Employee Follows The “Customer Is Always Right” Rule Literally After Being Written Up, The Boss Pays With His Job
Interview With Author
Working at a food service job can be daunting. You deal with hangry or entitled customers, listen to complaints, and handle odd orders. But all that is nothing compared with having a toxic manager sitting on your shoulder.
Recently, a story from a former food service employee was shared on the Malicious Compliance subreddit and caught everyone’s attention. “This job was absolutely horrible, as I got written up for anything and everything I did,” the author wrote.
But the tension rose to the boiling point after one particular incident. Despite the company’s strict policy of charging customers for their add-ons, the supervisor burst into yelling at his employee in front of the client with a “customer is always right.”
Read on below to find out how that evolved into a malicious compliance rollercoaster.
A former food service employee shared how their supervisor’s lesson that “the customer is always right” turned into malicious compliance
Image credits: s_kawee (not the actual photo)
Image credits: AboutImages (not the actual photo)
Image credits: Pressmaster (not the actual photo)
“I genuinely dreaded going to work each and every day, as at the time I felt like I was a failure,” the author who wished to stay anonymous recounted. “It was always me wondering ‘what am I going to do wrong today?’ Which was horrible for my mental health,” they told Bored Panda.
When asked if they would do anything differently about the situation today, the author said: “I would’ve quit a lot sooner, first and foremost. Also, if I knew my employee rights back then, I would have recognized what was happening was harassment and would’ve stood up for myself and everyone this was happening to.”
For anyone in a similarly toxic workplace, the author’s most important advice is to learn and understand the rights you have. “You have the right to work in a non-hostile environment, and supervisors do not have the right to harass you or anyone else.”
The Redditor continued: “I would also say, know your worth. Each and every person has skills that they bring to the table, and that is awesome. Some employers or supervisors like to use people for those skills while also cutting them down at every turn, and no one deserves that at all.”
When it comes to the good old saying that “the customer is always right,” the author believes that the customer is right about their own preferences. However, “I also think that that phrase has been overused way too much to the point of creating almost like a toxic customer-employee relationship.”
The saying “the customer is always right” was invented by Harry Gordon Selfridge in 1909 to prioritize the customers’ satisfaction
The good old phrase “the customer is always right” was pioneered by a retailer named Harry Gordon Selfridge in 1909, and was soon picked up by fellow retailers John Wanamaker and Marshall Field. This approach was meant as a policy to control floor managers, but it stuck for many years to come and is still widely cited after a century.
But experts warn that in the modern world, the mantra is outdated and can no longer be applied. One of the worries is that by telling the customers they are right no matter what, you turn on the green light for entitled people to demand virtually anything. If they feel right by definition, they acquire an unfair advantage over the employees, making their jobs miserable.
“Support your team first and then customers,” experts warn by pointing out exactly how outdated the mantra is
“If the customer is always right, employees have to take the abuse of customers with zero support from management,” Kumar Arora, a serial entrepreneur turned investor, argues. “What happens next? Employees move on to opportunities that are not as filled with anxiety. Support your team first and then customers.”
According to Kumar, simply saying the customer is always right doesn’t make it so. “Sometimes customers are wrong and employees need to know how to handle them accordingly.” Like, “taking ownership of a mistake that the business is not accountable for is a slippery slope,” he explains.
Instead, brands and companies should seek a smart balance by giving space to be right to both workers and customers.
The author later added some more information in response to these comments
This is how the rest of the discussion evolved
The full quote is, "The customer is always right IN MATTERS OF TASTE." So if Mrs. Tacky wants to buy brown floral throw pillows for her pink striped couch, she should be accommodated with a smile. It does not mean you have to bend store policy whenever someone throws a tantrum.
How do I upvote this more than once? Say it again, a little louder for those in the back who just don't get it!
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This write up thing is wild. In France you cannot have a disciplinary meeting without your worker representatives to assist you on demand and to make sure there are legitimate concerns you need to work on. What they did to her is basically harassment.
I've got to go work in France. They have awesome labor laws.
Load More Replies...
She worked for 2 years taking abuse? That is the insane part of it all.
Right out of high school. Knowing what you're worth and what's acceptable from your higher-ups often comes with age/experience.
Load More Replies...
