‘Tis the season for the holiday discounts that come along with the holidays. It’s chaotic and unmanageable every year but somehow students are now dealing with the customers who are fighting to get the best holiday deals.

Juniors Jake Fuehrmeyer and AJ Vazquez are currently employed at Old Navy as their first job. Both Fuehrmeyer and Vazquez started working about two months ago and they recently were working this Thanksgiving/ Black Friday weekend. Both described working Black Friday as a difficult challenge that they would be taking on. Fuehrmeyer described the setting to be that of a “bloodbath” with all the chaos that would come in through the doors.

In trying to maintain a stable environment for shopping, anyone in retail has to find the will to remain polite and give off the best customer service.

“When I’m on the sales floor, my job is to help customers and tidying up my area I am assigned,” says Vazquez. Now imagine trying to fix tables and racks of clothes when customers are rude and throw the items wherever they please.

Next, there is a certain level of persistence that comes with promoting all of the special deals that are ongoing and making sure that customers are fully satisfied by the time they walk out the door. Fuehrmeyer mentioned that he is often responsible for “checking out customers at the register whilst offering them deals that go along with the Old Navy Credit Card.”  Most individuals that go to a store on Black Friday are typically well aware of the sales, but it is still the responsibility of the associates to promote offers that could be with opening a credit card or even signing up with a rewards program.

Cleaning tables is one thing, but when it comes down to rude and cruel customers, it is the peak of retail. Vazquez says that “there’s been times where the customers are upsetting, but that is just how it is” and Fuehrmeyer mentioned that “there are certainly a lot of rude people out there”.

Each of them couldn’t be more right.

“Don’t let your emotions get the best of you, and realize that getting angry back is not the way. Instead, show some kindness towards them” says Vazquez while giving details as to ways to deal with angry shoppers. It’s the norm to encounter these types of people and even more so when doorbuster deals come out with a limited time that they’re available. However, associates like Vazquez, Fuehrmeyer, and so many others have to train themselves to hold their tongue and be mindful so they can get the most out of their job.

Retail is a tough field to work in, particularly when the holiday season rolls around to put everyone on edge. This season is for love and affection towards loved ones and people often want to do the most for each other, which can’t be considered to be such a bad thing.

“The kind and polite customers are the easiest to remember,” says Fuehrmeyer. Working this season isn’t all bad when the little moments are taken into consideration and people can visibly see how much others mean to them.