Difficult customers are on the rise. What kind of support do frontline teams want?

Frontline teams keep businesses running, but the job is getting tougher. Rising customer frustration, staffing shortages and cost-of-living pressures are taking a toll. In our new survey of 346 U.K. frontline workers across hospitality, retail and food and beverage, nearly three-quarters (73%) said they’ve raised concerns with management. They’re asking for help and looking for real solutions.

So what does effective support actually look like for the frontline? We asked them—and the responses were eye-opening.

1. Knowing someone will step in if things go sideways

Frontline workers are no strangers to difficult customer interactions. In fact, 73% say they experience customer incivility weekly or even daily. In hospitality, that number jumps to 82%.

But it’s not just about rude behaviour. Workers regularly face shouting, threats, policy violations and even physical aggression. One in four hospitality workers say they’ve experienced both threats and property damage.

Take David, a co-op store manager in West Yorkshire, who’s been sworn at, coughed on and physically assaulted by shoplifters, according to HR Magazine. He’d even been told, “We’ll come back at the end of your shift to deal with you.”

In these tense, worrisome situations, frontline workers need clarity and confidence in what happens next. For example:

• Who can they call? 
• Will someone actually come? 
• What’s the company’s policy if a customer crosses the line?

Right now, too many workers are left to figure it out on their own. However, businesses can take proactive steps to ensure their teams feel supported.

Nearly half say they’d feel more prepared if they had scenario-based training to practice real-time responses, and over a third (38%) want to shadow experienced employees before handling difficult situations alone. This isn’t just about skill-building, it’s about ensuring that when things escalate, no one feels alone.

▶️ 4 eye-opening tips for dealing with customer incivility from a 20-year service industry vet

2. Training that feels real, not a script forgotten under pressure

Most frontline workers (65%) say they’ve received training to handle conflict. But over half feel that training doesn’t fully prepare them for the realities of their job.

Too often, it’s generic—delivered once during onboarding and rarely revisited. It might cover company policies but doesn’t always equip employees with the confidence to navigate tough conversations in the moment. Without opportunities to practice, even the best advice can be hard to recall under pressure.

Here’s what workers say would make a real difference:

• Scenario-based training they can rehearse
• The chance to shadow experienced colleagues to see best practices in action
• Ongoing refreshers instead of one-and-done modules
• Quick-access guides they can refer to on the floor

Frontline workers are not just asking for more training; they’re asking for information that sticks—something practical, relevant and ready to use when they need it most.

3. Turning worker concerns into real action

Frontline workers have voiced concerns about customer incivility, safety, burnout and staffing levels. But real support isn’t just about listening, it’s about taking action.

Right now, that follow-through isn’t always consistent. Nearly one in three workers (31%) say they don’t receive management support when things go wrong, while 29% report that customer incivility is already affecting their performance—and 40% say it’s impacting their morale.

Boosting productivity and morale doesn’t have to be complicated—but it does have to be visible. As Forbes puts it, meaningful support can look like:

• Including frontline teams in management meetings so their insights shape decisions
• Creating real-time feedback loops to understand and address frontline challenges
• Practicing active listening so workers feel heard and valued
• Celebrating wins to reinforce positive contributions

Danielle Haig, business psychologist and founder of DH Consulting, notes that younger frontline workers, in particular, are motivated by recognition because they’ve grown up with constant feedback loops from social media and instant messaging. “When this recognition is missing in the workplace, it can feel like a void, making the job feel isolated and undervalued,” she explains.

4. Setting frontline workers up for success—not survival

Safety threats have become so common that the Labour government moved to make assaulting retail workers a specific offence under the Crime and Policing Bill. But legislation alone won’t fix the problem.

Real support has to be felt on the floor, in the everyday reality of the job. Because when every shift feels like a crisis, burnout is inevitable. Frontline worker support should be responsive and relevant so teams feel prepared to manage challenging encounters while protecting their own wellbeing.

A key solution? Smarter staffing. 

When teams are stretched thin, everything gets harder. Customers grow impatient, wait times increase and tensions rise. The longer an employee is left to handle a tough situation alone, the more likely it is to escalate. 

Workers want to know that policies and training aren’t just designed to protect the business but also have their best interests in mind. They want to know that when staff enforce a store rule, someone will back them up. They want to know that if they need to remove themselves from an unsafe situation, they won’t face consequences for doing so.

If you want to support your frontline workers—start here

Frontline work has never been easy, but today’s challenges—staffing shortages, rising customer frustration and safety concerns—have made it even tougher. Businesses want to support their teams, but good intentions aren’t always enough. Workers need to see that support in action—in the way they’re trained, led and listened to.

Here’s where to start:

• Prepare for the moments that matter. Train for real conflict, not just policy recitals.
• Act on feedback. If workers are speaking up, listen and follow through.
• Be visible. Managers should show up when things get hard.
• Build systems that protect people. Support is only real if it holds up under pressure.

Workers know the difference between being told they’re valued and being treated like they are. A good starting point for enhancing the overall experience for both employees and customers? Reviewing, updating and implementing policies, procedures and support systems that address employee concerns and the inevitability of challenging customer interactions.