It may be the most wonderful time of the year, but shopping for presents during the holiday season can be anything but merry and bright for consumers and store employees alike.
TikToker Amber Lord–a.k.a. @lifeandworkbutbetter–had a public service announcement for impatient customers inclined to express their grievances over miserable shopping conditions like waiting in long checkout lines, and dealing with busy retail workers.
Lord, who posts work-related content on her channel, pleaded:
“Guys, please do not call stores that you’ve been shopping at and let them know that there are hardly any workers on the floor, you couldn’t find help, and that there’s a million pallets and boxes that need to be put away."
She explained how complaining to a store's corporate offices directly can actually have a negative impact on employees who are not largely responsible for the stressful conditions holiday shoppers are subjected to.
You can see the clip, here.
Lord broke down exactly what was not going to happen during a call from unsatisfied customers.
“Corporate is not going to go, ‘Oh man, we really need to hire some more people. We need to pay them better wages."
They will also not apparently consider the following:
"We need to give them more time to do these tasks and take care of these things. We’re pissing off our customers.’'
Instead, Lord explained the consequences of the customer complaint.
“No. What they’re going to do is come down really hard on the people that are in the store, even though it’s their fault for understaffing, underpaying and sending way too much product in with this crazy expectation of it all getting put away.”
For those insisting to contact corporate because of their upsetting circumstance, Lord advised people to rephrase their concern.
"I would tell them that I can tell they have a staffing issue because the people look overworked, burnt out, there's not enough hands for as much product on the floor, and I can recognize that.”
She continued:
“I would very much keep the blame off of the people in the store."
"Let them know that they were friendly and they were busting their butts, but that you’ve noticed lately that there are a lot less people working there."
“Anything that’s going to make it fall back on corporate’s fault."
Viewers agreed, especially those who actually work in the service industry.
@lifeandworkbutbetter/TikTok
@lifeandworkbutbetter/TikTok
@lifeandworkbutbetter/TikTok
@lifeandworkbutbetter/TikTok
@lifeandworkbutbetter/TikTok
Others vented over the situation that remains unresolved.
@lifeandworkbutbetter/TikTok
@lifeandworkbutbetter/TikTok
@lifeandworkbutbetter/TikTok
@lifeandworkbutbetter/TikTok
The video concluded with her saying:
“Trust me, they will come down on them, and they’ve already got enough stuff going on,
Lord emphasized her point in the comments.
"They know they need help, they know it's too much, they are FULLY AWARE."
"So if you MUST complain, make sure your blame is fully placed on CORPORATE and make that clear."
"THEY are understaffing, underpaying, underscheduling, and overexpecting. THEY (corp) need to make changes."
One commenter mentioned that kindness goes a long way.
"I always tell them, take your time! This is my Mom break, so I'm in no rush! Spread that Christmas/ Holiday Cheer People!"
To which Lord agreed wholeheartedly and wrote:
"I love that! I also feel a tiny sense of relief, like oh well the world has made it so I'm stuck in this moment and I can't control it so up take it as a rest and a break, in just here, things are slow but that's ok."
@jessicachastain/Instagram
