# Can you get coached for not getting carts?



## guestserviceguru (Jun 27, 2014)

Hey guys, so last night I was doing my weekly food ave shift, and the new GSA came over and asked me to get carts while I was finishing up all the cleaning. First it was 7:30, we close at 8. Second it was pouring rain, and I really hate rain. So I told her that I couldn't, I need to close food ave, and she kept asking and I finally told her that I needed to clean. She left all pissed off, and when I was qmosing the food, she came over and told me I needed to get carts, I told her I was waiting for an LOD to walk off, and I was going home because it was already past my scheduled time and this time she walked away. I have no problem grabbing carts, I do it all the time, but the lanes were dead. We hardly had any guests.  She could have easily grabbed them herself. Can I get coached for not getting carts last night?


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## pfreshdude (Jun 27, 2014)

guestserviceguru said:


> Hey guys, so last night I was doing my weekly food ave shift, and the new GSA came over and asked me to get carts while I was finishing up all the cleaning. First it was 7:30, we close at 8. Second it was pouring rain, and I really hate rain. So I told her that I couldn't, I need to close food ave, and she kept asking and I finally told her that I needed to clean. She left all pissed off, and when I was qmosing the food, she came over and told me I needed to get carts, I told her I was waiting for an LOD to walk off, and I was going home because it was already past my scheduled time and this time she walked away. I have no problem grabbing carts, I do it all the time, but the lanes were dead. We hardly had any guests.  She could have easily grabbed them herself. Can I get coached for not getting carts last night?



Possibly...I personally dont think you should even be held responsible since you were closing down food ave but who knows how leadership will approach it.  Not sure why they didnt have someone from salesfloor, a cashier, or the GSA/GSTL that was closing grab them.


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## paidtosmile (Jun 27, 2014)

At our store you would have been coached. We are allocated a whopping 24 cart attendant hours per week, almost all of which go towards weekend shifts. Our STL is super into logistics, but not the GE side, so we have to send any able-bodied person outside to grab carts when needed. For us, that's usually food ave or the GSA. I've seen our GSTL coach two front end team members already for not being a team player, AKA not running out to get carts.

edit: I didn't see that you were working past schedule. My bad, ignore my post.


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## guestserviceguru (Jun 27, 2014)

Most of the time, the GSA will get them or guest service, but normally the GSA, unless we have a cart attendant. It's like the new GSA is afraid to get carts or something.


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## guestserviceguru (Jun 27, 2014)

The way my stores seems to be going, I will most likely be talked to tonight my by ETL, but who knows.


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## Retail Girl (Jun 27, 2014)

24 hours for cart attendant per week?! @paidtosmile , I'm jealous of you! I think we have 12, maybe 15 hours...and yes, they are for Friday, Saturday, Sunday only. Thus pretty much everyone under the age of 55 is on cart duty at my store. It's possible the cashiers may have already been out? Or the GSA was thinking they will have to do it later so it was a chance to get someone else's turn in? As an outside observer, none of us know what her plan was. If it was truly pouring rain, it should have been left until it let up...or just a row or two if they were nearly out.

She might not be afraid to get carts...she may not be able to physically do it. I completely ruined my hip this winter when I spent 3 straight hours out in the lot trying to keep us caught up on carts. My hip is finally to the point where I am not in constant pain...but I have not been able to get carts since February. Some LODs are more supportive than others on this....which makes my job a huge headache most days. But physically I look fine. The higher ups know how bad it's been for me...but there were some days I was nearly cross eyed by the end of the day for being in so much pain, but I don't say anything because no one wants to hear that all the time.

Of course if you were already past the time to punch out, they can't make you stay...but people refusing to take their turn getting carts need to be worked into getting them...nobody likes doing it...but unfortunately, it's part of the fun of retail.


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## Cel (Jun 28, 2014)

RG I'm jealous of both of you. We have had 0 cart attendant hours since ~ late April, our one CA only gets scheduled in a cashier spot, either mid on weekends or close on some weekdays. Doesn't help on the days he'll be the only cashier for the last 2 hours. I live in an area where it's in the triple digits anytime during the day and after dark May-October/November. 90% of my cashiers are 60+. Some are 70-80+.

I hurt myself doing carts on Monday (smashed up my foot pretty good, filed an incident report and all that), and the level of support I've gotten the last couple of days have been nil. I actually got bitched at by the LOD this morning because he thinks that having salesfloor or any other team assist the front end with carts in any way is basically tantamount to us failing at our jobs and needing another team to use their hours to "bail us out." Nevermind that our glorious front end hours give us a grand total of 2 cashiers from 10 AM ~ 7 PM any given day. Service desk is out by 7 or 8 PM every night, leaving it at 1 cashier and 1 GSA for lane closing plus carts, ignoring all the special projects and 4x4s and crap they pile on, plus our per shift cleaning duties and restocking duties and whatnot.

Until I hurt myself I'd gone out for at least 1 hour, some days 2-3+ hours in the lot in 100+ degree heat to do carts, every single day this month if not longer than that. I had to go out today, because by the time we ran low on carts after the truck team brought the reserves brought in for the breakout last night back, my two cashiers were 66 and 78 years old respectively. If they went out and tried to help they could quite easily have gotten injured, or gotten overheated/dehydrated quite quickly. So I went out, limping along with the pusher and trying like crazy not to accidentally run over my injured foot. I had to use the turtle speed on the pusher the whole way because I couldn't keep up with rabbit even with a full line on the pusher, and by the end of a single row I was in an enormous amount of pain, but I'm not gonna stand there and let some 30 year old guy with a degree in English send retirees out into the heat to do physical labor.

