OPEN THREAD discussion idea: What New Year's resolutions should Starbucks make?

I'll start off -- Starbucks should resolve to make Wi-Fi free in 2008, and start rewarding loyal customers with a free-drink-for-every-ten-purchased deal. Throw out your resolutions, or discuss anything Starbucks-related in the last OPEN THREAD of 2007.

Comments

[BaristaJ]

Starbucks should make a sugarfree mocha that does not taste like poo.

Other then that, and making it somewhat easier to reach that magical place called "Benefits" I'm a happy camper.

sbux should can the skinny thing before it starts...

[Rawrrr Barista]

Sbux should get rid of the hats..
I hate the hats

[Slyvella]

As much as I'd love to have the free wi-fi at Starbucks, most stores don't look like they need the business.

Also, I avoid some local Seattle coffee shops with free wi-fi since I won't find a place to sit with all the places taken by laptop-tappers who seem permanently parked. At least if Starbucks is busy you know a seat will turn over fairly quickly.

So keeping out some surfers by charging is a good idea. But maybe reduce the price instead.

the hats are required by health code in a lot of metropolitan areas (including mine) there are plenty of cities that don't require them and don't wear them.

I just wanted to say I read Howard Behar's new book, "It's Not About the Coffee" and found it very good.

[Rawrrr Barista]

thats what I heard..
I still don't like them, I can't tell you how many times i've rebounded off the bar because I hit it with the bill of the hat while making drinks during a rush

[Lindy]

I agree with some sort of rewards system for loyal customers (I am certainly one of them and have been for years). Even a free drink for every 20 would be acceptable.

Another resolution- stop raising prices. I remember the day when a chai latte was much less than a vanilla latte and now they cost exactly the same.

Here's a question for you................

I regularly measure the shot pull times when I'm in a store. Current average is about 9-12 seconds, way too fast.

Why does it seem like so few stores follow the shot time calibration standard?

[BaristaJ]

I would like it if milk stopped costing so much and then we wouldn't have to charge more.

Also, we don't wear hats at our store, thank goodness.

because it takes longer to make drinks is the shots are pulling correctly...

[Slyvella]

Supply Chain Operations is full of people who have been hired from fast food/chain/high volume business. That's why everything is handled through distribution and all the pastries are a day old before they get to the store. They want to come up with a lunch that will last three days. The warming ovens are meant to make things seem less stale. If the stores had more room there would be baking of frozen pastries. From Sara Lee.

You can't run 45,000 stores like a mom and pop operation, so the locals will always have better food and baked goods, sourced locally. People go to sbux for the drinks, not the food. But it's one way to get comps up, so people will keep trying out how to make the food less awful.

"because it takes longer to make drinks is the shots are pulling correctly..."

I'm assuming you meant to say "if" up there anon? So does that mean your store has made the decision to sacrifice service speed for product quality? Just curious to understand.

Sorry, that should be the other way around, sacrifice product quality for service speed?

I think we sbux should resolve to do away with all sugar-free drinks! They are so gross and most likely cancerous... and why do we want to serve gross-tasting drinks? That hurts the brand... Americans could use a little less sugar in their diet so they should just enjoy the real thing, in moderation... you know? Have a straight up latte every day and enjoy a vanilla one on friday... for example...

[Missy]

I would like it if Starbucks stopped using the high cost of milk as a reason to raise the prices of iced tea.

[Andy]

I'd like to see a few resolutions for Starbucks for 2008:

1) A rededication to customer service and quality in beverage making. It seems more often than not that the drink I order is made incorrectly, takes forever to make, or is dropped entirely. Baristas and staff, for the most part, seem indifferent about their roles in improving the customer experience. All to often my "Starbucks Experience" feels more like a "McDonalds Experience."

2) Bring back the use of free beverage coupons for mistakes! Does anyone use these anymore? I've personally experienced and have also witnessed so many barista mistakes (dropped drinks, mis-made drinks, etc.) that used to be rectified with the use of a free beverage coupon. Now, there's hardly an apology! What does it take to get one of these things now? Is Starbucks too big, too arrogant to think that they can get away with inferior service AND continue to keep customers? Maybe in the short term they can, but not in the long term...

