Archived CCA

[IHeartCarts]

I agree I absolutely hate doing it and I have many more important things to do. But it just seems like the "right" thing to do.

 

[Lazy]

Pretty much. Part of it is because at one point we were told by our ETL-GE that we shouldn't waste time calling other stores for guest, and partly because I got other shit I need to do and spending 5 to 10 minutes on the phone with another store for a guest isn't an efficient use of my time.

I once spent 35 mins on the phone with a guest helping her connect the new tv she bought to her sound system 😵 and after the call got cut off, she called me back so i could hear the music playing.

 

[Bosch]

Really? Your store doesn't have an item in stock so you make the guest who drove to your store for that item call another store?

I find they get better service than I would calling as an employee. I do warn them it can take a while and to have them put it on hold so they know the person laid eyes on the item. Not just checked the system like i did.

If they are game, we see if they can do a store pick up, but that isn't always an option for multiple reasons. But I try.

 

[FiestyPlano]

I once spent 35 mins on the phone with a guest helping her connect the new tv she bought to her sound system 😵 and after the call got cut off, she called me back so i could hear the music playing.

I once spent half an hour on the phone while working electronics to help a guest figure out her remote. She bought the tv 6 years prior and didn't know anything about it. Spent so much time googling different remotes.

 

[StrawberryBanana]

No, you did not "HAVE" to use your personal cell phone to assist guests. You CHOSE to do that.

I don't carry my phone on me, but it does seem like some people (at least at my store) expect you to use your personal phone to help guests. I'm not a cashier, but a few times during backups at the lanes I've needed to turn on my flashing light to have the GSA/GSTL help me with cartwheel or something and they seemed annoyed (and surprised) that I didn't have my phone on me which meant they needed to come over to help the person. One time the person running the lanes said something like she wants her cashiers to have their phones on them to help guests. So I can understand feeling like you have to, but my pockets are too small to bother having my phone on me during my entire shift. Obviously that doesn't have anything to do with texting, but I can understand feeling like you'll get looked down on or something if you don't.

 

[mrknownothing]

I don't carry my phone on me, but it does seem like some people (at least at my store) expect you to use your personal phone to help guests. I'm not a cashier, but a few times during backups at the lanes I've needed to turn on my flashing light to have the GSA/GSTL help me with cartwheel or something and they seemed annoyed (and surprised) that I didn't have my phone on me which meant they needed to come over to help the person. One time the person running the lanes said something like she wants her cashiers to have their phones on them to help guests. So I can understand feeling like you have to, but my pockets are too small to bother having my phone on me during my entire shift. Obviously that doesn't have anything to do with texting, but I can understand feeling like you'll get looked down on or something if you don't.

Reminds me of the days when "get appy" was a thing. I told my ETL that I only had a dumb phone and he just stared at me awkwardly.

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

I figure if target wanted us to call other stores they would allow us to from electronics, etc. since we can't dial out, I apologize to the guest and offer them the stores phone number or suggest they have the fitting room call the other store. But that only works IF we staff the fitting room.
The service desk is too busy with flex orders, returns, and cashiering, etc to deal with making calls.

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

I once spent half an hour on the phone while working electronics to help a guest figure out her remote. She bought the tv 6 years prior and didn't know anything about it. Spent so much time googling different remotes.

That's different. The guest called you. Sure I spend lots of time on the phone if with guests calling in with questions.

Calling other stores for them is completely different. And as someone else said, they'll get better service calling as a guest.

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

You could say you were updating GroupMe???.....no???...okay that's all I got

We don't use groupme. It promotes working off the clock.

 

[NitroKing2110]

I figure if target wanted us to call other stores they would allow us to from electronics, etc.

Any cordless phone can dial out. Hit 91+area code+number and then talk. Alternatively, dial 0 or pick up the red phones and ask the operator for an outside line.

Little known trick: on the cordless phones, dialing 20+four digit store number will connect you to that store. So if I wanted to call T1234 I'd dial 201234 and it would call.

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

Nope. New phone system here and it's a piece of shit. No phones dial out except fitting room, service desk, and tsc.
Key fact to remember: Not all stores are alike.

