Archived Was I Just Disciplined? Coached?

[BuLife]

Thank you everyone for your input - Just talked with my ETL who proceeded with full disclosure. The GSTL yesterday admitted that he told me that Guest Services numbers were down knowing full-well that they were not down because of me or guest surveys written about me. So, no - there have been no written guest complaints about me at Guest Services, and then the only "complaint" was from yesterday when the LOD "witnessed" me interacting with a guest that she considered to be rude. The GSTL told my ETL that he was merely trying to "scare" me into doing better. My ETL was disturbed that yesterday (an extremely busy day with only one (me) team member scheduled for the desk) was the day that these two decided to double-team me. Additionally, for about an hour and a half the HR rep was at Guest Services with me, and she told my GSTL that for having so little experience I was fighting through the crowds and nastiness at the desk pretty well for having so little training. So, I'm vindicated.

As for the feedback by RetailGirl that it seemed that Target and I weren't getting along, that, too, is apparently incorrect. Per my ETL, I was being "fast tracked" to GSA for a permanent position after the season . . . and he asked me to return. The other ETL who mentioned to someone that I was "abrasive" is a softlines ETL who apparently had a snarky interaction with me once over a store cart behind the Guest Services desk - as for that incident, after she railed at me like a banshee for having a cart with reshop filled to the brim behind the desk (which I did not bring into the guest services area but was merely trying to sort by myself as fast as I could) and told me that I would get in trouble if I was "caught," I laughed and said "What doesn't get you in trouble at Target?" So, instant hate from her and the "abrasive" label. Finally, apparently, I have several excellent written guest surveys from the front lanes and a few from Guest Services . . .

Bottom line, two over-zealous team leaders who chose to "coach" me inappropriately and at the wrong time for the needs of the store.

Will think about going back, but probably won't.

 

[Nauzhror]

Since they had nothing specific, who's to say that they were even about BuLife? Or maybe they were complaining that he simply did what he was supposed to and didn't give in to their demands? Hell, I had a guest complain that I wouldn't break the law for him....my DTL didn't care about the details of the complaint, she just cared that the guest wasn't happy with me!

I get quite a lot of complaints. Every few months the STL will ask me about one that she is curious about, but even then she always takes my side, as she knows that enforcing policy leads to complaints even though it's the right thing to do. She's never chastised me over a complaint in a survey, she's just asked me for context behind a particular complaint on a few occasions when she thought it seemed potentially unusual.

 

[GlobalTL123]

Gotcha! Thanks so much. Just put my badge on the lunch table in front of my GSTL, told him to have a nice day and that I hope Guest Services Vibe Score would soon improve. Problem solved.

You need some lessons in maturity. That is just as bad as someone that stops showing up.

 

[BuLife]

You need some lessons in maturity. That is just as bad as someone that stops showing up.

Who decides what is mature and what isn't mature, GlobalTL123? Your simple statement sounds like some purple Koolaid your parents made you drink that really had no basis in reality. I did not simply stop showing up - I made my position clear to a manager, and in a nice, quiet way. I didn't go out throwing displays and wrecking endcaps. I didn't tell the GSTL off, nor make a scene when I left. I did not share my decision or the situation with my colleagues before leaving. I left respectfully and quietly. So, how is making a decision to immediately leave an unpleasant, upsetting environment immature? My decision was well-considered, based on years of living and knowing what I am, and am not willing to swallow for the sake of $10.00 per hour at a retail seasonal job. I'm immature because I didn't allow two people with axes to grind reduce me to a quivering mess thereby guaranteeing poor performance and horrible customer service for the remainder of my work day? If that is your idea of maturity, then perhaps you need some lessons in maturity.

Someone who "stops showing up" is a different story than someone who says "No, I'm not going to take your unsubstantiated sh*t today" and turns in their badge. Two-weeks notice is some arbitrary completely made-up business rule that was created by business to give business an opportunity to fill a void without missing a beat. It doesn't speak to my character. It doesn't speak to my work ethic. It doesn't speak to my loyalty. The "consequence" of receiving a bad reference for not giving 2-weeks notice is also an unreal made-up consequence . . . no job reference under the law includes "did they give two weeks notice?"

I've been there for 60 days thus far, and Target won't feature prominently on my professional resume. Perhaps if I was 21 and had no work experience to speak of, I would accept your pat statement on some level. But, I'm not 21, I have significant work experience and I have a good vision of what a mutually respectful employment relationship looks like - yesterday's events were unnecessary and crossed my own personal line in that arena. To expect someone who is already over-worked and overtaxed to rebound and give excellent customer service after being verbally slapped (gratuitously as I now know) for 15 minutes is not acceptable to me.

