The ubiquity and range of services provided by convenience stores in Taiwan is often praised by foreign visitors.
However, an assault against a convenience store clerk in Pingtung County in September, during which the assailant allegedly attempted to gouge out the clerk’s eyes, and a fatal stabbing of another clerk at a 7-Eleven in Taoyuan last month, have shocked the public — and are not isolated incidents.
The government must step in to prevent such cases, as well as frequent nighttime armed robberies and drunken daytime incidents at convenience stores, from occurring.
A large mirror could be installed behind the cash register, in part or fully replacing the cigarette display area, so that a potential assailant sees their own reflection, which would raise their self-awareness and trigger a warning response.
Closed-circuit television cameras are insufficient. Convenience store clerks could be equipped with pepper spray and other low-level defensive tools, which could perhaps be voice activated or triggered by a sensor to automatically target threatening individuals. This would give clerks time to defend themselves.
The operators of franchise convenience stores should provide extra training to employees who have contact with customers and teach them how to better deal with emergencies, including how to defuse a situation by staying calm and avoiding words that might provoke an attack.
The training should also teach clerks to remain alert for violent behavior, including risk management and distinguishing between threatening and nonthreatening people, as is part of management science.
Convenience store clerks tend to be young; consequently their turnover rate is rather high. Nevertheless, the enhanced training would benefit their personal development and build a solid foundation for their careers.
At least one convenience store franchise has thus far announced that clerks would no longer issue compulsory reminders to customers to wear a mask after entering the store.
However, this alone will not solve the problem, as incidents relating to mask wearing are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to violent acts.
Violence against convenience store clerks, who are assisting the government in implementing a public health policy, is unacceptable and brings shame on the nation.
Fang Fu-chuan is an international trader.
Translated by Edward Jones
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