Archived What makes a GSTL.. bad?

[Bullseyerc]

I want to hear your opinions 🙂

 

[idkwhattodo]

unorganization and poor communication are big ones in my opinion that would make for a bad gstl. i feel lucky to not have had any bad gstls, but i couldn’t imagine the front end running well without both of those things.

i think it’s important for expectations to be communicated between tms and tls. with not being allowed to go to huddle, it’s always nice to be communicated with about what is going on in the store and if policy/ the way we are supposed to handle situations change, it’s important to know. also, actually getting to know your team helps. people want to work with and for you - you don’t have to be best pals, but seeing you as human and not just a cashier/ cart attendant/ gstm etc. definitely helps.

the organization has to do with making the break schedule and making sure it gets communicated with the whole team. also, knowing when we are low on bags, promo giftcards, and staying on top of change requests.

 

[Leo47]

1. Never does their job - we have certain GSTLs who we all know when they are working they will barely spend any of their shifts up front. They will make a poor cashier watch the front for them while they spend hours doing god knows what in the office. When they clock in it’s “oh so-and-so is GSTL so it’s gonna be (cashier) watching for them probably.” Our GSTL who makes the schedule will schedule a competent cashier at the same time as her so she can be in the office while the cashier does her shift for her.

2. (Related) Taking long breaks - we have one GSTL who I DREAD covering her “15s” for because she takes at least 30 minute long 15s.

3. Ones that don’t stock the lanes - you can tell who closed the night before because no lanes have gift cards, receipt tape, straps, etc.

4. Ones that ignore the grid - if I’m closing guest service don’t stick me in self checkout for over half my shift. I have stuff I need to get done that I’m going to be blamed for if I don’t do it.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

What makes a great GSTL and what makes a terrible GSTL who everyone dreads to work with? - https://www.thebreakroom.org/threads/what-makes-a-great-gstl-and-what-makes-a-terrible-gstl-who-everyone-dreads-to-work-with.19070/#post-437121
Look at learningtree's post.

 

[buliSBI]

Hiding in the office. Not visible on the lanes. Unable to complete till calls in reasonable amount of time. Unable to schedule/manage breaks and lunches without disaster.

 

[Dog]

Stand behind your cashiers and GSTMs if possible. Not physically, I mean, but if they call you over to help resolve an issue with a guest, try to reinforce the policy that they’re trying to explain to the guest.
For example, if a guest is trying to return an open air mattress and says “I don’t want another air mattress, let me speak to your manager!” And you’re the person that responds, tell the guest they have to do an exchange. I understand you’re trying to avoid guest complaints and bad survey scores, but it always feels kind of bad when my GSTL doesn’t back me up because he/she doesn’t feel like dealing with it. That’s one thing that makes a bad GSTL for me. I understand things happen where it’s unavoidable, though.

 

[RedcardReba]

What bothers me is inconsistency. I don't mind changing rules, but don't pretend you aren't changing them and act like we should know. We aren't mindreaders.

I also don't have a lot of use for lazy gstl. Stop all the drama and actually take care of guests.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

1. Never does their job - we have certain GSTLs who we all know when they are working they will barely spend any of their shifts up front. They will make a poor cashier watch the front for them while they spend hours doing god knows what in the office. When they clock in it’s “oh so-and-so is GSTL so it’s gonna be (cashier) watching for them probably.” Our GSTL who makes the schedule will schedule a competent cashier at the same time as her so she can be in the office while the cashier does her shift for her.

2. (Related) Taking long breaks - we have one GSTL who I DREAD covering her “15s” for because she takes at least 30 minute long 15s.

3. Ones that don’t stock the lanes - you can tell who closed the night before because no lanes have gift cards, receipt tape, straps, etc.

4. Ones that ignore the grid - if I’m closing guest service don’t stick me in self checkout for over half my shift. I have stuff I need to get done that I’m going to be blamed for if I don’t do it.

Ehhh I agree with most of this but the last part. You are “front end” team members and should be used whereever your GSTL sees fit. If they need a cart attendant for the day? You do carts. If they need someone to watch SCO? You watch SCO. That’s like getting mad when you’re scheduled hardlines and the LOD needs you to do electronics for the day. I totally agree a lazy gstl sucks but I can’t stand when my TMs whine because they’re not doing exactly what the grid says. You’ll never be coached for not doing something when your TL asks you to do something else.

 

[REDcardJJ]

Ehhh I agree with most of this but the last part. You are “front end” team members and should be used whereever your GSTL sees fit. If they need a cart attendant for the day? You do carts. If they need someone to watch SCO? You watch SCO. That’s like getting mad when you’re scheduled hardlines and the LOD needs you to do electronics for the day. I totally agree a lazy gstl sucks but I can’t stand when my TMs whine because they’re not doing exactly what the grid says. You’ll never be coached for not doing something when your TL asks you to do something else.

I don't like when I'm SCO and end up on a checklane with a different cashier watching SCO, but otherwise I am willing to be flexible when needed. I've been Starbucks, Guest Service, SCO, Cashier, Order Pickup and Cart Attendant all in one shift.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

I don't like when I'm SCO and end up on a checklane with a different cashier watching SCO, but otherwise I am willing to be flexible when needed. I've been Starbucks, Guest Service, SCO, Cashier, Order Pickup and Cart Attendant all in one shift.

Ehhh idk that depends on your store too. They schedule SCO to fill those hours... use it or lose it. My store particularly is pretty picky with who watches SCO and who shouldn’t so if the ETL wrote the schedule and filled in a bad person to fill hours and I’m GSTL and there’s someone who is good at SCO there I will always replace. We’re typviallu pretty good about only scheduling the right people so those fights don’t have to be had but occasionally someone puts up a stink and anytime they complain about me doing it to my ETL she always says back to them she schedules to fill hours and leaves it up to whoever is watching the front to decide the best TMs for the right spots.

