Archived Softlines as a Hardlines TM

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Net

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Been getting more than the usual amount of people walking deep into hardlines to ask me about where something in softlines is. I have no idea where anything specific is in softlines, I only know a few general areas that I get asked about frequently. They changed the floor layout a little while ago, so I don't even know where accessories or jewelry is anymore.

I don't think this is all that surprising considering I neither work nor shop over in softlines, but even another TM was surprised that I didn't know where back-to-school clothes were. Why would I know that? Is there some way I'm supposed to be finding this stuff out? I must be missing something.
 
Net said:
Been getting more than the usual amount of people walking deep into hardlines to ask me about where something in softlines is. I have no idea where anything specific is in softlines, I only know a few general areas that I get asked about frequently. They changed the floor layout a little while ago, so I don't even know where accessories or jewelry is anymore.

I don't think this is all that surprising considering I neither work nor shop over in softlines, but even another TM was surprised that I didn't know where back-to-school clothes were. Why would I know that? Is there some way I'm supposed to be finding this stuff out? I must be missing something.
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Do you not walk your store? Ever?
 
ditto on softlines, that area is terra incognito, here be dragons to me. I've only ever been in one corner of mens to grab socks but otherwise have no reason to go over there ever.
 
neverAPologize said:
Do you not walk your store? Ever?
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No I don't. I guess I should find time to take a scenic route around that side of the store, but I avoid that whole area during my shift for most of the day since I'm more likely to be asked a question about softlines if I'm in softlines, and if their question has more depth than "where is _______", then I'm just wasting their time.
 
I work at the front and I know where most items are located. Can't help that I am asked many times a day where something is located.
 
Net said:
Been getting more than the usual amount of people walking deep into hardlines to ask me about where something in softlines is. I have no idea where anything specific is in softlines, I only know a few general areas that I get asked about frequently. They changed the floor layout a little while ago, so I don't even know where accessories or jewelry is anymore.

I don't think this is all that surprising considering I neither work nor shop over in softlines, but even another TM was surprised that I didn't know where back-to-school clothes were. Why would I know that? Is there some way I'm supposed to be finding this stuff out? I must be missing something.
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Okay..... maybe a quick walk-thru of the department wouldn't hurt; just so you become "aware" of some basic A&A (softlines) locations.

The bigger concern is WHERE ARE ALL THE A&A TMs ????? There's supposed to be like a billion of them scheduled each day !!!!

If I were you, I'd politely "walkie" the A&A Team, and ask "Where is the Back2School Shop? and could you meet our Guest there to assist them?" I expect my A&A Team to be fast to reply and make the Guest their first priority....... so the response you SHOULD be receiving on the "walkie" is, " Sure, Net, B2S is located near Girls across from Domestics. I'd be happy to meet the Guest there!".
 
Okay honestly I have an embarrassing story about the opposite -- Hardlines. Before I worked at Target, I hadn't even stepped inside of my store, and in the past I only ever shopped Softlines online and once in store in Accessories for a last-minute high school backpack. I never got a store tour when I first was hired. We had a guest on the phone ask during Q4 if we sold furniture. I didn't know, and didn't know how to check, so I asked on walkie. The HLTL verbally slapped me through the walkie for that "dumb" question, but I genuinely didn't know.
 
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Just walkie softlines to meet the guest at X location. Girls, boys, shoes, fitting room, whatever location you know and can give directions to.
 
soyaxo said:
Okay honestly I have an embarrassing story about the opposite -- Hardlines. Before I worked at Target, I hadn't even stepped inside of my store, and in the past I only ever shopped Softlines online and once in store in Accessories for a last-minute high school backpack. I never got a store tour when I first was hired. We had a guest on the phone ask during Q4 if we sold furniture. I didn't know, and didn't know how to check, so I asked on walkie. The HLTL verbally slapped me through the walkie for that "dumb" question, but I genuinely didn't know.
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Wow! That HLTL is an ass. And a dick. And that "little area" in between! :mad: Rule #1 in ANY company: make a newbie feel welcome.
 
