I think everyone should have to work retail, or in a restaurant at least once in their lives
Maybe to graduate from college. Like, a requirement or a rites of passage from spoiled consumer, to understanding consumer.
That way, no one would leave quarters and dimes, as tips. Or come into stores and not even try to refold garments. Or curse out waiters for a mistake the chef made. Or curse out sales associates for not taking a return, because it was past the 14 day deadline, and policy is policy. Or claim to leave a bad report on the hotline. Or threaten to call corporate. Or shout that they’d never eat in this dump again. Or grunt about how you just lost a customer. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Empathy…
Empathy is by far one of the most overlooked cornerstones of life. If you can empathize with the people whose jobs are to help you, and convince them that they aren’t less than, or lower than you because you push pens, and they count registers, then they’ll be more likely to treat you like helping you isn’t a job. Which is what we all want…in every facet of our lives.
Something to think about.
i am jason reynolds 
I’ve said the exact words of your title so many times; I couldn’t agree more.
Even though I’m a highly paid professional, I actually enjoy working retail every now and again as a part time job – not for the money but because I enjoy talking to people and helping people. I don’t get to talk to people here at 9 to 5 the same way I get to talk to regular people when they’re out and about just running errands. And like you said, it keeps me grounded and up to date with different policies. I like learning and understanding things. But at the same time, I can ‘read’ a manager when I just KNOW they are doin me wrong or when business isn’t being conducted according to policy. Some managers make up their own rules and I’ve caught a few doing that but my argument was just. I think everyone should work in an industry of service at least once. It really makes you think twice before “callin the manager”. 🙂