NEW YORK—The December holidays are supposed to be a time of joyful celebration, but the season can be especially grueling for the millions of people who work in retail stores, staff airline counters and field complaints coming into call centers.
Instead of compassion or good cheer, service sector workers often encounter rude behavior from frazzled shoppers, irate customers demanding instant satisfaction and travelers fuming about flight delays and cancellations. And they must do their jobs to the mind-numbing soundtrack of nonstop Christmas music.
“There’s a lot of disgruntled attitudes flying around this time of the year,” Cynthia Russo, who has worked at Bloomingdale’s in Manhattan for nearly two decades, said. “I try to kill them with kindness, but yet I take a firm stand with not being abused verbally, because that can happen and it’s sad. My favorite line is, ‘Let’s start over.’”
The travelers she helps are kind for the most part, Ray says, but someone treats her with disrespect at least once a day. Such interactions often leave her in tears, she says. With two sons at home and extra side jobs to pay the bills, she has few opportunities to decompress. 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.
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 their customer service experience. After listening, repeat back what you’ve heard and explain the process you’ll follow. Commit to what you can control, she said.
“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.
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