Archived "Acknowledging Every Guest" Rule

[YoNanas]

My pog team wouldn't get anything done if this was the case. Our "acknowledging guests" is pretty much limited to saying "if you need me to get any of the carts out of the way for you, let me know!" to people who come down the aisles we're working on, otherwise, they can put on their big boy/girl pants and ask for help if they need it. I can see telling the salesfloor TMs to be more proactive about helping guests, but the process teams won't get anything done with our limited payroll if we're forced to bother guests who are trying to shop.

How about giving hours to get everything done the way they want it done so we're not feeling rushed and stressed out. I love it when working past schedule and one of the LODs would ask what got you behind in todays workload. Well, interacting with guests that's why I hardly got anything else done.

 

[oath2order]

Acknowledge my ass

 

[sprinklesontop]

Not when they want you to walk them around the whole store to every item but you have a whole uboat of freezer load out and then another guest comes by then two guests at your "service" and 30 minutes go by easy breezy and the freezer load is melting already, plus it doesn't look brand to see a food vehicle unattended for so long. As a shopper, I'd start questioning the food safety and wouldn't want to buy anything that is temperature sensitive. I get that it may work better for certain work centers but there should be TMs on the floor for the guest to ask before they even come to market asking for something that they walked by or is in front of their face. Or they come from the front of the store they have the service desk and GSA/GSTL who they can ask if they are in such a big hurry. In my opinion, I think when they're not being asked they will walk around and buy more than they intended to versus when you take them to the exact item.

@YoNanas , I'm not sure if this is exactly what your Leadership is asking you to do. Realistically..... No ETL (or above) wants you to "... walk them around the whole store to every item...." It sounds a bit.... um.....far-fetched and horribly inefficient. (Eh.... I could be wrong; I'm not in your store)
Anywaaaaaaaaay.........
We began emphasizing the "Service Culture" a few months ago. Our A&A Team was so uncomfortable with the change in expectation, that they (too) "exaggerated" the new direction. We (myself, the A&A TL, the ETL, and our STL) were diligent about overcoming this "exaggerated" perception that the Team panicked about. We continued to explain, almost daily, "service/helpfulness/assistance/suggestions/consulting/etc" until the Team understood what we were asking of them. There may come a day when we incorporate "individual sales goals" eek...... and if that happens, we'll help develop that culture too.
But in the meantime.......
If I may suggest: SEEK out a more clear understanding from your Leadership. ASK them to show you what "Service" looks like. ASK them to show you how to assist the Guests and simultaneously get your freezer load done (its a completely valid concern regarding temp safety). LET your Leadership know you WANT to be able to "do everything that's expected"...... you're just looking for their support and guidance getting there.

 

[callmetaylor]

The funniest part about this is that some of our laziest workers acknowledge every guest, and its SO obvious it’s just part of their laziness. It’s like I can actually see the gears turning in their mind going “oh- this is another chance to ignore my work for half a second!” whenever someone walks by

 

[Billybobjoe]

The funniest part about this is that some of our laziest workers acknowledge every guest, and its SO obvious it’s just part of their laziness. It’s like I can actually see the gears turning in their mind going “oh- this is another chance to ignore my work for half a second!” whenever someone walks by

What’s even worse then that are those same workers are lauded by the ETLs as great workers even though they are slow to complete tasks.

 

[SLPumpkin]

Well, one of the ETLs at my store today said if a TM is caught by a TL or ETL not acknowledging every guest within 10 feet, it’s an automatic write up Apparently, secret shoppers have been saying they were never greeted. We also had a guest complain that too many TMs were saying hello to him/her it’s a catch 22!!

 

[pellinore]

Yep, we're damned if we do and we're damned if we don't......guess that we'll have to choose the lesser of the evils! Ummmmmm, would that be the hotline for being threatened with retaliation...even before calling the hotline?
Something is fishy......talk to HR RIGHT NOW!!

 

[BullseyeBlues]

I have a rule of thumb that if someone’s clearly talking on the phone, I don’t say anything to them because they could get irritated with me for interrupting, same goes for if they seem to be talking to someone they know. If they’re just looking at their phone I’ll check to make sure they’re finding everything ok because half the time a family member sent them on a wild goose chase for something with a terrible description. Sometimes they’re just checking cartwheel.

 

[can't touch this]

lately I've been getting guests who say "hi" when I greet them and then walk to another aisle to stare in confusion. I watch them for a few and they'll move up and down several aisles staring and checking their phones (they know I'm around) and then after a few more minutes I'll say "ma'am can I help you find something?" and they'll say "oh, idk...looking for um, safety pins????" (while standing in the party supplies aisle) and I think to myself "lady you could've just asked me that 15 minutes ago when I acknowledged you" lol

 

[Tessa120]

I have a rule of thumb that if someone’s clearly talking on the phone, I don’t say anything to them because they could get irritated with me for interrupting, same goes for if they seem to be talking to someone they know. If they’re just looking at their phone I’ll check to make sure they’re finding everything ok because half the time a family member sent them on a wild goose chase for something with a terrible description. Sometimes they’re just checking cartwheel.