So pretty much today was the day I moved from "I should really look for a better job" to "I need to actively search for something better because this place is completely f@&ked.

Sorry to jack your thread and rant but it seemed semi-relevant and I got into a tyrade. To put it bluntly I got semi-coached for not wanting to either get carts myself with an (reported, on the job) injury or send a 78 year old with a bad back (thanks to spot btw, he slipped in the men's room after the cleaning crew left in the morning with a wet floor) out into triple digit heat to do it.


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## guestserviceguru (Jun 28, 2014)

I will be coached tomorrow! But at this point, I'm just going to let my team lead know the situation and admit that I was wrong.


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## neversaynever (Jun 28, 2014)

I'd be sure to point out you would have been willing to help - after your safety duties of CLEANING were done. But you were not given that choice/option. You are dealing with health regulations -stopping in the middle of your routine could leave a guest open to getting sick because you forgot where you were.

And then ask for clarification that working past your shift to do carts is acceptable hour wise....


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## PullMeBackIn (Jun 28, 2014)

You can't be coached for not staying past your shift. Your shift is over, you get to go home. They can't hold it directly against you if you refuse to stay later. They might do some other retaliatory stuff but stick to your story that your shift was over and you wanted to go home.


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## Barcode (Jun 28, 2014)

You won't get coached, you could probably tell the GSA to go fuck themselves and get away with it. Most they can do is cry to the LOD and have the LOD tell you to go out.

But like you said, its past your scheduled shift time and you're already waiting to leave, so I think you're ok.

@Retail Girl I hope you got workers comp for your hip since carts caused it...


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## mrknownothing (Jun 28, 2014)

@Cel are you in the desert or something? I'd rather do carts in the snow than in that crap.


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## Cel (Jun 28, 2014)

Yep, I am. Only time the weather is bearable is Halloween -> Easter, outside of that it's at least mid-90s if not triple digits anytime the store is operating. One of the highest rates of skin cancer in the state within the US if not the world, and there's no training about that and no provided "PPE" (big floppy hat, long sleeves, SUNSCREEN) even though it's probably a bigger cancer risk to do carts than be exposed to anything we sell in store. Not having a requisitioned bottle of spray-on sunscreen available seems idiotic to me considering we have like 5 sidecaps and a whole aisle filled with it. I could go on, but yeah, the whole setup is stupid.


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## Barcode (Jun 28, 2014)

Heck I live up North and I made sure cart attendants got sunscreen and insect repellant....


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## ciNOThyfs (Jun 28, 2014)

If you were to be coached I would bring the GSA core roles up and the ethics of having a GSA play the role of the GSTL. A GSA should only be covering breaks and does not have proper authority to take team members out of their workcenter.


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## Retail Girl (Jun 28, 2014)

That depends on the store. I have full latitude to ask other TMs to help cover breaks and get carts as needed as long as I spread it out amongst everyone and honor their work and breaks and coverage. Of course the TM is welcome to say no, but then the LOD will just back me up 99% of the time (as soon as I give my reasoning for asking that person) and the TM will look like a jerk for not being a team player.


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## paidtosmile (Jun 28, 2014)

ciNOThyfs said:


> If you were to be coached I would bring the GSA core roles up and the ethics of having a GSA play the role of the GSTL. A GSA should only be covering breaks and does not have proper authority to take team members out of their workcenter.


I wish the only role of a GSA was covering breaks..



Retail Girl said:


> That depends on the store. I have full latitude to ask other TMs to help cover breaks and get carts as needed as long as I spread it out amongst everyone and honor their work and breaks and coverage. Of course the TM is welcome to say no, but then the LOD will just back me up 99% of the time (as soon as I give my reasoning for asking that person) and the TM will look like a jerk for not being a team player.



Retail Girl has this on point. We aren't leaders, but we're still scheduled to be the person overseeing the front lanes and coordinating front end activities. ie: We're asking somebody to get carts because it has to get done, and we'll probably ask the person who is able to it with the least disruption to guest traffic.
Granted, we can't coach, but we can... 1) get the LOD for immediate support if needed, 2) we can do "teach and train's" with team members and act as their team trainer, or 3) we can just document various things like the example above and give them to the GSTL--Who can then follow up with the team members and take actions as needed. 

GSA's aren't team leads, but it IS a unique position, and it's usually in a GE-TM's best interest to go along with what they ask of you. Everything we're doing or asking for help with _should_ be related to making sure guests have a great experience and that is, after all, the priority


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## Bosch (Jun 28, 2014)

paidtosmile said:


> GSA's aren't team leads, but it IS a unique position, and it's usually in a GE-TM's best interest to go along with what they ask of you. Everything we're doing or asking for help with _should_ be related to making sure guests have a great experience and that is, after all, the priority



So I would bet taking the correct steps to not giving guests food poisoning would rank higher than rounding up shopping carts? Or I did I read it wrong?

Yes this post is full of snark, but its a point I have had to point out.


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## Retail Girl (Jun 28, 2014)

I know FA and SB have their routines to do...especially at closing, so I don't bother them much there. Usually anytime I am asking them to get carts I am either super, super desperate, have seen a lot of talking going on (we have some that do more talking than working) or because the LOD has asked me to ask them to do it.

In fact, the LOD asking me to ask FA/SB is the reason I ask them 99.9% of the time.


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## paidtosmile (Jun 29, 2014)

Bosch said:


> paidtosmile said:
> 
> 
> > GSA's aren't team leads, but it IS a unique position, and it's usually in a GE-TM's best interest to go along with what they ask of you. Everything we're doing or asking for help with _should_ be related to making sure guests have a great experience and that is, after all, the priority
> ...



