Be kind to clerks and servers this Christmas and holiday season
My daughter worked on Black Friday at a mall near our home. She came home at the end of the shift shaking her head.
“People didn’t have to be there,” she said. “They chose to go on a day when they knew it would be crowded and there would be line-ups. Why are they snapping at me when things take a little longer?
I could write an entire post about “How is Black Friday even a thing in Canada?” but I’ll save that for another rant someday. For today my topic is “Be kind to clerks and servers.”
They don’t make much money. They don’t get paid more on busy holiday shopping days, even though the stress is far greater. While people are out “enjoying themselves” they work longer hours than usual to accommodate the increased numbers.
For goodness sake—and I mean that literally—be kind. And patient.
That’s what these holidays—Holy Days—are really all about, isn’t it?
Posted on December 4, 2015, in Lifestyle, Photography and tagged Christmas, Kindness. Bookmark the permalink. 6 Comments.
After watching some of the videos and news excerpts from the shopping malls on Black Friday, I think those poor sales clerks should receive hazard pay. At the very least they deserve a medal for showing up for work. My heart goes out to your daughter and others who suffer the abuse of rude shoppers.
It’s crazy, right? The opposite of what we’re supposing to be doing, thinking and feeling at this time of year.
As someone who worked retail all my student life I can totally sympathize with people who work in stores/restaurants etc. at this time of year. People seem to lose all sense of perspective. Is waiting an extra two minutes somewhere going to really be a problem? They should look at that wait as a mini break from battling through the crowds. For years I had a rule of finishing my Christmas shopping by December 1st so I did not have to go to the malls other than to look at the pretty decor! Now I just aim to be there during what I hope are off hours. Tell your daughter to just smile and keep cool. The people who are nasty are just not worth her anger.
Good advice. And a good goal – finish shopping before December 1. That’s something I haven’t managed to do!
That is so sad that people have to treat not just retail staff but anyone with disrespect. Its like a game for me when i am at a checkout to see the name tag of the person i am dealing with and call them by name. It puts a smile on there faces to be recognised for who they are. If you go to a front counter of a business to meet a contact and are not pleasant to that person dont expect to go any further. It is more fun to nice to someone than to belittle them.
Exactly. Everyone is happier all round, if we take the time to be pleasant.