 

[Black Sheep 214]

Ehhh idk that depends on your store too. They schedule SCO to fill those hours... use it or lose it. My store particularly is pretty picky with who watches SCO and who shouldn’t so if the ETL wrote the schedule and filled in a bad person to fill hours and I’m GSTL and there’s someone who is good at SCO there I will always replace. We’re typviallu pretty good about only scheduling the right people so those fights don’t have to be had but occasionally someone puts up a stink and anytime they complain about me doing it to my ETL she always says back to them she schedules to fill hours and leaves it up to whoever is watching the front to decide the best TMs for the right spots.

Having an ETL who backs you up is truly a pearl without price.🙂

 

[REDcardJJ]

Ehhh idk that depends on your store too. They schedule SCO to fill those hours... use it or lose it. My store particularly is pretty picky with who watches SCO and who shouldn’t so if the ETL wrote the schedule and filled in a bad person to fill hours and I’m GSTL and there’s someone who is good at SCO there I will always replace. We’re typviallu pretty good about only scheduling the right people so those fights don’t have to be had but occasionally someone puts up a stink and anytime they complain about me doing it to my ETL she always says back to them she schedules to fill hours and leaves it up to whoever is watching the front to decide the best TMs for the right spots.

I am the front end trainer, though. For the most part my store keeps people where they're scheduled (because they're scheduled where they're best fit in the first place), but in the craziness stuff can get flipped around and mixed up. So usually I just ask to go back to where I'm supposed to be and they make it happen.

 

[Anelmi]

I think having the cajones to stand up to TMs who want to do their own thing is big. At my store, we can no longer have front end shift tags because certain TMs refuse to work in other front end areas if they have a specific shift tag. So...say you usually work GS but there are callouts and you actually are needed to cashier. It's not fun, it's not ideal but most people would suck it up and do it. Not at my store. If their shift tag says GS, by golly they refuse to leave GS. And then they do everything but help guests while at GS. Sorting/Bullseye/Defects/Change/Bags/Candy...anything but doing actual returns and guest interaction. Drives me crazy. The GSTL/GSA should not cave to this ridiculousness...but they do.

 

[Yetive]

You may cashier, or you may go home.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

Having an ETL who backs you up is truly a pearl without price.🙂

I would agree. I’m pretty blessed with an ETL and honestly store leadership team that does not micro manage. Most executives and especially mine are pretty big believers in what our titles are. ETLs are assistant store managers not department managers and they have TLs for a reason. My ETL lets me run the front the way I want, the only thing she asks of me is to communicate with her and make sure I can back myself up before asking her for help. For example if I want to impliment or change things and the team doesn’t take well, instead of running to her for help she expects me to handle and coach my team. If I go to her with a problem she appreciates that I typically have a solution and just partner with her to make sure it’s fine. I would definitely say I truly get to run my department and have the backup when I need it. My ETL has made me a much better leader.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

You may cashier, or you may go home.

Amen. I’ve had a few stubborn TMs when I started that refused to cashier and had huge entitlement issues. They turned that around pretty quick when I basically told them then can cashier or they can go home and be placed on a CA for insubordination.

 

[starmaster1000]

if I’m closing guest service don’t stick me in self checkout for over half my shift.

Or when GS is backed the hell up with 6+ guests in line and I'm also expected to watch the SCO near GS. Uhm... no? You come up here and help me, GSA.

 

[Leo47]

Or when GS is backed the hell up with 6+ guests in line and I'm also expected to watch the SCO near GS. Uhm... no? You come up here and help me, GSA.

Omfg I get so mad when they ask me to do that it’s so stressful

 

[Dog]

They ask me to do the same thing and the 4 SCOs near GS are “assistive self checkout” where you can’t pay with cash by yourself and if you don’t want to do it yourself you can push the help button and someone has to come over and “cashier” you. Absolute nightmare, especially when the 2 GSAs working refused to cover the SCO break and I see them strolling down the center aisle browsing the clearance endcaps

 

[starmaster1000]

assistive self checkout

This is a new concept I've not heard of. What madness is this???

 

[Dog]

This is a new concept I've not heard of. What madness is this???

It’s honestly horrible

 

[starmaster1000]

It’s honestly horrible

Is it for like high-probability of fake bills areas or something? We will go to extremes to inconvenience TMs but God forbid we say "no" at the GS desk.

 

[gsa4lyfe]

They look like this and are basically hybrids. They have a keyboard, norm receipt printer (checks) and can we used 100% as a register for times like Black Friday and such. They’re for low volume stores. A neighboring store has them and their gstl said they’re not that bad.

 

[Dog]

They look like this and are basically hybrids. They have a keyboard, norm receipt printer (checks) and can we used 100% as a register for times like Black Friday and such. They’re for low volume stores. A neighboring store has them and their gstl said they’re not that bad.

Ours don’t have keyboards. I’m not at a low volume store, either 🙁 I dislike them because of the fact that there is no bill acceptor, you need to wait for a team member to come over to help you since there’s a register on the bottom to put the cash in. It gets tiring and overwhelming when all 4 lights are flashing at once and no one else can come help you.

Bit off topic, though, so I apologize 🙂 A bad GSTL/GSA imo is someone who is “too good” to back up on the lanes or watch self checkout for a short amount of time. I understand that you are supposed to be available for team members/guests that need help at all times, but when there are multiple GSAs working at once and you keep calling for others to come back up, don’t cop an attitude with the LOD if he/she tells you to hop on a register for a minute to clear the lines. 🙄