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This happened quite a few years ago with my boss at an old job. I work in medical imaging repair and installation, and part of that job is periodic maintenance called a PM that is mandatory per the manufacturer to maintain the functionality of the equipment.
My new boss was trying to eliminate unnecessary overtime, and one way was for us to take personal time off on Friday if we had overtime earlier in the week
One of my customers had some equipment that they used 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday, so they wanted all PMs to be done after hours. They even had an extended contract on their systems to fully cover the extra cost of overtime.
The customer wanted the PM (periodic maintenance) done on Friday after 5pm
My boss called me Friday morning asking me to take a few hours off at the end of the day because I had some overtime earlier in the week.
“I can’t,” I said, “I have a scheduled PM with my customer at 5pm today.”
“Cancel it, they have to schedule all PMs between 8am and 5pm, that is our policy now,” he told me.
“The customer is paying for an extended contract on the equipment already, all PMs are to be done after hours, it has been this way for years,” I tried to explain.
“No, they do not have any extended contracts, cancel the PM and reschedule and take the afternoon off,” I was told sternly.
OK, if you want to play this game, then let’s play…
I called my customer at 3pm and told them that my boss said they no longer had an extended contract to cover their PM tonight, so I would be canceling it and rescheduling it later
Then I sent an email to my work colleagues telling them that because of my overtime earlier in the week, I would be taking the rest of the afternoon off and would not be available. I got an immediate reply email to everyone from my boss telling them that I was a good example of being a team player and should be recognized for my work ethics…
Meanwhile, my customer was busy calling my sales manager and ripping him a new one for my boss cancelling their contract they paid for
Sales pulled up the customer contract on the computer to verify it was still valid and called my boss and tore into him good. My boss immediately called me back asking if I could still go and do the PM tonight, and I said no, I had made other plans so I was no longer available.
I hated to use my customer like that to get back at my boss, but he would not listen to me so I had no choice. I was never denied after-hours PMs ever again.
Expert’s Advice
- Let the contract speak.
If your boss gives you a direction that goes against a signed agreement, show them the contract and ask how they want to handle it. This keeps things clear and professional. - Involve the right people early.
If there’s a conflict with what the customer expects, loop in sales or service managers before the customer gets upset. It avoids bigger problems. - Be careful how you talk to the customer.
Don’t tell them your boss canceled their contract. Instead, say, “We’re checking something internally, I’ll confirm soon.” That keeps the tone neutral and respectful. - Ask for clear rules.
If after-hours PMs are common, push for a written policy or regular approval process. It avoids confusion in the future. - Have a follow-up conversation.
Once it’s all sorted, talk with your boss and team about what went wrong and how to avoid it next time. It shows leadership and helps fix the process.
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