But retailers are bracing themselves for a backlash from angry teenagers no longer able to buy their nicotine fix, and there are fears that staff will face a barrage of abuse.
Constant aggression from customers can have a serious impact on your workers’ wellbeing and if you do not handle the situation correctly, you may be held liable for any related problems such as stress.
However, provided you have considered the health and safety implications properly, you can keep your staff safe and happy and protect your business.
Top Tips
1. Make sure that your employees are properly trained to deal with customers who may be upset or angry. On the most basic level, this means being tactful and polite, remaining calm and staying professional, no matter how aggressive the customer might become. If staff know what they are doing and how to handle difficult situations, the chance of stress will be substantially reduced.
2. If you can, try to ensure that more than one member of staff is on shift at the same time during the first few weeks of the new age limit, when passions are likely to be at their highest, and be constantly contactable in case of difficulties.
3. You should also try to vary shift patterns wherever possible to avoid putting stress on just one member of staff at key times such as lunchtime or late afternoon, when teenagers will be leaving school or college.
4. You should make sure that your employees have a safe refuge if a customer threatens violence. They should also know to call the police immediately in this scenario.
5. Workers should always feel that they have the support of their manager. The customer isn’t always right when it comes to the sale of age-restricted products, and you should back up your staff in their decisions.
The message must always be at the forefront of employees’ minds. Remember the four Rs:
• Repeat
• Remind
• Refresh
• Re-train
