Complaint Review: Wash Depot Holdings - Orlando Florida

 My overall work experience with Albert Flemming and Alfredo Solis has become unpleasant and distasteful. From his slanderous & derogatory comments to his regards for his treatment towards fellow employees (including sexual advances by Mr Solis towards feminine work staff) even to eradicate and "knock-off" certain employees. I've been told by Mr Solis numerous times to "give him a reason" to fire certain employees that he wanted gone. Even up to a few weeks ago a fellow employee named Jesus was fired but before that occurred, Mr Flemming's words to me were "he would NOT be with us much longer". He had a plan to dismiss the employee from day 1 and his hiring was to "keep him hush".

Jesus was a customer who came in to have his car washed and his paper licence plate had came off in the tunnel during the wash. He was hired by Mr Flemming to pay for a traffic citation he received upon leaving the property. An all out effort by Mr Flemming to ensure that any complaint from "reaches the top". So far since I've worked with Albert Flemming he has said and done a number of things that 'Im sure the Wash Depot corporation would not be proud of. He has disrespected employees in front of customers. From CSA's, to Detailers, and even towards his assistant manager Mr Solis. When bringing up concerns for the establishment, Mr Flemmings reply would be "I been doing this for 20+ years I've got this". I've came to them as a applicable worker with concerns and suggestions that I would think can make us better and produce better quality. Instead I've been turned down & turned away and told we are incapable of producing at any higher level, and to accept the quality of work being distributed. His attitude towards employees around the workplace have been labeled "over the top" to say the least.

We once had a discussion about communication, and it did not end well. Mr. Flemming began yelling at the top of his lungs shouting "I don't give a d**n about the intercom" over and over. He's went as far as removing the intercom from the finish line, making it difficult for my fellow supervisors-staff members and also myself to communicate. The last time I used the intercom was when a lady customer tripped and fell, resulting in a broken nose. I called for the Mgr on duty (Mr.Flemming) twice and got no response. I had to leave my work station and the injured customer to find him on the other side of the store leaning on the cement wall by the CSA area. Upon my contact with Mr. Flemming his response to to me was "What, What Is It". Coming off as bothered & irritated by my broadcast. Mr. Flemming has also shown the same abhorrence when being called out of the office, a place where he spends a majority of the workday with the door closed making banana smoothies until 4pm when he decides to leave. Honestly Speaking Mr Flemming is on the property for a total of 30 hours per week or less. Stating that he resides just down the street within minutes of the premise.

Upon the arrival of Albert Flemming customers immediately began to express themselves and voice their discomfort. Mentioning he isn't as polite as the last manager and his dimeaner towards certain clients were nonchalant. I have also been approached by a number of African-American customers, describing their disgust with the Mgr. Mentioning signs of neglect and efforts of eluding contact with particular clients. Many have pointed out that he will approach a preferred set of customers, while he would walk past others and that he does not care to greet with African-American customers. One customer presented to me that instead of a proper hello or introduction, he would rather inquire the size of the rims on their vehicle. In which many customers have expressed discomfort with Mr. Flemming and his behavior. Also many customers have mentioned they felt that the attitude of Mr Flemming is in no comparison to the previous manager William (Billy) Lewis. And that they (the customer) find themselves in a position of second-guessing their loyalty to our car wash and location mainly because Mr Flemming does not display the politeness and courtesy compared to Mr William Lewis.

Since the departure of Mr Lewis, I have been approached by multiple clients with their distaste and perception of Mr Flemming. Mr Flemming has repeated that whats "important to him" was not the everyday loyal customer, but the High-End Cars that haven't been coming by. Unfortunately not everybody owns a high-end car. Mr. Flemming has also repeated that he's only gonna work for this company for another year or so, and then he's done. Mentioning being a stock holder and having money ties with the company, and that his knee cannot hold up much longer among other reasons. Mr. Solis has reiterated that Mr. Flemming will not be with us for long, and that upon his departure, he (Alfredo) will finally receive his own store promised to him by Pete Nani himself. Alfredo Solis is a honest man, by honest I mean he cannot hold his tounge. He later told me that he feels safer being the assistant mgr, his reason being that he would be dismissed within 2 years because "that's how this company works". (Alfredo Solis cannot run a store by himself - According to Mr. Flemming. Mentioning he often holds long conversations with clients more than he's needed to, resulting in moments of disorder and turmoil on the property, and that he does not pay attention that well. Also mentioning that he has walked away from the finish line unannounced many times. Also that his lack of attention has led to 1 too many cars hitting at the end of the tunnel and is "A Train Wreck Waiting To Happen". Mr Flemming and Mr Solis both have mentioned that at the moment they have "no regional manager" concluding that they have no on directly to report to, making things "easier" to get away with. Everyday I show up to work my goal from the moment I punch-in until I leave is to give my 100% like everyone else. I consider myself a hard worker and more than willing to get the job done.