I was mainly directing this towards the first quote in my post, and others in this thread, suggesting that the only job of a GSA is to cover breaks and that we can't really ask/delegate out tasks. Of course maintaining food safety standards comes before collecting carts, and any competent human being would be able to see that.
Like I said, I was straying away from the original situation that the OP gave. My point was that the scheduled gsa/gstl is there to help coordinate activities at the front end, not just write down everyone's breaks; and that, overall, being a team player and stepping outside being JUST at food ave or the service desk is part of the job. Sorry if that wasn't clear.


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## Barcode (Jun 29, 2014)

Not trying to sound holier than thou, seeing I used to be a Cart Attendant for several years myself, but....

I really don't blame people for saying no to go out and get carts. Depending on weather, you will get sweaty, grungy, and all nasty. Most people didn't accept a job offer as a Cart Attendant, so they really shouldn't be held to having to perform that job. If the GSA asks someone to go do it and that person says no, the GSA should find somebody else or just do it themselves. I pushed my fair share of carts as GSA, and would do so before forcing anyone to go do it if they didn't want. Going behind people's back to the LOD isn't going to get you any points with your team.


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## paidtosmile (Jun 29, 2014)

Barcode said:


> Not trying to sound holier than thou, seeing I used to be a Cart Attendant for several years myself, but....
> 
> I really don't blame people for saying no to go out and get carts. Depending on weather, you will get sweaty, grungy, and all nasty. Most people didn't accept a job offer as a Cart Attendant, so they really shouldn't be held to having to perform that job. If the GSA asks someone to go do it and that person says no, the GSA should find somebody else or just do it themselves. I pushed my fair share of carts as GSA, and would do so before forcing anyone to go do it if they didn't want. Going behind people's back to the LOD isn't going to get you any points with your team.



Don't get me wrong, I definitely spend a good 40% of my gsa shifts in the parking lot getting carts. and when i'm working on the floor, I say no all the time to getting carts. but i also expect that when I spend half of my shifts in the parking lot so service desk food ave and cashiers dont have to (regardless of weather), they'll be willing to run out sometimes as well if needed.

We have every able-bodied person push carts, and take turns doing it, during any given day. So I'll do a row, my food ave will do a row, and then a cashier will do a row, then back to me again, so on and so fourth. A lot of my strong opinions towards other front end team members saying no to pushing carts comes from the fact that it's really not my job to do it either, but I still deal with it because it has to get done.

i wouldn't slave-drive anyone to get carts, but if it's half an hour before close and i'm behind on register shutdown, somebody has to. it usually ends with me saying "LOD, i need to keep shutting down lanes so we can leave on time and we need somebody to get carts" and they'll send whoever (usually the same person the GSA would have chosen)


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## Barcode (Jun 29, 2014)

Honestly, I would feel insulted if I was expected to do carts for the little amount I get paid on top of my regular duties. I expect other TMs feel the same.

The reason you do it is because you're a GSA (like I was), and we "own" the front end. When push comes to shove, the GSA/GSTL is responsible for getting it done.

However, getting on a TMs case for not wanting to go outside and push carts, is insensitive IMHO. Maybe spot should give Cart Attendants some hours instead.


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## LadyNRed (Jun 29, 2014)

What if a TM has a Medical issue?


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## paidtosmile (Jun 29, 2014)

Barcode said:


> Maybe spot should give Cart Attendants some hours instead.



(Church bells ring and angels sing in the distance as execs hear this whispered to them in their sleep)


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## ExpertTL (Jun 29, 2014)

Even though we have such high guest traffic that we often have to send out a cashier or two to support getting carts...this thread has made me insanely appreciate the 140 hours we get each week for CAs. And sometimes that felt a little underwhelming haha. I feel for all you GSAs/GSTLs where you have no one scheduled for the whole day -_-


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## mrknownothing (Jun 29, 2014)

ExpertTL said:


> Even though we have such high guest traffic that we often have to send out a cashier or two to support getting carts...this thread has made me insanely appreciate the 140 hours we get each week for CAs. And sometimes that felt a little underwhelming haha. I feel for all you GSAs/GSTLs where you have no one scheduled for the whole day -_-



This. I'm glad my store has cart attendant coverage during the greater majority of our open hours.


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## Retail Girl (Jun 29, 2014)

purrpurple said:


> What if a TM has a Medical issue?



I am one of those TMs. In that case, we don't get carts.

Every able bodied person in my store has to take a turn. The GSTL/GSA used to get most of the carts and would occasionally spend hours upon hours in the lot getting carts. And then our survey scores weren't great. As soon as we let the people in charge of the front end actually run the front end, then our survey scores would go up.

Usually all I do is call it out on the walkie that we need carts. About half the time no one responds. When this happens, I call it out again. At this point some of the LODs will back me up immediately and say, "hey, GSA RG has asked, so who is going out?" Other times I have to go to a third time which means I am telling the LOD I need carts and I need their support on getting help for this. So the TMs can ignore me all they want, but then the LOD will just ask them. By the time it gets to this point, either the LOD goes out themselves, they call out a specific TM to do it, or they tell me to ask a specific TM who might not be on walkie. And if I am asking that specific TM, if they say no to me, they are basically saying no to the LOD. Luckily I haven't had that issue, but if it comes to that, then the LOD can take care of it.


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## FallenAngel (Jun 29, 2014)

Wow, this thread really illustrates the differences from store to store.  I'm not sure of how many hours our store has for CA, but I've never seen our store without a CA.. unless they called out.  Then they just call one of the others in.  Or let one of the cashiers do it for the day.  We have one or two that would rather get carts all day then be stuck on register anyway so it always works out.


