Recently, I have started my first job in the glorious world of retail! I made the giant jump from being a busboy and food prep to being a simple sales associate (where I barely know what the heck I am doing). So far, it has been wonderful compared to being in the food industry. I never have to wear gloves that make my hands sweaty, there are no food regulations I need to follow, and it's a bit less tense.
However, one thing that has not changed at all, and probably does not no matter what business you are in, are customers. Customers in the food industry are reasonably impatient (I am too when I am hungry) and of course you always get your oddball customers who have the weirdest order. Customers in the retail business, though, can be absolutely insane. They have no regard for your sanity as a human and it is mind-boggling.
I thought I was prepared for wacky customers. I have heard all the horror stories and rants people share about their time in retail but experiencing it first-hand makes me kind of sad.
On my very first day, I had a customer snap at me because I was not fast enough at getting an experienced sales associate to help her check out. I mean, come on. It's 10 AM and you're snapping at me because I don't run right away when you demand it? How busy can you be? Can you not ask nicely? How busy are you at 10 AM?
A couple of shifts later I did not even get yelled at by a customer, she just straight up stomped away from me after an incident. She had sent her child to retrieve me so I could open a fitting room for her. Upon getting to the fitting rooms, I was looking for the keys to open one of the rooms. When I failed to do so quick enough, she threw the dress she had back on a rack and stormed off.
On the outside I wasn't really affected but on the inside, it tore me up. I had to take this personally since it was my fault after all. But once again, I am only human. I only run so fast. I only find keys so fast. Please, show some sympathy for us. We're making minimum wage and get treated like we're trash? That's not fair to us at all. We do our best to make sure the customers are top priority but can juggle only so many things at once.
It's hard for us to not take anything personally and you have to remember that. No matter how upset you are with a sales associate, take a deep breath and remember that they might not being doing good. They might find your comments hurtful. Some build thick skin fast and can let it roll off their shoulders but that is not everyone.
We have feelings. We do get hurt. We get that you can be mad at return policies or pricing but that is never on us and it is unfair of you to assume it is. So, just please, be kind. Be kind to every worker you see out there. They are doing their best and just want to get off their shift and get home, probably just like you do, too.
