For those who don't know me, I've recently started working as a sales associate for a company I will remain nameless, for reasons I'm personally not sure about. However, it seems right to leave the company nameless. I've been working with this company for almost a month already and I've seen things that range from very common to completely obscene. So, I have decided to put together a (yet another) list of things I have learned in my first month working in retail.
1. Not EVERY customer is a soul-sucking demon...
I have helped plenty of customers in my inaugural month of working in a retail store, most of which were delightful to help. I would crack jokes, and they would genuinely laugh. They would ask how I'm doing and seem to actually give a damn. Some people definitely know the struggle of having to stand behind a register for hours at a time, talking to people and scanning their items with a smile (real or fake). To the people who know how to treat a retail sales associate, I thank you for your patience, your kindness, and your gratitude.
2. ...But some are even worse than that.
So far, I've only had to deal with one rude customer directly. We're not gonna go into detail about it, because the situation was so stupid it makes my blood boil. I have seen my coworkers get into screaming matches with customers. I mean... yes... it was entertaining to watch, but that doesn't take away from the fact that people shouldn't talk to other people so harshly, especially if they're helping them. I don't understand how a customer, AKA someone who doesn't work at said store, claims to know more about the sale than the employee helping them. It baffles me how a customer (a human being) talks to/treats the employee (another human being) in such a vile, disgusting manner. I'm sorry we don't have that specific dress you saw on the mannequin in your size, Karen, but please don't question my intelligence/competence based on something I cannot control.
3. Cashiers really don't care about the items you're buying.
I have fallen victim to question whether the cashier is judging me based on what I'm buying. However, since becoming a cashier myself, I have found that we really don't care about what you're buying. We may comment on some items like "Oh, this is a cute top!" but nothing more than that. I work in a clothing store, where we happen to carry women's underwear. I have noticed that some women sort of awkwardly put their items on the counter and don't make eye contact with me when buying underwear. I mean, probably because I'm a big six foot guy touching lacy thongs, but rest assured, I'm trying to quickly check out their items; I couldn't care less about what the customer is buying.
4. We DO care about you messing up the clothes that were just neatly placed, though.
GiphySometimes, I think people are deliberately messing up store displays. I have seen people tear apart a stack of T-shirts and walk away empty-handed. This is especially frustrating after I just spent a good ten minutes folding those shirts and sizing them correctly. I make sure that I refold the clothes the customer just messed up when they can see me, so they can think "Hey, maybe i should've folded those shirts back correctly, so that worker wouldn't have had to clean up after me." "Cleaning up after people" should be listed as a job responsibility of a sales associate, because that's what I feel like I'm doing nine out of ten times.
I have already learned so much already and have picked up new skills I definitely needed such as communicating, customer service, and cashiering. I know this list is brief, but I'm sure I will learn more as I continue my journey as a sales associate for this nameless mystery company.
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