3) Free WiFi. It's time. Get out of bed with T-Mobile already. It's 2008, the technology is there, and it's a great good-will gesture to customers. It may lead to more "laptop squatters" in the stores, but hey, isn't that the point? The longer a customer stays in the store, the greater the chance they'll buy something (or many things).

4) Get rid of the Verisimos EVERYWHERE. Bring back the art of espresso and fine coffee making. Don't just talk about it. Do it. Train your people to take pride in what they make. Work harder on making the experience authentic.

I'm sure I have more, but those are the resolutions that stick out most in my mind right now.

[Sheik]

To all of you who hate wearing hats I'll ask you one question..............

Would you rather wear hair nets??

[Javaccino]

I have had sweet, mind-blowingly intense, honey-textured shots elsewhere out of "real" espresso machines that make our (within standard) shots seem bitter and watery by comparison. It seems to me even our "standard" times are probably too fast.
So how do you please both the customers who pile on extra shots to get more taste, and those who want the buzz, but don't like the taste of coffee?

[Javaccino]

2) Bring back the use of free beverage coupons for mistakes!

Really? Where I am, there is always a stack at hand, and I find myself honoring them quite often.

[diabeticsbuxaddict]

"I think we sbux should resolve to do away with all sugar-free drinks! They are so gross and most likely cancerous... and why do we want to serve gross-tasting drinks? That hurts the brand... Americans could use a little less sugar in their diet so they should just enjoy the real thing, in moderation... you know? Have a straight up latte every day and enjoy a vanilla one on friday... for example..."

This is just the dumbest thing I have ever read. While I agree after having my first taste of SF Mocha that is indeed gross.... I like our other SF syrups. I drink only brewed coffee and Americano's.... but sometimes I like to add a little something to my coffee. As a diabetic, the sugar in syrup is dangerous for my health... spikes the blood sugar and makes it drop too quickly. So I LOVE that we have decent SF offerings so I can enjoy a little Vanilla or Hazelnut in my coffee now and again. I am sure the millions of diabetic Sbux customers would agree with me.... nothing excites us more than a new SF offering to try to we can enjoy the same things everyone else enjoys.

[Prosumer]

Starbucks should make a resolution to stop using pre-ground coffee. Disgusting. Even the stores that still grind, grind right before brewing, not the night before. Currently, Starbucks starts off with great coffee, then proceeds to commit varios attrocities against it until the coffee says "no more," and starts to suck.

They over-roast the coffee, mark coffee with a rediculously-optimistic nine-month expiration date, then pre-grind it. No wonder Consumer Reports thought McDonalds does a better job at coffee.

Don't get me started on the Verismo 801s. I can pull better shots on a Starbucks Barista home machine half-asleep, even if the Verismo IS calibrated.

For 2008, Starbucks should pledge to returning to its name, Starbucks Coffee Co.

2) Bring back the use of free beverage coupons for mistakes!

Aren't you the same ANDY that made the whole fuss over the raspberry incident?

[Meag]

1) Recovery coupons, I make sure to get them out just incase there's in incident with a customer XD god knows we need them. Andy I sorta agree with you :P I think somehow, not sure if its the company itself or just individual baristas are being lazy or ungrateful..

2) Havent tried sugar-free mocha yet.. Im kind of afraid because its syrup and not actual cocoa XD but ya know we shouldnt get rid of sugar-free syrups, that would be dumb considering how many people cant handle sugar (diabetics) and they do make up a big amount of consumers considering they can have the same drink as other people except it wont harm them :)

3) random topic but hopefully as a resolution, maybe people can be nicer in 2008? lol Yesterday people were so mean because we ran out of lids.. and then a couple of folks stole the lids on our size display thingy... and we all know those things sit there forever.

4) Im going to talk to both my manager and co-manager about this because we somehow dont do this anymore :O and thats giving out a free drink/modifier every ten drinks or something like that, before I started working at my store they apparantly did that *shrugs*

[john]

It's not going to happen. Starbucks doesn't need the extra business free wifi would attract and has a solid profitable partnership with T-Mobile. As for free drinks; again that would not please institutional investors who will likely start clamoring for more overhead cuts and a refocus on core businesses. I think the coming year will be a tough one for sbux and it's employees. Domestic growth is peaking, and new stores are starting to cannibalize existing ones in some markets.