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## findmeharry (Jun 29, 2014)

Really what your GSTL should have done was get a tm or two to go outside. Our tags don't say 'Hardlines' or 'Electronics' - they say Target. I agree with others; you should definitely mention food safety, and making the decision you thought was best. I've always been told we have the power to make our best judgment, so it'd be pretty silly for you to get coached over it.
On a side note, getting carts in the rain really sucks. I always look like a wet dog when I come back in.


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## pfreshdude (Jun 29, 2014)

Retail Girl said:


> I am one of those TMs. In that case, we don't get carts.
> 
> Every able bodied person in my store has to take a turn. The GSTL/GSA used to get most of the carts and would occasionally spend hours upon hours in the lot getting carts. And then our survey scores weren't great. As soon as we let the people in charge of the front end actually run the front end, then our survey scores would go up.
> 
> Usually all I do is call it out on the walkie that we need carts. About half the time no one responds. When this happens, I call it out again. At this point some of the LODs will back me up immediately and say, "hey, GSA RG has asked, so who is going out?" Other times I have to go to a third time which means I am telling the LOD I need carts and I need their support on getting help for this. So the TMs can ignore me all they want, but then the LOD will just ask them. By the time it gets to this point, either the LOD goes out themselves, they call out a specific TM to do it, or they tell me to ask a specific TM who might not be on walkie. And if I am asking that specific TM, if they say no to me, they are basically saying no to the LOD. Luckily I haven't had that issue, but if it comes to that, then the LOD can take care of it.



I always respond to grabbing carts working in Market...I know it is appreciated and I would much rather help out that way than Backup cashier haha.  

Today was nice in that me along with 2 salesfloor all went out and grabbed carts and we were done in no time.


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## neversaynever (Jun 29, 2014)

Interesting differences in stores. I only know of cashiers being asked to get carts once since I started - and that was in January and the LOD was irked because people were standing around.

In recent no CA times (we have 2 a day, just not all hours and they leave at 8-9pm), I know the GSTL and the LOD stayed After close for an hour and a half doing carts. The only other people have seen out getting them are the GSA (only one of them), and the ETLs and SrTLs. Oh and my STL gets them before asking anyone at the lanes or FA. He was out there yesterday and today I think! 

We justod nt have coverage on the lanes to have us go out there - when we have SrTLs on registers for 90 minutes during the week on backup... Trust me, they will get carts before that!


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## paidtosmile (Jun 29, 2014)

Retail Girl said:


> purrpurple said:
> 
> 
> > What if a TM has a Medical issue?
> ...



We've had similar situations, too. Our DTL has reamed the STL and ETL-GE several times in the past few months because the GSA/GSTL is either on a checklane or in the parking lot, unable to respond to calls. I'll still run out and grab them around closing time or if we're in a lull, but during our busier times of day she demanded that we stay within close proximity to the lanes so we're able to respond. She'd rather have us watch the service desk or food ave, or jump on express, than be outside of the building at the far end of the lot when somebody calls for help. it depends on the team we have too. 
If we've got a strong team up front it's not as big of a deal if I disappear for 15 minutes, but if the lanes are filled with new team members, it's a smarter move to stay inside and ask for assistance


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## The Dude Abides (Jun 29, 2014)

paidtosmile said:


> Retail Girl said:
> 
> 
> > purrpurple said:
> ...



The hilarious thing about this is at my store instead of the DTL blowing up on the STL or ETL-GE for telling me to be on a lane or in the parking lot he just has the STL or ETL GE call me over and they all explain how this is unacceptable and I shouldn't leave the front end without leadership. When I point out that we no cart attendant, only one cashier and the only person who responds is the LOD telling me to do it, they just say I need to find another way to get it done.


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## Retail Girl (Jun 29, 2014)

Well, don't you know, your magical GSA powers can just will the carts to come in on their own?


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## Cel (Jun 29, 2014)

Yeah c'mon what are you, new? Just call out Secivres Tseug 3 times in front of the mirror in the bathroom and the great almighty lord of Target front ends will answer your pleas for carts. I thought that was in the GSA learning plan!


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## paidtosmile (Jun 29, 2014)

New best practice: duplicate yourself via cell mitosis and do both


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## buliSBI (Jun 30, 2014)

guestserviceguru said:


> Hey guys, so last night I was doing my weekly food ave shift, and the new GSA came over and asked me to get carts while I was finishing up all the cleaning. First it was 7:30, we close at 8. Second it was pouring rain, and I really hate rain. So I told her that I couldn't, I need to close food ave, and she kept asking and I finally told her that I needed to clean. She left all pissed off, and when I was qmosing the food, she came over and told me I needed to get carts, I told her I was waiting for an LOD to walk off, and I was going home because it was already past my scheduled time and this time she walked away. I have no problem grabbing carts, I do it all the time, but the lanes were dead. We hardly had any guests.  She could have easily grabbed them herself. Can I get coached for not getting carts last night?


I agree with you.  You plainly stated that you needed to stay with Food Ave in order to close it properly.  And getting carts would have put you behind and clock out late.  If they needed carts, then they need to send out a Floor TM or someone else.

I don't know if its an official policy, but my ETL-GSs didn't like FATMs going out for carts.  Coming back into Food Ave all sweaty or rainsoaked is not a appealing visual to guests.  At the end of my tenure, FATMs were never to leave FA even to work One Spot or nearby zone. 

There were a few times where my non-Guest Service ETLs were desperate to have me go out but I simply explained I couldn't because my ETL-GS doesn't like FATMs getting carts.  Then I always added I needed to do projects in Food Ave.


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## ciNOThyfs (Jun 30, 2014)

paidtosmile said:


> ciNOThyfs said:
> 
> 
> > If you were to be coached I would bring the GSA core roles up and the ethics of having a GSA play the role of the GSTL. A GSA should only be covering breaks and does not have proper authority to take team members out of their workcenter.
> ...


