Archived Hey everyone, new Electronics TM here!

[Omnitech]

Applied and went through several interviews, and now I have orientation next week!

Quick questions from anyone that would know - any advice or details? I'm trying to plan ahead and figure things out before officially being trained, I've already looked at some manuals and training guides for register training, is there anything like that for the Zebra?

What did you wish you knew when you were new that you could pass on to me?

With modernization I'm expected, from what I understand, to also handle the mobile side of things. What does that entail, really?

Thanks!

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Welcome! Search our threads for that info.

 

[Times Up]

Welcome to the group!

 

[commiecorvus]

 

[JAShands]

Ask lots of questions and get comfortable using the walkie 😁

 

[ThatAPguy]

Welcome aboard! My advice is learn whatever you can about consumer cellular. Even if you’re lucky enough to have a Target mobile person, they won’t be there all the time. When they aren’t the senior citizens are mad as hell if you can’t help them.

 

[techGuy777]

Yay im not the Electronics newbie anymore! Lol. Anyways, here's a brief description of the Zebra apps since you're curious:

myWork- general inventory management. Shows you salesfloor and backroom locations as well as gives you the ability to stock and take from the back.

EXF- (located within myWork)allows the changing of salesfloor capacities and ability to make a batch of items to fill the floor.

Audit-manages on hand amounts of an item in the store. It asks you how many of an item are at that location.

Move-allows access to batches to be pulled from the back. We call the batches "pulls" because we pull them from the back.

MPM- check sales for the day

TargetPhone- allows you to answer calls from the Zebra

Overall though id say not to worry too much about the Zebra. You SHOULD get trained well enough on it and definitely ask questions.

One thing id reccomend since you're obviously a go getter is to do research on your own time of some of the general products like TVs and cameras. You'd be suprised how much one good article could help make you 10x more comfortable talking about cameras. Anyways, good luck!

 

[Omnitech]

Thanks, great advise and information!

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

Applied and went through several interviews, and now I have orientation next week!

Quick questions from anyone that would know - any advice or details? I'm trying to plan ahead and figure things out before officially being trained, I've already looked at some manuals and training guides for register training, is there anything like that for the Zebra?

What did you wish you knew when you were new that you could pass on to me?

With modernization I'm expected, from what I understand, to also handle the mobile side of things. What does that entail, really?

Thanks!

Archived - The joys of Mobile Plus.

Long time electronics team member here, and someone who actively enjoys their job at that. We're what? 8? 6? Months into the Mobile Plus changes now and I have to say that getting rid of marketsource in our store has significantly improved our lives and the guests lives. For anyone fearing...

www.thebreakroom.org

 

[2nice2people]

Learn to clip those keys to you, get used to feel, & never ever set them down. (Team trainer lol) and make those spider wraps tight

 

[Black Sheep 214]

Welcome!

 

[Budweisered4]

Always keep up on product knowledge not all the time can you trust Learn@Target since they don’t always update what we should really know to be able to help the guests. We literally pulled a lot from App/Website that has more in depth detail on products then what the actual trainings give and made a binder for it all. Stay up on electronic news especially any product launches. Learn all the benefits of Square Trade so it be simpler to sell the benefits of it to the guests and in return build the basket & sales but also build a connection to the guest so they can be assured it be great to come back to the store on future purchases. Once you get use to a MyDevice slowly dabble into using a MyCheckout device to be able to help the guests even further. A item out of stock or they need a few more of something we only have a few of the MyCheckout is great way to save the sale. Since I’ve challenged the team to try to go for a sale on it 1-2 a week it’s been a big hit. Not sure if your store splits the dept between all TMs but if so it be a great way to be able to get use to and champion Exf/Audit.

 

[Targetelect]

Be careful when price matching.

 

[Budweisered4]

Hope all the training is going good & another fun tidbit never say there’s nothing to do because truly there always is something to do & don’t get caught just chilling at the counter because that could lead to but also ASANTS a coaching.

I had to be the TM in the middle of this situation on 2 fellow TMs. I was told to report to a leader if they are just chilling & chatting with Target Tech instead of actually guesting while they walk the department zoning/auditing. I feel bad partially because it shouldn’t be my job to keep eyes on a fellow team members for slacking but also I don’t feel bad because what they could be doing and choose not to I end up doing it on top of everything else.

Those TMs treat me like a lead but I don’t have the title or the extra pay for it but I do have #s ironically but if I’m going to end up doing there work too they need to be shipped out to sea of the GM team. I already have candidates & the leaders approved of my elections that I’d would want to have for Q4 depending on how many spots open for that time that I know are fully capable of doing the workload

 

[Targetelect]

For your sake, hopefully you dont have a co worker back there that considers himself God's gift to target, and can be very condescending. I truly hope you have a good team. Good luck.

