Originally Posted by
Machka
And yet, when I recently worked in the retail industry (in a ladies clothing store), I was expected always to be kind, courteous, and polite to the customers .... even when the customers were annoying, critical, conniving, and generally nasty, and even when it was very busy.
Now imagine that the staff in your store is cut in half, and your employer tells you that he must also cut your pay in half, and needs you to work twice as many hours, all because your customers are demanding lower prices. After all that, also imagine that your customers still come in and complain about prices, and complain to your employer that you take too long to see to their needs.
That's how it is in my industry (I work for an airline), as well as in many industries these days, including bike shops.