Recently, I began a customer service job at a local grocery store. Before I started, various people told me that it would be "difficult" to say the least. I was told that "Customer Service is the worst job option out there. You'll hate it."
Working with the public is always an adventure, but I wouldn't say that it is really all that bad.
In my experience, there have been more good days than bad days behind the counter.
Sure, occasionally a grumpy customer will come to the counter and be "difficult" with you. There will always be "that person" who will never be pleased with your worth, despite all of your politeness, smiles, and attempts at good service. These types of customers are few and far between.
Most of the time the customers are really nice! In the short amount of time that I've been working customer service, I've developed relationships with various customers. I have "regulars" that come in a few times a week and even stop by my counter to chat even if they don't want to purchase anything.
The customers are nice and usually ask how your day is going and genuinely want to have a conversation with you, whether it be about a store product, why they're buying what they're buying, or just how they are feeling in general. Most people will stop and talk to you about just about anything and I'm always willing to listen.
This may just be the Journalist in me coming out, but talking to people is so important and rewarding. Everyone has a story and I'd love to hear everyone's stories! So by working customer service, I'm able to interact with others and hear about what is interesting (or not so interesting) things in their lives. By communicating with customers, I'm getting better at my interviewing skills, which will (hopefully) aid me in my later career.
Customer service also helps you build skills that you will most likely need for the future. As a member of the younger generation, it is often assumed that I have poor in-person social and communication skills, as well as no manners. By working in customer service, I get to work on those skills and can show the "older generations" that there is still hope for tomorrow.
Maybe my customers are anomalies and customers at other stores aren't as great as mine, but customer service is not as bad as everyone makes it out to be.
It may sound cheesy, but all those training videos are right. If you smile, are polite, respectful and (pretend to) care, life as a customer service associate will go a lot easier than expected.