Archived TM and cell phones

[macinb]

both of the stores i have worked in almost everyone carries their phones. the first store i was in the ETLs and SrTLs were ALWAYS one there phones on the sales floor. i see it as if they can use their phones on the floor then so can i since everyone knows they arent just texting other TLs.

 

[TargetTeam]

No cell phones on the floor at my store but do people follow it?? Make me laugh! I see TM looking at their phones at GS all the time.

 

[MLE]

I keep my iPhone in my pocket every day at work. I work flow and I use it to listen to music while bowling or stocking shelves before the store opens. They play the radio for us over the PA, which is nice most days, but "country Friday" finally got to me after a couple years. Now I just keep an earbud in one ear while I do my thing and I'm not the only TM doing so. I've never heard any TL reprimand anyone or give any kind of specific rules for using a phone/mp3 player. I think it's just common sense. Even when I occasionally put the buds in both ears while working alone, I still stay aware of what's going on around me. Any time I even get the inkling that a TL or another TM might be about to engage in conversation with me, I immediately pop out the earbuds and give them my full attention. Likewise, as soon as the store lights come on and we open, the buds come completely out and I stuff everything discretely in my pocket. I realize it's a privilege and could very easily be taken away if it were to become a problem. Thankfully, I don't anticipate that happening.
Now, when I worked guest service, the front lanes or sales floor, the only time my phone was in my pocket was if I forgot to put it in my locker. Then it just felt like something else to worry about during my shift.

 

[eatcowsnotCAFS]

From a guests post of view, it just looks terrible to see anyone on their cellphone. Even if you're helping another guest, the guest walking by will see what *looks* like you playing on your cellphone. Texting from a shelf is no big deal? Someone WILL walk by and see you hiding your phone and texting.... it just looks bad. That's what I would expect to see from an employee of Walmart, not a team member at Target.

Having been the wife in the whole wife-at-home-with-newborn situation... emergencies are the lesser of the likely things. More likely is the wife (in general, maybe not yours!), knowing you have your phone, and texting you to tell you "Sadie just rolled from her tummy!" or "she's being so fussy, I don't know what's wrong with her!" and distracting you in SOME way.

 

[tellmeaboutatime]

Our early morning teams can no longer use their Ipods or other MP3 players with headphones. One team member had their Ipod break while they were bowling and wanted Target to replace it. Another TM had his ear bud catch on a shelf and choke him. I honestly still cannot figure out how it happened. But he did have and awful welt around his neck. As of that day no more headphones.

 

[FrontEndKnowItAll]

The policy at my store is pretty straight forward, no phones no matter what. Personally having a phone on you doesn't bother me, but, if it is a distraction we might be having a little chat.

As far as mp3 players go you can have them before the store opens you just cant use an earbud so most people use the speaker mode or have a fancy case or something with speakers built in.

 

[RednTacky]

Anyone else find the Target iPhone app to be more useful than the Item Search on our PDA?

Yeah, that's why we keep cell phones on the floor.

 

[talan123]

Anyone else find the Target iPhone app to be more useful than the Item Search on our PDA?

Yeah, that's why we keep cell phones on the floor.

YES. The search application on the PDA's is constantly broken while the iPhone app is 100% functional, I can get better stock indicators as well.

 

[FiFoMaster]

I also use my phone as a "look up" since Target wont supply electronics TM's with a computer. If i need to find a CD that the guest cant remember, but knows the song, i pull out my phone and google it. Same if they have a specific camera we dont sell, and can't remember if it's too old to use SDHC, a sony that only uses memory pro sticks, and the like. It makes my job easier and the guest gets what they want.

 

[talan123]

I also use my phone as a "look up" since Target wont supply electronics TM's with a computer. If i need to find a CD that the guest cant remember, but knows the song, i pull out my phone and google it. Same if they have a specific camera we dont sell, and can't remember if it's too old to use SDHC, a sony that only uses memory pro sticks, and the like. It makes my job easier and the guest gets what they want.

It truly is dazzling how people are trying to deny how much retail has changed in the last few years.

The majority of retail owners do not want their staff to have phones because it makes them seen as unprofessional. They believe that training
g should be able to do it all. Using the cellphone is for the questions that training cannot answer. It's actually a huge plus. We have all the data sources in front of us and the customer has the query, we just have to input it for them and we get the sale.

Plus I get to use other retail websites for getting information and that just makes me smile a bit more in screwing them over.

