Retail staff hit hard by customer rage
Shopworkers are being bullied and physically abused by “cruel” customers, often being reduced to tears at the behaviour of people they serve, new research shows.
A survey of almost 800 workers shows that virtually everyone encountered rude customers regularly, with almost two out of three being shouted and sworn at.
In one case a worker had to be escorted from a building by a security guard because an irate customer was waiting outside a shopping centre.
One customer told a worker he would get him sacked and “smash his face in” because the changing rooms were closed.
Retail rage mainly affects middle aged shoppers, found the survey by recruitment website retailchoice.com. Website director John Salt said: “Clearly, there are times when the customer is not always right. In an increasingly consumer-driven society, we naturally think that retail workers should behave exactly as we want them to in order to part with our hard-earned cash.
“Yet it is clear that many customers are taking this beyond the limit of decent, reasonable behaviour. Working in retail requires people to be calm under pressure. I urge consumers to think about their behaviour if they’re looking to receive service with a smile.”