 First thing first, the food ave/Starbucks are NOT Front end and they have separate team leads because they have safety standards and tasks that need to be addressed and many other team leads/ team members do not understand the importance and timeliness. 

Obviously TArget uses GSA's interchangeably with GSTL's but at the end of the day a GSA has no more authority then a team member. Everything you just listed a normal TM with team training can do. If it's a case of pulling a TM out of a different work center an LOD should be the one delegating it to the TM. If anything were to happened, and tasks not done, a TM could get written up for helping another workcenter.


Obviously it is "unique" but so are the signing, brand merch, bike building, receiver, etc, etc, but you don't see them pulling other TM from other work centers. That's like the signing TM telling a pog TM to set E34 because I don't want to have to fix all the falling signs from the LOD walk. 


I'm not saying that this is how stores are, I'm saying that this is how stores run on paper, and if your being coached from
Not listening to your PEER, and for some reason are written up/fired/whatever, you can fight it because it is not in the GSA core roles to tell the food operations TM to stop what they are doing and get carts. In fact I would call the help line if that was ever the case. 

Also, a GSTL should be prepping everything, schedules, breaks, covers and workload for the week. In case of call outs a GSA should always run things by an LOD. 

All I'm saying is ALWAYS cover your tracks and have paperwork on your side.


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## buliSBI (Jun 30, 2014)

For the years I have worked with Target, Food Ave & Starbucks have always been under the Guest Experience/Front End branch of a store.  FATLs and SBTLs have always been GSTLs with Food Service/Safety training who report to the ETL-GE.

Then there are now stores who suffered the drastic TL cuts where the Consumables TL who have the added duty of overseeing Food Ave.


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## ciNOThyfs (Jun 30, 2014)

buliSBI said:


> For the years I have worked with Target, Food Ave & Starbucks have always been under the Guest Experience/Front End branch of a store.  FATLs and SBTLs have always been GSTLs with Food Service/Safety training who report to the ETL-GE.
> 
> Then there are now stores who suffered the drastic TL cuts where the Consumables TL who have the added duty of overseeing Food Ave.



If you go to apply online they are differentiated as different branches.


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## paidtosmile (Jun 30, 2014)

ciNOThyfs said:


> paidtosmile said:
> 
> 
> > ciNOThyfs said:
> ...



This really shows how differently stores can be run. It sounds like you're at a high volume store, or at least have a high sales volume cafe! At our ULV, Food Ave is under the GSTL, we don't have an FA-TL. All of our food service team members (except one old lady) are cross trained as cart attendants and food ave, and work 50/50 in each for the most part (I probably should have mentioned that earlier.)

Like I've agreed with in previous posts, the food avenue duties and food safety still come first of course...  but for our store we have an average of 20-40 food ave sales all day long, most of which are icee's/Popcorn and an occasional hotdog or pretzel. Our cafe is so dead that our FA-TM separates and staples all the stacks of pogs and revisions every week, still does all of their required temping, cleaning, date checking, opening/closing, etc etc, hands out samples, and still has a good two hours of complete free time where they literally stand outside the cafe and do nothing except greet guests walking by. So in our case, it makes sense to have our food service team member (who is also keyed and trained as a cart attendant) to run out and get carts when they aren't doing any of their safety/cleaning tasks. On a busy day, I might have to get _one_ guest a hotdog or icee while the FATM is outside. I was covering for somebody today and spent a good portion of my food ave shift outside getting carts, so believe me it's not like I won't do it, but when we say "hey can you run out and grab some carts" to a food ave team member, it has _never_ been a problem. Because that's just how our store does it, because our store hire's as food service/cart attendant.

Our GSTL also leads consumables, so she only spends 3 shifts a week up front; leaving most shifts for GSA's, so of course we have to take on a little more. Because that's how our exec's want us to do it. *My post that was quoted sounded snarky patronizing and rude, and i apologize for that;* we don't run around pretending to be team leaders, and we definitely will not say "STOP temping your food right now we need carts!" We walk up to them and say "hey we're starting to run low on carts, can you run out when you're in a good spot and bring in a row?" because they're usually standing there waiting for guests that probably will not ever come, because they're caught up on everything and you can only repeatedly clean and sanitize something so many times before it gets redundant.

Our ETL's and LOD's recognize GSA's as stand-in leads for the front end; if we call them and ask them to approve asking a FA-TM to get carts, asking a cashier zone accessories, or any other little thing like that, they will literally say "Yeah, whatever needs doing" and give us an annoyed "why the F*** did you just waste my time asking" look. My STL and ETL's all just expect that we do stuff like that, so we do. We have to be crafty about it, in order to gain points with the rest of the team and not rub off the wrong way, but ultimately they do want the gsa's at my store to do that. Which is why we do. It may not be best practice, but that's become standard expected routine for every front end team member, team leader, sales floor team member, and LOD at our store.

_Personal Side note_: Since I'm on the bench along with being a GSA, my ETL wants me to be more of a leader than some of our newer gsa's as well.. AKA she reams my *** if I'm not doing regular teach-and-trains with our front end team members, engaging and inspiring the team to drive conversion and profitable sales through great guest service, planning and organizing checklane and onespot POG's and resets, watching for low-speed cashiers and helping them find techniques to improve their speed scores, and a bunch of other stuff. She gave me all of these in written expectations that she had signed, so I have my tracks covered if anything ever becomes a problem. I covered for our GSTL for a few months while we didn't have one, and did everything except the coachings (which I still basically did second-hand by passing them along to a TL that I partnered with.) It was a developmental opportunity that they offered me and I took it. They weren't anticipating our GSTL to come back so they were basically bumping me into the position before it was officially open, but then she did come back and I stayed a GSA.

