How to Receive Great Customer Service During the Holidays

For retail workers, such as myself, holiday time is not fun. The spirit of the holiday season is drained out of us by the people who shop at the last minute, and they are so stressed that they find the need to take it out on us. Even though we do our best to shrug it off, there's always that one person that succeeds in ruining our day. We've all been there--forgetting to buy something, whether it's a present, a card, or rolls for dinner. And getting through the crowd is really frustrating because everyone is in a hurry to get things accomplished. So here are some tips to get great customer service during your hectic search for everything you need:

Number one: Patience. I realize it's difficult to remain calm during the rush of holiday shopping. However, yelling and pushing people out of your way isn't going to accomplish anything. It will only make you look like a jerk, and possibly get you thrown out of the store. Remember that everyone else around you is just as stressed. And even though we say "the customer is always right," it isn't true. Take a deep breath and count backwards from 10 to 1, then approach someone for help. I promise you the worker in the store is doing the best he/she can. Demanding his help or screaming at her like a crazy person will not get you the help you need. If you want great customer service, patience is key.

Number two: If someone just took the last one of the item you wanted, let it go. Susie may have wanted that cute, new dolly really bad, or Johnny may have wanted that cool, new truck, but the fact of the matter is, if you've waited too long to pick it up, it's probably gone. Tackling someone in the store, or even outside of the store, is not the solution. No retail worker wants to break up a fight when he has tons of other customers he's supposed to be helping. Perhaps if you keep your cool, and ask very politely, he will call another store for you. The key here is to be nice, because if you're that jerk that demands the worker drop everything and call for you, he will probably make the call up. "Nope, they don't have it," is what he'll be saying, five minutes after he disappears into the stock room for a break.

Number three: Be polite. I know it's hard to be nice when other people are elbowing you to get through the store, but it's vital to get the customer service you need. I've actually ignored the bossy customer to get to the customer waiting her turn. Retail workers don't want to help the overly rude; trust me, this isn't the way to get customer service. Our patience and politeness may run out, too, after dealing with the overly rude, so we just plain overlook them. Good things come to those who wait their turn.

Number four: No cell phone usage. Do not be on your cell phone when asking for help or checking out. I'm positive the call can wait until you get in your car. Talking on the phone only holds up the line behind you. And no retail worker wants to wait on someone who is on the phone. It puts us in an awkward position because we don't want to hear your business and we don't want to interrupt your call. I think I speak for all retail workers when I say, we will avoid you at all costs if you're on the phone.

Number five: Don't call a store to see if they have an item during this time of year. If you think you'll just avoid going out by calling a store, you're sadly mistaken. You'll just waste your time calling and find out you still have to go to the store. First of all, you may not even get an answer. Retail stores have cut back on their help. There may be one person in each department, which is a huge task to undertake during the holidays. Don't expect someone to pick up because their first priority is to help the people inside of the store. Calling back five times only makes it worse. If you do get someone to answer, three things may happen: 1-she may actually go looking for your item if you've asked politely, 2-she may say she's looking for the item, but she's really helping someone in the store, and then she'll tell you five minutes later she doesn't have it, or 3-she'll say she's looking for the item and never come back to the phone. If you get the first one, don't expect it to be shipped. You won't be guranteed that it will arrive before Christmas, so you'll still have to leave the house to go pick it up.

Number six: Don't be insulting. It's one thing to be rude, but being insulting is even worse. Remember that the retail worker is human--we don't know everything. There are departments in a store for a reason. The only person who may know the layout of the entire store is the store manager. Employees, for the most part, are only familiar with their particular areas. So don't say things like, "Oh, you just show up for work, but you don't actually work here," "I can't believe you don't know what I'm talking about," or "Do they actually pay you to stand here?" If you give us a chance, we'll find the help you need. Otherwise, you're just S.O.L. doing circles in the store.

Number seven: Sales. I know I look for a good sale, but I also know to read the fine print. If it seems too good to be true, it probably is. We all know the usual catches: BOGO half off, the second must be of equal or lesser value; Buy 2, get 1 Free, you must buy 2; Up to 50% off, the item you want may only be 10% off; While supplies last, you aren't getting a rain check. Advertising experts are sneaky; they know what to print to get you into the store. So if you get there and the sale isn't what you expected, don't blame the retail woker. Throwing a fit like a 2 year old will only get you an "I'm sorry", not a deal. If you're polite, and show how upset you really are, without throwing a tantrum, then you may just get yourself a deal. It isn't true for all cases, but most retail workers will try to give you the sale you wanted if you're polite. This goes for coupons, too. If you get to the store and the cashier tells you that your coupon expired 3 days ago, don't lose your temper. Most cashiers are able to over-ride this, but will only do it for the nice people. Again, it doesn't ALWAYS work, but being polite and giving it a try won't hurt.

Take these tips into consideration while you're shopping and you'll be in good shape. Remember that the retail worker is human. While you're shopping, he is stuck behind a counter. Working during the holidays and dealing with nasty customers is not fun. If you're polite, patient, and sympathetic, then your shopping trip will be more enjoyable. Not only will it be a more pleasurable experience for you, but it will get you the great customer service you've earned.