Let me say this first: I am not a shop girl. I am, however, a girl who is temporarily working in a shop.
It has been a long time since I worked retail; but the reasons I am doing so right now are multifold – for one, the store where my Dad currently works is desperately in need of the help. I’m well trained on the till and in a pinch I know the layout of the store fairly well. I did, after all, work there for a very long time. Secondly, there is a wedding to pay for, and various other life expenses that are not going to cover themselves. Basically they need the help, I need the money. Win win situation. I will admit that it hasn’t been easy for me. While I love the store itself and the people who work there are brilliant, my previous time in retail did not take place in the best time in my life. It does pull up some…unusual…memories. But let’s just leave that be.
But coming at this job from kind of an outdoor perspective…I have noticed something unusual that I think bears mentioning.
Please, whoever you are, whatever kind of a hurry you’re in: cashiers and retail workers are people. They aren’t robots. While it’s true that I normally work in an environment where I often end up feeling a bit like I’m made out of clockwork – that is normally because of the overarching parent company, not necessarily the guests. Stepping back behind a retail counter however…clockwork doesn’t begin to describe it. I don’t know if it was always like this, or if this has been a gradual attitude shift that has just recently occurred, but customers are…mean. It’s as if my fellow clerks and I are not even there at all – I witnessed whole transactions where – despite my best efforts – someone would go through the entire process without ever once looking at me. They may as well have been dealing with a computer. Or someone so far below their notice that they didn’t even register as existing on their radar.
When did we stop seeing each other? Is it because of our reliance on technology? Has it really distanced us that much while we claim that it brings us closer together? Or is it something else entirely…
Whatever it is, I found myself very aware of it standing behind that counter today…and it made me distinctly uncomfortable.
Please everyone, see your fellow humans. We are all flesh and blood, we are all worth something. We are all worth the time of day, that moment of attention.
Please remember that retail isn’t easy, it’s actually exhausting. It’s painful at times. Physically painful. The floors are concrete, and most stores do not allow you to sit down on the job. Standing on concrete for 6 hours? No matter how young or old you are, that’s not easy.
Take just a few seconds to at least look people in the eye. Acknowledge they exist as an individual. Say good morning, say something.
No matter what uniform they are wearing, every human being deserves respect.
Everyone deserves to be seen.
Maybe it’s because I have never worked retail that I appreciate those who do, or maybe it’s from listening to Master when He was working retail. Even if it’s nothing more than a smile and saying, “Thank you. I hope you have a good day,” I do make sure to look at the person, look for something to compliment them on, and mean whatever I say to them. I try harder if the customer before me has been a jerk, in the hope that will help ease the hurt and smooth things over for the rest of the day.
I rarely complain about a person behind the counter but if they do a good job or do anything above the basic service required of them, I will always ask to speak to their manager and make sure the manager knows I appreciate whatever they did. The extra few minutes do not cost me anything but it may make the difference between getting a bonus or just getting a small lift of mood for someone who may usually feel unappreciated in what is often a thankless job.