Target is introducing a new grading system to assess how friendly employees are with customers, as part of a $6 billion push to improve sales under new CEO Michael Fiddelke. The retailer described elevating the guest experience as one of its 'top strategic priorities'.
The move follows the implementation of the '10-4 policy', which instructs staff to wave, greet or make eye contact with shoppers within ten feet, and to ask about their day or offer help when within four feet. The friendliness grading will be part of a broader 'guest experience framework' assessing staff on interaction, execution, teamwork and reliability.
A Target spokesperson told The Independent: 'Target is focused on getting back to growth, and elevating the guest experience is one of our top strategic priorities. We’ll continue investing in training and tools to deliver the experience our guests expect and that makes Target a delightful retailer.' The assessment will be rolled out across more than 2,000 US stores.
However, critics have questioned the approach. One Reddit user argued that being 'friendlier' is not enough, and that the company should allocate more staff and hours to reduce workload. Another noted the difficulty of tracking friendliness objectively, as positive customer experiences rarely result in survey responses.
