After having incredibly awful jobs in fast food as a teenager, I finally got a wonderful job in retail. Through this endeavor, I have learned a lot about how to work in retail and how the customers differ from fast food customers.

1. Always have a happy and helpful personality.

The first thing most customers take notice of when they enter any store is the employees and their actions and tone. A customer won't be willing to let you help them and add on to the sale if they walk in and see the employees looking grumpy and speaking in a depressed, monotone voice. Greet each and every customer with a smile and an upbeat voice and they will become more relaxed and open to your help about finding whichever product they need and possibly more.

2. The customer isn't always right, but we can't let them know that.

If you’ve ever worked a job where you had to please at least one customer, then you know the saying “the customer is always right” is the biggest lie you’ve ever heard. Although this is true, employees should always act like the customer is correct, even when it is clearly untrue. Never outright tell a customer they are wrong. Instead, apologize and offer up new, helpful – and correct – information that lets the customer feel they are right and lets the employee make a sale with a happy continuing customer.

3. Stay in complete control.

When a customer walks into your store, they are on your “turf” and therefore you have power and are in control. Stay that way. Customers are going to be mean, rude, and insane. They will call you names, demand cheaper prices for products you have no control over, and they’ll make you feel useless. It is important for you to stand your ground. Don’t let customers get the best of you. Be calm and explain to them that what they want cannot happen. Trust me, your manager will appreciate when you peacefully fix customer problems while being in control.

4. Become friends with the customers.

When working in retail, you must learn how to act the part. For example, if you have numerous customers coming in and out of your store regularly – learn their names. Have meaningful conversations with them and greet them by their own name when they walk in. They will connect more than if you just did a generic greeting. Greeting by name allows for you and the customer to gain a nice connection, which gives you a good reputation with all customers, co-workers, and management. Plus, it is nice to get to know customers because they can possibly give you a nice break from retail through good conversation.

5. Clean your store correctly.

Lastly, one of the most important things to remember when working in any retail store is the cleaning. With so many customers entering and leaving the store, the ground will definitely be dirty. The customers will rummage through products on shelves, tables, and baskets and make a mess for you to clean at the end of the night. Be sure to work hard cleaning the store as customers will be more likely to shop in a clean place over shopping in a messy establishment.

Honestly, retail is not as bad as everyone had always told me while I was growing up. I actually enjoy my job in retail, as it is the best job I’ve ever had. I believe a big part of why I love my retail job so much is because I follow these tips to a tee and do my best for whichever store I work in. Hopefully, these tips allow for you to gain more enjoyment from whatever retail job you have or may get in the future.