Why Doesn’t Target Answer The Phone – How To Reach Someone Quickly!

Calling Target support staff can be a daunting task. There is always the likelihood of a wait time, whether through the phone or waiting patiently in a chat room with a representative. In addition, customers complain that the Target team has users waiting in a long queue to address their issues or does not answer the phone at all. Have you ever had this issue when trying to call the store?

In some instances, Target does not have enough dedicated staff to handle phone calls. Peak shopping events may also present some challenges in reaching someone by phone.

Target stores sell various items, including clothes, shoes, food, home décor, baby items, and more. They recommend that customers use other Target resources to have their questions or issues addressed by the right team member. But how could one resolve their questions or issues if Target does not pick up their phone?

Go Online First

Target.com suggests that users read their available options to contact the correct department. The options available are:

• Guest services, where the customer can either call 1-800-440-0680 or go through the online contact us page that will provide a series of topics with often-asked questions. Additionally, Target’s online chat feature allows customers to get to the correct department quickly
• Press – if the caller is part of the media with questions
• Investors – if the caller is an investor in the Target corporation
• Corporate responsibility – includes charitable contributions and grants in the local area. Target has restrictions on the kind of charities that they can participate in
• Careers – for career opportunities, including corporate and in-store positions
• Security Concerns – any suspicious content or website pretending to be Target or a store-related security event. This includes any fraud of their gift cards and credit cards
• And social media – there are two social media teams for Target. One group is responsible for its corporate account, and the other is for the brand name, including Good and Gather, A New Day, Brightroom, Favorite Day, Everspring, and more. In addition, Target has more than 45 private labels for customers to enjoy.

Go to the Store

If the question is about something that can be handled by Guest Services, like a return or a damaged item, the store has an internal team to help you sort out your questions and concerns. These requests are handled best in-store since the products were most likely purchased there, and a replacement can be provided if an exchange is needed.

In addition, the Guest Services department can give customers credit or a store voucher and resolve their return or exchange. However, the operating hours of Guest Services are limited to the working hours of the physical store and are not available outside of that.

Individual store information is available online, including the store’s offered services, phone number, address, and hours of operation. If you are returning an item, keep in mind that there is a 90-day window to return any purchased items.

Call as the last resort

While calling the store might get you farther than corporate, In-store calls are limited to store operating hours. If you call corporate, their call center operating hours are 24/7. Essentially, as a last resort, one can call corporate to receive help with their issue.

Are you an employee?

There have been cases in forums like Reddit and the Break Room, a forum created by team members, where employees try to call, especially when sick, and have had no luck contacting anyone at the physical store before the beginning of their shifts.

What commentators said about there being people to pick up the phones is that their shifts do not seem to align with those that open the store. So, for example, if you start at 8 am, and the person responsible for picking up the phone does not start until 9 am or 10 am, you will call for hours before getting anywhere. If this happens, employees are advised to contact their Leader on Duty (LOD) to discuss their absence.

The Leader on Duty, also known as a LOD, is an acronym for an executive team leader that must track multiple activities in the store, including store coverage. The LOD places the absence in the system, which is submitted to the Human Resources Department for review and approval. If the employee has paid sick leave as part of their contract, they will see the sick leave pay within the next pay period.

In many cases, employees have called other departments until someone picks up to connect to their supervisor and advise that they cannot go to work that day.

Each department is meant to have its extension and should have a worker present at the store’s opening. According to Target’s benefits page, Target offers paid sick leave with the discretion that benefits are based on the position, hours, and years with the company.

The Takeaway

While Target tries to ensure that all questions and concerns are addressed over the phone, they are focused on providing easier access to help online. In the end, this prevents you from waiting on the phone for an extended period and allows someone to answer your questions quickly through an online chat. So, online chats are encouraged, as they communicate faster with customers and can resolve their issues quickly.

The customer is welcome to enter the store to be treated by the Guest Services department with any issues if they are tied to returns or exchanges. However, suppose the problem is anything dealing with store gift cards or Target-issued credit cards.

In that case, the customer will need to use the online chat feature or call the correct department in the corporate office to address their problems. Target in-store workers can help guide a customer to the right place, and the Target app is an excellent resource. 

If you are an Employee

If you are an employee, the situation is a bit different. Employees must do what is in their power to call the store to let management know they will not be in that day. If the employee cannot communicate with management, they must call someone in your store they trust to ensure that management knows you will not make it in that day.