Workers say hostile customer interactions more common; want better training

Workers want better training when it comes to dealing with hostile customers.

Interactions with unruly customers are becoming increasingly common for frontline workers.

A new survey of retail, hospitality, and food & beverage from learning management system provider Axonify reveals that 72% of frontline workers experience or witness customer incivility on a daily or weekly basis, with only 1% noting they’ve never encountered such behavior in the past year.

A quarter (25%) of frontline workers say they have observed a significant increase in poor customer behavior over the past year, driven by factors including rising prices (81%), understaffing (79%) and “customer-centric policies that have fostered a skewed sense of entitlement” (75%).

Overall, these interactions are taking a toll. Dealing with incivility is causing frontline workers to experience burnout (47%), feel disengaged at work (28%), consider leaving their industry entirely (26%) and is negatively impacting their motivation (20%).

[READ MORE: Retail workers most likely to encounter unruly customers; effects include…]

“Frontline workers in retail, hospitality and food service juggle an ever-growing list of responsibilities, which becomes increasingly difficult amid economic and labor market challenges,” said Carol Leaman, co-founder and CEO of Axonify. “As these challenges persist, it is crucial for employers to provide their frontline workforce with continuous learning to ensure they remain prepared and safe.”