I'm Lost! The REDCard Thread

[Super]

While games are fun, they're short-term for the most part. I think that you'll start to see lasting results when the team is held accountable for asking the correct way. Engaging in brief conversation, tailoring a RedCard pitch to them as best they can (free shipping, extended returns, take charge of education, etc), and follow through recognition/"teaching moments" with GSA/GSTLs.

I also found this argument amusing... not getting red cards because you aren't "asking" the right way.

You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig.

The fact is, target is pushing credit cards. Loans. Debt.

After the recession, people are not stupid enough to fall for this stuff anymore. Let's just get real. Anyone who gets a credit card (especially Targets with its 25%+ interest rate) and starts charging away is a complete moron and clearly learned nothing from the economic disaster the entire country just went through. (not saying these people still don't exist, but most of them were financially annihilated during the recession)

You know what I think when some GSTL/ETL is crying that it's the TMs fault that guests turn down the credit card? I think "No idiot. They are just smart enough to avoid the financial disaster of the debt trap. The TM didn't screw up, the guest is just smarter than you"

"You can put lipstick on a pig but it's still a pig"

This. Epic comment but still I try to push the debit card most of the time but kinda weird how it has a 100$ transaction limit...I can see why people split up transactions now

100 transaction limit?

Yes. There is a thread about it here http://www.thebreakroom.org/showthr...rd-declined-on-large-purchase-money-was-there

I'm thinking it may depend on the bank that it is attached to but it still sucks if you're already all ringed up and have to use another debit card.. :/

 

[mxrbook]

While games are fun, they're short-term for the most part. I think that you'll start to see lasting results when the team is held accountable for asking the correct way. Engaging in brief conversation, tailoring a RedCard pitch to them as best they can (free shipping, extended returns, take charge of education, etc), and follow through recognition/"teaching moments" with GSA/GSTLs.

I also found this argument amusing... not getting red cards because you aren't "asking" the right way.

You can put lipstick on a pig, but it is still a pig.

The fact is, target is pushing credit cards. Loans. Debt.

After the recession, people are not stupid enough to fall for this stuff anymore. Let's just get real. Anyone who gets a credit card (especially Targets with its 25%+ interest rate) and starts charging away is a complete moron and clearly learned nothing from the economic disaster the entire country just went through. (not saying these people still don't exist, but most of them were financially annihilated during the recession)

You know what I think when some GSTL/ETL is crying that it's the TMs fault that guests turn down the credit card? I think "No idiot. They are just smart enough to avoid the financial disaster of the debt trap. The TM didn't screw up, the guest is just smarter than you"

The fact is getting the credit card IS smart. I get to use someone else's money for 25 days free of charge. My money is sitting in the bank, earning interest. Granted, it's not earning much interest, but at least it's not earning interest for Target. Of course, only really smart people get that.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

I pay my red card off during that time.:good:

 

[redeye58]

I pay my red card off during that time.:good:

Ditto.

 

[bullseyekindaguy]

Hi everyone. i am looking for some fun, creative, unique ideas to get the team excited about getting REDCards. We have done all the usual ideas but I want to try something new. Any ideas what works for you and your team. Thanks in advance

Hot Potato:

When used- Slow days, slow shifts, or days when converison is zero.

How it works- Prize is given to the LAST person who gets a RedCard during a specified time frame. For example, it's 5:00pm and we don't have a RedCard... The LOD will challenge the team to a hot potato competition, ending at 8:00pm. The team member who signed up the LAST guest will receive a prize at 8:00pm REGARDLESS of how many. If TM A gets 3 between 5:00 and 7:00, but TM B gets 1 at 7:59, TM B would receive the prize.

Prize: Soda/Target Dog/Bullseye Shop Shirt/FoodAve meal. If no one gets one, prizes may be "stacked" as the hot potato deadline gets closer.

Problems: Creates problems if all TM's don't hear the end time or if an end time isn't called out; as a TM may feel it is a random or because the LOD doesn't like them. Obviously, a TM who gets more RedCards then the person with the last one will get upset.

Prize Competition:

When used- Weekends

How it works: Prizes are given for each RedCard received throughout the shift/day.

