Archived Speculation: Something's changing at the Service Desk

[Formina Sage]

Recently HQ issued new Recall Information signing to all stores. The old signing read something like "For information on product recalls, see the Gift Registry Kiosks at the Guest Service Desk or visit Target.com"

The signing that replaced it now reads "For information on product recalls, see the Gift Registry kiosks or visit Target.com"

Why would they take out the verbiage regarding the Service Desk? Note that HQ pushed out signing to 1700-something stores just to remove the Service Desk portion of the notice.

Is something going to be happening to the Service Desk? Is this happening in conjunction with the self-checkouts that are allegedly rolling out next year?

The Break Room think-tank, ACTIVATE!

 

[StateofTarget]

The reason is a lot of TMs don't know anything about recalls and Target wants to avoid a possible lawsuit because a TM provides wrong information. For example, guest walks in and says "Is my babies toy recalled?". TM says "uhhhh.... I don't think so". Guest goes "oh ok". Next thing you know the kid is dead because he choked to death on a piece from the toy that happened to be recalled and Target is sued.

 

[Juan_Valdez]

I may have been dreaming this, but I recall one of the stores in my area actually has a Gift Registry kiosk in the middle of infant hardlines. Maybe it was test that's now going chainwide?

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

We got the new signing at gs. I missed the 800 number already

 

[insiteful1]

Bwahahahaha!

 

[eatcowsnotCAFS]

One store in my district did away with their service desk a few months ago. Instead, three of their front lanes are checkout AND "guest service." It's very strange, looks terrible, and from what I hear it's a nightmare. What they do is, instead of having say 8 cashiers and 2 guest service team members on, they'll have 9 cashiers, one which is at a lane that says "guest service and checkout." No cart well, just a few awkwardly placed 3 tier carts nearby. I assume this is because guest service team members at a slower store may have some down time, and they would rather they ring up guests during that "down time."

So, idk, perhaps that's why? Maybe they're looking to expand that?

 

[StateofTarget]

One store in my district did away with their service desk a few months ago. Instead, three of their front lanes are checkout AND "guest service." It's very strange, looks terrible, and from what I hear it's a nightmare. What they do is, instead of having say 8 cashiers and 2 guest service team members on, they'll have 9 cashiers, one which is at a lane that says "guest service and checkout." No cart well, just a few awkwardly placed 3 tier carts nearby. I assume this is because guest service team members at a slower store may have some down time, and they would rather they ring up guests during that "down time."

So, idk, perhaps that's why? Maybe they're looking to expand that?

Oh my god. I can only imagine busy periods such as the day after christmas for returns.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

indeed. techincally speaking, anyone who logs into a register with gs access, can do returns at that register. i would not suggest doing it. imo!

 

[eatcowsnotCAFS]

True. I've done some guest service things at the registers in the past when a cashier double-scans or something like that... it can just be easier than telling the guest to go all the way down to guest service (it's pretty far away in our store!), etc. Yea, I try to avoid it though.

 

[insiteful1]

One store in my district did away with their service desk a few months ago. Instead, three of their front lanes are checkout AND "guest service." It's very strange, looks terrible, and from what I hear it's a nightmare. What they do is, instead of having say 8 cashiers and 2 guest service team members on, they'll have 9 cashiers, one which is at a lane that says "guest service and checkout." No cart well, just a few awkwardly placed 3 tier carts nearby. I assume this is because guest service team members at a slower store may have some down time, and they would rather they ring up guests during that "down time."

So, idk, perhaps that's why? Maybe they're looking to expand that?

BINGO! The STL's learned of this rollout this year in Minneapolis. I'm glad someone started this thread so that I could get confirmation that my source wasn't blowing smoke. I'm sure there are others that will be able to confirm. It's happening.

 

[eatcowsnotCAFS]

Supposedly it's not going to happen at my store because we already had our remodel and the front end is just too awkwardly set up to change anything about the lanes.... gosh I hope. I love being over at guest service in my little corner... where nobody bothers me... except for guests....

and for the store I've seen that's already had this done, it leaves guest service a creepy, dark, barren corner. I wonder what they'll do with it? :boredom:

 

[redeye58]

This'll be a freakin' disaster at my store, considering the amount of reshop we work through a typical day.

 

[Jettajunky]

Ay yay yay that sounds like one of the dumbest things they could ever do. Where the hell do you put all the reshop? Where are all the carts to sort things into? Does each register have "portable" printers for ticketing? I just can't imagine life without guest service. They took guest service off the floor so I guess it only seems natural that we have no guest service whatsoever. Who needs guest service? If people can't find ************, oh well.

 

[redeye58]

Truer words never spoken...
All hail King Junky!

 

[Jettajunky]

Red and Dek from what I've read our stores sound like they're set up exactly the same. I absolutely can't imagine no guest service. Our GS team members are always busy, whether it be putting away seespotsave reshop, taking care of the "whatnot" bin, or helping guests with registries. They're always doing something. We're ULV so it doesn't get any deader than this. Our goal today was only 69k

 

[redeye58]

Can you imagine trying to box up defectives (& keep guests from helping themselves), maintaining the printers (& supplies), sorting different classes of defectives (bagging leaky product, securing yellows), lost & found, locking up found valuables to say the least?
Our service desk adjoins the photo lab so sometimes one person is watching both. If SD gets backed up, our photo gal steps over to help.

 

[Jettajunky]

Oh snap I forgot all that stuff. Yeah itwould definately be a nightmare.


A store close to me has the GS photo combo. I know the GSTL and he says he hates it because they never schedule a photo person. Always just have GS cover. Then when you get stuck helping a guest with their prints you get a line at Gs and wind up having to call for help all the time. I guess it's good then that my lab is not even close to the front.

 

[Juan_Valdez]

The photo dry-lab changeover seems to fit this hypothesis. Since it's basically on autopilot, you could conceivably just have a photo fast-service call button. Aren't GSAs supposed to include photo in their speedweave route anyway? (Maybe we can move the popcorn machine to express check-out as well ... The GSA can make popcorn while handling guest return issues.) But seriously, I guess it could work if they keep reshop/defectives/etc moving through and out continuously, which has always been the ideal. But you may have to shift some SF payroll from recovery towards busier hours, I would think.

 

[greatteam]

Who comes up with these ideas?

Jesus....lately I've just become so baffled by the moves this company makes. It's like they hired a bunch of monkeys. Heck, monkeys would probably be even better.

 

[Sasha]

At my store Im at Guest Service, sort all the reshop, registries, rest room check ups and do all the damages. Our photo center is also at Guest Service, so I have to do that as well...I don't think my store would ever be able to do that.

 

[ONMIPOTENCE]

What corporate does to save payroll hours. It's be interesting for a change though that what I like about Target, Constant changes sometimes not the brightest changes though.

 

[redeye58]

I just hope this disaster train doesn't make a stop at my store.

 

[FrontEndKnowItAll]

Sounds like a nightmare, I can only imagine how annoying that setup must be!!!

 

[Jettajunky]

You can change the name of the thread from speculation to truth. I asked my stl about it today. She said it will not be retroactive. The pilot stores were the ones that were remodled to get rid of the traditional desk to the new less invasive version. All new stores that are projected to be ULV will be built with this new Gs. She said she saw pictures and it was actually set up quite nice with dedicated bins and carts just like now but at the 1st 2 registers rather than the usual spot.

 

[FrontEndKnowItAll]

Maybe it will work at a lower volume store, but, even if my store had 1/4 the workload I don't think that it would work that good.