I'm a new hire TPS @ Target, Need Info

[mark1210]

Hi There,

I'm new to the board and I've used the search feature but can't seem to find the information I need. I was in a brand-new Target about a month ago and was asked if I'd like a part-time job with the title of TPS. Once I found out more about the details I informed them I had no experience with that line of work. They told me not to worry that they have an excellent training program. My questions are:

*Is the training program onsite and is it any good? Or is it just those online videos most retailers train with?

*Are there any certifications I need to have already prior to being hired, or do I attain those wih Target? Specifically, around apprehensions. Certainly they would train on that since I am being told its my role. I would think it's a legal pandoras box if they don't properly train and just say "arrest people"

*No one discussed the cost of the uniform, I'd assume its paid for by Target but it wasn't discussed. If it's something I have to buy elsewhere do I get reimbursed?

*Another oddity is that apparently there is a APS role that is one level above a TPS if I am understanding things correctly. There isn't an APS hired on yet. So that makes me wonder exactly who my boss is, along with more training concerns and my role.

*I have a perfectly clean background, but I don't think they even checked. Doesn't it take days to determine this? I had two interviews back to back, Urine test that day, offer the next day. Awefully fast...

If anyone has any input that would be great. At first I thought i'd pretty much be watching the doors, checking receipts, but apparently from what the HR person is telling me apprehensions are my role as well. Hopefully they have good training on just how to perform that task.

[LPGuy]

From what I saw when I worked LP, Target seemed to have a good program. I don't know any specifics of Target's training program, but I do know that you won't need any outside certifications prior to being hired. I'm not sure about their uniform issuing, but I assume they will provide it for you.

People who have little or no experience generally get hired into Target's AP program as a TPS. APS (plainclothes position) is usually a promotion and requires more extensive training on surveillance and apprehension. Many of your apprehensions will be coordinated by an APS since he'll be covering the sales floor. Since you'll generally be monitoring the doors, oftentimes you'll be radioed a description of someone about to exit and then you'll work together to make the apprehension.

If Target is anything like the company I worked for, they have a person who specifically runs all background checks on potential employees. You won't hear back from Target if it comes back with something they don't like.

Good luck!

[mark1210]

Thanks for the info LPGuy, I guess what has me a bit worried is that there isn't an APS, at least not yet. My first day is Monday, I was hired the day after my second interview so I don't know how they could have ran a background check so quickly. I'm not worried about the results, even if they did run it. It just seems like the process went awefully fast. If there isn't an APS it almost sounds like the apprehension part will be my responisbility. Perhaps they are interviewing for APS's but no one said so. Guess I'll find out more Monday lol.

[LPCap]

The TPS does not makes apprehensions unless directed by the APS or APTL or is it the ETL-AP?

The TPS is a guest service function. You are there to make the shopping environment fast, fun and friendly. Target is a decent company if you don't like to make too many decisions and let the company do all the thinking for you.

[MRSE_S3]

Target seems to be one of the most focused companies when it comes to Loss Prevention / Asset Protection. If you were to rate retail establishments based on their focus on loss you would find Target about number one and wal-mart 99. Sears and K-mart rank around the front 15. From my experience as a Loss Prevention manager at Sears, we seemed to follow Target when they implemented a policy or procedure because many of our regional LPM's came from Target. Target has also been proactive/cutting edge when it comes to returns and has shown the retail industry that it can be done.

[LPCap]

I am curious as to why Target is touted as the leader in AP/LP. I am not saying they aren't, just wondering why.

Also, what makes Sears/Kmart so good and WalMart bad?

Everyone can chime in, even if you don't have first hand experience, just observations from the outside looking in.

[Lawson]

From what I have seen, I would put Macy's higher than Target. I have never talked to a Target TPS officer who has said that they have actually enjoyed the job.

[N. A. Corbier]

TPS is a boring customer service position where you will stand in front of the doors all day, walk around the high loss areas, and generally be very visible. Sometimes, you're the uniformed backup for the APS. This means that you may arrest someone, or more likely you'll keep the people back who may want to save the guy getting the snot kicked out of him by some thugs.

As far as Wal-Mart's LP program, I can only speak from 2003-2004. I had no LP training, I worked in electronics ffs, and yet I was regularly tapped by assistants with paper training only to do apprehensions.

Why? Because I had field experience in making stops and arrests, and they didn't. I also had DT training, weapons training, and officer survival training. They had a 20 minute CBL module on apprehension.

I took some big guys down in ways that made the assistants cringe. I recovered a knife off of one guy. A gun off another. The LP associates weren't even authorized to carry handcuffs at my store, and they were only there for 20 hours a week. They had no training whatsoever, the district couldn't spare the funds to send them to LP Academy at Bentonville.

The most telling thing about Walmart's LP back then, in my store, was that there was very little prevention. Associates were told not to bother shoplifters, and only let the LPs handle it when they were in the store. They were very apprehension driven, yet understaffed and undertrained.

When I was called upon to make stops, I treated it like any other arrest. Be nice. Ask. Tell. Make. Take down hard.

Most I got out of it was a skinned knee from the pavement.

For a company, back then, that was so focused on apprehension as not to deter anything... Then provide its managers with detention authority but no hands-on training was frightening.

