I have been sitting on this review for a while, but after my experience today, I feel strongly that…read moreit is time to officially speak up.
I have been coming to this Valvoline for quite some time, and I want to start by saying that the employees themselves have always been wonderful. The employees at the front are consistently kind, welcoming, and genuinely try their best to reassure customers that their vehicles are being taken care of properly. The technicians working on the cars have also always been incredibly kind, helpful, and respectful.
My issue is not with the employees. My issue is with the apparent lack of support they are receiving from management.
During my last visit, I watched two young men (probably in their early 20s) doing everything they possibly could to keep up with a rush of cars. They were clearly overwhelmed, yet they continued working, communicating with customers, and doing their absolute best to keep everything moving. From what I could see, there was no additional help on the floor.
I actually asked one of them, "Is it just you two out here?" He told me, "No, my managers are in the office." That response genuinely bothered me.
As someone who has held a management position myself, I understand that there are administrative responsibilities that have to be handled. But when your employees are visibly being slammed with customers and struggling to keep up, how can management sit in an office and not step onto the floor to help their own team?
I thanked those two employees before I left because they were working incredibly hard in a situation that should never have been left entirely on their shoulders.
Then I came back again today and unfortunately, I witnessed what felt like the exact same issue.
There were more employees on the floor this time, but it was obvious that they were frantic. Cars were coming in, customers needed assistance, and the employees were moving as quickly as they could. And despite being completely swamped, these employees never took their frustration out on the customers. They continued smiling, communicating, and doing everything they could to provide good service.
That says a LOT about the employees themselves.
I asked another gentleman, probably in his mid-to-late 20s, whether this kind of situation was normal.
He told me, essentially, that they try their hardest to get everyone in and out efficiently, but when they get hit with a rush like this, all they can do is smile and do their best.
I then asked him, "Where is your manager? Are they out here helping you?"
His response: "Nope. She's been in the office all day."
Hearing essentially the same thing from two different employees on two separate visits was incredibly disappointing.
These employees are the ones representing this Valvoline. They are the ones interacting with customers. They are the ones working outside in the middle of the chaos, trying to keep cars moving, trying to answer questions, trying to provide good customer service, and trying to protect the reputation of the company.
And yet, from what I personally witnessed, the people who should have been supporting them were nowhere to be found on the floor.
That is not fair to the employees. It is not fair to the customers. And quite frankly, it reflects poorly on the management of this location.
If a team is struggling during a rush, that is exactly when a manager should be visible. That is when leadership should step in, check on their employees, help wherever they can, communicate with customers, and make sure their team knows they are not being left to fend for themselves.
Instead, these employees appeared to be left to handle the pressure on their own and somehow, they still managed to be kind, professional, and hardworking and deserve recognition for that.
But to the location manager and whoever is responsible for overseeing this location: please do better for your employees.
And to the regional management/corporate leadership: please actually check on this location. Don't just look at numbers, sales, or how quickly cars are being processed. Look at the people doing the work. Walk onto that floor during a rush. See who is actually supporting the employees. Ask them how they are doing. Ask them whether they feel supported by their management.
Because from a customer's perspective, it is painfully obvious when employees are being left to carry the weight themselves.
I sincerely hope someone higher up sees this review and takes the time to investigate what is happening at this location. The employees are doing their part.
Management needs to do theirs.
