[My] manager never backs me up': Retail worker gets back at manager for refusing to "back them up" when dealing with customers

When working retail and customer service, you're playing a constant tug-of-war with customers over policy, laws, and even the simple ethics of trading—and it's not uncommon to have someone standing in front of you passionately quoting some piece of slightly relevant legislation their aunt's friend told them about, with flecks of spittle flying in all directions.

The only problem is that they clearly don't fully comprehend the trading act that they're quoting, but there's no way they're going to listen to you, a lowly retail worker when you tell them that. Heck—you're not even a manager. So, now the problem's going to be escalated. Despite the fact that you know what you're talking about and have followed policy, the customer is refusing to budge—cognitively or physically—and now you have no choice but to do what the customer is demanding, so in the manager comes. You're frustrated because now the manager is probably going to come in and play the hero, giving the customer what they're demanding, even though it breaks the policy you have

The thing is, now the manager's in a tricky spot. They can either stick to policy, as you have been, which will mean that the issue escalates even further up the chain, or they can do what you didn't have the authority to and cave. Usually, the latter option will end up being the desirable one, having been reinforced through repeated instances of issues being escalated further up the chain and drawing unnecessary attention to the store they're managing. Any experienced manager knows that the worst thing they can possibly do for themselves within the organization is have upper management's attention turned toward their store—it just creates too many unnecessary questions and that waste large amounts of everyone's time. So, eventually, they learn to just handle problems in-house, even if it means bending a few rules. Even if the decision and resulting resolution catch upper management's attention down the track long as you can explain why you've done what you've done—and why it was better for both the customer and the company—they're not going to mind one bit.

This can end up being frustrating for associates, who can be made to look stupid or arrogant if the manager goes about this in the wrong way—and maybe this manager was. It's important in any instance to make it clear to both the associate and the customer what the policy is and why you're making an exception. I've even had customers argue with me over this clarification, even when they're getting exactly what they want

This associate shared how they got back at their manager, who did as described above, but by going about it entirely the wrong way. Though, to be honest, the original poster themself sounds like they might actually be pretty difficult to work with.

Like what you see? Follow our WhatsApp channel for more.

Posted by Brad Dickson