Archived Weird change at my store...

[BullseyeBabe]

We have been missing sales for a while at my store. We are a super and they have cut payroll to the bone. What seems to be a weird change is the guest traffic. Our store is crowded with shoppers. They just seem very different than our normal guests. They are so destructive. In softlines, they are knocking racks and tables (yes, tables) into each other. It's impossible to keep stuff picked up off the floor. They're bring 20 things to the fitting room to try on, but not buying any of them. It's not just softlines. The rest of the store is seeing the same thing. The problem is they just aren't spending money. It's so frustrating to be so busy all day and still not even come close to making sales. I wish someone would address the fact that our guests aren't finding what they want to buy. Instead of VMTLs, "sterile" fitting rooms and, of course, REDCARDS maybe someone should think of a way for us to...actually...you know...sell something?

tl/dr: Very messy guests not spending money

 

[Kartman]

Crikey! I thought it was just us.

Dose stupedo bastardos!!!

 

[The Dude Abides]

We had some guests smashing product on the floor today and then leaving. Good times.

 

[skyclad]

Instead of VMTLs, "sterile" fitting rooms and, of course, REDCARDS maybe someone should think of a way for us to...actually...you know...sell something?

VMTLs are...actually...you know..a way to 'sell something'.

Just because some people do not understand their role (even some VMTLs apparently do not) does not mean the role is something not worth investing in. It is an industry fact that it should have been there already. Not an iteration or substitute that did exist at times before, an actual VM. This is retail 101 and is quite a blunder in Target's playbook to not react faster to that fact.

Trying to tie our position to offering a redcard is in no way the same thing. I can understand threads talking about pay rates, or having to push redcards or not understand the VMTL position or even TLs being jerks, but trying to tie it all together is not only ignorant, it is quite insulting. A way to sell something? If you have the coverage, take a step further and go the route of selling by engagement... actually...you know...its a proven fact it works. If you don't have the coverage, at least make yourself visible to guests by brief greetings and smile-contact.

If a guest is 'destroying' something in your location, alert your TL or use service to try and stop-assist them. Personally, I am quite insistent when a guest is rummaging through a high capacity sweater display. They really don't have much of a choice but to let me help them get that size medium at the bottom of the stack. Outside of that, there isn't much you can do especially if coverage is low. That is up to the TLs to figure out.

 

[SFSFun]

Instead of VMTLs, "sterile" fitting rooms and, of course, REDCARDS maybe someone should think of a way for us to...actually...you know...sell something?

Selling stuff is kinda the point of having a VML.

 

[signingminion]

VMTLs are...actually...you know..a way to 'sell something'.

Just because some people do not understand their role (even some VMTLs apparently do not) does not mean the role is something not worth investing in. It is an industry fact that it should have been there already. Not an iteration or substitute that did exist at times before, an actual VM. This is retail 101 and is quite a blunder in Target's playbook to not react faster to that fact.

Trying to tie our position to offering a redcard is in no way the same thing. I can understand threads talking about pay rates, or having to push redcards or not understand the VMTL position or even TLs being jerks, but trying to tie it all together is not only ignorant, it is quite insulting. A way to sell something? If you have the coverage, take a step further and go the route of selling by engagement... actually...you know...its a proven fact it works. If you don't have the coverage, at least make yourself visible to guests by brief greetings and smile-contact.

If a guest is 'destroying' something in your location, alert your TL or use service to try and stop-assist them. Personally, I am quite insistent when a guest is rummaging through a high capacity sweater display. They really don't have much of a choice but to let me help them get that size medium at the bottom of the stack. Outside of that, there isn't much you can do especially if coverage is low. That is up to the TLs to figure out.

Everybody is responsible for selling Redcards. They can be applied for on any register in the store including Starbucks and food ave and pharmacy. Even if you are not register trained we expect you to talk to the guests about Redcards. So tying Redcards to the vml position is nothing unusual. As part of the team it is part of your core roles as well.

 

[Bosch]

Coverage? What is that?

Target hasn't figured out that having actual people on the floor is what helps you make sales. My store is a home innovation store all the boxed furniture is now back stock, meaning it's no longer on the floor. So in the past a guest could pull some of it themselves. Now that is not an option, so when our non existent floor coverage can't be found, the guest walks empty handed. They made all these beautiful changes to the store, but cut the people that actually make those changes work.

