Customer service jobs are difficult and stressful at times, but they can be fun and teach a person a lot about themselves and how to act in a professional setting. I have worked 3 different customer service jobs over the years in the grocery store business and wireless cell phones sales. When I tell people, I have seen and heard a lot, I truly have. I also have friends that work retail jobs, restaurant jobs, and a few other customer service type jobs. I have always discussed experiences with friends and family related to work and that can help better prepare you for what is to come.
When working in customer service you never know what is going to happen to you on a daily basis. People call into work for all different reasons and people quit their jobs to move on to better jobs every day. There is a constant rotation of coworkers and some will become your friends, while some you cannot stand. Sometimes people are hired who are lazy and do not take the job seriously because they do not take pride in their performance, so you must keep your cool and work hard to get your daily tasks done. It is also important to pay attention to avoid coworkers getting you in trouble or keep your performance from being hindered because you want to be the best at your job.
The pay at jobs like these are not very high and raises are usually rare. I feel the pay is fair for the job that you do in customer service because anyone can get these types of jobs. The lack of low income teaches people how to live with less money because it may not always be there, and times can get tough. I think it's important to learn the responsibility of managing your money when you do not have a lot and buying your own belongings can make a person feel better about themselves. These jobs too people how to budget their money and learn the responsibility of paying their bills first and using the money for fun activities after.
People can be extremely difficult to please and they can also be rude. I have been yelled at, cursed at, and complained about a few times. I have had some very nice customers though and sometimes they come back to my job and request me to help them because I try my best to make the customer happy and be as respectful as possible. Dealing with rude customers is hard because you have to accept the behavior of that person and try your best to help them and be respectful. You may have to bite your tongue ad void getting upset because you can only do so much to please a person within the store's rules. People will try to take advantage of you and it is your job to take care of the business too and not allow customers to break the rules.
Customer service jobs also can be a short-term career option and allow promotions and more hours to employees who work hard and want to become the person in charge. There are plenty of opportunities to better yourself and gain knowledge to have more experience on your resumé and for your memory to better serve you in future conflicts. Customer service jobs are also very beneficial for people who are taking college or high school classes and the companies will work around students schedules with ease. Some younger people from ages 18-25 work these jobs because they have not found a job or major that they love, so they work to gain experiences and save money or their future.
Retail jobs are very beneficial to society because they are important to people's everyday life. People need food, drinks, technology, and other useful items to use in their everyday lives. This puts a demand in companies making make products and hiring more people to stock them or sell them or make food for their customers to ensure the business is making money and keeping customers happy. Imagine going to your favorite restaurant and being told they were short staffed. They tell you the wait would be long for your food or there is a limited amount of choices you can order due to the lack of experience. Also, imagine going to your local grocery store with a list of 10 items and half of the items are out of stock. These problems could lead to very upset customers who may take their business elsewhere because people do not like not getting their way and both these experiences have happened to my family and me.
Retail jobs are important for the company, the public, and the people working the jobs. The workload can sometimes be tough because of working with the public while doing the job, but it makes the world go around and the world would be extremely different if people could not go out to eat or go to the store and buy their food. I think people should have to work these jobs before getting out of college because it truly teaches people responsibility, they gain experience, and they learn how to deal with people in a professional manner. I look at retail jobs a lot different after working them because I know what it is like to work them and sometimes associates take the heat from the public for the company's wrongdoings, so it is important to not yell at them and get upset. Retail jobs are not going anywhere and will always be there to benefit younger people and teach them plenty of useful life tips.
