Michigan Shoppers Stunned by Target’s New Customer Contact Rule

This new Target policy has drawn mixed reactions from shoppers. Have you noticed the recent change at any Michigan stores yet?

This is bad news for anyone hoping for a quick Target run or trying to keep a low profile. If you prefer to avoid small talk, brace yourself-- you’re going to have to speak to a real person.

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Haven't you seen posts about those stores in Europe and Japan that use color-coded shopping baskets to determine which shoppers are open to discussions and which prefer to be left alone? We should do that here.

A new employee policy at Target stores in Michigan, and nationwide, has left customers feeling a little uneasy about their recent shopping experiences. Referred to as the new "10-4" rule as Today explains,

The box store chain has unveiled a new guest engagement program called the “10-4” policy, which requires employees to smile, wave and use welcoming body language toward customers 10 feet away, and also cordially greet customers within 4 feet.

It’s like when Starbucks made employees add personalized messages to every order. It took extra time, created awkward exchanges over messy handwriting or questionable notes, and, as always, some of it even turned political.

Reaction to the new policy has been split among shoppers. Some say it’s “normal retail policy,” while others argue it basically tells already overworked employees to “smile more,” something many people find insulting. One thread on Reddit states:

It seems to be rather controversial. People don't like it because it's led to employees being burnt out emotionally, and overall making the atmosphere feel uncomfortable. Looking at Youtube comments, other people have said it's supposed to be a standard retail policy.

What do you think? I say just pay people a living wage and trust them to do their jobs.