Every manager I was grabbed by was female, short, and untrained in any apprehension skills other than legal aspects of apprehension. They were afraid, and told me so. "I know its not your job, but..."

That's why, to me, Walmart sucked in the LP department.

[mark1210]

Wow that is frightening about Wal-Mart! I'm hoping its not the same way at Target, but everything so far has been very fast and I still doubt than ran a background check or even got the results of my urine drug tests in less than 1 business day. I know both tests will be fine, but makes me wonder how quickly they are going to go through the other processes. I'm really hoping training is more hands on and not CBL or Workbook training.

[Curtis Baillie]

Wow that is frightening about Wal-Mart! I'm hoping its not the same way at Target, but everything so far has been very fast and I still doubt than ran a background check or even got the results of my urine drug tests in less than 1 business day. I know both tests will be fine, but makes me wonder how quickly they are going to go through the other processes. I'm really hoping training is more hands on and not CBL or Workbook training.

You keep refering to your drug test and background check. To those of us in the business of statement analysis - this is very telling.

I suggest that if hired and information comes back to the contrary - Target will quickly deal with you. Yes these types of checks and test do normally take more than one day for the results to come in. Although background should take no longer than 3 days - same for drug testing.

Goodluck at Target. It's a good starting point.

[MRSE_S3]

I am curious as to why Target is touted as the leader in AP/LP. I am not saying they aren't, just wondering why.

Also, what makes Sears/Kmart so good and WalMart bad?

Everyone can chime in, even if you don't have first hand experience, just observations from the outside looking in.

Due to massive law suits, lack of a return on investment, and the cowboys that worked LP, wal-mart has now returned to a no apprehension policy and stuck strictly to deterring loss. wal-mart also has no LP in any of its stores.

Target has been the company that has done things in LP that has stood out. Such as the limited returns without a receipt policy. Which helps keep people from grabbing stuff off the shelves and returning it. Target has done very well at slowing down return fraud by implementing hardline policies on returns. Other retailers, such as Sears/Kmart have been slow to move on a harder policy in fear of offending its customers. Sears, in and effort not to trounce on the "satisfaction guaranteed" motto has been very slow to react. Sears/Kmart are not that great just slightly ahead of the curve.

I disliked working in an LPM capacity because they buried you in paperwork and still expected you to be an assistant manager for the store and make apprehensions on the floor. Not to mention Sears rules on intimidation and not motivation.

[Curtis Baillie]

TPS is a boring customer service position where you will stand in front of the doors all day, walk around the high loss areas, and generally be very visible. Sometimes, you're the uniformed backup for the APS. This means that you may arrest someone, or more likely you'll keep the people back who may want to save the guy getting the snot kicked out of him by some thugs.

As far as Wal-Mart's LP program, I can only speak from 2003-2004. I had no LP training, I worked in electronics ffs, and yet I was regularly tapped by assistants with paper training only to do apprehensions.

Why? Because I had field experience in making stops and arrests, and they didn't. I also had DT training, weapons training, and officer survival training. They had a 20 minute CBL module on apprehension.

I took some big guys down in ways that made the assistants cringe. I recovered a knife off of one guy. A gun off another. The LP associates weren't even authorized to carry handcuffs at my store, and they were only there for 20 hours a week. They had no training whatsoever, the district couldn't spare the funds to send them to LP Academy at Bentonville.

The most telling thing about Walmart's LP back then, in my store, was that there was very little prevention. Associates were told not to bother shoplifters, and only let the LPs handle it when they were in the store. They were very apprehension driven, yet understaffed and undertrained.

When I was called upon to make stops, I treated it like any other arrest. Be nice. Ask. Tell. Make. Take down hard.

Most I got out of it was a skinned knee from the pavement.

For a company, back then, that was so focused on apprehension as not to deter anything... Then provide its managers with detention authority but no hands-on training was frightening.

Every manager I was grabbed by was female, short, and untrained in any apprehension skills other than legal aspects of apprehension. They were afraid, and told me so. "I know its not your job, but..."

That's why, to me, Walmart sucked in the LP department.

Do women normally just grab you?

[N. A. Corbier]

Not literally. Ok, once, but that one was strange. I was the only one she would let on a ladder with her in the back room, too. Once I left Wal-Mart, we continued talking to each other and it was actually safe to be friends (no employer-employee relationship), and found out interesting things.

[#1TPS]

The TPS position is a great position. First the training is pretty good. Training will usually occur at the store you were hired in or another store nearby the one you got hired with. You will go through online training. I suggest take your time with training and get everything and understand what you read. Once you're done with online training, you will get hands-on training with your trainer standing at the front doors. Your trainer will also take you around the store and show you the departments.

The uniform(shirt, pants and shoes) with all equipment(handcuffs, flashlight, disposable gloves, and radio) is provided at no cost at all. You just need to buy a black t-shirt and black socks. That is really good that you don't have to pay for all this stuff since a lot of security companies charge you for everything.

If you are really good at this job after a couple months, you can promote to a Senior TPS, which has a few more responsibilities from a TPS such as training new TPS's, or you can just promote further to APS and go directly to plain clothes. The good thing about Target is that you have many opportunities to promote which the company encourages you to do.

[[email protected]]

If you want to see what its like to be an APS, or a TPS assisting an APS in apprehensions, you should view this YouTube video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IZq-A4Pkh1s