Some mornings, having a job means not being able to walk downstairs because of the pain in my feet. Eight hour shifts can do that to you, and while for most people that’s a typical work day, eight hours in retail work is exhausting and taxing. Unfortunately, the retail phase is one that most people go through and some stay in, so at one point or another we’ve all suffered through rude customers and 7 AM shifts. Fortunately, those who remember their retail experience are more likely to emphasize and treat their cashiers with respect, which makes our jobs as pleasant as they can be in the current circumstance. These people are the silver lining of the work day, but on some days, the silver lining is hard to find.
Customer service in retail work tends to be one of the most fluctuating aspects of the job. Our experience depends on the mood of the customers so if they’re coming into our stores angry or upset, it’s inevitable that we’ll experience the backlash: which is anything ranging from sarcastic comments to angry raised voices to coupons or cash thrown at us. This would be the perfect time to develop some strong comebacks and choice words, but whereas most human beings are allowed to retaliate against unfair treatment, retail workers are told to be patient and to stay silent.
“Yes, ma'am.”
“I understand, ma'am.”
“I’m so sorry, ma'am.”
In reality, there’s so little empathy involved that we have pre-planned dialogues we follow based on customers’ body movement and verbal cues. Beyond that, we have pre-planned dialogues for days when customers decide they want to switch up the script a little. Such originality! No, of course, I’ve never received the response “Guests get things for free!” upon my calling out “Next guest in line please!” No, I’ve never even once heard “Hit the jackpot!” as I handled a customer their receipt. And no, I most definitely have never heard someone suggest “If it doesn’t scan then I guess it’s free” while I’ve struggled to scan their items. Genius. Pure, creative genius.
Yet once in a while, you get a customer that’s actually really grateful for the things you do. Sometimes it’s a chuckle during a 7 AM shift and a comment about you really not being a morning person. Sometimes it’s a “hang in there, you’ve got less hours left than you did when you started.” Sometimes it’s a “don’t work too hard” or a truly sincere “have a good day.” It’s a genuine “thanks so much for your help with all that,” and on occasion it’s “I love your eyeliner, I can never get it to look that perfect.” It’s the feeling of being able to immediately locate whatever the customer needs in the store and them thanking you over and over because it was an urgent request. It’s the feeling of helping them scan their membership card when they’re struggling with it. It’s the feeling of taking an elderly lady through the entire beauty department and her hugging you because you found her the right shade of lip liner.
It’s not an easy job, and most days, retail work is miserable. But there is always a hidden silver lining.
