Dear Customers,
I get it. I've been in your shoes. You go to the mall to get some shopping done after having a particularly stressful day, and you feel ready to snap at the first person you see. Oftentimes, it ends up being an employee of the store that you're shopping in. Maybe your coupon expired, maybe they didn't have your size, or maybe the employee made a stupid mistake that made you lose interest in a product. Whatever the case may be, coming from a retail employee, it is NEVER okay to lose your temper. Us employees are people too! Our jobs are strenuous and tiresome, but for the most part, we try to do the best job that we possibly can. We often have to work long hours to begin with, and unnecessarily rude customers just make our jobs worse. The thing that I will never understand, however, is that most of the times, the accidents that happen are out of our control. I'm here to tell all of you reading this that no, it's not my fault that I can't use your expired coupon, it's not my fault that the store is closed and I can't let you make a last minute purchase, and it's not my fault that we don't carry your size! Yes, I know it's frustrating, but yelling at me isn't going to do anything except put me in a bad mood for the rest of the day.
And is it too much to ask for you to clean up after yourselves? I'm not telling you to start cleaning the store, but simple things such as picking up your garbage and putting things back where you found them could go a long way. Not only is it hazardous (especially if things are all over the floor), it's just annoying. Because yours truly has to clean up the store long after you all go home.
And please, if the store closes in 20 minutes, please don't come into the store and start asking for things. The store may close at 10:00pm, but preparations to close usually start around 9:30 in an effort to get the employees out on time without having them work overtime. By coming into the store and demanding everything but the kitchen sink, employees often have to stay later then their hours allow them to, and can actually get written up, depending on the corporation.
At the end of the day, just some common courtesy is appreciated. Nobody is asking you to do our jobs for us, but just some kindness and respect will go a long way. Our jobs are difficult enough and the last thing we need is a rude customer who doesn't understand basic manners. Us sales associates are people too, so please treat us as such.
