Wendy’s has spoken to its manager after suggestions that it plans to introduce “surge pricing” to its menu received a decidedly frosty response this week, with the company scrambling to clarify that it has no intention of making itself the Uber of fast-food chains.
So you have a certain level of annual profit. You suggest something incredibly offensive that you believe will increase profits by say 10% with the idea you can roll it back if its a net negative. The response is so negative that you re-assess and believe you will actually LOSE 10%. You roll it back but people are still pissed so you end up losing 2% to decrease in goodwill.
Anyone whose take away is that they should just roll on and lose 10% would be a fucking idiot. The proper take away ought to be staff ideas like this with a disinterested third party before announcing to the world so you don’t lose good will in the first place.