I have been working as a “customer service specialist” at a department store for over two years now. And yet there are things that still surprise me, despite their being clichés in retail jobs. Rumpled clothing on the fitting room floor. Unreasonably disgruntled customers who ask to speak to your manager. Suspiciously left-behind price tags and empty shoe boxes in between clothing racks. The list goes on.
Yes, customer service jobs are great; they offer flexible schedules and pay for relatively easy labor. I am thankful to have the job that I have. It’s just that it’s easy to sometimes lose faith in humanity while you’re on the clock.
Here are a couple of retail pet peeves, so that we, College-Student-and-Retail-Worker Extraordinaires, can collectively cope (and for the sake of my own catharsis).
Customer Servant?
I’ve already alluded to the strewn clothes in the fitting room. To that effect, there are also messy piles of clothes on tables; shirts draped over racks with their hangers on the floor; and food wrappers, empty Dutch Bros. cups and soda cans scattered all throughout the store. I could tell you stories about surprise vomit and used diapers left behind without any warning to employees, but I’ll let your imagination fill in the blanks.
(Image from giphy)
It’s easy to point out that cleaning up after customers is in the job description, and that is correct. However, it is just as easy for a customer to put a shirt back on its hanger. But alas. When I feel just about ready to mutter under my breath as I grab merchandise off of the fitting room floors, I have to remember: (a) it is my job, (b) customers are conditioned to the idea that workers will eventually clean up any messes, and (c) people are in a hurry sometimes.
Do Unto Others…
While it’s a rare occurrence, some customers unnecessarily lash out at employees.
Sorry, Ms./Sir: it is not our fault that certain items are excluded from coupons. We don’t control shipments, but I’m really sorry that your order hasn’t come in yet. I’m sorry, I can’t return your item—which was bought months ago and has clearly been worn a couple of times and is missing its tags and for which you did not bring a receipt.
In most situations, I’ll be the first to say that bigoted or unnecessarily aggressive behavior should be protested. Retail jobs, however, are that curious exception. The customer service mantra is, after all, “the customer is always right.” Unfortunately, customers’ hostility is often a form of scapegoating. Maybe they’re having a bad day and their frustrations manifest in their exchanges with other people. It’s problematic to say that this sort of behavior is excusable, but suffice to say, we often don’t know the whole story. As such, our job is to grin and bear it.
(Image from giphy)
This is all to say that while they’re great opportunities, retail and customer service jobs test our patience. And that’s constructive. In consumer-driven America, this sort of experience is relevant for careers beyond our temporary retail stints. As a customer service specialist, I can say that working in retail has made me a more conscientious customer, and in my optimistic view, this translates to just being an all-around better person.
(Image from Imgur)
Thumbnail: Pexels
*Thumbnail image not owned by author or Her Campus at UCD.