Marvin OnumonuA survey by Axonify found that 98% of frontline workers faced customer incivility in the past year.
The report, titled ‘Polling the Frontline: Dealing with Difficult Customers,’ revealed that 73% of workers in restaurants, retail, and hotels experience incivility daily or weekly.
Key challenges include rising prices, understaffing, and customer entitlement, with 85%, 81%, and 85% of respondents respectively pointing to these issues.
Despite 75% of workers feeling supported by management, training gaps persist.
The survey showed 52% think current programs do not address real-world scenarios effectively, 41% feel they focus too much on company policy, and 32% note training is only provided during onboarding.
Carol Leaman, CEO and co-founder of Axonify, said: “Our data shows a troubling disconnect between the demands faced by UK frontline staff and the support they receive.
“Businesses must invest in continuous scenario-based training tailored to real-world challenges to enhance both employee safety and customer satisfaction.”
Frontline workers called for more training to handle violent situations, with 82% in favour, 79% supporting de-escalation training, and 70% wanting managerial visibility in difficult situations.
Leaman added: “Empowering frontline workers with effective training and support systems is crucial.
“Together, we can improve the working atmosphere, keeping employees motivated and confident in handling difficult customer interactions.”
