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nihilisticbotanist · 7 years ago

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Retail is killing my mental well-being

I am not a writer, I do not know how to properly format this or where to even begin. I just need someone to hear me out, just one person to understand where I’m coming from. I also do not want to hear “oh, don’t take it personally”. I’m writing this specifically so I can be anonymous and get my feelings on it out there. I know it’s a lot. I know it’s stupid, and not a big deal, and that I’m blowing it out of proportion. But this is really weighing on me, and I absolutely need to let it out. Please no hate remarks on this. I really appreciate whoever chooses to read this.

I have been working retail for almost a decade. I love helping people, I love making people happy, I love merchandising and creating mannequins. But I hate my job. I cannot leave. I am getting paid far too well to find a comparable job or career. The only experience I have is retail. Currently I am taking classes towards my degree, while still working full time, so that I CAN leave. I simply cannot afford to get another job, plain and simple. I cannot move back home for reasons I will not get into, none bad or anything, I just want to stay anonymous. I am an adult, I have bills, and I am stuck.

The reason I hate my job is also plain and simple in my mind. Everywhere in retail corporations are contradictory rules, statements, etc. Honestly I am so stressed about it because when certain things come up, it’s not only frustrating, but becomes a moral issue with me. I’m mostly talking about “policies” that come about with customers.

I’m tired of being told by corporate to do one thing per policy, only to do the other “based upon customer reaction”. It’s unfair, and I morally do not agree with it. An example would be:

Having only an X day return policy. Me telling customer “I’m sorry, but because you are X time over limit (usually weeks, we are lenient if it’s just a stupid day or few days over), therefore it cannot be refunded in cash or card”. Nice customer: ‘’Oh, alright. I understand.” Not so nice customer: “No I want it back how I purchased it. Are you a manager? Let me speak to a manager.” Management: “Ok we will do it for you this one time.” Which we all know turns into every time when this situation arises.

Now I feel terrible about that. That sucks.

Why should the nice rule-abiding citizens be punished to receive a gift card, or no return at all, yet the grown adults who are getting mad at us for a rule get all they want? This is where my stress comes into play.

This happens with everything whether it be people who forgot coupons, people who want to return year old worn stuff, people who lost their receipt and want their payment back in original form (my job does not have the power to look up receipts or card info).

For me it’s not the point of 100% following the rules, or getting spite on mean people. This is not the point I am trying to make. My point is that there are all these policies and rules, that are constantly getting “swayed” with corporate approval just because someone threw a temper tantrum. We are REWARDING bad behavior. People know if they come in and create a small fuss, they will get what they want. Where all these wonderfully kind-hearted people just sit there and take it when we aren’t supposed to do this or to do that per policy.

All for fear that the company will lose one mean customer. That they will write a bad yelp review. A bad google review. That they will call corporate on us. I get it from a business standpoint. But I also believe that it is morally wrong.

I give you terrible service (i.e. ignoring, being rude/unprofessional). Sure. Please call corporate on me or complain because I am not giving you good service.

I apologize and refuse a return because there are no tags, no receipt, from years past after I explain our policy? You’re just being rude and nasty to me because I cannot give you a coupon that doesn’t even exist? You berate me, call me dumb, make snide remarks about my intelligence when I need a calculator for something (has happened multiple times, by the way!) then you want me to make an exception for you? When I stand there still with a smile on my face, trying to save the situation? No no no. I’m sorry but that is not me “giving you terrible service” per corporate. That is me following the rules, and you getting upset for something out of my control, or even upset because I had to use a calculator for your change my computer didn’t show. But you know what? Management will let you do whatever you want anyway. They always do.

The worst part is that no one even cares how they look or sound. No one thinks I’m a human being who goes home everyday just like them. Who goes to school full time to try to get into the career really truly want. Who sincerely tries to be nice to everyone. Just to go to work and feel bad because I didn’t give a very sweet person a substantial coupon, just because they didn’t ask, per management, then to give that same coupon to the first person who gets irritated about it.

In a way I feel as though we are conditioning people to act out, to act rude, and to act mean. We are rewarding bad behavior, and like a toddler, if we reward it, then it will absolutely be repeated.

There are ABSOLUTELY those customers that come in and just make my day better. There are people so genuinely nice to me. There are always those customers that make your job not seem like a job. It’s so extremely sad to me that I will always remember the people that were nasty to me over the people that were wonderful to me.

I remember that person who called me “a stupid dumb c***” because she thought I didn’t give her back her tax in her even exchange.

I remember someone who stole a bunch of stuff, then demanded and yelled for us to return it for cash (per mgmnt). Even after I spoke about how I saw her take it 10 minutes prior and tried to confront her.

I remember the woman who demanded my undivided attention on a busy day in a crowd. I was helping around 3-4 people at the time, and said “I’s so sorry I will be with you in just one or two minutes alright? I’m currently with a few people.” For her to throw her stuff down, complain about me, and walk out with a discount.

I remember refusing a gentleman a sale, because at that store we swiped the cards at the register, and checked the back of the cards as well. His said “check I.D. Now, we did that anyways if it wasn’t signed, because we actually did have to check the accuracy of name, signature, etc. (high end store). He was with his three daughters, maybe 12-17? “I just need to check your I.D. sir, it also says it on the back you would like me to.” He refused, said his I.D. was at his hotel. “Sir I am really sorry but I am required to check some form of I.D. Do you have anything with your picture and signature I could just check”. He said no. “I apologize, unfortunately I cannot accept this as a form of payment. I would happily hold your stuff behind here if you needed to get cash or a form of I.D. from your car.” He immediately started to cuss at me. F this F that, berating me. I call management over. They process his sale.

Countless others. But even if those wonderful customers make me feel better, and if they help me get through my day, I will always remember the bad over the good.

That really sucks.

“The customer is always right” was the worst phrase to ever happen to the service industry’s employees.

#retail #stress #help #doesanyoneunderstand #pleasebenice #iwanttobenice #work #mylife #service industry #dont be mean #is this how tags work #firstpost #firstpostever #newbie #retailveteran #please understand #somone #anyone

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