While I am 100% for supporting small businesses....I will never give this place my money ever again! The management is totally disrespectful and inept....and the owner, Sara Villari is even worse. I've NEVER come across such poor business standards in my life! To illustrate, below is the email that I sent to Sara - for which she NEVER responded. I guess not all business owners have principles....
EMAIL TO OCCASIONETTE:
Good Evening Sara,
I suggest that you take this email seriously and respond accordingly. I am sure you do not want me to come into one of your shops to discuss this in-person, in front of customers and staff. The absolutely absurd behavior displayed by your so-called "operations manager" is beyond anything that I have ever experienced in my career or personal life. I have had a truly awful experience thanks to James Haro. I will do my best to explain.
I submitted my information for employment on September 21st. I received a generic response on Sept. 23rd. I heard nothing further until October 11th by way of another generic email, which admittedly went to my junk folder. I happened to send a follow-up on Wed. Oct. 13th, at which time I then saw that James' email automatically moved to my inbox. The minute I saw this, I sent James another email to apologize for missing his first message and asking if he was available to meet later in the week and I even offered to talk via Zoom or FaceTime that very afternoon. I got no response from James. Next, the morning of Oct. 14th, I sent James another email to follow-up since I had not heard back. Later that day I received the same generic, form email that I received on Monday - only the dates were changed. The email asked if I could come in today, Friday, Oct. 15th. I replied that I would be happy to meet with him and that I would come to the flagship shop at 1:00pm, unless he preferred that I meet him at a time that was more convenient for him. Then, at approximately 11:45am today, I received an email confirming our meeting time of 1:00pm, at which point he asked for my resume. Mind you....this is one hour prior to our set meeting time. Shouldn't my credentials have been requested prior to scheduling an interview? I sent my resume to James at noon.
This is when James' lack of experience, professionalism and respect went full throttle. At approximately 12:30pm, a half hour prior to our set meeting time - I received an email and voicemail from James cancelling my appointment after submitting my resume. This behavior is so absurd, that it would be laughable if it did not happen to me. How can a company like yours have someone so inept as their operations manager? I managed a high-end interior design showroom in Philadelphia for two years, and had any of my staff acted in this way they would have been let go, immediately.
This total lack of experience, preparation and respect displayed by your staff and that I experienced is unacceptable. I had to completely rearrange my schedule to meet with James, and this is how I am treated? I had to cancel an occasional afternoon/dinner shift at a respected restaurant for this! That means that I lost out on an opportunity to make money, and it also means that management then had to scramble to have my shift covered. So, thanks to James.....Occasionette screwed me out of my own time and money, as well as affected the people I work with - all for nothing! James had ample opportunity to ask me for my resume this week, but he did not do that until the 11th hour - then I had to pay the price. I sent James multiple emails to touch base and follow-up, he could have asked for my resume at any time, but he never responded. I am happy to show you the emails, if you'd like.
Lastly....and more important than being a perspective employee, I was an avid customer. I use the word "was" because I will no longer support a business that lets their upper management treat people in this way. Did it never occur to James that I may also have been a customer? Obviously not. Had that happened in my showroom, that employee would have been fired on the spot. It is totally ludicrous and it is incredibly bad business to treat one of your customers in this manner.
Now, I am not saying that you should fire anyone.....I am saying that you should explore the levels of professionalism, experience and respect that so-called management has. I will give you an opportunity to respond to this email and address the way that I was treated by your staff. Should this message not be addressed in a timely manner, I have no problem expressing my feelings and explaining exactly how poorly I was treated by your store to all of my friends and neighbors in Collingswood and Oaklyn and on Facebook. And in this town....word of mouth travels quick and we do not like it when our neighbors are treated this way.
I hope to hear from you soon, have a nice evening,
Jesse Hayes read more