became a VP, and at least 2 others that became store managers.....

 

[salesfloor10]

I remember when there was practically a team lead over EACH department...2008.

Seriously though, I have NEVER seen my Sony rep. I've only met like 2 reps for electronics and so far they are never there long enough to have anything to do with guests.

Anytime someone needs assistance in electronics at my store they press the additional cashiers button if they don't have a walkie or are Target mobile and can't help the guest. My team knows this is how others can get help back there when unable to assist the guest.

 

[Retail Girl]

Anytime someone needs assistance in electronics at my store they press the additional cashiers button if they don't have a walkie or are Target mobile and can't help the guest. My team knows this is how others can get help back there when unable to assist the guest.

This also works well on a quiet morning when you need assistance with a guest, are the only cashier, the GSTL is no where to be found (with lpda off), you don't have a walkie, and can't find anyone with one anywhere. At the very least, it should get someone with a walkie within shouting distance.

Of course, those mornings aren't so amazing, so maybe they will begin to disappear....

 

[Sarabelle]

It's more for scheduling purposes. Based on how many times the button is pushed is how much coverage should be in that work enter.

 

[Retail Girl]

We had no buttons pushed the other day. The LOD nearly threw a party at closing. I guess that means we don't need any coverage! Argh.

 

[greydot]

It's more for scheduling purposes. Based on how many times the button is pushed is how much coverage should be in that work enter.

I hope that's not true. How sadistic. Company-wide the idea is pushed that no buttons should go off, not to show that guests are getting helped, but to prove hours should be slashed more. I remember when we used to have ETLs set the button off just to make sure the team was responding appropriately.

 

[Sarabelle]

Sorry I guess I should have explained better. I meant when back up cashier buttons are pushed. Not when service is needed in a certain area. Sorry.

 

[daninnj]

I wasn't around for it but a TL said the cashier buttons used to be timed for 60 seconds. If no one logged on before 60 seconds, a score got dinged...

 

[StateofTarget]

I remember when there was practically a team lead over EACH department...2008.

Seriously though, I have NEVER seen my Sony rep. I've only met like 2 reps for electronics and so far they are never there long enough to have anything to do with guests.

Anytime someone needs assistance in electronics at my store they press the additional cashiers button if they don't have a walkie or are Target mobile and can't help the guest. My team knows this is how others can get help back there when unable to assist the guest.

Your Sony rep is not really doing his job if you have never met him.... Technically we are *required* to meet all "department leads" at the retail stores we visit. So basically anyone who has any "authority" over the department. It is also strongly recommended that we do our best to at least meet as many people who work in electronics as we can.

Really your Sony rep should be telling the team about the Retail Loyalty Site (special Sony site for retail employees.... you can get free items, learn about the products, etc.). They should also be handing out lanyards and other promotional "gifts" to the team. Sometimes we have demo discs, pens, little action figures, etc. Also we are supposed to (if we and the store employees have time) go over new Sony products that will be coming out, why they are good, what selling points to use, etc. Everytime we update the store binder it is preferred that we tell the TMs what is new.

So basically your Sony rep should be interacting with the team on these things.

Another thing I remember "back in the day" about working electronics was that guests got to know us a lot better. Because electronics usually had the same people working back there 30-40 hours a week, regular guests recognized us a lot more. I hate to say it, but we were almost like the "geek squad" back then as far as "advice" goes. We would have guests come in and ask us for help with electronics, and we actually provided it. Now, we didn't open up computers and work on them or anything.... but we had plenty of TMs who worked on computers as a hobby, and we actually provided lots of computer advice even though Target had pretty much nothing to do with computers.

 

[greydot]

Funny, I think I interact with our reps more than anyone over in electronics does (TL or brand TMs).

The RLS seems like a good idea - get points based on completing learning modules. I know if I worked back there I would feel better actually knowing about the products that I had to sell to customers. Wouldn't the lanyards, pens, etc all fall somewhere under the no solicitation policy, or some policy about receiving tips or company gifts? I always make sure if something comes with a keychain or a pen, that if there isn't someone or something to give it back to it remains on company property (key rings for like lifescapes, etc, or that one time when the lego display came with a pen - i know spot will fire people for some petty stuff).

 

[mrknownothing]

It's more for scheduling purposes. Based on how many times the button is pushed is how much coverage should be in that work enter.

Sorry I guess I should have explained better. I meant when back up cashier buttons are pushed. Not when service is needed in a certain area. Sorry.

I wish this were true at my store. Our back-up buttons are always getting pressed (because God forbid they schedule enough cashiers), yet they won't give more hours to the front end. If anything, they give us fewer hours.