When I had to do management training for McDonald's, one of the first things we were taught is that the customer is NOT always right. We had a duty to protect our crew and the restaurant from unreasonable weirdness.
Before retirement I taught a course at a career college that included customer relations. I told my students that the customer is NOT always right but is always the customer, they need to be allowed to be wrong graciously and treated with respect.
I've only ever been written up once by an employer. And they had to retract the write-up. I had put a $20,000 charge on my "company" amex card, which I then paid in full 3 days later. This scared the c**p out of them, so they did a formal write-up, but I appealed, because it wasn't a company Amex card, it was my personal Amex card, but I had linked it to the company expense system. At the time I was hired we were allowed to use a personal Amex for expenses if we wanted to keep the points for ourselves, which is what I did. The $20,000 was me paying off the remainder of my (now ex-)wife's student loans. I wanted to write a personal check, but they wouldn't accept a check for that amount, so I put the expense on my card, and did a bank transfer to Amex. FYI, that got me a bunch of amex points.
Okay when your supervisor writes you up, you don’t have to sign it if you disagree with it. If you feel like the write up is unwarranted or wrong, you can refuse to sign it. Because when you sign it, you’re accepting guilt for the supposed infraction. Don’t do it.
Had a lead try to write me up because she said it was my third instance of calling in. The sop states 3 call ins in a 4 month period required a write up. When she said this to me I asked when was the last time I called in my her answer 4 months ago. It was obvious to everyone she did not like me. When I called her on the 4 mons ago that write up quickly disappeared.
I know this will make me old and boring and it's not to do with this post, but many moons ago when BP became an entity it was lots of post of art, amazing landscapes and silly animals. Now the featured posts are all taken of reddit and are about the worst bits of malicious compliance and AITA. After almost 15 years of loving the site I'm saddened and about to give it up for the nonsense it's become
I've noticed it as well. Part of it is, if people click, even if it's to comment "I don't like or want this", that's still a +1 click, and it's about looks not likes. They are designed to grab your attention, if most of us collectively ignored the stupid/AITA posts they would stop, but.. here we all are lol
Load More Replies... There is some states that have resources for underage workers they make sure you are being treated right. If not they takes actions against that employer. I learned about it when my daughter hurted her wrist at work. They called me to make sure her job is paying her doctors appointment and not trying to make her work. Now my daughter did finish her week off since she was scheduled and she didn't want to leave them suffering. She just did what she could they loved it. But not only did they make sure she was okay they even offer to take us to her appointments so I didn't waste gas and to make sure they billed them and not me or our insurance. The people was pleased to hear how well they treated my daughter a 16 year old.
She was a good employee and it's a legal day off when a grandparent pass away. Legally especially in the food industry in the USA if a parent or sibling or grandparents pass you are allowed to get up to 3 days off. Depending on the company they might Gove you more for a parent. My daughter got her best friend a job where she worked. They was like sisters, she had a lot of medical problems. Well the girl went on vacation with her family for Christmas the next morning after they came back the girl didn't wake up from her sleep. Her aunt informed her job, my daughter talked to her the night before before bed. She was looking forward to seeing her. As soon as my daughter walked in her boss told her do not clocked in can i talk to you. They sat her down and told her what happened. My daughter was hurt. So they called me to see if I can pick her up. Thankfully my sister was over that way and picked her up. They gave her the next 3 days off and paid her. Plus the day of the funeral.
Came into this thinking "this must be fake, no way" when looking at the thumbnail. Then I saw them say they got a write-up over it, meaning on-paper instructions. I'm still kind of incredulous but that makes it at least believable.
This story truly makes me smile! I am sorry that you had to endure that and it seems like it didn't affect you long term and think all employers are ruthless. Yes companies care most about their bottom line but I have worked for enough good people to know that they do exist! I'm glad he got fired!! Would have been even better if the company tried to sue him for lost wages! Probably would have had a case.
The full quote is, "The customer is always right IN MATTERS OF TASTE." So if Mrs. Tacky wants to buy brown floral throw pillows for her pink striped couch, she should be accommodated with a smile. It does not mean you have to bend store policy whenever someone throws a tantrum.
How do I upvote this more than once? Say it again, a little louder for those in the back who just don't get it!