 

[3LetterDevil]

Gee, did I call that or what? I wonder how I knew that was happening? Oh, I don't know....maybe because I've seen it more than once?

 

[BuLife]

LOL!

 

[3LetterDevil]

I get quite a lot of complaints. Every few months the STL will ask me about one that she is curious about, but even then she always takes my side, as she knows that enforcing policy leads to complaints even though it's the right thing to do. She's never chastised me over a complaint in a survey, she's just asked me for context behind a particular complaint on a few occasions when she thought it seemed potentially unusual.

This particular guest complained that I wouldn't give her a filled Rx during the pharmacist's lunch. The DTL told me I "needed to do whatever it takes to make the guest happy," so I asked if it was okay to sell Rxs during the lunch period. She said, "Absolutely not! That's against the law!" Well, then how the hell do you suggest I "make the guest happy" if the ONLY thing IS breaking the law? She said "I" needed to "figure out a way..." Typical Target logic

 

[thetargetman]

Hi, All -

Long story short is impossible - apologies in advance. Hired early October as a seasonal cashier. Within three weeks, was pulled to "cross train" in Guest Services. And, also given several new cashiers to "train." Guest Services cross-training was really comical - "Here is how to do a simple return, now good luck." Within another week, ALL of my hours are closing guest services shifts. I've done my best to learn the nuances and essentially train myself to handle whatever might arise at Guest Services. My "training" has been subject to many different opinions on many different ways to do things, and my job is generally micromanaged like crazy. I took the time to read the guest services manual, and I believe I know the proper way to conduct a return and myself while doing it.

As an aside: My ETL has given me nothing but amazing feedback, both as a cashier and at Guest Services. Says "my personality is perfectly suited to guest services." LOD through many of my closing shifts has personally come to me to tell me I've done a great job and that the place looked amazing. Another ETL who had a "visit" came to me to say that the Bullseye Spot received high praise from their "visitor" and that she was told to pass that on to whomever had zoned it the night before. (That was me.) As a rule, I try to be upbeat with guests, find some common ground and try to be chatty if they are open to that. I generally have a great deal of fun interacting with guests in this way. At the front lanes, can honestly say I have never had a rude or crappy guest. Always pleasant. Ironically, the rudest people I encounter are gstl's and gsa's, along with a few of the longer tenured employees . . . but that's another story for another post.

Enter Guest Services. Day after Black Friday - worked overnight shift on Black Friday. Opened this morning - scheduled completely alone, mind you. It was like a bomb went off back there - stuff stuck everywhere; nothing sorted. Rotting food. Counters full of reshop. Horrendous. I'm exhausted and I suppose not as cheerful as I usually am or like to be. Just quiet and kind of doing my job.

My four thousandth guest arrives (she's about 70 years old) and throws two items down on the counter and pronounces that she was mischarged by about 50 cents for each item. She's literally growling about a sign that said they were priced lower than she was charged. I begin by looking at her receipt, pressing price inquiry to find out what the computer says, and then I simply agreed that the price she was charged was higher than this sign she saw said. I asked her where the sign was and what it said - trying to understand what she saw, without actually seeing it. She does not want to be questioned, and takes a pad out of her bag and writes my name down. She then tells me "I love writing nasty letters about horrible, argumentative employees like you." I tried to take her down to zero, but telling her that I wasn't trying to argue with her, I was just wanting to know more about the sign - (I was told that if something has rung up wrong, we needed to find out where it was and let that department know so that they could either take down the sign, or fix the computer.) She kept screaming about writing a letter, and then she wanted to see my manager - I agreed that if she wanted to write a letter, that was her perogative, and I immediately called over the walkie for a GSTL. In about a nano-second, the LOD appears beside the customer, who is still ranting. LOD escorts the guest off and I assume fixes her issue.

Ten minutes later, I am summoned to a meeting with the LOD and my GSTL who begin telling me that I was entirely rude to the guest - the LOD claimed to have watched the entire encounter - that I should not have questioned the guest about the sign. I explained where my question came from - my actual training. The pair then told me that I should not question 50 cents, that I should have just refunded her money with no questions asked. So I apologized and then my GSTL pipes in that guest services scores have been down, ironically since I began working there. I asked if I was the direct cause of that, and GSTL said, "I'm not saying that." Then, LOD says that I have had many complaints that I am abrasive, and that she didn't believe it until today. Okay, I thought. Then, GSTL chimes in that he has received numerous guest complaints, as well. Now, I'm confused, so I asked when he received those complaints - he and I have worked several closing shifts together. He said "I can't really remember."

