by Danielle Mcdaniel

Created on: September 24, 2009   Last Updated: September 28, 2009

For the most part in today's world the retail clerk is not treated in a friendly way. I base this on my eighteen years I have worked in retail. Quite a few of the customers that come into a retail store are unfriendly to the associates that works at the customer service desk, cashiering, sales floor clerk, you name it.

I have come to believe that the general public is rude. Why do people believe that they can just walk into a retail establishment and use profanity towards the associate behind the customer service desk that is trying to help them? It is not the customer service associate's fault that you forgot to pay your credit card bill and now it is declined. Or that the vanity you ordered was damaged in transit. Yelling at the employee at the customer service desk because your special order item is late coming due to a holiday or in-climate weather will not help it arrive any faster.

One of my cashiers had a plastic lawn chair thrown at her because the store was out of stock and the customer needed four. What about the men that say perverse comments to the cashier checking them out? How should she respond? It's not like she can just walk away from the register.

We have greeters that work at the entrance door. Some people just ignore the greeter that is trying to be friendly. Sometimes the greeter receives a growl or an unwanted come on from customers.

I am a retail manager, and I am female. I have had customers that would like help with their "problem" actually say to me "I do not want to talk to you, you are female. I want a male manager." Then what usually happens is the male manager needs my help to resolve the issue. Then I just laugh inside my head, thinking "I would already have your problem resolved and you would be on your way if you had not judged me because of my sex".

I really wish that everyone was required to work at least one year in retail. Then, next time you come into a store all worked up because something has gone wrong with an order, you would think twice about yelling at the associate behind the customer service desk. Or hit on that poor sixteen year old cashier that just wants some extra spending money not a date with a thirty something year old.

Just remember that those of us who work in retail really do want to help you , the customer. What is the saying, you get more with honey?

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