Service Industry People Get Real About the Fake Niceness of the Job

Anyone who has ever worked in the service industry knows about “the voice.”

A friend of mine referred to it as her “smiley voice.” It’s the voice you put on to put everyone at ease, but it’s also a shield you put up to deal with people’s nonsense in a way that can leave the real you protected and disaffected.

If you’ve worked in the line you also know just how full of bad surprises customers can be – consistently finding new ways to make you wonder who raised them.

As usual, Tumblr tells the tales of woe better than most of us could.

1. Dead inside

You don’t realize how much you’re’ doing it until it comes out somewhere weird.

2. Table for two

Maybe you should have ditched him and just sat down together to commiserate.

3. Code switching

Whatever I do in this life, I hope I never earn the nickname “perky pants.”

4. Beyond the pale

I took years of actual acting classes and I don’t think they would have prepared me for a performance like this.

5. Emotional labor

AKA grin and bear it.

6. The art of…

It ain’t the deal, I’ll tell ya that much for free.

7. You wouldn’t understand

Unless you’ve actually been there.

The point is, be nice to customer service people. Underneath that smile, they’re dealing with a LOT.

What’s the worst job you’ve ever had?

Tell us about it in the comments.