I've a long-held belief that there is a special kind of madness stirring in those that work in the retail and hospitality industry. Especially the lifers. Because, while most other industries clock-out and kick up their feet for a well-deserved break over the Christmas holidays, these people gear up, plaster on their game faces and brace themselves for the onslaught of festive-crazed shoppers. Only to get a single day off, before suiting up again and dealing with all those inevitable returns and exchanges. You have to be a little nuts to willingly endure that year after year, right? So while it's been a long time since I've worked on the shop or restaurant floor, my experience on the front line has given me a great appreciation, understanding and empathy for these unsung heroes working in this thankless industry during the silly season. My advice to you when you've got an irate mother and her four wailing kids bearing down on you, demanding to know why you don't have the hottest new toy in stock the day before Christmas, or the gentleman sending his plate back for the third time because his food is too cold, too limp, underdone, overdone, whatever, while the end-of-year party of 40 is baying for another round... is just to take a deep breath and woooosssaaahhhhhhh... It'll all be over soon. And at the same time, take some pride and satisfaction in the knowledge that this industry wouldn't run without you. As for me, well, I'll be here all week... and the next... and the next... Don't forget to tip your waitron. ...Before I forget, these are our last newsletters for 2014, apart from our festive newsletter this Thursday. We hope that it will help put you in a holiday mood. We will still be open and operating over the break so keep sending us your news and if you want to advertise any events or jobs, well... here we are. Thank you to all of you, our subscribers, advertisers, partners and readers for your support during 2014; we look forward to working with you going forward in 2015. With best wishes from myself and the whole Bizcomm Team... Have a safe and wonderful "holiday"...!
Shan Radcliffe, Group Head - Retail (@Biz_Retail) Comment online in our ed's column archive. Go mobile with apps and m.bizcommunity.com. Engage with us on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Google+. Subscribe to YouTube and via RSS. Send all your retail news and event invitations to retailnews@bizcommunity.com, exclusive opinion pieces to contributors-retail@bizcommunity.com and international news to internationalnews@bizcommunity.com. Read "How to contribute to Biz, from op-ed pieces to news".