 

[skyclad]

Everybody is responsible for selling Redcards. They can be applied for on any register in the store including Starbucks and food ave and pharmacy. Even if you are not register trained we expect you to talk to the guests about Redcards. So tying Redcards to the vml position is nothing unusual. As part of the team it is part of your core roles as well.

Not at all what my reply was insinuating. It was tying team topics of frustration (see forum threads). Of course it is everyone's responsibility and should start with the sales floor leading into the cashier. It's nothing new, the same method applies to other businesses with brand cards.

 

[Retail Girl]

If a guest is 'destroying' something in your location, alert your TL or use service to try and stop-assist them. Personally, I am quite insistent when a guest is rummaging through a high capacity sweater display. They really don't have much of a choice but to let me help them get that size medium at the bottom of the stack. Outside of that, there isn't much you can do especially if coverage is low. That is up to the TLs to figure out.

I'm glad you have enough time to assist every guest who will end up destroying a display. But those on the salesfloor have to get CAFs pushed, zone done, 4x4s done, back up, and whatever the LOD wants done. Eventually you just have to let all but the neediest guests fend for themselves and hope for the best.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

Wow! First, I'm sorry I worded my post the way I did. I had worked a 12 hour shift because of callouts. I did not mean to insult the VMTLs. My frustration is with the powers that be and their priorities. Our guests aren't finding the things they want to buy. They can't find anyone to help them. They have to wait in lines at the registers and the bathrooms are just plain nasty. All we hear at our store is REDCARD!!! We aren't making sales, we're missing call buttons, but REDCARDS! It won't matter how pretty everything looks if we don't have what the guest wants to buy. When you finish your beautiful display how will you maintain it?
We have so many businesses that require polos and khaki pants. We don't sell them for women. My store is right across the street from a huge hospital. Finding slippers and bathrobes us hit it miss at best. I don't think Spot knows where babies come from because we don't even have maternity underpants. Presentation is important. I get that, but I'm tired of not having enough TMs to get a green zone. I'm tired of spending half if my shift on the front lanes. I'm tired of leaders that expect the same amount of work from 2 or 3 people when it really takes 5 or 6. Our guests deserve better and so do we.

 

[redeye58]

Trying to tie our position to offering a redcard is in no way the same thing. I can understand threads talking about pay rates, or having to push redcards or not understand the VMTL position or even TLs being jerks, but trying to tie it all together is not only ignorant, it is quite insulting.

Forgot what the "T" in your title stands for? TEAM.
Another thread used to provoke flame wars when everyone tried to define the 'most important team' in a store.
Despite each & every TM trying to show how things would collapse without their contributions, it only cemented one very real fact: Every position plays an integral part of a store's operation & success. VMTLs are now part of that TEAM.
The only thing 'ignorant' & 'insulting' is that some VMTLs persist in setting themselves apart & above the rest of the store.

 

[skyclad]

Forgot what the "T" in your title stands for? TEAM.
Another thread used to provoke flame wars when everyone tried to define the 'most important team' in a store.
Despite each & every TM trying to show how things would collapse without their contributions, it only cemented one very real fact: Every position plays an integral part of a store's operation & success. VMTLs are now part of that TEAM.
The only thing 'ignorant' & 'insulting' is that some VMTLs persist in setting themselves apart & above the rest of the store.

If you are trying to insinuate that is what my response was, you need to read what I was replying to. As you have already read my previous posts on another thread (and have 'liked'), you know I do believe in teamwork and absolutely do not set myself above and apart the rest of the store. The quote what I was replying to, which you decided to highlight out of context: "Instead of VMTLs, "sterile" fitting rooms and, of course, REDCARDS maybe someone should think of a way for us to...actually...you know...sell something?"

Nothing that I responded with requires a response of, "Forgot what the "T" in your title stands for? TEAM." That is a fact.

 

[redeye58]

So why is it 'ignorant & insulting tying team topics of frustration together'?
Or was it just that VMTL was lumped in there as well?

 

[GlobalTL123]

Who cares... the vml position will be cut probably in ae2016 or 17. More cuts are on the way, target will never be how it used to. Target is attracting a new low class customer base (wal mart folk). Ive seen it in many many stores. Target wants to be like nordstrom or bloomingdales but corporate is turning us into k mart/ wal mart.