I say hi even if they are on their phone. ¾ quickly say hi back and resume their conversation, ¼ ignore me. No one's flipped out yet from a simple "hello".

 

[BullseyeBlues]

I say hi even if they are on their phone. ¾ quickly say hi back and resume their conversation, ¼ ignore me. No one's flipped out yet from a simple "hello".

If they’re on the phone I wave. I actually had someone flip out AND complain because I asked if they were finding everything alright while they were on the phone. But then again my store has had people complain about team members in each zone asking CIHYFS because “it insinuates that the customer is incompetent” and they permanently have a stick up their butt about things.

 

[Tessa120]

Oh, I don't ask if everything is all right. Just eye contact and "hello". If they need me, they'll hang up. If they don't, they don't feel like I was interrupting the call and they're happy.

 

[WalksforMiles]

This rule hasn’t been really enforced at my store.
However, at a target close to my house they seem to have implemented it.

 

[WalksforMiles]

Well, one of the ETLs at my store today said if a TM is caught by a TL or ETL not acknowledging every guest within 10 feet, it’s an automatic write up Apparently, secret shoppers have been saying they were never greeted. We also had a guest complain that too many TMs were saying hello to him/her it’s a catch 22!!

Wow, your store leadership is a bunch of spineless idiots.

No offense to you, but that is a shitty policy.

 

[Leonhart621]

“Good Morning/Afternoon” is my standard greeting. I don’t use CIHYFS. {Everything ok?} or {Can I/we help you?} if they’re standing for more than 10 secs in an aisle or looking at the aisles they pass.

 

[2Spooky4U]

Are 2Spooky4you and TargetPirate related?
Carbs for goodness sake.

Forgive the lack of attentiveness, but why do you say that?


Although I do love me some carbohydrates.

 

[Tessa120]

Forgive the lack of attentiveness, but why do you say that?


Although I do love me some carbohydrates.

Because you are both skeletons. You both need to put some meat on your bones.

 

[2Spooky4U]

Because you are both skeletons. You both need to put some meat on your bones.

OH. HA. HAHA.

 

[NPC]

Acknowledge my ass

Acknowledged.

 

[LkdTGTB4wrknHERE]

Uh oh .... some of the etls are in trouble. They are notorious for ignoring people.

Hi, there!

Guest trolling aside, have you ever witnessed your store leadership successfully maneuver out of a guest capture or provide excellent product knowledge on the salesfloor without reading it from their phone or the Zebra?

1. [Capture Example]: Do you think this grey goes with this curtain? Do you have another rug that's more upscale? Does this rug feel softer than this one to you? What pillow would you recommend to make the things I have in my cart pop? [you bring and suggest one] But I don't want a pillow that feels like that...you know what I mean? (I've seen a leader get caught up in this for about 20 minutes and I didn't think that was the wisest thing to do- thoughts?)
2. [Expert Product Knowledge]: Why would I buy this TV over this one? They're so similar.
3. [Expert Product Knowledge]: Can you show us how to collapse this stroller? Which stroller would you recommend?

Would witnessing that motivate you?

How long do you think it should take for a Hardlines team member to answer these type of expert product knowledge questions in multiple departments (i.e grocery, baby, A, B, C, D, E, F, Seasonal)? I get placed all over.

Thanks for shopping with us.

 

[LkdTGTB4wrknHERE]

Not for long though. Our dtl told us to manage out or move unfriendly folks out of face work centers.

Wow.

 

[buliSBI]

I have walked in my local store several times lately, and no one instance of acknowledgement from the floor team. Except for the Mobile TM.

 

[Tessa120]

Hi, there!

Guest trolling aside, have you ever witnessed your store leadership successfully maneuver out of a guest capture or provide excellent product knowledge on the salesfloor without reading it from their phone or the Zebra?

1. [Capture Example]: Do you think this grey goes with this curtain? Do you have another rug that's more upscale? Does this rug feel softer than this one to you? What pillow would you recommend to make the things I have in my cart pop? [you bring and suggest one] But I don't want a pillow that feels like that...you know what I mean? (I've seen a leader get caught up in this for about 20 minutes and I didn't think that was the wisest thing to do- thoughts?)
2. [Expert Product Knowledge]: Why would I buy this TV over this one? They're so similar.
3. [Expert Product Knowledge]: Can you show us how to collapse this stroller? Which stroller would you recommend?

Would witnessing that motivate you?

How long do you think it should take for a Hardlines team member to answer these type of expert product knowledge questions in multiple departments (i.e grocery, baby, A, B, C, D, E, F, Seasonal)? I get placed all over.

Thanks for shopping with us.

How is that any different than being in baby hardlines an aisle away from toys or books and a guest who needs help in those areas grabbing you? Or the opposite, the Electronics TM reshopping toddler toys and being grabbed for baby equipment help? If us ordinary TMs can deal with such a situation quickly and efficiently, pretty sure ETLs can too.

 

[Kartman]

I'd love to acknowledge these ladies.