[Lisa B-K]

Please, SBUX, respolve to have your espresso shots in americanos taste like espresso and not hot brown water. Thanks!

There's a reason I patronize my local way more than SBUX, but when I'm on the road...

[Pat Nerr]

"You can't run 45,000 stores like a mom and pop operation, so the locals will always have better food and baked goods, sourced locally. People go to sbux for the drinks, not the food. But it's one way to get comps up, so people will keep trying out how to make the food less awful."

if that's the case, they ARE just a McDonalds and we should stop giving a crap about them trying to live up to their Mission statement... it just doesn't apply...

I however think/thought Starbucks was better than that... and they should strive to get things from local vendors rather than try to make every market exactly alike. Sure, it'll cost more... but they'll start being the "premier purveyor" again and stop being the jackhole, cookie-cutter coffee shop wannabees that they are now...

[STARBUCKS GOSSIP webmaster]

Melissa Allison of the Seattle Times did an interview with me that was published this week. I discuss the beginnings of StarbucksGossip.com and some of the things that you, the readers, chat about here. You can read the interview here.

[Lindsay]

At my store we use the customer recovery certificates probably once a day or so, they're definitely still being used. Also we time our shots in range for sure!

However, I tried the sugar free mocha today and wasn't that impressed. It's just too saccharine- the loss of actual cocoa is v. noticeable. I also agree that, although I think the additives in SF aren't good for you, having some offerings for people who like them are fine. BUT for the whole dumb skinny platform I wish I could just yell STOP GETTING A FREAKING VENTI SUGAR FREE NONFAT LATTE AND GET A TALL ONE WITH NORMAL MILK AND SWEETENER! I just don't understand that at all. Myself, I like a double short.

[No Name]

I'd really love to see a return to consistancy
(in all areas) this year. I've worked in allot of Starbucks stores for allot of SMs and DMs and have generally found that many are little islands who don't much follow the standards and company policies. I do believe that there is room for flexibility but with the horrendously high amount of management turnover, we need to get back to basics and 'do it by the book' more often. NO more making up your own standards!!!!

[BaristaB]

no more DT! I'm sick of the cold. I'm sick of grumpy people. I'm sick of headsets.

[Joe]

Hey no name,

Try telling that to Arcana. He/She thinks they're on a mission from God what with their automatic no water chai tea lattes.

[refusnik]

Sugar-free mocha- it reminded me of a chocolate flavored easter bunny. No bueno, but at least they're trying. Several of my regulars that get SF syrups have let me know that they get the SF because they're diabetic. They really appreciate that Starbucks is at least trying.

Jim- I read the interview and then followed the link to the story about the cup of coffee. The thing I found most interesting is just how many people missed the point- the bad attitude on the part of the ASM. And people wonder why the stock keeps falling.

[STARBUCKS GOSSIP webmaster]

REFUSNIK -- The ASM has been *promoted* to a store manager since that was posted. (She kisses the asses of superiors; I've seen her in action.) Now when I order a coffee, she fills it to the absolute top so that it will inevitably spill. That's the kind of employee that Starbucks apparently wants.

[Stacy]

1) The requirement of hats is out of Starbucks control. It is the requirement of your local and/or state government.
2) Free WiFi-- possible but doubtful. You pay be shelling out money for internet usage at a Starbucks but at least you know it's secure. Starbucks aimed its internet usage towards business professionals who travel, not teenagers or college students who will camp out all day and not buy anything.
3) Customer Rewards Program-- not going to happen. Starbucks has way too many loyal customers. Maybe if the cheap asses of the world didn't take advantage of our Just Say Yes policy, you'd have a shot at a rewards program. But alas, the bad always ruin it for the good.
4) "because it takes longer to make drinks is the shots are pulling correctly..." -- Really now?? We have 3 minutes to get every order out. If the shots are pulling at 13 seconds, you still have 2:47 left. Learn to mulitask, buddy. You may like your drinks to taste like crap due to watered down shots, but I like mine to taste like it's meant to.
5) Recovery Coupons-- the reason many districts stopped using them is that customers were taking advantage. People would demand one for waiting 2 seconds longer than they are "supposed" to (I am not joking. I seen these type of people cause a scene because it took 3:02 to get their order out instead of 3:00). No one deserves a free drink coupon for a spilled drink, unless the drink was accidentally spilled on you by the barista... We are supposed to be doing everything in our power to rectify the situation right then and there. Recovery coupons were always meant to be a last resort but somewhere along the way, they became expected by self-righteous customers. Again I say, the bad always ruin it for the good.