Prize: 1 RedCard=Soda 2 RedCards=$5 Gift Card 3 RedCards=Meal at Food Ave 4 RedCards=Dog, etc. Prizes are "stacked" so if a TM gets 4 Reds, they will get ALL of the other prizes.

Problems: Giving out too many prizes.

Extra-Breaks:

When used- All the time! (No money involved!)

How it works: Get a per-determined number of RedCards and get an extra 15 or 30 minute break to be worked by the ETL/GSTL of your choice.

Problems: If the ETL is busy, it may not work so much. Only works when multiple ETL's are the building... But this does work!

Other fun things:

If the team gets so many RedCards over a period of time (week, month, quarter), the team can pie the ETL of their choice in the face.

ETL team can suffer a punishment if the goal is reached. For example, at my previous job, one of the male managers came to work in a dress and the store manager who hated cooking had to cook the team a meal. We even had a manager dress up as Justin Beiber and sign "autographs"!



Of course, the biggest thing is get the team comfortable asking for RedCards. I've had new TM's shadow the cashier with the highest converison and learn her techniques, then she watches them and provides feedback. While it is cheesy, role-playing can work, especially if the cashier is inexperience OR really bad at conversion. Also make sure the team is aware of other benefits, not just the 5%. In my store, the extra 30-days seems to do the trick when the guest is "on the fence."

 

[adfmft13]

What is an executive team leader human resources position like? What is it like having to work weekends and nights?

 

[sigma7]

It's like normal work, but at night and on the weekends. You don't get to do what you want those nights and weekends because you're at work.

 

[mxrbook]

and on those nights that you close, it's dark outside.

 

[Super]

I have 2 questions about red cards.

1. I can't remember exactly but is it unprompted red cards get more personal conversion score (To get green) or do the prompted ones?

2. A Guest approached my lane while it was empty and while purchasing a couple of things and wondered if he could open a red card for his wife? He was a real old guy and very nice and showed me the blank check she gave him and her ID....That sent a little red flag in my head and automatically told him "Sorry, I don't think we can do that sir but on your next visit she can come with you and open one here" He just said "Alright" and swiped his card and he said "Thanks for the help young man" and I handed him his receipt and said "No problem and good night"


I know there are tons of threads about little reddies and sorry to add to the pile

 

[m5579]

You get a higher conversion when a guest signs up for a redcard and it is prompted. I dont know how much higher the conversion is but it is better to get them when it prompts than when it doesnt. And I think you made the right decision when telling the guest they couldnt do the red card for someone else. I feel that if you did it could end up very badly if something were to go wrong and the guest lied about it being his wife.

 

[S3reneTurmoil]

Redcards/ Prompts *.5 is the mathematical formula.

If you are able to get 1 redcard with 0 prompts it's an infinite/undefined ratio. Some more common examples

5 redcards/ 100 prompts *.5= a 2.5% or green conversion score

 

[Super]

Thanks for all the answers S3rene there nailed it

So Lets say if I try to aim for at least 1 a day and lets say some are prompted I should be able to easily reach personal green status by the end of the conversion score week? or is it every 2 weeks? I keep hearing weekly scores...and then some say 2 weeks :/

I keep asking and asking and some get so very very close but ah...no blank check I wish we could have checkless apps lol

 

[Reneeisxena]

At my last Target we use to draw for a prize when we got 3 cards in a shift. They were usually, one spot item, a pop or a bag of chips. For a while they did gallon of milk, bread or a dozen eggs but that got pricey. At my current, Super Target we don't really get anything except to have a spot dog sit at out lane as mascot for our shift, one dog for each card. i have noticed that it's much harder at the Super Target to get people to sign up. I commonly got 3 to 4 on average a day before, now I'm lucky to get 4 in a week. Bigger city people are just too busy. I usually push the debit card because most don't want another credit card.

