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Mr.walkonyourrip
5 days ago
I am writing to express my concern regarding an incident I personally witnessed while visiting your store yesterday.
When I entered the store to purchase a part, I observed an employee, who later identified himself as Antony, respectfully ask the store manager, Keith, for a short break after working for an extended period in what appeared to be a very hot environment. From what I understand, the store had recently regained power following the storm, making the working conditions even more difficult.
What followed was extremely concerning. Rather than addressing the request professionally, Keith responded in a loud, hostile, and disrespectful manner in front of both customers and employees. During the exchange, I clearly heard him say, “You guys work for me. I don’t work for y’all, so therefore you guys follow my instructions,” and “I don’t tolerate talk back from my employees, not even from my kid.” The conversation continued to escalate, and although I cannot recall every statement verbatim, the overall tone was intimidating, demeaning, and completely inappropriate for a workplace, especially in front of customers.
Keith also loudly stated that he should not even be at work because he was not being paid to come in that day. He additionally mentioned that his daughter was in the ICU and that he “really shouldn’t even be here.” While I cannot verify the accuracy of those personal statements, they do not justify publicly humiliating or verbally intimidating employees. Watching the interaction made me genuinely feel sympathy for the staff, who appeared visibly uncomfortable as the argument continued.
This was not the first incident that caused concern. During a previous visit last Monday or Tuesday, I observed either Keith or another manager named Ralph (they have a similar appearance, so I cannot say with certainty which individual it was) smoking on the side of the building while on shift before returning inside the store. As a customer, I found this to be unprofessional.
I understand that stressful situations can occur, particularly following a storm or other unexpected circumstances. However, there is a clear difference between managing a difficult situation and treating employees with disrespect in front of customers. The conduct I witnessed reflected poorly on the store’s leadership and created an uncomfortable environment for everyone present.
I hope this matter is taken seriously and reviewed appropriately, as no employee should have to endure public humiliation or verbal intimidation in the workplace.