Ah, the hell on earth that is retail. Articles on working retail have been done out the wazoo, so much so that it isn't hard to do a search on this website and get almost five million articles about the same subject. Well, I'll be the five millionth and one to do so. I've been working retail for a while now and there are some things that I've picked up on while on the selling floor.
These are the five things that all retail employees want you to know.
1. Be nice and you (might) receive.
As the saying goes: you catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar, which couldn't be truer in the context of retail. If you, the customer, come up to me and immediately start throwing a fit over something and act like a spoiled brat, then I won't be as keen to help you out with whatever you're going on about. However, if you're nice, polite, calm and respectful towards me when explaining the issue, I'll do whatever I can to get it all figured out. Hell, you can even get some sort of discount out of it!
2. Be understanding of store policies.
Customers tend to think that retail is an "anything goes" environment. As much as I would like that, that is sadly not the case. Every company has policies in place so that customers won't take advantage of the store, thus turning would-be profits into losses for the company. If you are unsure about a policy, look it up on the company's website to get an understanding of it before you go and actually visit the store and purchase something. Also, but mindful of the fact that employees can only do so much with the policies in place.
Remember that we're only human.
Associates aren't machines, they're not some sort of advanced AI that can do transactions perfectly. We screw up. We have emotions. We have bad days. We have good days. You're human, too, unless you're a soul-sucking demon or something. Be understanding of the fact that we'll sometimes make a mistake that can be easily fixed. Again, it won't kill you to be kind
4. Please, try and clean up after yourself
I get it, you don't know how to refold a shirt or a pair of pants. But please, at least try to make an attempt, or ask the nearest associate for help. Also, wait for them to finish folding things before you go ahead and ruin their neatly folded stack. Also, we're always willing to throw away your Starbucks cup or an empty bottle, just don't hand us your used tissues and bloody bandages, please.
We want you to have a pleasant experience
At the end of the day, all we want for you is to have an enjoyable experience at our store. Sometimes, problems arise, things get difficult, and tempers flare, but that's just life in general. We'll always try and make you happy and give you the best customer service possible. So, if you work with us and be understanding, we'll definitely work with you.