Load More Replies... This write up thing is wild. In France you cannot have a disciplinary meeting without your worker representatives to assist you on demand and to make sure there are legitimate concerns you need to work on. What they did to her is basically harassment.
I've got to go work in France. They have awesome labor laws.
Load More Replies... She worked for 2 years taking abuse? That is the insane part of it all.
Right out of high school. Knowing what you're worth and what's acceptable from your higher-ups often comes with age/experience.
Load More Replies... When I had to do management training for McDonald's, one of the first things we were taught is that the customer is NOT always right. We had a duty to protect our crew and the restaurant from unreasonable weirdness.
Before retirement I taught a course at a career college that included customer relations. I told my students that the customer is NOT always right but is always the customer, they need to be allowed to be wrong graciously and treated with respect.
I've only ever been written up once by an employer. And they had to retract the write-up. I had put a $20,000 charge on my "company" amex card, which I then paid in full 3 days later. This scared the c**p out of them, so they did a formal write-up, but I appealed, because it wasn't a company Amex card, it was my personal Amex card, but I had linked it to the company expense system. At the time I was hired we were allowed to use a personal Amex for expenses if we wanted to keep the points for ourselves, which is what I did. The $20,000 was me paying off the remainder of my (now ex-)wife's student loans. I wanted to write a personal check, but they wouldn't accept a check for that amount, so I put the expense on my card, and did a bank transfer to Amex. FYI, that got me a bunch of amex points.
Okay when your supervisor writes you up, you don’t have to sign it if you disagree with it. If you feel like the write up is unwarranted or wrong, you can refuse to sign it. Because when you sign it, you’re accepting guilt for the supposed infraction. Don’t do it.
Had a lead try to write me up because she said it was my third instance of calling in. The sop states 3 call ins in a 4 month period required a write up. When she said this to me I asked when was the last time I called in my her answer 4 months ago. It was obvious to everyone she did not like me. When I called her on the 4 mons ago that write up quickly disappeared.
I know this will make me old and boring and it's not to do with this post, but many moons ago when BP became an entity it was lots of post of art, amazing landscapes and silly animals. Now the featured posts are all taken of reddit and are about the worst bits of malicious compliance and AITA. After almost 15 years of loving the site I'm saddened and about to give it up for the nonsense it's become
I've noticed it as well. Part of it is, if people click, even if it's to comment "I don't like or want this", that's still a +1 click, and it's about looks not likes. They are designed to grab your attention, if most of us collectively ignored the stupid/AITA posts they would stop, but.. here we all are lol
Load More Replies... There is some states that have resources for underage workers they make sure you are being treated right. If not they takes actions against that employer. I learned about it when my daughter hurted her wrist at work. They called me to make sure her job is paying her doctors appointment and not trying to make her work. Now my daughter did finish her week off since she was scheduled and she didn't want to leave them suffering. She just did what she could they loved it. But not only did they make sure she was okay they even offer to take us to her appointments so I didn't waste gas and to make sure they billed them and not me or our insurance. The people was pleased to hear how well they treated my daughter a 16 year old.
She was a good employee and it's a legal day off when a grandparent pass away. Legally especially in the food industry in the USA if a parent or sibling or grandparents pass you are allowed to get up to 3 days off. Depending on the company they might Gove you more for a parent. My daughter got her best friend a job where she worked. They was like sisters, she had a lot of medical problems. Well the girl went on vacation with her family for Christmas the next morning after they came back the girl didn't wake up from her sleep. Her aunt informed her job, my daughter talked to her the night before before bed. She was looking forward to seeing her. As soon as my daughter walked in her boss told her do not clocked in can i talk to you. They sat her down and told her what happened. My daughter was hurt. So they called me to see if I can pick her up. Thankfully my sister was over that way and picked her up. They gave her the next 3 days off and paid her. Plus the day of the funeral.
Came into this thinking "this must be fake, no way" when looking at the thumbnail. Then I saw them say they got a write-up over it, meaning on-paper instructions. I'm still kind of incredulous but that makes it at least believable.
This story truly makes me smile! I am sorry that you had to endure that and it seems like it didn't affect you long term and think all employers are ruthless. Yes companies care most about their bottom line but I have worked for enough good people to know that they do exist! I'm glad he got fired!! Would have been even better if the company tried to sue him for lost wages! Probably would have had a case.
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