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

I'm glad you have enough time to assist every guest who will end up destroying a display. But those on the salesfloor have to get CAFs pushed, zone done, 4x4s done, back up, and whatever the LOD wants done. Eventually you just have to let all but the neediest guests fend for themselves and hope for the best.

Yep. I still have 60 sales plans to build/retie this week. Along with purging Halloween and stuffing the floor. All with single day coverage. Yep that's 1 team member on the entire Hardlines salesfloor in a Supertarget.
We don't have pog set endcaps. They don't have time.

 

[BullseyeBabe]

For the first time since I've been with Spot, I've started to ignore guests. I still can't get everything finished, but between back ups, covering breaks and everything else I can't take time to help the guests. I hate it! My big thing has always been guest service and ignoring them goes against everything I believe in. The reality is, now I'm Brand. If I want to keep this position I've got to get my tasks finished some how. Often I'm the only one on the floor and every day I struggle. I think most if us do.

 

[DoWork]

I can only comment based off of what I see at my store and other local stores: soft lines usually looks like shit. If things look bad, people will only look worse. Our teams don't seem to understand that when they're sending each other memes standing five feet from one another.

We've had a large uptick in traffic the last two weeks. Being a skeleton crew as it is, all departments are stressing and it's causing arguments and don't give a fuck attitude.

I've noticed some new lower income shoppers, and I think that's an effect of wal-mart's down trend. They're having a lot of issues with staffing and inventory, locally.

If our stores are any true indication of the road we are heading down, I don't see how Target can maintain the appeal it currently has.

Also, fuck the distribution centers. You guys fucking suck.

 

[Rdhdstpchl]

Corporate team needs to remember that to make money, you have to spend money.

There's been some down falls in some areas that the rest of us are now paying for in lower hours and more work.

I personally don't feel that the store level should be the ones paying for bad corporate decisions. Before you go and make sweeping change, it needs to be tested from the store level up.

The people that work in different departments, at corporate, need to remember that if you make a change in something you need to talk with those that actually do the work. The team members have first hand knowledge, don't abuse it.

 

[cmat21]

I've noticed this too. In fact, I wa

Who cares... the vml position will be cut probably in ae2016 or 17. More cuts are on the way, target will never be how it used to. Target is attracting a new low class customer base (wal mart folk). Ive seen it in many many stores. Target wants to be like nordstrom or bloomingdales but corporate is turning us into k mart/ wal mart.

I'm really surprised they haven't cut GSTL yet. They could just have GSAs for doing that and the ETL GE could do all the TL responsibilities. Hell eliminate SbTL and cafe TL too. The only areas I see TLs being safe would be HL and SL and perhaps Backroom and Pershiables maybe... Any stores that still have HRTL...u can kiss those good bye.

I get why some people don't want to see the silver lining. Youve been here a long time, you need the money, etc , but I really don't see this company being around 10 years from now. Corporate is completely incompetent and is sending the company into the gutter. I won't go into all the details because we've heard them all before and if u don't believe it now me telling u now won't convince you. Point is, if you're a TL, ETL or higher and you're reading this and want a career out of this (sorry TMs I just assume you already know better) then I'm sorry...you need to start looking. When a company that's basically a Walmart painted in red can't do anything successfully that its competetior can, keeps slashing hours and positions, and is constantly coming up with 'fresh ideas' then you should know these are signs that corporate is just trying to stick as many fingers in the cracks as they can until the dam breaks.

 

[garbage]

We have been missing sales for a while at my store. We are a super and they have cut payroll to the bone. What seems to be a weird change is the guest traffic. Our store is crowded with shoppers. They just seem very different than our normal guests. They are so destructive. In softlines, they are knocking racks and tables (yes, tables) into each other. It's impossible to keep stuff picked up off the floor. They're bring 20 things to the fitting room to try on, but not buying any of them. It's not just softlines. The rest of the store is seeing the same thing. The problem is they just aren't spending money. It's so frustrating to be so busy all day and still not even come close to making sales. I wish someone would address the fact that our guests aren't finding what they want to buy. Instead of VMTLs, "sterile" fitting rooms and, of course, REDCARDS maybe someone should think of a way for us to...actually...you know...sell something?

tl/dr: Very messy guests not spending money

Now that Kmart is basically gone, someone needs to take it's spot.

