The Price of Popularity in Retail

I recently caught myself spending more time helping a popular customer at the store than I should have. She's always coming in with her friends and has a way of making everyone around her feel special, including me. It started innocently enough, she would occasionally ask about my weekend or how my day was going, which is not unusual for regular customers. But then she mentioned that one of the store employees seemed to be on a break when she needed help, and I felt compelled to assure her everything would be taken care of right away. I ended up staying late more than once just to make sure she had the attention she wanted. It's not as if I was doing anything wrong or bending rules, I still served other customers and stuck to my shifts, but it felt like I was leaning into this dynamic a bit too much, maybe even going out of my way for her because... well, there are butterflies whenever I see her come in with her friends. I know it's silly; after all, she's just a customer. But the guilt is creeping up on me now as I realize how this might be impacting my work ethic and focus on other customers who don't give off such an approachable vibe. How do I strike that balance?