Your tips are good if the customer is rational, or if the compensation is worth the effort of that.
I’ve worked a lot of retail, and sometimes there are just irrational people, though. Many angry customers do deserve the bare minimum. I’m not going to sympathize with them if their problem is their own fault, or if it is something minor that wasn’t anyone’s fault. I’m also not doing it if they want to be rude about it.
Some jobs also don’t pay their employees or give them enough benefit to do more than the bare minimum. These kind of jobs are not worth the stress or mental energy.
You have to be compensated appropriately to learn how to deal with your fellow humans? So those people are “things” to be dealt with on a transactional basis? Sounds “Trumpian”. I was quite happy learning interpersonal skills that didn’t get my ass beat, found the skills I learned invaluable, but you do you, keep on keeping on.
“Oh, I’m sure there are worse crimes–”
“But they starts with thinking about people as things…”
Yea, I mean I didn’t show up at my retail job to socialize if that’s what you mean. I didn’t say that anyone should be rude to anyone, just that they shouldn’t have to act like a concerned family member or whatever the other comment said.
If someone can’t handle basic social circumstances, that person shouldn’t be public facing. It’s the basic job description.
There is a gigantic difference between handling basic social circumstances and acting like a complaining customer’s best friend or family member.
The basic job description for most of these retail places in regards to customer service is to answer simple questions and refer people to management if they have an issue with the store or product. If you are doing more than this as a basic retail clerk, you should ask for a promotion.
I am not saying to be rude, at all. Just don’t do more work than what you are being paid for. Maybe you live in a place that pays retail employees fairly, and the effort is worth it. I most definitely live in a place that does not pay them enough to deal with some of that crap.
Your tips are good if the customer is rational, or if the compensation is worth the effort of that.
I’ve worked a lot of retail, and sometimes there are just irrational people, though. Many angry customers do deserve the bare minimum. I’m not going to sympathize with them if their problem is their own fault, or if it is something minor that wasn’t anyone’s fault. I’m also not doing it if they want to be rude about it.
Some jobs also don’t pay their employees or give them enough benefit to do more than the bare minimum. These kind of jobs are not worth the stress or mental energy.
You have to be compensated appropriately to learn how to deal with your fellow humans? So those people are “things” to be dealt with on a transactional basis? Sounds “Trumpian”. I was quite happy learning interpersonal skills that didn’t get my ass beat, found the skills I learned invaluable, but you do you, keep on keeping on.
Yea, I mean I didn’t show up at my retail job to socialize if that’s what you mean. I didn’t say that anyone should be rude to anyone, just that they shouldn’t have to act like a concerned family member or whatever the other comment said.
Then continue to get chewed out and everyone walks away unhappy and stressed out.
If someone can’t handle basic social circumstances, that person shouldn’t be public facing. It’s the basic job description.
There is a gigantic difference between handling basic social circumstances and acting like a complaining customer’s best friend or family member.
The basic job description for most of these retail places in regards to customer service is to answer simple questions and refer people to management if they have an issue with the store or product. If you are doing more than this as a basic retail clerk, you should ask for a promotion.
I am not saying to be rude, at all. Just don’t do more work than what you are being paid for. Maybe you live in a place that pays retail employees fairly, and the effort is worth it. I most definitely live in a place that does not pay them enough to deal with some of that crap.