Archived Target Treating TMs Like Walmart Does

[Voicetarget]

No where in my post did I state that a cashier needs a reward to ASK or EDUCATE about RCs. We seem to disagree on asking vs. actually getting a RedCard sign up. Educating a guest about the benefits of RC is one thing, sign up is another. Sign up requires the guest to provide personal info to the retailer with one of the largest data breaches in US history, some guests don't want a hit to the credit report, etc These aren't even considerations when a floor person tries to upsell a throw pillow that would go geat with that comforter you are looking at. That is where that salesmanship can come into play in getting a RC. Also, no one from my store's sales floor has ever mentioned getting written up for not asking every guest about upselling or that they didn't meet their upselling quota.

I am going to guess you are not a TM. Your expectations suggest management at some level.

Let's just say I've done it all. I am management level but have been cashier, have been salesfloor tm; thats my attributes towards this thread.

Firstly, salesfloor tms DO get written up for not selling. Vibe is ultimately selling. If they get caught not vibing, they get coached.

Educating a guest about RC leads to the sign up. Educating is selling. You will rarely be able to just ask a guest to sign up for RC without educating them first.
In the same way, salesfloor tms educate their guests about diff products. Whether its upselling to a better brand for the guest at a higher price, or even adding in attachments to electronic items- its all about educating. its about selling. Just as how a cashier sells RCs. Different things they may be, but same actions. That is why I say a cashier shouldn't be treated any differently, or any better than any other tm in the store when it comes to selling. Its not about incentives or expecting to be rewarded bc someone is doing better than other tms at selling. Its about the guest, and its about the company. The guests make your company money and your company pays you. So you do good for your guests, and work hard for your company. Its as simple as it gets.

 

[Rdhdstpchl]

Ok, I work backroom and got one of our vendors to get a RC. Did I get credit for it? NOPE! The cashier that did the entry took the credit. Before you ask, I am not set up to be on a register due to my work center.
Did I care, yes and no. Yes, because I had been told I would NEVER be able to get one" because of my work center. No, because it was the only one of the day.

If you just relax and take some time with the guest when you're out on the floor and see them buying a higher priced item aka furniture, that is a better chance of getting one from the floor.

 

[Coqui]

Ok, I work backroom and got one of our vendors to get a RC. Did I get credit for it? NOPE! The cashier that did the entry took the credit. Before you ask, I am not set up to be on a register due to my work center.
Did I care, yes and no. Yes, because I had been told I would NEVER be able to get one" because of my work center. No, because it was the only one of the day.

If you just relax and take some time with the guest when you're out on the floor and see them buying a higher priced item aka furniture, that is a better chance of getting one from the floor.

You should have taken the vendor to an available register and opened up yourself. Leadership wouldn't have said anything or at least they shouldn't if they see you having someone apply for the Red Card. I do it sometimes and I'm in Starbucks, another work center where you'll almost never have to deal with opening red cards.

 

[Signkitty]

You should have taken the vendor to an available register and opened up yourself. Leadership wouldn't have said anything or at least they shouldn't if they see you having someone apply for the Red Card. I do it sometimes and I'm in Starbucks, another work center where you'll almost never have to deal with opening red cards.

They are not set up to use the register.

 

[signingminion]

They are not set up to use the register.

And this is one of my sore spots with the "it takes everybody to play" bs. Most of flow and backroom don't have register access. And the metrics can't see that they got the guest engaged and some cashier just filled out the paperwork.

Not to mention if we properly trained how to sell a Redcard we would have to look into what can and can not be said legally, just like telemarketing. Then someone would have to be held accountable for monitoring that. Never going to happen.

 

[Kuroyume]

And this is one of my sore spots with the "it takes everybody to play" bs. Most of flow and backroom don't have register access. And the metrics can't see that they got the guest engaged and some cashier just filled out the paperwork.

Not to mention if we properly trained how to sell a Redcard we would have to look into what can and can not be said legally, just like telemarketing. Then someone would have to be held accountable for monitoring that. Never going to happen.

