Target Introduces Innovative “Niceness Score” Initiative for Store Employees

Target is raising the bar for customer service by implementing a system that evaluates employees based on their friendliness toward shoppers.

The retail behemoth is introducing a new performance evaluation process aimed at assessing how effectively store staff greet, assist, and interact with customers. This initiative is part of a larger strategy to rejuvenate sales and enhance the in-store shopping experience.

According to company representatives and reports from Bloomberg and CX Dive, employees will now be assessed on various criteria, including customer interaction, reliability, teamwork, and execution.

Managers will utilize this scoring system to monitor how consistently employees smile, engage with customers, and offer assistance during their shopping visits.

This initiative is part of Target’s efforts to combat a prolonged sales decline and refine its brand image under the leadership of CEO Michael Fiddelke. Fiddelke, who took the helm in 2024 after serving as the company’s COO and CFO, is spearheading this transformation.

Fiddelke has prioritized enhancing the customer experience as a key element of his turnaround plan, which also includes investments in store renovations, merchandise, and technological advancements.

‘A great guest experience starts with a warm, friendly and helpful team in stores,’ Fiddelke said during a recent earnings call.

The Minneapolis-based retailer has already trained more than 300,000 employees through a new ‘guest experience’ program designed to make stores feel easier, friendlier and more engaging for shoppers.

Part of that effort includes Target’s controversial ’10-4′ customer service rule introduced last year.

Under the policy, workers are encouraged to smile, greet or make eye contact with customers within 10 feet, and offer assistance when shoppers come within four feet.

Target is also tightening its visual brand standards, requiring workers to wear red tops with blue jeans or khakis in stores nationwide.

The retailer says the employee assessments are still being piloted but are expected to expand more broadly across the chain.

The push reflects a wider trend across retail as companies compete harder for shoppers who are increasingly selective about where they spend money amid inflation and economic uncertainty.

Several major retailers already track customer service performance in different ways.

Walmart, for example, uses customer satisfaction surveys and mystery shopper programs to monitor employee interactions. 

Costco closely measures checkout speed and member service metrics, while luxury retailers such as Nordstrom have long tied employee evaluations to customer experience and sales performance.

The retailer says the employee assessments are still being piloted but are expected to expand more broadly across the chain

Starbucks also famously measures ‘customer connection scores,’ which rate how warmly baristas engage with customers during visits.

Still, retail analysts say Target’s approach risks backfiring if employees feel micromanaged or unfairly judged.

Neil Saunders, managing director at GlobalData Retail, said the grading system could help improve service standards – but only if implemented carefully.

‘Target must be careful not to alienate staff with such grading,’ Saunders said. ‘The scores need to be transparent and fair.’

He added that friendliness alone will not solve deeper operational problems that frustrate shoppers, including inventory shortages, long wait times and understaffed stores.

Target executives have acknowledged those issues remain major pain points for customers.

Although the retailer recently posted stronger-than-expected quarterly earnings, executives warned that economic pressures remain challenging heading into the rest of the year.

To address those concerns, Target plans to open more than 30 new stores and remodel over 130 locations this year while adding payroll hours to improve staffing levels.

The company says stores receiving additional employee support have already seen higher customer satisfaction scores.

Retail experts say the growing focus on friendliness reflects how traditional retailers are trying to compete with online shopping by emphasizing personal service and in-store experiences that websites cannot replicate.

But for workers already facing demanding workloads, the idea of being graded on smiles and small talk has sparked debate online, with some employees questioning whether ‘niceness metrics’ go too far.