Dealing with the Customer Aggression Crisis

Customer aggression is a growing operational challenge as nearly 40 percent of frontline workers believe it has increased over the past year with 42 percent reporting incidents in the past month, according to a survey from 3Gem Research & Insights commissioned by HALOS. 

“Restaurant owners and managers need to have strategies in place to minimize uncivil customer behavior, making it clear there's zero-tolerance for it and that staff are protected at all times,” said HALOS CEO Alan Ring. “Having visible safety tools to help deter abuse is one thing survey respondents said helps them on the job.”

The survey of 1,500 U.S. frontline employees including those working in restaurants, bars and hotels also found:

• 80 percent report lower job satisfaction as a result of customer aggression

• 37 percent say they or a colleague have taken time off because of customer aggression

• More than one-third say their employer treats customer aggression as "just part of the job"

• Respondents cited violence from customers ranging from spitting to assault to breaking glass doors when being asked to leave.

There are a few factors at play here with frontline workers often bearing the brunt, Ring explained, adding that unless employers take visible steps to deter abuse, protect staff and respond consistently when incidents occur, the problem is likely to worsen.

“People are under increasingly high pressure and financial stress, labor shortages have impacted the customer experience in some cases (for example, causing longer wait times or slower service) and societally, we seem to be more willing to turn a blind eye toward aggressive behavior in public settings than we have been in the past.”

Have Protocols in Place

Employers also need to provide quick access to help if an incident takes place and clear escalation procedures are key and every employee should be trained on exactly what they are, Ring stressed.   

As a rough baseline, he said there should be explicit, written protocols for: 

• Incident handling: What to do and who to involve as a situation is unfolding

• Reporting after the fact: How and where to submit an incident report and what information will be needed 

• Investigating the incident: What management will do after an incident has been reported and how they will investigate the situation

• Follow-up: What comes next; how a resolution will be achieved 

“It starts with training and knowing what kind of incidents could unfold in a certain type of restaurant. Understanding patterns and being trained on various scenarios is important so staff at all levels know how to handle safety incidents proactively.”

When it comes to looking back at incidents to learn about them in hindsight, having security tools like body-worn cameras and CCTV is important so management can see exactly what happened and consider ways to improve the incident response in the future, Ring noted. 

“Every one of these situations is a learning opportunity. Having the raw footage is also critical for evidence if a situation escalates to legal proceedings. Objective evidence is better than relying on the "he said, she said" and provides a clear picture of how the situation unfolded.” 

Not 'Just Part of the Job'

The most shocking takeaway for Ring was learning that over one-third of workers said their employer treats customer aggression as “just part of the job.” 

“As for why that's the mindset of so many employers, leadership in frontline industries – from restaurants to retail to security – sometimes tend to believe uncivil customer behavior just comes with the territory and dealing with tough customers is unavoidable. But that thinking doesn't cut it anymore and leads to major impacts on employee wellbeing including absenteeism, disrupted performance, lower engagement and employees considering leaving their jobs.”

Restaurant operators can't afford these outcomes, especially at a time when it's a challenge to attract and retain experienced staff, Ring said, adding there are real commercial implications at play here if employers opt for the "just part of the job" mindset. 

Given the rise in customer aggression, employee training needs to extend beyond the  traditional focus on customer service skills and should emphasize techniques for de-escalation such as maintaining a calm demeanor, showing empathy and avoiding language or actions that could be viewed by the customer as confrontational, he noted.

Equally important is that managers establish clear escalation protocols so team members know exactly how, when and where to get support or backup with a big piece of this being training employees to involve supervisors early on in a dispute, Ring said. Scenario-based training exercises are especially helpful for simulating high-conflict situations and ensuring employees on the floor know how to respond. 

Post-Incident Support

The best approach to help employees who have experienced aggression from customers is to couple proactive safety measures with meaningful post-incident support, he said. 

“Customer aggression can have a lasting impact on employees and make it difficult to get back onto the floor. Our research found that 37 percent of respondents strongly or somewhat agree that,  following an incident, it was hard to ‘reset’ and work normally for the rest of the shift.”

Restaurants should have post-incident response protocols that focus on supporting the employee, making reporting as easy as possible and ensuring follow-up/follow-through, Ring said. Employees need to know if they take the time to report an incident, appropriate action will be taken. Additionally, support programs should send a clear message that there is zero tolerance for aggression toward employees and that employee safety is a top priority for the business because this is not just a compliance issue, it’s a true operational priority, he said. 

“When employees feel supported at work, they're more likely to perform better, offer a better customer experience and stay longer in their position.”

Fifty-three percent of respondents said visible safety tools help deter abuse on the job, while 51 percent said better tech would help make them feel safer. 

“Visible safety tools including body-worn cameras enhance frontline safety, incident visibility and operational accountability,” Ring said. “They're also a powerful deterrent that helps de-escalate tense interactions before they boil over. Body worn video is an important complement to CCTV because it captures incidents from the employee’s perspective as they unfold.”

Beyond reassurance, the right technology gives restaurant operators better evidence, faster incident reporting and clearer insight into recurring risks, he said. 

“Technology alone is not the answer, but combined with training, clear procedures and strong management support, it can make a meaningful difference.”