Then, suddenly, the meeting was over, and I was free to go to lunch. As I walked past guest services (and the line that extended beyond the front lanes), I got a little peeved - not just because of the content of the conversation, but the lack of concrete details that accompanied some of the "feedback." Of course, the ETL who hired me and loves me (and put me at guest services) is off today, so I've got to suck it up . . . but, I can't help wondering,

WHAT JUST HAPPENED?

Honestly feel so bullied, abused, double-teamed on an already terrible day, which makes me feel even more exhausted and not myself. Feel like Guest Services has gone down the sh*tter since I came after this conversation. I'm feeling pretty funky . . . and alot like quitting. Input appreciated - please just don't tell me I'm abrasive. LOL.

Thanks all -

That old woman sounds like she is the one being augmentative about 50 cents!

 

[Retail Girl]

If that is all it takes to make you walk out, you wouldn't make it one week as a GSA. You get it from all sides every single day and are expected to suck it up and smile. Trust me and many here who have been in that position.

 

[BuLife]

If that is all it takes to make you walk out, you wouldn't make it one week as a GSA. You get it from all sides every single day and are expected to suck it up and smile. Trust me and many here who have been in that position.

Thanks, RetailGirl. I agree 100%. Best wishes to all who can withstand evil customers who want your job for their mantle, and all who want to withstand the ridiculous "mean girl" management tactics for a meager wage.

 

[GlobalTL123]

Who decides what is mature and what isn't mature, GlobalTL123? Your simple statement sounds like some purple Koolaid your parents made you drink that really had no basis in reality. I did not simply stop showing up - I made my position clear to a manager, and in a nice, quiet way. I didn't go out throwing displays and wrecking endcaps. I didn't tell the GSTL off, nor make a scene when I left. I did not share my decision or the situation with my colleagues before leaving. I left respectfully and quietly. So, how is making a decision to immediately leave an unpleasant, upsetting environment immature? My decision was well-considered, based on years of living and knowing what I am, and am not willing to swallow for the sake of $10.00 per hour at a retail seasonal job. I'm immature because I didn't allow two people with axes to grind reduce me to a quivering mess thereby guaranteeing poor performance and horrible customer service for the remainder of my work day? If that is your idea of maturity, then perhaps you need some lessons in maturity.

Someone who "stops showing up" is a different story than someone who says "No, I'm not going to take your unsubstantiated sh*t today" and turns in their badge. Two-weeks notice is some arbitrary completely made-up business rule that was created by business to give business an opportunity to fill a void without missing a beat. It doesn't speak to my character. It doesn't speak to my work ethic. It doesn't speak to my loyalty. The "consequence" of receiving a bad reference for not giving 2-weeks notice is also an unreal made-up consequence . . . no job reference under the law includes "did they give two weeks notice?"

I've been there for 60 days thus far, and Target won't feature prominently on my professional resume. Perhaps if I was 21 and had no work experience to speak of, I would accept your pat statement on some level. But, I'm not 21, I have significant work experience and I have a good vision of what a mutually respectful employment relationship looks like - yesterday's events were unnecessary and crossed my own personal line in that arena. To expect someone who is already over-worked and overtaxed to rebound and give excellent customer service after being verbally slapped (gratuitously as I now know) for 15 minutes is not acceptable to me.

1) By doing that you let the little old lady win.
2) You may have shown your etl and gstl but what about your coworkers who will now have the burden of picking up the slack from you since you didnt give the decency of a 2 week or even a week notice. That is who this hurts the most.

 

[redeye58]

1) By doing that you let the little old lady win.
2) You may have shown your etl and gstl but what about your coworkers who will now have the burden of picking up the slack from you since you didnt give the decency of a 2 week or even a week notice. That is who this hurts the most.

1) By 'winning', that was probably the highlight of that old woman's day.
2) The burden can be laid at the feet of the ETL & GSTL who thought it was demonstrating good leadership skills to gang up on a GSTM.
There's an ETL at my former store who is responsible for running off many good TMs & TLs. As a result, he's been shuffled to an area where he can do the least amount of damage because of strong TLs/TMs & being under watch by the STL.

 

[thetargetman]

Thank you everyone for your input - Just talked with my ETL who proceeded with full disclosure. The GSTL yesterday admitted that he told me that Guest Services numbers were down knowing full-well that they were not down because of me or guest surveys written about me. So, no - there have been no written guest complaints about me at Guest Services, and then the only "complaint" was from yesterday when the LOD "witnessed" me interacting with a guest that she considered to be rude. The GSTL told my ETL that he was merely trying to "scare" me into doing better. My ETL was disturbed that yesterday (an extremely busy day with only one (me) team member scheduled for the desk) was the day that these two decided to double-team me. Additionally, for about an hour and a half the HR rep was at Guest Services with me, and she told my GSTL that for having so little experience I was fighting through the crowds and nastiness at the desk pretty well for having so little training. So, I'm vindicated.

