Friday, November 29, 2019

3 Tips to Survive Black Friday as a Retail Worker

3 Tips to Survive Black Friday as a Retail Worker3 Tips to Survive Black Friday as a Retail WorkerWhen did Thanksgiving weekend become an occasion to flaunt ones prowess for retail hunting and gathering rather an opportunity to count ones blessings? If you work in the retail industry, you are probably gearing up for Black Friday. The official departure to the holiday season has not historically seen Americans exhibiting their kindest or their most festive behavior. Intoxicated by the prospect of saving money on holiday gifts, Black Friday shoppers notorious reputation has only fueled retailers enthusiasm to direct the throngs into their stores. At some retail locations, the Black Friday festivities start Thanksgiving afternoon or evening, while other stores are closed for the holiday but will be open bright and early on Friday November 27. Whether your Black Friday assignment starts Thursday or Friday, here are a few tips to help you make it through Dress the partMake sure to wear co mfortable shoes, because you are going to be on your feet and running hard for the duration of your shift. Also, with so many more people in the store at one time, you are going to get really warm, so dress in layers. And due to the holiday vibe, you may be asked to wear a Santa hat or some other festive apparel for the occasioncute for ten minutes and then brutally hot. Exercise mental crowd controlExisting in crowds doesnt bring out the best in people. Crowds cause stress. They make people worry that their individual needs are going unheard and so their behavior becomes louder and increasingly urgent. Dont absorb the urgency in the environment. You dont have to share in this discomfort. Aim to be a beacon of calm.You have a job to do, and your customers are important. But you are important too. You are the one controlling this situation so dont hesitate to politely ask them for the respect you deserve. Using a controlled voice remind your customers what you expect Sir, Im happy to assist you, but I cant do so when you are raising your voice to me. Ill give you a moment to reclaim your composure and then we can continue.You are a professional who came here to work. While you would like to help as many people as you can, you deserve respect. Rudeness or aggressiveness is unacceptable. Adults should understand this. They may believe that their urgency gives them the right to try to control the situation with rude behavior. This is simply not true. Have fun with itWorking retail on Black Friday is a true cultural experience. You will get a slew of interesting stories out of this and it is also resume building. Its impressive to be able to say that you did this. Its hard work and people will respect you for doing it. They will also want to hear your juicy stories about it. You and your coworkers can have a lot of fun with this. Come up with a team contest for the best story, craziest customer, oddest request, etc. It will make those difficult moments a bit easier to handle and it will help you put this whole experience into perspective. RememberWorking Black Friday might be a bit of a zoo, but its also a huge accomplishment. You are multitasking, providing customer service, and troubleshooting problems at a truly impressive pace. Its going to be an interesting life experience. It will yield great answers to future job interview questions. Plus, this can be a lot of fun. So own it. Black Friday here you come.

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