A top recruiter has criticized Australians for their treatment of retail and hospitality workers amid the cost of living crisis.

Tammie Ballis, a specialist recruiter, said many Australians don’t understand how challenging customer-facing jobs can be.

‘If you’re complaining that customer service doesn’t exist anymore, it’s probably because you’re a bad customer,’ she said.

‘Unless you’ve worked in those jobs, you don’t appreciate how hard they are,’ she added.

Tammie shared a recent experience at Kmart where two young employees were assigned to check bags at the front doors.

A shopper became offended when they asked to look inside her bag.

‘She took down their names and was planning to complain to Kmart customer service about these young kids doing their job,’ she said.

‘They were literally doing their job, and there’s high theft in the area.

‘Yet they have to deal with entitled, self-absorbed people who think the world revolves around them.’

Tammie Ballis, a specialist recruiter, said many Aussies don’t understand how hard customer facing jobs can be 

‘If that’s someone like you, you’re the terrible customer. I hope you never get served again, and I hope you get kicked out of every place that you go to.

‘Stop being mean, stop being rude,’ she said.

‘I know we’re in a cost of living crisis, I know everyone is struggling at the moment, but they don’t get paid enough to deal with your crap.’   

Aussie workers were quick to applaud the recruiter’s comments,.

‘Thank you! Everyone needs to work in hospo or retail for three months at least,’ one said. 

‘Been whistled at, spat at – people have no respect to retail workers,’ another added.

Many Aussies agreed with the recruiter, with some saying working in retail had affected their mental health (pictured stock photo of a retail worker)

‘I worked at Kmart for 6 years, and my mental health is so bad from it.. I need therapy just from a retail job – had things thrown at me, verbally abused and all sorts, absolute animals honestly,’ a third said.

But some Aussies said they were always ‘nice’ to staff and it was the workers who showed no manners.

‘I am always super nice to retail people because I too work in their position but it’s rarely reciprocated,’ one said.