6) Stop it with all the stupid and/or disgusting promotions. This sugar-free mocha should have never made it past testing.
7) Last but the most important. I agree with all those who said a return to customer service and product quality. I'm so sick of hearing complaints from our customers about things that shouldn't be happening. Talk to your customers! Welcome them! Follow standards and policies! Take pride in your job!

[FLASM]

The customer loyalty program launches next week. I think it will cause issues with people who think they all deserve to be the highlighted customer each week.

To 9-12 second shot:
If your shots are consistently pulling that quick, even with calibration, you might want to call your Service Tech. Sounds like there's something wrong with the machine.
Do you guys not use a duty roster? If so, you'd notice that calibration is a 3x per day task....so not sure why you think stores aren't doing it.

[Joe]

Also...with regards to the free drink for every ten suggestion, if Starbucks EVER does that, you'll know they're past the point of desperation.

[Misty]

My own personal resolution as a barista is the uphold the Green Apron as much as possible and try to create more enthusiastically satisfied customers.

For the company: return to our "finest coffee purveyor in the world" roots, and stop with the breakfast sandwiches. It nearly broke my heart today when a customer asked if we served hashbrowns, making me feel like we were a greasy spoon rather than a coffee shop. The company should stick to coffee and make it better.

[Darleen]

Hmmm, is there a reason my posts are not being posted? I'm getting some funky error message.

[MiKayla]

I would like to see bars put back in at drive thru. this whole double barring is BS, it has driven our speed of service down the drain.

also could use some good management come from inside the stores rather than some stupid tom dick or harry off the street.

i'm seeing more and more stores here fall apart due to the hiring of managers from a completely diffrent market.

[Vicki Verona]

Mikayla:
Can you tell us more about the bars at DT thing? My DT store does $32,000 a week, so we are configured with 2 verisimos up front and 1 verisimo at DT. I actually don't like the layout because in DT stores, you get the majority of your business at DT, so it makes sense to have 2 bars there.

Does your store not have a bar at DT at all?

[proudpartner]

OMG I have never read so much complaining over the most ridicules things ever.

1) Don't like SF Mocha or other SF offerings, don't drink it. There are those of us who appreciate its value. If customers don't like SF Mocha, guess what, it will be taken away and back to the drawing board they will go.

2) Customer reward programs... gimme a break... those are always just gimmicks. As partners we should surprise and delight a customer from time to time. Don't tell me none of you have ever made somebody's day or had your day made by being given a free beverage or modifier.

3) Think you deserve or need a free bev coupon. Ask for one and if you don't get it, write to HQ via the website, guarantee they will send you one. We give them out at our store when warranted.

4) Don't like the new skinny platform, so what. It's not a big deal. You don't change the way you call a drink, just the way a customer may order. Your regulars are still going to ask for their SFV N L. They are just trying to bring in new customers... it may or may not work, who cares.

5) We time our shots every hour, if shots are pulling too slow or fast we fix it before pulling more shots from that machine. Want us to go back to hand pulling shots... a lot more imperfect and lots more waiting... and I guarantee our prices will go up.

So everyone just take a chill pill, if you are not happy, quit being a partner or a customer... go do something else. Personally, I am happy, love my store, my partners, my customers and SBUX. Do I love everything all the time, NO... but whatever... now go get your favorite cuppa and sit back and read a good book.

[BaristaB]

Our store is set up the same way as Vicky Verona's. We have 2 bars up front, one in drive. I have to agree though we do more business at DT than in the lobby... doesn't really make sense. Today was the first day I really got to work with the double bar in front--we just got the second one last week and I haven't "barred" on it. I love it though! Steam two pitchers at once! especially nice for that pesky organic, soy, and eggnog.

