Sometimes it doesn’t work out so well when a manager makes a blanket statement about what an employee’s top priority should be at work.

In today’s story, one employee decides to show another employee how ridiculous it is to always have the same top priority.

Let’s see how the story unfolds…

Customers are “numero uno”

I have a coworker who’s been with our small business for a couple years longer than I. So that makes them senior staff, but are definitely not a manager.

They have major micromanaging tendencies, but are also so scatterbrained that nothing ever gets done when they’re in charge.

When I first started out, even though they weren’t involved much in my onboarding, they were always hovering over me instead of doing their job, waiting by their own admission to catch me making a mistake.

Even if I was doing everything right, I’d still get a lecture because “other people messed up here.” They were always super condescending about it too.

It was especially bad when the boss was out for the day.

On days our boss was out and this coworker was left in charge, there was a lot of “Ok, this is your task list for today,” followed by “Why are you doing [your assigned tasks]? [Something else entirely] is higher priority!”

Even though they were in charge of interacting with customers, they’d often run around the store like a headless chicken, getting nothing done, but complain that I wasn’t making the customers my “numero uno” priority.

Eventually, I simply accepted that I wouldn’t get anything done when this person was calling the shots.

They decided to make the customer the priority…

So one day, I’m with a customer. I’m the only one on the sales floor, and I’ve unlocked a case of really expensive merchandise.

My coworker is busy doing their thing, running around and starting a bunch of projects they’ll never finish. From the other room, I hear a crash, and they call for me to come help.

“I can’t, I’m with a customer!”

They grow persistent, insisting I go to them immediately.

The coworker was angry they didn’t help.

I reiterate that I’m with a customer, and I can’t leave them.

Coworker deals with their mess on their own.

Coworker storms over to me as soon as I’m done.

“WHAT WAS THAT???” they demand. Why couldn’t I drop everything and help them?

They used the coworker’s words against them.

“I was with a customer,” I reply. “That was my priority.”

They grow increasingly hysterical despite my clarifying the circumstances, demanding to know why I couldn’t make an exception for them.

Finally, I reply, “Customers are ‘¡numero uno!'”

They really couldn’t argue with that without looking extremely silly.

I would’ve loved to have seen the expression on the coworker’s face when they realized they couldn’t argue back without eating their own words.

Let’s see how Reddit responded…

This reader thinks they should talk to management.

I was thinking this might happen too…

Here’s a comeback they could’ve used…

This reader can relate to the story.

Another reader would’ve at least asked if the coworker was injured or not.

While customers should be a priority, sometimes other things take precedence.

It’s not that hard of an idea to grasp.

Thought that was satisfying? Check out what this employee did when their manager refused to pay for their time while they were traveling for business.