Hopefully this cleared up anything that may have been lingering regarding my posts in this thread and why I tend to overstep the boundaries of a GSA (I do it because my ETL, old STL, current STL, and DTL all tell me to.)


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## ciNOThyfs (Jul 1, 2014)

You must be an org 1? I'm an org 2 and we are allotted a TL for target cafe, Starbucks and guest experience. Our food TM are strictly target cafe and Starbucks. I don't believe we have a considerable amount of sales in the cafe which is why they can cover Starbucks in their off time. We also have at the least a mid shift  for Cart attendants every day.  I wonder why, even under mytime, hours are dispersed SO differently. I assume if two stores are both making the same amount then they would still have the same average of hours even if the time is different? 

That's really bizarre. Your GSTL shouldn't be over in consumables leading.. Are the PA's not efficient? The consumable role was killed with AE so it's just curious.. 

I think it's everywhere that leadership is expecting more from us. I take over a leadership role in my store, so much so that even though I left my original position, three years later I'm still dictating my previous workload and directing the team. I was actually called in the office once because they wanted to know why I had issues with delegating. 

I know exactly where you're coming from and it happens in my store as well, my point is, if for some reason I didn't perform something out of my core roles I could not be coached on it. A team member can't be coached on not listening to another team member.   That's all I'm saying.  You can't get coached for going against target brand, you know? 


Don't worry, you didn't come off that way!


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## Retail Girl (Jul 1, 2014)

Our SBTMs and FATMs check in with us when the SB/FA TL isn't working. And as GSAs, we are required to be first responders to them if there isn't anyone in the store who is trained (which is most of the time). So at our store, they are mostly considered front end, even though we tend to leave them to their own devices 99% of the time.

As GSAs, we can't pull people out of their departments for things like you mentioned...stocking candy, zoning one spot, setting endcaps, etc. But at my store, things that involve the guest experience...such as fast checkout and getting carts, we are totally allowed to pull people from other departments. In the same manner, if there are three people staring at our electronics TM, he/she has every right to call out and politely insist that someone come over and help out. It's what we all do.

And no, in the end, you don't have to listen to a GSA...they are just a TM. But depending on the store, the LOD is not going to take kindly to a TM ignoring a GSA's requests and will likely ask that you work with them, or be coached for not being a team player.


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## paidtosmile (Jul 1, 2014)

Yep, I'm at an org 1! Pretty small. We don't have a Starbucks, just a food avenue, so that probably explains a lot too.

The only front end leader is the GSTL, who like I said usually isn't up there.. She delegates everything out to the GSA's and gives "ownership" to each of us for certain parts of the front; Food Ave, Service desk (myself), OneSpot, Conversion&speed. I definitely agree with you and think she should be up front, leading. Since she isn't, I'm one of the lucky souls that gets a weekly quota for doing "amazing teach and train moments" when i see 'opportunities,' documenting them, and passing them along to the GSTL.

Since we aren't Pfresh we don't have any PA's. We have a sole sales floor Sr.TL and, long story short, our current GSTL and current Sales floor TL should have been switched around.. Our Sales floor SrTL has been with the company for less than a year and got keys way too fast, so he can't really manage his time and departments effectively, so they make our GSTL handle grocery vendors and the dry-consumables area. Lol.

The not being coached thing makes sense as far as the OP's situation (which I didn't carefully read) and most others too, I would imagine. our closing food ave literally sets up their schedules as "carts, food ave, carts" during one shift so it's sort of a gray area in my neck of the woods.

If I'm working anywhere else in the store and the GSA asks me to go get carts, I'll almost always say no, because i'm not about to get all sweaty and gross pushing carts for half an hour, then walk back in and try to pick up where I left off on a planogram or 4x4. Like retail girl said though, if any one of us asks a fellow front end TM to run out and grab a row and they say no, we'll probably just tell the LOD that we need to get some carts because we're starting to run low. Sometimes they'll watch the lanes for us, but usually they'll just come up and send the same person we just asked; the team all knows that's how it works too, so we're kind of just saving a step haha.


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## Retail Girl (Jul 1, 2014)

The only place where PTS and I differ is that if I am elsewhere on the floor, if I am asked to get carts, I will, or I would until I was put on the disabled list. I fully believe that if I wouldn't do it for the front end while on the salesfloor (within reason as long as we are rotating through everyone) then I can't ask others to do the same thing.

But in the end, we're all on the same team...the OP should not have been coached in this situation...I would never ask someone to get carts at the time they are supposed to clock out (unless it's closing time...but by then we usually know who is staying late to do that, anyway).


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## KendallFire (Jul 1, 2014)

Retail Girl said:


> Our SBTMs and FATMs check in with us when the SB/FA TL isn't working. And as GSAs, we are required to be first responders to them if there isn't anyone in the store who is trained (which is most of the time). So at our store, they are mostly considered front end, even though we tend to leave them to their own devices 99% of the time.
> 
> As GSAs, we can't pull people out of their departments for things like you mentioned...stocking candy, zoning one spot, setting endcaps, etc.* But at my store, things that involve the guest experience...such as fast checkout and getting carts, we are totally allowed to pull people from other departments. *In the same manner, if there are three people staring at our electronics TM, he/she has every right to call out and politely insist that someone come over and help out. It's what we all do.
> 
> And no, in the end, you don't have to listen to a GSA...they are just a TM. But depending on the store, the LOD is not going to take kindly to a TM ignoring a GSA's requests and will likely ask that you work with them, or be coached for not being a team player.





@Retail Girl 
So as a GSA you can pull a Logistics TM that pushing the floor to get carts?