As for the feedback by RetailGirl that it seemed that Target and I weren't getting along, that, too, is apparently incorrect. Per my ETL, I was being "fast tracked" to GSA for a permanent position after the season . . . and he asked me to return. The other ETL who mentioned to someone that I was "abrasive" is a softlines ETL who apparently had a snarky interaction with me once over a store cart behind the Guest Services desk - as for that incident, after she railed at me like a banshee for having a cart with reshop filled to the brim behind the desk (which I did not bring into the guest services area but was merely trying to sort by myself as fast as I could) and told me that I would get in trouble if I was "caught," I laughed and said "What doesn't get you in trouble at Target?" So, instant hate from her and the "abrasive" label. Finally, apparently, I have several excellent written guest surveys from the front lanes and a few from Guest Services . . .

Bottom line, two over-zealous team leaders who chose to "coach" me inappropriately and at the wrong time for the needs of the store.

Will think about going back, but probably won't.

If I got an answer like that... id be furious! so it is ok for them to lie to me but not for me to lie to them? hypocrisy much?

 

[BuLife]

1) By doing that you let the little old lady win.
2) You may have shown your etl and gstl but what about your coworkers who will now have the burden of picking up the slack from you since you didnt give the decency of a 2 week or even a week notice. That is who this hurts the most.

(1) At [MY] Target (edited), the "little old lady" always wins - whether you stay or not. (BTW, I'm not into who wins or loses an argument, misunderstanding, schlong war, etc. as a yardstick to judge the success of my life);

(2) I feel absolutely certain based on my ETL that I am not the first, nor the last to say "Screw you guys, I'm going home," as a result of this particular GSTL for sure. Nor am I weighed down or concerned, or remotely feel responsible for any "burden" or "slack" that has to be picked up by my departure, with or without two weeks - it would seem that ultimately that burden rests on the shoulders of poor management style. The possibility of a "missing" shift worker at Target looms large every single moment of the day, whether from being driven crazy by micromanagement at its worst, or slipping on an unguarded spill. I'm the least of what is wrong with the Target business model - what my former co-workers will and will not tolerate is certainly not my decision or my worry.

 

[BuLife]

If I got an answer like that... id be furious! so it is ok for them to lie to me but not for me to lie to them? hypocrisy much?

Precisely how I feel - I enjoyed my job immensely, and "fast tracking" to anywhere was not in my plans. I would have been content to simply ride out my seasonal part-time job meeting people and ringing at the front lanes, while being my usual friendly self. I was not given a choice to "fast track" and I never indicated that I would consider making Target my new full-time vocation - there was some immediate need to fill a void created by two guest service LOAs, and (haha) because of my success (the # of positive guest surveys they received while I was on the lanes), I was unilaterally chosen. No one ever even intimated that I would be asked to remain on after the holidays, nor did I expect it or necessarily want it. Not one person ever said, "Oh, by the way, all of your future hours (38-39 a week for the last 3 weeks) will be as a GSTM on the closing shift." From the looks of things and from what I've read on this site, all of this is pretty same day, different store, same stuff.

Not going back -

 

[redeye58]

Consider it a bullet dodged.

 

[redandkhaki]

I highly doubt any ETL would tell someone they wanted them to be a GSA to someone who just walked out on their shift during a crappy weekend.

 

[BuLife]

I highly doubt any ETL would tell someone they wanted them to be a GSA to someone who just walked out on their shift during a crappy weekend.

LOL. So . . . I google search and happen to come across a relatively obscure website yesterday for Target people after having a super awful day at Tarjay. I decide I need the attention of strangers, so I make up a story, then I make up a conversation with the ETL who hired me (who was off yesterday) touching base with me about what happened and why I walked away, and something about this makes you skeptical? FYI, my ETL is half my age - fresh out of college and not too long for the Target experience. He has always been very frank with me. It is not surprising to me that he would share his frank thoughts either. Not sure why you can't believe such a thing, but okay. I'm a total newbie . . . only learned last week the difference between a GSA and a GSTL and, honestly, still don't really know what the difference is? And, I confess that I barely know the difference between a TL an ETL and a GSTL, and I still really don't know what an LOD is or does . . . so, I guess, believe it or not.