[Vicki Verona]

I do have to say that I do like double barring, but it works best when you have good communication and good chemistry with the person you are barring with. I mean I can direct people without a problem, but its the chemistry that truly makes the experience great for the partners and customers.

I was an ASM at a in-house store once and we were open on Christmas Day. It was a mad-house. Lines of 20+ people, drink ques of 15-20...all day long. However, our times were great and the customers were loving the energy provided by myself and my bar partner. Me yelling out "can i get a rinse on my pitchers please?" every few minutes or so with my bar partner yelling "OK! BUT ONLY BECAUSE YOU CARE ABOUT QUALITY VICKI!"

Unreal. But in all seriousness, it works. In a 4 person up-front setup, you would want 2 people ringing, 1 person floating, doing syrups, and rinsing pitchers (depending on the proximity of your nearest sink). If you really have the flow going, you could have that person also filling milking into cups that just needs shots added to them (also depends on whether you follow the BRM and pull directly into hot cups or use shot glasses)

[BaristaB]

what is the deal with the pulling directly into cups vs. shot glasses? At our store everyone NORMALLY pulls into shot glasses--though I sometimes prefer to pull into cups. What is correct?

[Stacy]

"So everyone just take a chill pill, if you are not happy, quit being a partner or a customer... go do something else. Personally, I am happy, love my store, my partners, my customers and SBUX. Do I love everything all the time, NO... but whatever..."

a) 1994 called and it wants it's slang back
b) You are contradicting yourself. You are telling us to quit because we don't like certain decisions but yet you say you love being a partner despite the fact that you don't always agree with everything. Why must we quit but it's acceptable for you to remain a partner? It's impossible to like every decision that Starbucks has made. It's unnatural to not disagree with something. Just because we are complaining about certain aspects, doesn't mean we don't like or love our jobs.

[Stacy]

Baristab,
If it is a hot drink, it is acceptable to pull the shots directly into the cup. However, it is not to be done with iced drinks. Beverage Resource Manual is everyone's friend.

[NotSoAtl]

I wish for the New Year that we could see the US style experience of Sbux here in the UK. All we get is a watered down version of the 3rd place. Its so weak, u might think u were just in a coffee shop! #1 Stop hiring Angry apathetic people #2 Less greasy spoon localizing and more true Sbux atmosphere & 3# Pumpkin Spice or Dolce drinks in the UK either???

Thoughts. . .

[poppy]

Javaccino wrote: "I have had sweet, mind-blowingly intense, honey-textured shots elsewhere..."

Where? In a porno flick?

[barista1234]

As an employee, I wish we'd just get rid of the 'just say yes' policy. It would be great if employees had common sense...some lady tries to return two pounds of coffee without a receipt, demands cash NOT store credit, then returns once a week doing the same thing... do we say no maam, I'm sorry? No. We just say yes. A man in my store will arrive at Sbux every day and sit and sexually harass the baristas as well as women in the cafe. Do we do anything about it? No... because he's a regular. And my favorite. A woman comes in every day and she looks nice, normal, and put together. EVERY DAY she orders a grande nonfat latte, gets her drink, then storms over to the nearest barista (without even trying the drink) and goes "I'm late and have to get to work and my drink is cold. Just give me a free drink coupon." It's gotten to the point where she wont let you offer to remake it, whatever... she just runs up to you and spouts that line out... she even knows to immediately ask for a "free drink coupon." And guess what? The next day, she pays with... ta daa! The recovery coupon! Then two minutes later, upon receiving her drink, demands another one (always gets it because God know's shes a regular) and runs out. I have never seen her actually pay for a drink. And it's sad because in theory the just say yes policy is great and should be upheld, but there are people who abuse it, and I feel like it should be circumstantial. Not everything should be said yes to. We have a lady who DEMANDS her drink sans the lid, and god help you if you try to lid it. Well that's all well and good but if it spills on her and burns her, my butt is on the line. Yet, people just say yes (I don't to that.)

I just wish the "just say yes" would be situational and that people working behind the counter would use some common sense before blindly agreeing to whatever the customer wants.

What? You want me to steam your soy milk until its 230 degrees and a volcano and erupts all over the store AND burns my skin off?

YES!