Rearranging the Deck Chairs

Despite the downturn, and the bloated unemployment roles, some corporations still have too many managers making gratuitous decisions as make work - obviously to justify their own existence. As is typical of corporations, all the other managers fall in line and blow in each other's ears.

All that is well and good, if it makes sense for the customers in the long run. I have almost stopped going to my nearest grocery story because every time that I go in, the center aisles have been rearranged. I don't enjoy the grocery shopping process except when I am at Trader Joe's, so a trip to my Shaw's is under duress anyway, and only my way home from somewhere else.

The employees were all in agreement that the changes were gratuitous and unnecessary, the corporate management obviously didn't ask either the customer or the store employees for input. I asked to speak to the manager to voice my concern, and a pathetic indignant soul stood in front of me and justified it all instead of politely taking note of a customer's concern. Terrible business relations! Bad for the bottom line and it always shows there. I'm thinkin' there should be more concern for the customer rather than attitude during times like these. CVS and Trader Joe's offer both an excellent shopping experience and treat their customers with respect and it is no surprise that their bottom lines reflect this.

When do you know there are too many managers? Sometimes it makes sense to "rearrange the deck chairs" - if things are looking worn, outdated or you facility simple needs refreshing for a new season. But this requires more than rearranging the furniture and driving customers nuts in the process. Without true updating, it simply becomes an exercise that justifies management's existence.