NEW YORK (AP) Although the December holidays are meant to be a time for joyous celebration, millions of people who work in retail establishments, at airline counters, and in call centers may find the season particularly taxing.
Workers in the service industry frequently deal with nasty conduct from irate customers wanting immediate satisfaction, frustrated shoppers, and travelers who are upset about flight delays and cancellations rather than kindness or good vibes. And they have to work while listening to the mind-numbing Christmas music that never stops.
Around November, something occurs that causes people to simply lose their manners. Senior retailer Kathryn Harper of the McNally Jackson bookstore in New York stated. Thank you and please go a long way. We won’t move more quickly if you treat us rudely or snippily. It won’t make the out-of-stock item materialize out of thin air.
During a virtual news conference last month, Harper and other members of the Retail, Wholesale and Department Store Union urged the people to exercise patience and self-control in the upcoming busy weeks.
Cynthia Russo, who has worked at Bloomingdale’s in Manhattan for almost 20 years, stated that there are a lot of unhappy attitudes circulating this time of year. I try to be friendly to them, but I also maintain my ground against verbal abuse because it may happen and it’s sad. The phrase “Let’s start over” is my favorite.
Managing a challenging individual is never simple. These are additional techniques used by senior employees to maintain their own mental health and diffuse difficult circumstances.
Sanity of schedule
Employees who have been reprimanded can recover emotionally by taking a five- or ten-minute break. The agitated worker may ask a coworker to step in momentarily or notify a management that they need a short break if long queues or other responsibilities prevent them from doing so.
Any job makes it difficult to fit exercise into the day, but retail employees work long hours during the holidays, which makes it even more difficult. Twice a day, Russo attempts to power walk across every floor of Bloomingdale.
She remarked, “I think my coworkers are used to seeing me do it, even though I probably look crazy.”
Nicole Ray helps travelers who require wheelchair assistance get to and from their flights safely at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. When there aren’t enough wheelchairs or attendants to finish the task during peak times, she becomes anxious.
According to Ray, most of the travelers she assists are nice, but at least one person disrespects her every day. She says she frequently breaks down in tears after such encounters. She doesn’t have many chances to relax because she has two sons at home and works additional side jobs to make ends meet.
Ray retreats to a parking garage to relax and enjoy some music when there is some downtime between airport travelers. She tells kind customers, “I really appreciate you being such a joy to be around and not being so hard on me,” as a way to deal with the unpleasant attitudes she encounters.
Don’t be upset about it.
It can be difficult to remain composed when dealing with an unpleasant customer, but it is simpler to respond correctly when you keep in mind that the excessive expectations of another person are not a reflection of you.
You have to understand that if people are impatient or they re not in a good mood, obviously it has nothing to do with you, Tina Minshall, who is general manager at the Bridal and Formal shop in Cincinnati, said. If you can respond in a pleasant way, it tends to de-elevate whatever is going on around you.
Instead of reciprocating someone s misplaced anger, try to be the one who remains composed, said Justin Robbins, founder of Metric Sherpa, a research and advisory firm that coaches businesses on training front-line employees.
You can say, I m here to help you resolve this, or I want to help you, but we need to keep this conversation respectful, he said.
Maintaining an even keel can be especially difficult incustomer call centers, where the pace of incoming complaints duringthe holidaysis relentless and agents are often treated like punching bags.
Listening with empathy, without interrupting, goes a long way, said Melissa Copeland, founder and principal of Illinois-based Blue Orbit Consulting, which helps companies improve theircustomer serviceexperience. After listening, repeat back what you ve heard and explain the process you ll follow. Commit to what you can control, she said.
Smiling during tense interactions can make a difference. It relaxes your face, and if you try and say something angry or be obnoxious while you re smiling, it s hard to do, Copeland said. It just helps with a quick reset.
Focus on small joys
A sense of humor is a professional skill to cultivate during the holidays, said Carol Price, who has sold books, clothes and vitaminsat shopsin Fort Smith, Arkansas, for decades while holding down a full-time job at the local water agency. When theChristmas musicin the stores where she works feels relentless and grates on her nerves, she sings along, sometimes changing the lyrics to meow .
Some customers hug Price when she helps them find what they need. By contrast, a man once threwbooksat her. She chooses to focus on the former.
There s nothing better than a kid asking for a book, and finding that book and handing it to them and seeing that look on their face, Price said.
Supervisors can help lighten the emotional burden that comes with customer relations by giving employees to small treats, according to Harper, the New York bookseller. You can t pizza party your way up to worker protections, but it helps during holidays, she said.
Stephen Yalof, CEO of shopping center operator Tanger, said managers also can work to reduce the stress on shoppers. Managers at Tanger s outlet malls and open-air centers use $25 gift cards to surprise customers or placate disgruntled ones.
You d be shocked what a gift card does to defuse a potential issue really quickly, Yalof said.
Organize
If working conditions are unbearable, employees can band together to request improvements. Laura Kelly, an unaccompanied minor escort and wheelchair attendant with Prospect Airport Services, earns $12.50 an hour working at Charlotte Douglas International Airport and lives in a hotel with her two adult children.
During the holidays, there are more passengers to help but fewer workers because many quit or call in sick, Kelly said. She recently participated in a one-dayThanksgiving week striketo protest low wages.
I m just trying to help people get to where they need to go and just to keep a roof over my kids heads and food in their belly, Kelly said. I don t even have a way to relieve stress besides making sure that my kids are taken care of.
Her advice to customers is to remember that service workers are human too.
Just be loving and caring and put yourself in our place, Kelly said. Just imagine if we were the passenger and you were pushing us around.
___
Do you have a workplace story to share? Have you overcome an obstacle or made a profound change in your job? Send your questions and story ideas to [email protected].
Copyright 2024 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Note: Every piece of content is rigorously reviewed by our team of experienced writers and editors to ensure its accuracy. Our writers use credible sources and adhere to strict fact-checking protocols to verify all claims and data before publication. If an error is identified, we promptly correct it and strive for transparency in all updates, feel free to reach out to us via email. We appreciate your trust and support!