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## Amly_221B (Jul 2, 2014)

I was coached once for not. It was freaking hot as hell outside and I basically said no in a polite manner. I got talk to about my "attitude" later. I realize now I might have been in the wrong, but I don't really care at this point.


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## ciNOThyfs (Jul 2, 2014)

KendallFire said:


> Retail Girl said:
> 
> 
> > Our SBTMs and FATMs check in with us when the SB/FA TL isn't working. And as GSAs, we are required to be first responders to them if there isn't anyone in the store who is trained (which is most of the time). So at our store, they are mostly considered front end, even though we tend to leave them to their own devices 99% of the time.
> ...


 Are you actually pulling other TM or calling for backup? At my store if we need carts the GSTL/GSA will ask if anyone is free over the walkie, ask for someone to watch the lanes so they can get them, or wait until it's not busy and have a cashier. Usually someone ends up volunteering.


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## Retail Girl (Jul 2, 2014)

ciNOThyfs said:


> KendallFire said:
> 
> 
> > Retail Girl said:
> ...



We call it on the walkie looking for a response. If no one volunteers, I start calling out specific departments...generally sales floor. I would have to be pretty desperate to ask flow to do anything...though there are a couple that will cashier as needed.


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## paidtosmile (Jul 2, 2014)

Retail Girl said:


> ciNOThyfs said:
> 
> 
> > KendallFire said:
> ...



We do the same thing; when we say _pulling_ somebody to get carts as gsa, we mean more along the lines of "Can anybody run out and grab some carts? or cover ______ so one of us can do it?" Usually we just need an extra body up front _somewhere_ for a few minutes, since we're going to have one out in the parking lot. If nobody is answering after a few minutes the LOD will start asking over the walkie.

Being the ***hole that i am, I'll call out the names of everyone on the sales floor and say "Suzie, Jack, John, Liz, Cam, or Bob; we could really use one extra person up here somewhere for a few minutes, so one of us can run out and get carts, we're almost out."  it usually does the trick. TL's or the LOD will almost always back us up immediately, because quite often we just _physically do not have enough bodies up fron_t to get carts and continue helping guests. I won't necessarily ask them to get carts, just to get on a lane and help control guest traffic while I (or another TM up front) brings in a row. Gotta love how generous execs are with hours in the guest service department, right......


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## commiecorvus (Jul 2, 2014)

Working Signing I always knew where there were empty carts around the store, usually back by the freight door. 
I'd spend some time rounding them up then get back to
Work. 
I hope they aren't going to be dicks about the OPs not going out for carts but I'm sure they could find an excuse.


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## BullseyeBabe (Jul 2, 2014)

commiecorvus said:


> Working Signing I always knew where there were empty carts around the store, usually back by the freight door.
> I'd spend some time rounding them up then get back to
> Work.
> I hope they aren't going to be dicks about the OPs not going out for carts but I'm sure they could find an excuse.


This! I find so many abandoned carts everywhere.


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## Hope4Future (Oct 2, 2019)

I have to ask, at what age do you think it's acceptable for a front-end team member to say no to doing carts, even for a short-time in the situations you've mentioned when carts are running low? I'm just irked that there are a couple of front end team members who are maybe 30-40 years old and they ABSOLUTELY refuse to do carts, even for one day (they don't have any medical issues). 
I get the concept of ASANTS, but it just really makes me wish that my store had leadership similar to the ones you've mentioned where they try to equally delegate the role of cart attendant to everyone who can do it. 
I do appreciate that our store has plenty of cart attendant hours and the only time we don't have a cart attendant is the first two to three hours after opening. However, I also have to add that it's unfortunate that we've had a couple of cart attendants termed for poor attendance within the last few months and one of the new ones NCNS'd on Monday and put up his shift for tomorrow on the swap shift board. This worries me in that if he calls out and is termed, I'll be asked to do carts again.


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## Hardlinesmaster (Oct 2, 2019)

Yes, you have to get carts & sales floor may help you(staffing).


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## Kartman (Oct 2, 2019)

If you can't get carts you'd better be in a wheelchair.


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## Tessa120 (Oct 2, 2019)

How are you certain they don't have medical issues?


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## FriedTL (Oct 2, 2019)

I have an eighty year old woman who will put her foot down if I tell her that she does not have to get carts. She says that if everyone else is expected to, then she will as well. I love that lady. I saw her pushing 6 carts at once. She is just a determined, little woman.


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## Kartman (Oct 2, 2019)

Tessa120 said:


> How are you certain they don't have medical issues?


They must have - they're in a wheelchair!


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## DBZ (Oct 3, 2019)

We have one guy who I won't let go get carts (not that I have that much control but...) because the last time he went and got some (like 7) he came back in and I was worried he would have a damn heart attack. It took him a good 20 minutes to catch his breath.  I'm in my 40s and I am perfectly capable of getting carts, but every time I say, "I can go get some" someone younger than me goes.


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## Tessa120 (Oct 3, 2019)

I don't think many people realized it but I worked at Target for about 8 months with a no overhead work and push, pull, lift limitation of 5 lbs or less.

So, are you sure a car that weighs several pounds is feasible?


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## Nauzhror (Oct 3, 2019)

30's and 40's is certainly not too old to be getting carts. At least not in most circumstances. I'm not saying no one that age is physically unfit, but if they are, it isn't a result of their age.


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## Captain Orca (Oct 3, 2019)

Captain Medical here:  If you are injured, if you are not physically able to do it simply say:  OK pumpkin, let's sit down, we have something to discuss.  He/she does.  You start:  I am nursing a bad (fill in the blank) so I am unable to do this.  I would certainly be more than willing to go one for the team but as of right now I can not.  Hear what I say: "can not" not "will not."  If they're too stupid to know the difference take another approach.  "Please come with me, we're going to the STL now (or whatever the hell they're called).  You MUST take care of yourself, nobody else will.  If necessary drop the "labor board" bomb.


