All hail the retail employee

I proclaim today to be Retail Employee Appreciation Day. From what I can find, such a day doesn’t exist. And goodness knows that we need one. Especially given the antics workers have to put up with during the Christmas crush.

Susan Reda, executive editor of Stores Magazine, talked about shoppers behaving badly in a recent editorial. During a holiday outing, she witnessed breakneck pursuits for the perfect parking spot and customers who couldn’t be troubled to put down the cell phone and complete their transaction.

Retail workers get a lot of flak for their lack of customer service skills. But it seems to me that many consumers could use some shopping etiquette lessons. These days, front-line workers are dealing with more rude, crude and downright abusive behavior from the people they’re supposed to serve with a smile.

I remember those days too well. I grew up working in a retail florist. I helped thousands of customers during my teens and early twenties. Most customer encounters were unmemorable. A handful of clients were a joy to deal with. And then there were the customers of your nightmares.

I remember being harangued by a guy who didn’t understand why we couldn’t deliver some roses to “the tall glass tower downtown that’s right across the street from the bookstore.” (One of several glass-encased skyscrapers housing offices for at least a hundred different businesses.) The dude didn’t know the name of the business his wife worked for or the floor it was located on. And he wouldn’t give her cell phone number fearing we would call and ruin the surprise.

I remember being near tears after dealing with a profanity-spurting woman demanding an explanation for why her poinsettia died. (It was being kept in an unheated glassed-in porch area.)

I remember working unholy hours preparing for the Valentine’s Day rush, steeling myself for the onslaught of forgetful husbands demanding deliveries within an hour. (This ain’t a pizza delivery business, guys.)

Susan Reda closed her article in Stores Magazine with the old saying, “the customer is always right.” She adds the caveat, “but that doesn’t give you a free pass to act like a jerk.”

Amen, sister.

-- Sarah