 

[PassinTime]

Yep. I still have 60 sales plans to build/retie this week. Along with purging Halloween and stuffing the floor. All with single day coverage. Yep that's 1 team member on the entire Hardlines salesfloor in a Supertarget.
We don't have pog set endcaps. They don't have time.

OMG! One HL TM on the floor? How is that even a scheduling possibility?

And stuff like this is why my time at Spot will be coming to an end. SOON!

 

[Kuroyume]

For the first time since I've been with Spot, I've started to ignore guests. I still can't get everything finished, but between back ups, covering breaks and everything else I can't take time to help the guests. I hate it! My big thing has always been guest service and ignoring them goes against everything I believe in. The reality is, now I'm Brand. If I want to keep this position I've got to get my tasks finished some how. Often I'm the only one on the floor and every day I struggle. I think most if us do.

When I subbed at a super doing a plano last month at a store to which I have never been, it was insane. Here I am doing three end-cap planos at the front the store. Every two minutes guests were asking for help - for four hours. I did a lot of winging and walkie-ing.

Conversely, nothing like doing the DC cooler-frozen truck almost entirely by yourself with dozens of guests trying to shop around you. I had help for the cooler palette but no such luck for the freezer palette. As you all know, 30 minutes. That is the time allotted to work the items and get them back into their respective 'environments'. No sooner had I cut the wrapping on the frozen palette do I have an old lady in a scooter about to drag me away to run errands for her. Thankfully, there was another tm who noticed the situation and took up the banner. Arghhhhh!!!!

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

I've noticed this too. In fact, I wa
I'm really surprised they haven't cut GSTL yet. They could just have GSAs for doing that and the ETL GE could do all the TL responsibilities. Hell eliminate SbTL and cafe TL too. The only areas I see TLs being safe would be HL and SL and perhaps Backroom and Pershiables maybe... Any stores that still have HRTL...u can kiss those good bye.

I get why some people don't want to see the silver lining. Youve been here a long time, you need the money, etc , but I really don't see this company being around 10 years from now. Corporate is completely incompetent and is sending the company into the gutter. I won't go into all the details because we've heard them all before and if u don't believe it now me telling u now won't convince you. Point is, if you're a TL, ETL or higher and you're reading this and want a career out of this (sorry TMs I just assume you already know better) then I'm sorry...you need to start looking. When a company that's basically a Walmart painted in red can't do anything successfully that its competetior can, keeps slashing hours and positions, and is constantly coming up with 'fresh ideas' then you should know these are signs that corporate is just trying to stick as many fingers in the cracks as they can until the dam breaks.

That wouldn't work in my store. We have an ETL-ge/Hardlines/softlines. Yep, 1 ETL over all 3 areas. With 1 sltl, 1 hltl, and 2 gstls.

 

[Ashfromoldsite]

OMG! One HL TM on the floor? How is that even a scheduling possibility?

And stuff like this is why my time at Spot will be coming to an end. SOON!

I do a TON of running around answering call buttons. Oh, also, we only staff electronics 11am to close. On truck days the elec stocker has keys and helps guests. On non truck days, it's me or the gstl, or Serv desk person will run over to elec if she's not busy.

 

[buliSBI]

We have been missing sales for a while at my store. We are a super and they have cut payroll to the bone. What seems to be a weird change is the guest traffic. Our store is crowded with shoppers. They just seem very different than our normal guests. They are so destructive. In softlines, they are knocking racks and tables (yes, tables) into each other. It's impossible to keep stuff picked up off the floor. They're bring 20 things to the fitting room to try on, but not buying any of them. It's not just softlines. The rest of the store is seeing the same thing. The problem is they just aren't spending money. It's so frustrating to be so busy all day and still not even come close to making sales. I wish someone would address the fact that our guests aren't finding what they want to buy. Instead of VMTLs, "sterile" fitting rooms and, of course, REDCARDS maybe someone should think of a way for us to...actually...you know...sell something?

tl/dr: Very messy guests not spending money

Budgets are probably scaled back to save on payroll for the holidays. Or sales goals are extrememly high going into the pre-holiday time.