 

[Omnitech]

So far my training has been going well! I actually have a very cool trainer, and my TL isn't half bad either. Unfortunately for me my location is one of the select few that are having TMs do phone activations, so it's been a pretty overwhelming experience, but I'm hoping to get over my fear and learn some more product knowledge while I'm at it.

 

[JAShands]

When our Electronics went to Electronics plus Mobile each and every TM received an additional 30 hours of training just for the phones. We staggered this into an 8 hour shift every week for a month for our Team. If you’re learning Mobile there is plenty of training for it. Don’t feel rushed by your Leaders. Not saying they will try just saying IF they try.

 

[Omnitech]

I'm not too sure if I'm going to get that same benefit. I kind of have just been shown everything all at once, my first shift there was 2 phone activations and my trainer had me stand by and shadow, while also inputting the guests information into the computer. It kind of all just went over my head, especially with how experienced and knowledgeable he sounded - something I fear I won't be able to grasp any time soon.

In all honesty I'm fearful that maybe I chose the wrong department to start off in, I love working here, the people are amazing, I feel fortunate that my store seems hardworking and clean compared to some horror stories I've heard. I'm just getting a bit flustered with learning the whole inventory system, learning phones, TV's, cameras, etc, and also having to figure out phone activation and having long conversations with people that are probably just as clueless as I am.

I'm still pushing forward, but it's hard to ignore that I feel like I could have been happier in a different department and it's too late to speak up about it.

 

[tholmes]

In all honesty I'm fearful that maybe I chose the wrong department to start off in, I love working here, the people are amazing, I feel fortunate that my store seems hardworking and clean compared to some horror stories I've heard. I'm just getting a bit flustered with learning the whole inventory system, learning phones, TV's, cameras, etc, and also having to figure out phone activation and having long conversations with people that are probably just as clueless as I am.

Electronics can very well be a hard area to start in, especially if you don't have much time to look at the available resources. If you're nervous about product knowledge, a good way to learn is to literally read boxes while you're zoning and helping guests. No, it won't get you a super in-depth knowledge of stuff, but it's a good working base. Another good way to learn is if a guest asks something to the extent of "what's the difference between X and Y" if you don't know just let them know you're not 100% sure, and follow up with, "let me find out" and pull up Google for that purpose.

If you're feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff to learn, try breaking it up so you can go "this week I will learn about cameras" or "this week I will learn about auditing" or whatever else.

For questions regarding phone activations, there's a Plus Mobile Reference Guide available on Workbench (if I'm not mistaken) that walks you step by step through every process until you're comfortable. Baby steps. Alternatively, there's a thread on here for Plus Mobile (Hardlinesmaster linked it) that is super helpful imo.

Last note: if you really are feeling like moving to another area, it's never to late to cross-train. If you want to learn about an area, ask either your TL or the TL for that area about cross-training, and with a little luck you might even get scheduled shifts in that area once you're trained.

 

[Omnitech]

Thanks tholmes, that's really good information and makes me a little more comfortable. I'm going to do my best to stick it through for a few months at least. Just got to get out of my comfort zone and push harder.

 

[Budweisered4]

It definitely does take time to get use to everything and little by little it does help. I know full well about the comfort zone I was in those same shoes before and now basically I keep the department still floating. One of the biggest things I’ve done that has helped tremendously is a lot of trainings that are just a read through (no tests that have to be printed saying you passed) I’ve printed out & have in a binder at the counter so Incase a Tm doesn’t have time to go off stage and read on a computer they can still read the info & be guest ready at the same time. Same goes with product knowledge we literally because of how much over the years have almost enough to do a 3rd binder of product knowledge of all we sell.

Cross training is always a good way as well I’m 1 of few that is literally cross trained everywhere in store including all modernized areas tho I only focus on one.

 

[Omnitech]

Is there any good resources outside of work to study from? Honestly I've tried doing general terms and google searches, and I'm just not exactly sure what I should be looking at and learning. Also no one has shown me anywhere I can "study" while working, there isn't any kind of paper work or binders with information. Is any of that information available online so I can browse it during my free time so I can come to work more confident and prepared?

Thanks a ton guys, I really appreciate all the advice and help you're giving me!

 

[Budweisered4]

I’m currently watching WWDC so I can stay up for all the Apple news ahead of all the stuff for the fall

 

[tholmes]

Is any of that information available online so I can browse it during my free time so I can come to work more confident and prepared?

If you log in to the store workbench, there should be a tab at the top with the different work centers, electronics is under Specialty Sales last I looked. That electronics dashboard has all of the product knowledge guides, demo guides, and general process information for a lot of the area.