Was thinking the same as @sprinklesontop - where are all your SL people? It's supposed to be staffed all day now, isn't it? To the point where breaks and lunches are supposed to be coordinated so it's never unattended? That's the issue here, not so much that you don't know where things are in soft lines.
P.S. - I'm the same way about electronics. About half the time when I go to the boat to get spider wraps, a guest is standing nearby needing assistance. My way of assisting them is to find the electronics TM unless it's a very basic question (or the question is really about Mom & Baby). It's just not my world.
 
FlowTeamChick said:
Was thinking the same as @sprinklesontop - where are all your SL people? It's supposed to be staffed all day now, isn't it? To the point where breaks and lunches are supposed to be coordinated so it's never unattended? That's the issue here, not so much that you don't know where things are in soft lines.
P.S. - I'm the same way about electronics. About half the time when I go to the boat to get spider wraps, a guest is standing nearby needing assistance. My way of assisting them is to find the electronics TM unless it's a very basic question (or the question is really about Mom & Baby). It's just not my world.
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Target is physically huge and there's not a lot of people covering the floor. If one softlines TM is picking swimsuits off the floor and the other is folding girls' tables, a guest could wander around in a path through the fitting room and shoes and infants/toddlers or baby hardlines without seeing anyone before they make it to bath. Make it doubly difficult for the guest if one softlines TM is in the back backstocking or pulling a baby hardlines item or socks/underwear.

I have on occasion gotten a guest in RTW that's actually looking for help with electronics or furniture. I figure that the TMs for those areas are simply in a location the guest didn't walk by.
 
Have a softlines TM show you the right way to fold if you can find somebody, most will be happy to show you so nobody has to redo your areas later (like when some TLs not familiar with folding anything in the store try to “help”). Accessories and jewelry... jewelry should be in the middle of RTW at most stores. Accessories have been broken up by block for the most part- trendy stuff in young contemporary, kids in kids, men’s back in men’s, infants/toddler in with each block of infant toddler clothes, more mature/polished bags and stuff in RTW. Shoes may be similar to the accessories situation if you got the A+A 2.0 remodel at your store. Most softlines people will just be thankful there’s help especially at this time of year, rather than people just dumping things everywhere. Hope that helps some!
 
BullseyeBlues said:
Have a softlines TM show you the right way to fold if you can find somebody, most will be happy to show you so nobody has to redo your areas later (like when some TLs not familiar with folding anything in the store try to “help”). Accessories and jewelry... jewelry should be in the middle of RTW at most stores. Accessories have been broken up by block for the most part- trendy stuff in young contemporary, kids in kids, men’s back in men’s, infants/toddler in with each block of infant toddler clothes, more mature/polished bags and stuff in RTW. Shoes may be similar to the accessories situation if you got the A+A 2.0 remodel at your store. Most softlines people will just be thankful there’s help especially at this time of year, rather than people just dumping things everywhere. Hope that helps some!
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Where is RTW (ready-to-wear?), usually? I hear it referenced a lot. Before anyone jumps on that, even the names for hardlines areas took me a while to figure out. No one ever explains them or goes over them during training. In fact, if not for this website, I still wouldn't know what some people are talking about, but every time, it's a surprise. For instance, the special names for market areas and freezers. Or, heck, "_____ valley" and "mini seasonal". No one except TLs know what they mean.
 
RTW= the main women’s clothing section. Term comes from fashion designers calling their women’s clothing collections ready-to-wear.
 
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BullseyeBlues said:
RTW= the main women’s clothing section. Term comes from fashion designers calling their women’s clothing collections ready-to-wear.
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My understanding is that it came from back in the day many items were custom made/taliored and not just bought off of a rack, thus being not ready to wear.

itsajob
 
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