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The original was posted on /r/maliciouscompliance by /u/Great_Palpatine on 2025-05-31 20:39:54+00:00.
Another tale from my retail experience, this time featuring my Boss vs higher management.
Things are going (relatively) smoothly until one fine day manglement recently introduces the idea of introducing home deliveries. (No doubt this had to do with a newly-promoted manager to a key role in manglement, whom we all knew has been coveting the position for years. Several people left after his ascent; always a bad sign especially in retail.)
Brilliant idea in theory, terrible in practice. First time we do home delivery, we run into all sorts of logistical trouble.
First, the goods don't arrive on time. Second, when they finally arrive, logistics messes up the delivery time. Some of the items are perishable, so by the time delivery is scheduled and actually takes place, they are not as good as before. Third, the whole order can also be time-sensitive, because our customer needs it as soon as possible.
What this means for our store is, Boss has to send someone, from our already short-staffed store, to do the delivery. And it comes out from our store's own bottom line. And it comes along with a whole host of other workers' rights issues, which is too complex for me to go into.
Anyway, the first delivery was a pain to deal with.
And for her efforts, what did my Boss get from upper manglement? Terse but vague statements that don't mean anything, i.e. that she's responsible for the store and the staff, and to manage customer expectations moving forward.
So, Boss complies. We will indeed manage customer expectations.
Imagine, manglement is going all out saying "we now offer home delivery!" Our customers, many of whom are elderly or are busy adults caring for their elderly parents or dependants, arriving at our store excitedly with the expectation of home delivery.
And we are actively managing customer expectations. Home delivery is available, yes, but it can take up to a month or even longer. Sorry Sir, we understand this is time sensitive, but based on past experience, we cannot guarantee a delivery date at this time. We highly recommend you take the most time sensitive products home first.
"I'm going to complain!!" Many customers are (rightly) fuming.
"Apologies, we understand your frustration. If you'd like to give some feedback, here is manglement's contact."
Not long after, Boss gets a call from manglement, asking what's going on with Home Delivery? "We've managed customer expectations, as you asked." Boss explains quietly but firmly.
I wish I could hear what the response was on the other end of the line. It was also rumoured that there was a meeting which all outlet bosses were invited to for discussion of this "new policy", but I can't confirm this sadly.
All I do know is that shortly after, manglement stops pressuring my Boss to "offer home delivery", and the ads on Home Delivery at our store are quietly taken down. Also, new manglement manager left for another unnamed position at suspiciously short notice; potentially another sign that he was probably behind this whole farce in the first place.