Thanks again to all who productively participated in this thread - your insights were invaluable to me. For the trolls, I hope you find a good thread to flame. Have a good night, all.

 

[Retail Girl]

Nobody was trolling you. Just because you don't like everything someone says doesn't make them a troll. It's the Internet. Take what works for you and leave the rest.

It's very possible a new ETL might say they wanted to make you a GSA after that. I've found most ETLs don't have a clue what the GSAs go through, and a new one wouldn't understand the thick armor needed to be in that position...thus thinking someone who walks off a shift could still handle it.

 

[Nauzhror]

I left a job once during my lunch break and never came back. Wasn't customers or coworkers though, job just sucked ass. Worked 6 PM - 2 AM in a stamping plant, a good day was one where I didn't come home with a dozen cuts oozing blood from sheet metal cutting me. They provided very thin kevlar sleeves you were to wear on you arms, bt most of the cuts were on my chest, and it didn't seem to be something I was doing wrong that led to constantly getting cut as that was apparently norm for all the people there, most of them were just willing to put up with abusing their body for $11.00, I wasn't.

 

[Nauzhror]

(1) At Target, the "little old lady" always wins - whether you stay or not.

They really don't. At my store the ETL's have my back. They virtually never override something I say. They'll often go along with me and only ask why I made a decision after the guest is gone, they're more interested in having a semblance of unity than they are in second-guessing me.

I tend to tell a guest no, ETL comes over, realizes I said no, repeats my refusal, and then when the guest is gone asks why I said no and only then requests full context, because they know if I said no there was a good reason.

 

[PinkZinnia]

I have a few things to say. Some good. Some not.
I'm glad you quit because no one should have to put up with the craziness of LOD's and Tl's who don't back you up or explain why they are reprimanding. And the thought of an adult being reprimanded by an adult is insulting.

Sad that you didn't give it the 24 hour cool down period before you quit, so that you could have been the one in control, as in having a new job to go to in order to pay the bills.

As a new cashier. They probably saw that you had half a brain and were able to explain to newer cashiers what to do.
Also probably the same reason you were working in guest services. Sometimes that isn't a step up position. Many people are hired to work there from the get go. Sometimes not a good choice, sometimes yes a good choice.

The etl who was praising you may have a positive personality, not saying you didn't deserve it, but they may be telling all tm's that they are doing great.

As a gsa, I always made sure I thanked every cashier, cart attendant and every TM I had contact with each day. No one needs to hear negatives all the time.

Some Tl's and etl's don't see it that way and want to point out faults. A person can suck it up or walk away. It's their option of what they want to do.

Your idea of being a great employee and targets idea could be two different things. I had a cashier who thought she was gods gift to the world. And though she did get some compliments from guests, she was slow as hell, didn't play well with others and liked to kiss mgmt ass. Everyone was happy when she left.

As far as the 50¢ Price difference, I would have done the return and politely asked the guest if she remembered where the sign was so that you could have someone on the floor check out the problem. I never would have said to a guest that it's her prerogative to write a letter. Of course it is. She can do what she wants. If someone said that to me, it would twist my insides and I would tell them - you're damn straight it's my prerogative and I'd be adding that you have a flippant attitude in my letter.

So, all that being said - I wish you much luck in your new life away from target.

 

[Nauzhror]

I never would have said to a guest that it's her prerogative to write a letter. Of course it is. She can do what she wants. If someone said that to me, it would twist my insides and I would tell them - you're damn straight it's my prerogative and I'd be adding that you have a flippant attitude in my letter.

I've said it to guests. They request something. I tell them no. They ask for my name and threaten to write a letter. I tell them that that's fine but that scare tactics aren't going to make me cave or change my mind.

 

[mrknownothing]

This particular guest complained that I wouldn't give her a filled Rx during the pharmacist's lunch. The DTL told me I "needed to do whatever it takes to make the guest happy," so I asked if it was okay to sell Rxs during the lunch period. She said, "Absolutely not! That's against the law!" Well, then how the hell do you suggest I "make the guest happy" if the ONLY thing IS breaking the law? She said "I" needed to "figure out a way..." Typical Target logic

Spend time vibing with the guest and tell her about the Red Card, obviously.

 

[Hardlinesmaster]

@BuLife, we come from various spots, each mgt team style is different. At least, you did find us. We try to give you an honest answers about your issues at your store. Your etl or gstl sound like very political & back stabbers. My stl has no tolerance for that stuff. My stl is very hands on to watch them in action. The end result was the etl & gstl quit in the end at my store, due to policy violations & poor performance.
Our sales & team morale are even higher because of the stl.