Policy changes are easy in a boardroom.

They’re a nightmare at the register.

In this episode, we react to a Reddit retail story where a customer becomes frustrated after being told they can no longer do something the company previously allowed.

Instead of treating the moment as a human conversation, the interaction spirals into the classic battle between:

• “I’m just following policy” vs.
• “That’s not what happened last time.”

Keith uses the BLAST method to break down exactly how this type of interaction can be de-escalated in real time without:

• sounding robotic,
• blaming the customer,
• or throwing employees under the bus.

This episode also explores the leadership side of de-escalation:

• Why inconsistent enforcement destroys trust
 ...