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## Hardlinesmaster (Oct 3, 2019)

@Captain Orca, modernization has no ADA on it.


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## Hope4Future (Oct 3, 2019)

Tessa120 said:


> How are you certain they don't have medical issues?


I guess you're right, I'm not 100% sure they don't have medical issues but one of them constantly mentions that they like to go dancing at a club on Saturday nights and that's why they aren't available after 8:00 PM. If they have the energy to be dancing until 3:00 AM or so, couldn't they do carts at least once?


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## Kartman (Oct 3, 2019)

If you can dance, you  can bring in a few carts. Moreso, you should do a 'lil dance afterward!


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## Louiethe3 (Oct 3, 2019)

My TL finally specifically asked me to get carts one day when the did the general page on the walkie since I was standing next to her. I don't remember if that was the 2nd or 3rd cart rally of the day. I went out pushed my 3 at a time it sucked. I was told as long as I went out and tried it counted. 
Oh, and inbound/gm (flow) and some consumables tms at my store likes getting carts more than back up cashiering.


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## Kartman (Oct 3, 2019)

Louiethe3 said:


> I was told as long as I went out and tried it counted.


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## happygoth (Oct 4, 2019)

Louiethe3 said:


> My TL finally specifically asked me to get carts one day when the did the general page on the walkie since I was standing next to her. I don't remember if that was the 2nd or 3rd cart rally of the day. I went out pushed my 3 at a time it sucked. I was told as long as I went out and tried it counted.
> Oh, and inbound/gm (flow) and some consumables tms at my store likes getting carts more than back up cashiering.


Oh hell yeah I'd rather get carts than backup! I'm only good for three (maybe four) at a time too, but I'd do that all day if that's what they wanted.


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## gsa4lyfe (Oct 4, 2019)

Louiethe3 said:


> My TL finally specifically asked me to get carts one day when the did the general page on the walkie since I was standing next to her. I don't remember if that was the 2nd or 3rd cart rally of the day. I went out pushed my 3 at a time it sucked. I was told as long as I went out and tried it counted.
> Oh, and inbound/gm (flow) and some consumables tms at my store likes getting carts more than back up cashiering.


That’s all I ever cared about. Showing some effort to help out even if you only felt comfortable pushing 2-4 at a time.


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## dannyy315 (Oct 4, 2019)

Collecting carts is fun! Suck it up and listen to the boss.


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## oath2order (Oct 4, 2019)

Kartman said:


> If you can't get carts you'd better be in a wheelchair.



Alternatively, be short enough you're barely taller than a cart.

It's how the one girl at my store doesn't do it


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## Ace33 (Oct 4, 2019)

Corporate needs to get an electric cart go getter like Walmart. Solved!!


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## Dog (Oct 4, 2019)

Ace33 said:


> Corporate needs to get an electric cart go getter like Walmart. Solved!!


We have a cart pusher


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## Kartman (Oct 4, 2019)

I'd love to watch Ace bringing in 25 carts with a pusher, lol!


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## redeye58 (Oct 4, 2019)

Kartman said:


> I'd love to watch Ace bringing in 25 carts with a pusher, lol!


Been there, done that during August in Texas.
We called it "Target's Wellness Program."


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## Kartman (Oct 4, 2019)

Outstanding! I didn't realize I was dealing with a pro!


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## redeye58 (Oct 4, 2019)

Our lot slopes downward away from the store & it was always fun watching the noobs chasing after carts that slipped off the pusher; talk about endurance training.


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## Kartman (Oct 4, 2019)

You need to learn the slopes of the lot, for sure. Believe it or not, there is an art to it - especially if you don't want to work yourself to death.


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## redeye58 (Oct 4, 2019)

I liked when we had the old heavy carts because you could be on a downward incline but you could turn the front wheels on the lead cart sideways & it would stay put.
The plastic ones fishtailed all the time because the front wheels raised up slightly when stacked so we had to use a cable.
Current ones are back to metal frames so they're easier to control but not quite as heavy as the old ones.


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## Kartman (Oct 4, 2019)

Carts are carts... lemme at 'em!!!


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## redeye58 (Oct 4, 2019)

Wish I could.
Just hurry & get better, K-man.


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## Kartman (Oct 4, 2019)

Pretty sure there is no better - but that's cool. I had a great run!


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## Tarshitsucks (Oct 5, 2019)

guestserviceguru said:


> I will be coached tomorrow! But at this point, I'm just going to let my team lead know the situation and admit that I was wrong.


Don't admit that your wrong you have every right to finish your job and leave. What was she gonna help you close the shit ave? You every right to blow her off especially since cleaning the place is of the utmost importance. Plus at my shit ave you still serve guests while cleaning what was she gonna ask you to ditch the guests while you fetch carts. Guest will complain your not there to serve them. Just tell them what happened that make sure you were to tell them you were trying clean and leave as it was past your scheduled time and you needed to go home. You should not coached for doing your job and be told to do somebody's else's. She should have taken her ass in rain done herself!!!!


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## REDcardJJ (Oct 5, 2019)

blessed that my parking lot is flat


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## Kartman (Oct 5, 2019)

Then it was designed and built wrong. How does the water get to the drains???


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## REDcardJJ (Oct 5, 2019)

i guess it's a very gentle slope

it's definitely not a hill


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## Kartman (Oct 5, 2019)

Well, of course it's not a hill. That would be a hella parking lot!!!


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