THERE IS A HELL! - - - IT IS CALLED RETAIL CUSTOMERS DON'T REALLY UNDERSTAND RETAIL WORKERS | Page 7

Customers don’t Really Understand Retail
Workers

THEY HAVE TO BE POLITE NO
MATTER WHAT

No matter how rude or mean a customer is
being, the sales associates are taught to be
nice. This is, at times, one of the most
frustrating parts of the job. When someone is
very publicly yelling at you, berating you and
calling you names, it’s very difficult to stand
there and apologize for whatever the issue is
even when it’s not your fault. You have to
paste that smile on your face and use a calm,
cool and collected tone while you ask the
irate customer what you can do to make
everything better for them. Without a doubt,
there are cashiers or associates who will
snap and argue back and they are nearly
always reprimanded for it or may even lose
their job.

MANY ARE PUNISHED FOR NOT SELLING ADD-ON ITEMS

I knew an associate who worked at a particular store (which I will not
name), they had to sell warranties on all electrical products of the items
that were purchased. If they didn’t sell a warranty on at least 40% of
their items every day, the following steps were taken:
 A verbal warning
 A written warning
 They had to write an essay detailing what they were doing
wrong and what they will do to achieve the goals set out for
them
 They had to stay past the end of their shift until their percentage
reached the level that was required (which could often result in
working a double shift). If they failed to reach 40% for the
month for 3 months in a row, they were automatically terminated.

The same types of policies are in place at multiple stores. At a chain store that sells girls
accessories, they are expected to sell 6 items in every sale. If they fail to average 6 items per
sale, they don’t get their annual raise. So when the cashier tries to push extra items on you,
trust me, they know it’s annoying and they feel stupid doing it, but it's their job, so don't yell
at them for it. I don’t like trying to pressure people into a purchase and neither do most
other retail workers, but they don’t like being punished either.

dodie ste®eo p®odu©tion ™

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