 

[redeye58]

I always did a loc check on the register, then printed out the list of stores & gave it to them to call on their own.
All the store info (address, phone #, miles from current store) was on there & I'd circle the DPCI so they'd know what to ask for.

 

[Yetive]

I always did a loc check on the register, then printed out the list of stores & gave it to them to call on their own.
All the store info (address, phone #, miles from current store) was on there & I'd circle the DPCI so they'd know what to ask for.

Exactly what I do. "Here's a list of stores that show quantities. Make sure you call before you head over, just to verify." Works like a charm.

 

[Retail Girl]

I would try that, but it rarely worked. Most of the time, the guest had it in their head that I had some sort of pull with another store, and that tying up my time would somehow get it done faster. There were times, though, when I wasn't sure exactly what a guest wanted that I had to give them the phone....why place me in the middle?

Then there was the guest who once needed like 6 of the same chair. And they wanted to make as few stops as possible....but didn't have time to wait for me to call nearly every store in the Chicago area. So they actually left me their name and number and made me call them with the store locations once I had it figured out for them. That really sucked.

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

They didn't make you.

 

[Retail Girl]

Well, no...but getting in trouble for not doing so wasn't really with it.

 

[BigEyedPhish]

Reminds me of the days when "get appy" was a thing. I told my ETL that I only had a dumb phone and he just stared at me awkwardly.

You should have said, "Ya sorry, I'm still smarter than my own phone".

 

[monkeyman90]

I refuse to do that. I give the guest the other stores phone number and have them call.

why is this so foreign a concept. i'm all for helping a guest but they have a freaking phone. me calling does nothing. hey here's the item number, and numbers of every store i would call. they can wait 20 minutes on hold at every store.

even if they don't i'll give them the guest service phones to call. we don't have a budget for "walk people through shit they can do themselves"

 

[StrawberryBanana]

Then there was the guest who once needed like 6 of the same chair. And they wanted to make as few stops as possible....but didn't have time to wait for me to call nearly every store in the Chicago area. So they actually left me their name and number and made me call them with the store locations once I had it figured out for them. That really sucked.

Did you end up having to figure it out and call the person back?

Something similar happened to me once. A guest needed a clothing item in a different size and we didn't have it. I did a quick look on the myDevice and said 'location of store' might have one; I can call to confirm and have them put it on hold for you. She said no. I said it would be best to confirm before driving over there because the numbers aren't always accurate, especially for clothes. She said she didn't have time to wait for me to call. I said again that it would be no trouble for me to call and she decline again. I gave up at that point and said, "okay, 'name of location' says there is one available in that size" and she left.
She then called our store later that day pissed off because the store she went to didn't have it. She wanted us to call other stores in the area until we found one in her size and have it put on hold for her then she wanted us to call her back when we found it and tell her where it was. I know someone took the message, but I am not sure if anyone actually did it.

I remember during training being told we didn't have to do that if someone asked, although I feel like it isn't an officially rule. I was told if they wanted us to do that we should just offer to tell them the numbers of other stores. I don't mind too much having to call other stores if you are standing next to me, but I think its too much to expect us to call other stores and call you back while you aren't physically in our store.

 

[Retail Girl]

I did end up doing it and calling her when I was done. But it was pretty low on my priority list because she wasn't in the store.

My favorite was those people who would call on the phone, ask if we had something, and if the answer was no, they would ask if there was another store near by. Then, they would have the nerve to ask if we could call that store for them. No. Just no. If you and I are on the phone, I draw the line at calling a different place for you. Let's hang up and leave me out of it.

 

[redeye58]

Had a woman (grade school room mother) call me looking for a dollar spot item in a particular color.
She said she had the item number & someone at another store did an item check which showed we had (large number) of these toys.
I told her that the DPCI was for the item, that there was NO color distinction & that I only had a handful of the color she was looking for.
She then asked if I could call other stores, ask THEM how many they had in that color & I said no.
I could print out the stores that might have some in stock but it would be up to HER to call around.