 

[GlobalJ]

We did a 'draw a coin' for a while; everytime you got a Red Card, draw and bank a coin. At a certain amount to coins, you could cash out for a gift card (You can determine how many coins =$1)

Another one was a 'Wheel of Fortune' type game. Every time you got a card, you spun the wheel and claimed your prize. Mostly prizes under $5: Checklane DVD, pop and snack, Starbucks beverage, $5 gift card. But I think there was one that was a free lunch from FA

 

[S3reneTurmoil]

Conversion is updated weekly.

If you are electronics, you can honestly probably calculate it yourself.

Everytime you see the screen "would the guest like to sign up for a redcard" after you hit total that is defined as a prompt.

Depending on how busy electronics is 1 redcard a day would probably put you at a 5-10% conversion score.

Also my biggest tip to anyone in electronics is when you talk about the price of an item list the price after 5% is taken off for example. A $500 dollar TV I'd tell the guest is $475. Then when they got up to the register and saw the total is like 550 with tax they are like "why is it so high?". Then you explain to them "oh that's the redcard price it saves you 5% EVERY trip and doubles your return period."

 

[Electronics Man]

"oh that's the redcard price it saves you 5% EVERY trip and doubles your return period."

Only on the 30 day return items. It wouldn't double the return period on a TV, as that is still 90 days.

 

[Super]

Hey another question, can you check your conversion score in workbench mystore reports because I kinda want to know what my conversion rate is..or do I have to wait until they report it on Sunday or Monday.

Thanks

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Ask for gstl or GSA for that.

 

[BadWolf4531]

Just a quick note on prompts... the formula has supposedly changed so that EVERY REDCard is worth the same amount when it comes to your conversion score, whether you get it off a prompt or not. You do still have to multiply your ratio of Cards to Prompts by 0.5 (which I'll never understand...why not just let percents be percents and let Green be 5.0%?).

 

[Reneeisxena]

I try to ask about the redcard as soon as the guest starts unloading. If they hesitate I continue with all the benefits and push the debit card if they say they don't need another credit card. If they are going to do it they will probably say yes by the time they're done unloading. And if they say it would take too long, I say it only takes a couple minutes and they can complete the app while I continue ringing them up, that usually gets them to say yes. You have to be careful how much you push, some people don't come right out and say no, they'll say "not today." If you can read guests you know if you can keep pushing. Some days no matter what you say or do they are just not interested. Anyway, we don't turn off our light, we might miss the opportunity to sell the redcard to the next guest. I just thank them for their patience and how would they like to save 5%, heehee.

 

[kbsouth24]

Hi all. I'm a new cashier at Target and today is going to be my second day of work. I'm really uncomfortable with the process of the redcard application. I'm not worried about actually talking about it, but I am worried about what to do if someone actually says "sure, sign me up". I feel that if I'm not comfortable with this process I will tend to offer it less. Can anyone explain to me step by step how it works? I was paired up with a trainer my first day but she was just going over a lot of stuff and I was confused. What buttons do I push, when do you push it? How do you do debit vs credit app? Help! Thanks in advance!

 

[IHeartCarts]

There should be multiple redcard apps in your drawer. You scan the front just like any other item. A choice of debit or credit then pops up for you. If they are signing up for the debit card you will need a blank check and their license while the credit card only requires a license. Then the guest will answer some questions like phone # and address on the card machine. If it's approved (not all are right away) a temporary one will print out just like a receipt. They use that until the card arrives in the mail, 7-10 days.

If you scan the redcard app on the same transaction as their purchases it will automatically use the redcard to pay for that transaction.

 

[mrknownothing]

Pretty much what IHeartCarts said. After you scan the pamphlet, just follow the prompts on the screen. Two things though:
1. Make sure you scan the correct side of the pamphlet. You don't want to confuse/anger the guest by giving them la aplicación en español.
2. Ask the guest beforehand if they want the current purchase to go on the Red Card (pending approval). If they don't or they're not sure, suspend the order before starting the application (if you're prompted at the payment screen, select K3? Accept and Suspend).

 

[Retail Girl]

Umm, what? It's the same barcode on both sides of the pamphlet.

 

[mrknownothing]

Umm, what? It's the same barcode on both sides of the pamphlet.

Really? I was under the impression that the barcode on the Spanish side would initiate the application in Spanish. Have I been misled?