With the cost of essential goods continuing to rise this year, difficult customer interactions and heightened emotions are becoming a near-daily occurrence. According to Axonify's recent report, Polling the frontline: Dealing with difficult customers —surveying 500 U.S. retail, hospitality, and food & beverage frontline workers— three-fourths (72%) of frontline workers experience or witness customer incivility on a daily or weekly basis, with a mere 1% noting they've never encountered such behavior in the past year.
Bad customer behavior is on the rise as 25% of frontline workers observed a significant increase over the past year, driven by factors including escalating prices (81%), understaffing (79%) and customer-centric policies that have fostered a skewed sense of entitlement (75%).
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"Frontline workers in retail, hospitality and food service juggle an evergrowing 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."
A significant concern among frontline workers is their perceived lack of skills in managing customer conflicts effectively. Over half express apprehension about handling escalating situations (53%) or finding themselves without adequate information during critical moments (52%). These training gaps underscore the urgent need for enhanced support.
Despite initial de-escalation training during onboarding for over a quarter of employees, many struggle to recall specifics when needed most, highlighting the necessity for continuous on-the-job learning. The majority seek further training on managing violent situations (77%) and handling disputes related to price increases (70%). Additionally, nearly half advocate for technology solutions like body cameras to aid in identifying issues early on (41%).
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Additional findings from Axonify's Polling the frontline: Dealing with difficult customers survey reveal:
Current training is coming up short: Current worker training programs focus heavily on company policy rather than practical conflict resolution skills (41%), lack real-world applicability (39%) and occur primarily at onboarding without reinforcement later on (25%). Consequently, more than two-fifths (44%) desire scenario-based training with real-time practice opportunities and want to shadow experienced employees before handling difficult situations alone. Additionally, one-third (34% across food & beverage, hospitality, and retail) want ongoing training integrated into their shifts and one-fifth (19%) want a digital library with quick-access guides about handling conflict.
Talent retention and engagement suffer amid rising incivility: 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%).
Frontline workers fear they won't be able to meet customers' evolving expectations: As consumer demands fluctuate rapidly, over one-fifth (22%) worry they won't meet expectations. One-third (34%) of frontline workers say these shifting expectations are highly impacting their level of burnout.
"Our data reveals increasing customer incivility and inadequate conflict management training are undermining frontline workers' morale, confidence and sense of readiness," said Leaman. "While we anticipate that customer incivility will persist in the short term due to ongoing socio-economic challenges, this doesn't mean organizations are without recourse. By providing frontline workers with more targeted on-the-job training and ensuring there are enough qualified hands during shifts, frontline-facing companies can better equip their teams to effectively handle conflicts."
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