# Has anyone survived customer service?



## BedBug (Nov 21, 2015)

By some miracle I finally got a job, after being unemployed for over a year. I was terrified but made it through the interview. The job is at a busy convenient store that sells gas, cigarettes, hot food, lottery, etc. I was told that I would be a food prep worker which would involve mostly working by myself in the back of the store, making and packaging foods. Sounded great.

But then, after a few days on the job, they changed their mind and made me into a cashier. Since I am so desperate for money I have been forcing myself through every shift since then for weeks, but it has sent me from being mostly stable to having terrible insomnia, panic attacks, crying spells and just a constant feeling a depression and dread.

My anxiety shoots up ALL the time and then it's hard for me to even think straight, so I make stupid mistakes, or sometimes I go into "freeze" mode (instead of fight or flight) and it's like I go totally blank and get stuck. Which of course makes the customers even angrier than they were before, which makes my anxiety go even higher, which makes me even dumber.

Every shift there are tons of customers who are in very bad moods, and it's starting to make a mental wreck. Last shift this guy went completely crazy and started yelling and swearing, and I could hardly process the next several customers, I could hardly even think. 

I've had two days off and now back to work tomorrow morning, and I feel almost physically ill worrying about what tomorrow brings. I am just waiting to get canned for being too timid, crazy and stupid to do this job. 

Has anyone with social anxiety actually made it in customer service? I'm approaching the 1 month mark and am already falling apart.


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## chaosherz (May 15, 2011)

I had a cashier job last year. It wasn't as bad as I had expected, just when conflicts arose or I made mistakes. Sounds like you are really finding it tough though. I would say stick it out for a couple more months and see how you go. If it still isn't getting easier, I would quit. No job is worth insomnia, panic attacks, crying etc


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## RiversBetweenUs (Nov 22, 2015)

I have several years experience in CS. It helped me get more comfortable around people (mostly work related interactions - making friends and dating is Stoll a challenge), but it took time and patience. CS is easy once you understand what is expected when interacting with customers. 

I was a cashier, but tbh, I hated it. I had to repeat the same greetings and say similar things all day. By the end of my day, since I am an introvert, I was drained. 

But you do what you need to. Being positive is how you survive CS. If a customer gets mad at you, don't take it personally. Just breathe and take it one step at a time. If you think the worst, then it will be the worst. 

Being on CS helped me toughen up. Like most things, it gets easier the more you do it.


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## BedBug (Nov 21, 2015)

Thanks for the replies. I am definitely trying to look at it that way, almost like exposure therapy. I just wish my mind didn't go blank and dumb when my anxiety shoots up, it is causing me to make mistakes. I would not fault my manager for firing me at this point. So it's like I am dreading working, dreading the customers, dreading the inevitable moment when I get fired, dreading all of it constantly.


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## HannahG (Aug 31, 2010)

I'm in CS now for several years. I hate it but I'm here. Surviving... It would be okay if people weren't so stupid. And if management actually gave us raises. Management also make really stupid decisions which make things tougher on everyone. Then, they change their minds, realizing how bad everything gets.

I would never recommend CS for anything except it does get you to learn not to care what (some) other people think. But that may just be because it kills part of your soul lol.


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## Crisigv (Aug 3, 2013)

I've been in retail for 9 years now. I hate it. I like the environment of this job (inside the store, not the mall), but I'm suffering by it being part time and minimum wage. My previous job paid more and was full time with benefits, but I hated the store and location. Customers suck... sorry.


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## Cool Ice Dude55 (Jan 7, 2014)

No the thought of being infront of customers is too scary. It's draining and makes me stressed.

I was a cashier for like 3 weeks. I couldnt handle. Emotional trauma everyday. I couldnt do a so-called "simple job"

Sometimes I have to do random customer-facing jobs. But I die inside

I was a receptionist for a day and almost had an anarism.

so i know how you feel

hope it gets better budday


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## Man01 (Nov 18, 2014)

I went into a job as a medical receptionist against all my instincts in May 2014. I wondered why the hell I'd accepted the job considering my lack of any confidence and SA. 

I loved every minute of it by the time I left. I'm regretting leaving that job now.


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## thinkstoomuch101 (Jun 7, 2012)

Jeez OP,

I don't think any one really "survives" customer service. We just learn how to endure it over time.

There's an old saying: Some days, we are the pigeon - and some days we are the statue...

You won't have "perfect" days, everyday. None of us do? And that's okay.. you just keep going, and just keep posting/venting whenever you can.

I do know that when i'm off work, and i have to go to stores of any kind? I am hella-polite to people in customer service.

_(Well, accept for the sales people at the front desk at a lot work out facilities. I am very neutral with those types..)_


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## TheGuardian (Jun 20, 2015)

I'm trying to get my first job and the thought of working as a cashier terrifies me. And yet most entry level jobs are cashiers so fml. -.-


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## theghost0991 (Mar 29, 2014)

Yeah, but listen

Keep it up for over two years, and you will find that it helps you. It removes a part of your SA


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## gisellemarx (Feb 1, 2010)

I'm sorry for your experience. I've had the same experiences, but somehow, I've survived and made it this far. It gets easier, I promise. I've actually managed to separate my social anxiety from me talking to customers, for the most part. I still do mix up my words and am not the greatest at explaining things, but it's a hell of a lot better than I was.

I don't think anybody that _hasn't _been a cashier understands what cashiers go through every day. It's challenging just dealing with the customers. I was a cashier for a gas station for a year and, I kid you not, it almost killed me. Eventually I just got resentful of all the rude people and started being rude back (didn't care much about job security at the time).

Right now I'm a retail pharmacy tech, so it's full-on customer service - I have to be nice to the man screaming at me because his insurance won't let me fill his prescription until next week. I have to let people scream at me all day long for things WE can't control and _be nice to them_ because we need their scripts and their money. Ugh.

So I mean, overall, my social anxiety eventually turns into hating everyone and accidentally slipping up and being rude to another rude customer. If I can confront a large, grown man that's basically foaming at the mouth because he can't get his suboxone script filled yet and firmly tell him off, I consider that an achievement, honestly. (Even if my bosses don't approve much.)


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