A deeply disturbing experience - customers and prospective employees should know what I witnessed
I rarely leave reviews like this, but my experience at Late Night Chemist Ryde was so disappointing that I feel compelled to warn others.
The biggest issue isn't the pharmacy itself , it's what I witnessed from the owner.
I personally watched the owner berate and humiliate a young staff member. This wasn't a manager having a quiet conversation with an employee about something that needed correcting. It was an uncomfortable public dressing-down of someone who appeared young and vulnerable. The staff member became so distressed that they broke down in tears.
I found it genuinely upsetting to watch.
These are young people trying to get their first experience in the workforce. They deserve to be taught, supported and treated with basic dignity , not humiliated in front of others.
I actually confronted the owner about what I had witnessed. His response was extraordinary. Rather than acknowledging what had happened, he acted as though the incident hadn't even occurred. The complete disconnect between what I had just watched and the way he subsequently presented himself was staggering.
I then spoke with other staff, and what I heard was extremely concerning. I was told that similar behaviour had apparently occurred with other employees and that staff had also been contacted outside working hours about performance issues via SMS. I wasn't present for those interactions, so I won't pretend they are my firsthand experiences -- but hearing essentially the same concerns from employees themselves certainly made me look at the situation very differently.
And unfortunately, the customer experience doesn't exactly inspire confidence either.
The premises during my visits appeared dirty and poorly maintained. Stock didn't appear to be adequately maintained, and despite the name "Late Night Chemist," the operating hours don't exactly live up to what the name suggests.
But the atmosphere is what really stands out.
You can walk into a business and immediately sense when the people working there are unhappy. The morale here appeared incredibly low. After witnessing how the owner interacted with staff, I didn't find that surprising.
What concerns me most is the example being set for young employees. Your first job should teach you how to work, communicate and build confidence -- it shouldn't leave you visibly distressed and crying because of the way you're being spoken to.
For me, this goes well beyond a disappointing customer-service experience. It raises serious questions about the culture of this business and how employees are treated when customers are present.
I wouldn't want someone I cared about working in an environment like the one I witnessed, and I certainly won't be returning as a customer.
People can make their own decision about whether they want to support this business. I'm simply sharing what I personally witnessed because I believe customers deserve to know what can happen behind the counter when they walk into this pharmacy.
0/5 if this platform we allowed it. read more
