‘Twas the week before Christmas
And all through the town
The store staff were frazzled
And their spirits were down
Okay people, here’s the deal. Working retail at Christmas? Is it’s own special brand of crazy…this year? It’s even more crazy.
It has been a lot of years since I was behind a counter during the holidays. I have usually been spending my days in the Caribbean with uniform Santa hats and wax painted smiles, and about 200 children running about a large vessel where Santa comes in by jet-ski (which is still crazy…just a different kind). This year? Obviously I’m not there. And that’s okay. I am totally okay with that. I am home, with my family and my oranges and our ‘shared’ household cat. I have a tree and hot chocolate and fresh made Christmas cookies and that’s all exactly what I hoped it would be.
But all that aside, I am still a shopgirl at Christmas.
And as a shopgirl…here is my plea.
Be kind.
Please please please. Be kind. Be patient. And know that there are things you can do that will make everyone’s life a little easier. Let me be as straight forward about this as possible:
Do:
- You’d be amazed how much different it makes just to see a customer take a second to smile. Yes, even behind a mask. We can see your eyes, and they do reflect what you’re feeling.
- To us. Not to your phone. Not to your friend behind you in line. Speak to us. Say hi! We promise we’re really very nice!
- Be patient. We are super busy this time of year. If you see us running from one corner of the store to the other, realize that we are likely already in the midst of assisting someone and wait for a moment to pause and ask if we can help you. We promise, you’ll be helped as soon as it is humanly possible.
- This is a weird year. Please don’t pay with huge bills if you can avoid it. We get it, cash is legal tender, and it may be all you have. But please, don’t hand us a $50 to pay for a $2.50 purchase. Our floats are small right now and all it takes is one or two purchases like this to completely clear us out.
- Have your method of payment and loyalty cards and all your purchases ready when you get to the counter. We really don’t want to rush you, we really really don’t, but when there’s a double line up of people behind you stretching the length of the store, we really need you to be on top of things.
- Keep your temper. We know it’s raining out, we know you don’t want to be wearing a mask, we know that you’re stressed and tired. So are we. But no matter what kind of a day you’re having, it’s not our fault…even though we’re the ones right in front of you. Be nice. It’ll make everyone’s day.
Don’t
- Fight us on the mask mandate. We’re not the ones that made it. We hate it just as much as you do. But we are the ones that have to enforce it. Don’t be jerks. Don’t make us cry.
- Leave a massive pile of purchases on the counter while you go back for “one more thing”
- Ignore us when we ask you to split the line up for the sake of speed and safety.
- Get angry when we can’t help you right away. We have four phones ringing at once, two line ups at the till plus one at the door. We’re short staffed and doing the work of a staff double our size…take a breath please.
- Talk on the phone while we’re serving you. It’s a small thing, but we’re people, please at least acknowledge us instead of throwing your purchases at us and not even breaking your flow of conversation.
- Cut line. Even if it’s just to ask a question.
- Show up before opening or after closing and demand to be served. Please. Just don’t.
And for all of you who are being awesome. Thank you! Thank you from the bottom of our hearts. This is a weird Christmas, but it’s a weird Christmas that has the opportunity to give us something beautiful. Take a breath, take a pause…and continue to be kind to your fellow humans…because we all need that right now.
Thank you for hanging in there.
Another tired Shopgirl