by Holly Rogers

Created on: February 05, 2008

Customer service can be difficult to achieve at times, considering how inconsiderate so many customers can be. Working in retail requires so much patience, and so many people underestimate how difficult that patience can be at times.

Imagine working in a supermarket. You took the job because you are a people person. You wanted a position that involved interacting with different individuals on a daily basis, meeting varieties of people from different backgrounds and having the chance to make their lives a little easier. You also wanted something you thought might be rewarding, expecting customers to appreciate the efforts you go to in helping them. Little did you know it would instead result in you being abused day in and day out for situations that are out of your control, or inconsiderate customers trashing the store, leaving a mess on the floor and not bothering to tell ask someone for help. No consideration what so ever for the shop assistant who spends endless hours assisting and cleaning up after others.

It is simple etiquette to be polite to shop assistants. They are there to help you and it is not their fault if something has not gone to plan. Do not yell at them because you cannot find the item you want, or walk out because they may not understand initially what you are talking about. It takes time to learn the ropes of any job and no matter what the industry, there will be a time when we all feel a little incompetent. So instead of raising your voice and expressing your frustrations at the person who is trying to help you, remain calm and patient. Eventually you will get what you want.

If you make a mess, perhaps accidentally spilling a bag of something across the shopping aisle floor, do not ignore it. The individual's employed in the shop are there for your assistance, but they are not slaves. Just because they are getting paid to clean up your mess is not an excuse to be inconsiderate enough not to let them know. It is common courtesy to let someone know if you have had an accident. Chances are they will be very grateful for your assistance.

In your line of work, you would not appreciate being treated with disrespect. Or having someone yell at you for an issue which is out of your control. You would not enjoy cleaning up someone else's mess. For this reason, next time you are in a shop, show consideration for those individuals employed to make your shopping experience as enjoyable as possible and give them the same respect you would expect in your own workplace. They are there to do a service, not be treated with disrespect.

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