As an employee I have great expectations for my work, my workplace, and for my fellow workers. But as of now I see this management staff caring less & less as each day goes by. Their only concerns are to look good when corporate shows up. We are told to tuck in our shirts and distributed name tags, only emphasized for the 1 day "their bosses" are on the property. And as soon as the corporate staff exits the property, so does the implement for uniform attire. I never expected such immature behavior and belittlement from somebody in position to be a store manager. Instead he carry's on with vulgar and obscene language. Unprofessional comments, referring to certain staff not by name, but as "dude". Raising his voice & disrespecting me referring to me as "a dog barking". He (Mr Flemming) also would refer to me as "OJ". After a week or more Mr. Flemming would continue to acknowledge me as OJ and I've had to request not to be referred to as such multiple times. I must mention that OJ, is a fellow employee on the premise. OJ who is of Latin/ Hispanic decent is said to resemble me, by attributing that we are both similar in skin tone. Out of all the managers I've worked for, Mr Flemming has come off as the most ungracious, contemptuous, and flat-out disrespectful person I've ever worked for.

I started with Simoniz going back to 2007. I've been a Supervisor for Wash Depot for over 2 years. I enjoy providing proper & quality service to customers. Doing my best to ensure every gets what they've payed for and that they are satisfied before they depart. I do not give away any services for free. I've been taught to treat every person - employee & customer equal and to be honest with everybody. Under the direction of Albert Flemming, and Alfredo Solis, I continue to endure a level of prejudice and I've repeatedly expressed my displeasure with being under-minded and their continuous degradation. I was brought up and taught to be honest, and I am uncomfortable when I am told to lie directly to a customer. I understand that that a car must be finished within a proper and mannerly time. I've done my best to assure the customer has gotten nothing less than their service completed, and that they depart with a smile. There have been numerous times where an employee has skipped over a part of the service and they (management) have instructed me to tell the customer lies.

For example the 10th Free Wash I have been told comes with application of the tire shine. I've done so for years under the instructions of previous management staff. But when it comes to Mr. Flemming And Mr. Solis, I have been told on the spot to tell numerous customers "it does not come with that anymore, we've changed that" - "you have to pay extra for that". Even when a part of the service goes unfinished, I have been instructed by management to lie or don't say anything to my crew and do it myself. This has led to feebleness and has become a dissolution among the work environment when Im being told to "not hold anyone accountable, "just do it yourself". I have no issues with helping out when something goes "overlooked" or for any reason something has been forgotten. There is a difference between forgotten & skipped. 9 times out of 10 if employees are slacking off - laying down on the job, usually portions of the service go undone. Usually resulting in something being skipped. And now I'm being told to be "dishonest" with the consumer and to "let some things slide". Apparently if the customer does not notice it (dirty windows, poor vacuuming, door jambs, bugs, etc.), then I am told to show no-concern, do it over myself and/or just leave it as is and send the customer on their way. If somebody pays for a service and is incomplete, It is my responsibility as a supervisor to make the best of the situation. I am put in an awkward position to tell a customer on a daily basis false-information on the company service and procedures. Especially if this client comes by with 2 or 3 cars, or spends money with us on a weekly basis. They come often enough to know what comes with their service.

Throughout the 10 hours everyday the the store is open, we are capable of servicing many people and set goals everyday to reaching numbers that can be up to 400 + cars a day. With being instructed to "not-care" so much and to "clean-up after fellow staff members, doing everyone else work becomes quite strenuous and I find myself constrained with making up for the skipped areas of service I'm left to complete by myself without any help. Mr Flemming told me himself "it's quality vs. time - and quality HAS to suffer. He also suggest to me " my standards are too high".To me that sounds like a form of sabotage, and that backing away from success is acceptable. I'm 31 years old and I've been working different jobs since I was 16. Albert Flemming is the 1st mgr to ever tell me "my standards are too high". After being told so, Mr. Solis approaches me and tells me " Me & Al talked, we've decided this isn't the job for you. The very next day, Mr. Solis approached me with more defamation. Reciting that he told Al that I'm the problem and that he and Mr Flemming discussed how much better it would be without me around/ on the finish line. The following day Mr Solis again approaches me and begins to directly depreciate me saying "What are we doing with you? "Are we moving you to detail"? "Are you gonna remain working here"? "Do you want to go to another store or work elsewhere"? Tell me what you wanna do.

After 3 or more days of this I take this as a form of harassment. Never have I had to endure such antagonizing from fellow co-workers/management during any time of my employment with this company, or any company I have ever been employed to. Mr Solis has made it clear to me the intentions of the management staff, recounting having previous conversations with Mr Flemming on my days off, revealing the desire of both Mr Flemming & Mr Solis to disestablish me from my position and possibly the work place. Several fellow employees have approached me with their concerns, affirming that the management staff has made several efforts to convince fellow coworkers "they can have my position" once I've become expelled of my duties. With much intent to remove/replace me at my position, fellow coworkers are being offered extra hours & extra days of work, overtime pay, lighter & lesser duties, raises in pay, etc. promising multiple incentives as long as I am somehow dismissed by the middle of July. With learning of all this and acquiring everything from fellow staff, I have reason to believe this is all being orchestrated, and overall I am left to feel very unpleasant working for such bias and unprofessional people. I have been advised by my fellow legal council to seek redress as a last resort if no reasonable/satisfactory outcome can be reached. Alfred Oxxxxxx (407)-xxx-xxxx (((REDACTED)))