That's strange. My very first day was a full day of cashier training despite my position being Flow TM/Backroom. I haven't had the need to cashier since but I know that I can definitely jump on a register if needed. I do agree that salesmanship training is something that should go along with cashiering. Sam's Club has a similar thing and they push-push-push. Sounds so familiar.

 

[Eliza]

I'm a new TM who recently did a couple of cashier shifts for training. I have also shopped at this store for over 10 years before working there. As a regular customer I can tell you I made the decision long ago not to get a Redcard because I don't let anyone have access to "pull funds" from my bank account. Also I was very aware that Target profiles customers and I just did not like that idea. It has so become bloody annoying to hear the RedCard speech every. single. transaction. No. Just no. And why would I want your 24% interest credit card? That's insane.

There is a point at which repeatedly asking guests to sign up for a RedCard becomes disrespectful, so the goals of the job description are in conflict. There are customers who, you can tell by their face, are saying - "don't you dare ask me, I've heard it all before." And even if you convince one to open a debit card - how many people are carrying around a physical check?

Now that I work there I finally broke down and got the debit card because it turns out you can't use your 10% team member discount with any other payment card - it has to be cash or check. Now that is something I consider to be abuse of employees..... just not cool at all. However once you are on payroll Target already has your SSN, so I did it, but actually I resent this. My theory about profiling was proven true because now I am getting all these cat food discount offers from Target. They are all based on old data - maybe from when they used to mail coupons - because hello my cat died 4 years ago.

 

[SFSFun]

Now that I work there I finally broke down and got the debit card because it turns out you can't use your 10% team member discount with any other payment card - it has to be cash or check. Now that is something I consider to be abuse of employees..... just not cool at all. However once you are on payroll Target already has your SSN, so I did it, but actually I resent this. My theory about profiling was proven true because now I am getting all these cat food discount offers from Target. They are all based on old data - maybe from when they used to mail coupons - because hello my cat died 4 years ago.

They don't HAVE to offer a 10% discount at all. So it's hardly abuse of employees if they give you a discount with certain conditions to use it.

And every retailer profiles and mines data to determine shopping trends. It's how they know what products to offer and stay competitive.

 

[Eliza]

I know that they don't have to offer a discount. It's the way they manipulate employees into getting a financial product that is distasteful to me. The conditional nature of the discount isn't revealed upfront.

It's not really the discount they make it out to be, because combined with RedCard and profiling, they make more profit off employees. I feel sorry for anyone making $9 an hour who actually carries a balance on the credit card. The pressure they put on new employees to sign up for these things at orientation was INSANE. Three different speeches by three different people on its wonderful benefits. Gotta wonder if a lot of employee churn works out in their favor when they sign up for a card.

Sad to say, as a loyal Target customer or over 20 years, working there (for various reasons not just this one) has finally convinced me, it really is no longer Tar-shay. Sad.

 

[signingminion]

They don't HAVE to offer a 10% discount at all. So it's hardly abuse of employees if they give you a discount with certain conditions to use it.

And every retailer profiles and mines data to determine shopping trends. It's how they know what products to offer and stay competitive.

And really in the interest of being debt free cash is your best option. If you choose to use debit then it's on you. Just as easy to carry cash for shopping.

Gift cards also allow the discount. I know my store never cares if you buy one then buy your stuff with it in two transactions. Even if policy says otherwise.

 

[PassinTime]

Yeah, I always paid cash. Time to time, bought a gift card so I could earn the rewards points for my credit card. Just was no way in heck I was going to get a Red Card!

 

[FAwasteoftime]

Target...Walmart..SAME SHIT!

I always go to Walmart overnight and see their employees stocking calmly but steady. Never seen one running like a maniac like I used to do when I worked in flow. So they are probably the same..Target uses more fancy words , like Flexible Fulfillment , MyDeveice , Guests , ETL , STL , LOD ...an infinite amout of other shit I don't know.

Same shit.