You said "shortcut," but that was just a sloppy job. A real shortcut saves time without causing problems later.

Hard to see a team split on something so basic. @rowanr88 is right about homemade stock making a real difference. Flavor in your best dish can't be faked with boxed stuff. Sure, busy nights might need shortcuts, but not for your top soup. Stick to your guns on this one, or your rep suffers.