Dear Everyone, Customer Service Employees Are People Too

It saddens me that I have to even write a post about this, but unfortunately something has to be said.

I have worked in customer service for 15 years and let me tell you, the things I have seen are just…astonishing. 

I have had 200° coffee literally thrown in my face because I forgot their creamer (that they failed to mention they wanted).

Just two weeks ago, one of my coworkers was spit on…during this pandemic…because the line was taking too long. For the record, that’s considered assault.

I once had a customer cuss me up and down telling me that I didn’t deserve to live, I didn’t deserve my job, and needed to walk into the freeway because her no foam extra hot latte started producing bubbles at the top of her drink after I had scraped the foam off 3 times.

I wish I were making these stories up and I wish I could say that these were the only ones, but I could go on for hours of the things I’ve witnessed first hand.

As customer service employees, it is their job to try to create the best environment for their customers.

Now, I understand that there are people who come to their job for the money and money alone and choose not to follow the proper standards needed for customer service. These are not the employees I am referring to. 

I am here to talk about those who work in customer service, who do their best, and still get treated as though they are the scum of the earth by customers.

As if they are slaves to society and don’t have a voice of their own.

Something has got to change.

Yes, it is their job to serve you. No, it is not their job to change store policies for you, magically make a line go faster, or magically make product appear. 

Yes, it is their job to care. But It is not their job to be the verbal punching bag to your bad day. 

These are people too. These are people who have families, who have feelings, who could be going through something detrimental that you have absolutely no idea about and they may be doing the very best that they can despite what you think. 

So please, next time you go somewhere where there is a customer service employee, please thank them for what they are doing.

They have been getting quite the brunt force during this time both financially and emotionally and it has impacted so many employee’s mental health that it’s astounding. 

We need to be rallying together as a nation and help each other out during this time so please treat each other with kindness and remember that you are not better than someone else just because of your social or financial status. 

We all need love extended to us.