 

[Cee Low]

all this drama over myDevices

 

[SilentCrow]

Keep my phone on me. It's 2018 and it's important for anyone with a family. Also I'm a grown man and know not to use it in ways that'll be unacceptable.

I've tried millions of times dialing the operator from within the store and I have been ignored. I will not rely on that when my family can be in Jeopardy.

My store you can have your phone on you. Just don't let it hinder your performance or that's a coaching.

 

[Leo47]

I always have it with me, no reason other than I want to and I’m an adult so I can lol. If no guests are around we all will go on our phones (GSTLs included), especially at GS when there’s the back and the closet to go in to

 

[TheBeastPMT]

I have mine on me at all times. I have vendors call me through my phones, other PMTs that need help or whatever, and a BP

 

[oath2order]

I have spent hundreds of dollars at my store over the years because my mom texts me asking me to pick something up.

The phone stays on me if they want the money.

 

[Dwyatt]

Everyone uses cell phones in my store. I was told to download the cartwheel app. Very useful for looking up products for a guest when there are no mydevices

 

[Tessa120]

I use my phone if I don't have a zebra handy. But also I keep my schedule on my phone and sometimes the TL wants to know who is working when to either find coverage for someone she knows is going to call out or to leave special instructions for the people coming in the next day because something just changed in the middle of the day.

 

[FlowTeamChick]

I keep mine mine in my locker. No problem with TMs or anyone else who might have a sick child in need or situations like that, but I do get annoyed with TMs who text and take calls (obviously non-emergency ones because I can hear all of their side of the conversation) on the floor, even when the store is open. On the floor is the worst, but back room should be off-limits for personal phone use too. When you're on the clock, you're supposed to be working, not texting or talking on your phone.

 

[TTGOz]

I keep mine mine in my locker. No problem with TMs or anyone else who might have a sick child in need or situations like that, but I do get annoyed with TMs who text and take calls (obviously non-emergency ones because I can hear all of their side of the conversation) on the floor, even when the store is open. On the floor is the worst, but back room should be off-limits for personal phone use too. When you're on the clock, you're supposed to be working, not texting or talking on your phone.

I think there's a line to cellphone usage, I don't stow mine away but I keep it along with me in the store. If it's an emergency most people I'm close to would know to text me because I won't pick a call up at work but I might try to sneak a text if I have to use the bathroom. I use the Target App when I have no zebra to look things up for a guest, but that's about it.

 

[IWishIKnew]

I've pretty much given up on using the Zebra to look stuff up unless I have a DPCI. Too many things "not sold in this store" that it's impossible to find stuff that is, and the search algorithm is not nearly as flexible or useful than the app. If you don't have an exact string for it it's pretty much useless, but the app allows for more intuitive search, auto-complete suggestions that can actually be helpful, as well as dealing with misspellings and such. Also, pictures. I will usually look something up in the app, verify with the guest it's what they want and then use the DPCI to check exact location, quantity, backstock, other locations, etc.

 

[Miked0292]

I keep mine on me , I have had to text my ETL to come in for certain events or other things, plus ya know when I go to call PD for a subject makes it a little easier to say I am going to grab something for you to sign I just printed it to the wrong printer can easily walk out make the call real quick then come back in like it didnt work.

 

[RTCry]

I keep mine on my person. It makes a decent My Device sub. Maybe if Corporate allocated enough devices so that anyone who was scheduled after 8am could get one...

 

[redeye58]

I keep mine on me because I have a disabled child & a medically fragile great aunt - I'm the first call number on her LifeLine.

 

[mizl]

I practically beg my cashiers to download the Target app on their phone and let them know that at our store it's fine to use them for guest assistance. 95% of the time when they call me over because an item has no tag I just go on the app on my phone and search some keywords. Give a cashier a DPCI, you help them for a day. Teach a cashier how to find a DPCI, they stop requesting you when you have five hundred other things to do.

edit: I always have a myDevice on me when I'm GSA but between the bizarre item names, the lack of pictures or description, and the apparent inability to filter out items we don't have, it's useless for that sort of thing.

 

[IWishIKnew]

Give a cashier a DPCI, you help them for a day. Teach a cashier how to find a DPCI, they stop requesting you when you have five hundred other things to do.

I actually did this for a seasonal cashier when I was checking out. I managed to pick something without a tag, by accident, and while we waited for the GSA I looked it up and got the DPCI on the app. She still needed help because she didn't tag stuff for gift receipts, but I hope the lesson stuck.