Here are 4 terms that rule my world 3-5 days a week: restock, flex, cash rap, and fitting room. If any of these words trigger a memory of folding simple tees or being yelled at by an older and deeply agitated woman, then welcome to retail my lovely people.
I have always had an insane passion for clothes and everything interior design. So naturally, I chose to work for a company that I shall not name. But if you're dying to know, it is the place where clothes and home meet. The two combined have the most beautifully nostalgic aroma of Apricot and Basil and intricately embroidered throw pillows surround you. Any guesses?
The company I work for is 100% amazing. They give to charities that support animals and causes that work to beautify our world. Their headquarters, I hear, is an insanely creative atmosphere where you can bring your dog and let your artsy-self flow. This article is is no way bashing that company, but rather striking up a conversation about how people who work customer service have more than a few ups and down with the customers they are servicing, if you catch my drift.
Below you’ll find a few of my experiences that I subjectively placed into one day so you could catch onto my struggles, or laugh because you go through the same.
"Get in loser, we're working retail."
I come into work, place my stuff in locker 16, clock in, and put my head set on (which is more difficult on the days I choose to wear a dress without pockets). Sidenote: dresses that have pockets may very well be the best invention ever. Anyways, once I step onto the floor, I hear the hour being called. This tells me where I am for the next 60 minutes of my golden existence. Thirty minutes in, I catch some disheveled woman in the beauty section, going through our makeup, opening up the lip glosses, trying them on, and putting them back. To not risk agitating said customer, I keep my calm and ask if she needs any help. I give the woman advice on a lipstick color. I come back five minutes later and find she has stolen said color. My response to this situation (in my head of course) is "Nah Fam".
Next hour I am at cash-wrap on the phone for an insistent customer, calling all the stores that show an item available that we no longer carry so I may place the order they desire and ship it to them for free. The dinging noise on the phone reminds me that I am still on hold, and the lady in front of me continues to flit through her phone, most likely on instagram checking out her explore page. My hands are full de-hardtagging the items she was able to purchase in our store. I look to the left and smile at the next person in line who begins to glare at me and ask aggressively “are you really the only person who can ring people up right now?!”. I politely answer yes and that I’ll be with them in one moment, but their glaring does not subside. She looks to her friend making that 'i'm so annoyed' face before turning around and continuing the death stare. Half an hour later a new woman comes up throwing her stuff down on the counter, unknowingly cutting everyone in line. I apologize and tell her the line is to the left, and I need to help the next customer in that line. Anger fills her face and she hands the stuff back to me and rudely says “Well never mind then”, before dramatically leaving our store.
The last hour at work I'm starting to close up, putting all my things back where they belong and a woman noisily enters through our doors. My manager politely tells the woman that we are now closed. The woman looks up at my manager and aggressively says, “Well you’re open now”, smiles maliciously, and keeps walking past us (as if the closing time were merely a suggestion). My manager apologizes and tell her how we really must close the doors now, seeing that it is now ten minutes past our closing time. The lady turns around, pretends to leave and runs to the other corner of the store when my manager “isn’t” looking. My manager looks at me while I have the “I pray for humanity” look on my face. I sigh, knowing that the longer she stays, the longer it will take to close.
Once closed, we unite and conquer in order to bring the place back to tip top shape. The sale room is and always is an absolute nightmare. There are clothes thrown everywhere, random hangers on the floor, and my favorite, people's trash. I apologetically look at my coworker who spent most of the day cleaning the sale room while people destroyed her hopes and dreams of an organized clothing rack. My manager looks at us and points to an unknown object in the corner of the room. We get a napkin, pick up the object and find out it is a half eaten and petrified, Wetzel’s Pretzel. We can now add rotten food to today’s mix. This situation calls for a sigh AND a "Nah Fam." Something about seeing a percentage sign with the word off next to it seems to bring out the actions of a messy and violent 5 year old kid in our customers.
After cleaning the store for an hour and a half and restocking left over items, my coworkers and I are excitedly clocking out on the computers.
"Get in loser, it has been a full shift, and we are finally heading home."
If any of these words ring true with you, I am deeply sorry for the sacrifices you make when dealing with challenging customers in our customer service world. I hope you know you have a friend who understands your struggles. To those reading who have never worked in retail, just know that there is a lot more going on behind the scenes than you are probably aware of. Most of us are doing our best to provide you with the upmost care. I’d also like to acknowledge that there are so many beautiful customers that come in and brighten my day, and I’m so thankful for those people that make my job worth it. But shame on you if you’re the person that left that half eaten pretzel under that clothing rack.
