Consumer Behavior

Only 1% of frontline workers have never dealt with customer incivility

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April 3, 2025

Three-fourths, 72%, of front line workers experience or see customer incivility on a daily or weekly basis, with just 1% reporting no encounters with such behavior.

Those are findings from an Axonify report, "Polling the frontline: Dealing with difficult customers," that polled 500 U.S. retail, hospitality and food and beverage frontline employees, according to a press release.

A quarter, 25%, of frontline workers observed a significant increase over the past year.

"Frontline workers in retail, hospitality and food service juggle an ever growing list of responsibilities, which becomes increasingly difficult amid economic and labor market challenges," Carol Leaman, co-founder and CEO of Axonify, said in the release. "As these challenges persist, it is crucial for employers to provide their frontline workforce with continuous learning to ensure they remain prepared and safe."

A significant concern among frontline workers is their perceived lack of skills in managing customer conflicts effectively.

Over half express apprehension about handling escalating situations (53%) or finding themselves without adequate information during critical moments (52%). Frontline workers also fear they won't be able to meet customers' evolving expectations with over one-fifth (22%) concerned they won't meet expectations. One-third (34%) of frontline workers say these shifting expectations are highly impacting their level of burnout.