OPEN THREAD: Who needs the webmaster to get the discussion going?

There were nearly 300 comments in last weekend's thread without any goosing from me. So go ahead and discuss anything Starbucks-related that hasn't been covered in this week's posts.

Comments

[Aaron]

What are people's thoughts on optimal scheduling? Positive, negative, neutral?

I'm just curious, because even though it will help me get stable hours, because I have wide availability, few other big time commitments, and low expense, on somewhat decent shift pay, I know others out there might be greatly inconvenienced.

So what do you think? People like me should get good hours, and others can shut up? Starbucks has been open to part time baristas in the past, and now they're sort of telling them to hit the road.

[Lootie]

Anyone else get a free oatmeal card in the mail today?

It says "As thanks for being a Starbucks Card Rewards member, we're treating you to our new breakfast offering at Starbucks -- your perfect oatmeal."

It's valid until November 3 at participating U.S. and Canada stores.

[ex sm]

I have a question for all the people that either left (like me) or were let go recently: do you still go to SBUX?

Personally, and not through any bad feelings about the company, I prefer not to go into a store. Maybe because I was an SM I'm too critical, but all I see are the spills, the dirt, the fruit flies, the lousy service, etc. Working at a store makes you so aware of everything - I find it hard to "enjoy" the experience now.

I also have to say that the product doesn't seem as unique or interesting to me as it did before I worked at a store. I actually like the cheaper coffee at WaWa or the more familiar service at a local shop. Though the new machines do an amazing Americano, I wouldn't waste my money on most of the other drinks/food/retail.

[Barista Joe]

Riddle me this, fellow baristas... What's your limit for charging/not charging people for syrups add-ons? Say someone orders a grande 2 pump white mocha... Charge as a latte, or white mocha? Also, if somebody says "I want a venti White mocha with two pumps of vanilla," Do you charge for vanilla? What's the limit on charging for syrups?

[LEGENDARY OR BUST]

Any syrup that is not part of the recipe is to be charged for. However, if someone adds, say, caramel sauce for a Hazelnut latte, you are supposed to sub Caramel. See more in the newly revised BRM (Beverage Resource Manual). It has been on the portal for a few months (updated) as well as via the hard copy which your store should have received some time this past summer.

[Adrienne]

I like optimal scheduling. Though, to be fair I also have fairly wide availability and work almost full time...

I think that when you have partners that only work one or two days out of the week, it't hard to keep them appraised of new promotions and for them to keep in step with the changes in-store. One of my closest barista friends is a one day a week person, but he is amazing and a knowledgable coffee master. I find him to be the exception to the rule...

********

I do NOT charge people for one pump, but I charge for two pumps or more. That is the general go-by for our entire district.

[UPod]

Lootie - I received a free oatmeal card in the mail yesterday

[LoveTheWNBA]

What is everyones thoughts about a customer asking for a certain timed shot? And what if that customer insists that the shot is not at the exact timing it had ordered?

[Aaron]

Adrienne, good point on keeping people up to date. One other thing that I know concerns people, and that I sympathize with, is that under the new Optimal Scheduling, someone who has reasonable availability, and wants to work 20+ hours for benefits, but can't pull off full time, would likely be under more danger of losing benefits.

It just seems like some people who do want to have reasonable part time hours, and have reasonable availability to go along with that, still could be shorted.

I do think that not having people working like 10 hours a week or less will be good, but at the same time, there aren't a lot of people like that right now.

[Posted by:]

No, no, no.

If a drink comes with a syrup, you don't charge for the additional syrups or extra pumps! If a drink comes with dry inclusions, the customer can have as many different dry inclusions as they would like and as much as they would like of each for no additional charge.

A caramel mocha is charged as a mocha. A hazelnut white mocha is charged as a white mocha. If they want caramel sauce on top of the caramel latte, you would charge them for a latte plus caramel SAUCE. You wouldn't charge them for the caramel syrup...you charge the customer for the most expensive syrup they have in their drink. If a customer wants caramel sauce on top of the vanilla bean frapp, you would charge for the caramel. If they want a vanilla bean frapp with mocha sauce in it, you would charge extra for the mocha sauce. Please re-read your BRM for this information. It is stated very clearly with examples. I went to another Starbucks a while back and ordered two hazelnut mocha frappuccinos. I was charged for the hazelnut in both. It was so awkward trying to tell the guy behind the counter that he charged me incorrectly. The answers are right there in the BRM for us to read.

[ex coffee wench]

ex sm,
i quit in 04 and i just wnt in for the first time since i leftand i won't go again. the "aroma" was too strong. i smelled like coffee all day .it kinda made me sick.

[e]

eh, are we sure about this? "A caramel mocha is charged as a mocha. A hazelnut white mocha is charged as a white mocha."

?!

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

I just hit the cappuccino button so my store can get more labor.

[Posted by:]

Yes, "we" are sure. Look it up. A'int no lie baby, bye, bye, bye.

Regarding charging for syrups...

You charge for a syrup that is not included in the recipe....

Example...order grande vanilla white mocha you'd ring grande white mocha add vanilla

Example...tall hot chocolate with 10 pumps of mocha and extra chocolate drizzle you would ring tall hot chocolate and nothing additional because those ingridents are already in that drink.

[Posted by:]

wrong wrong wrong. You didn't look it up. Try again.

[Posted by:]

The standard is not, "if it's not in the recipe, charge for it." The standard is, if the recipe already contains a syrup or dry inclusion or whatever, you charge ONCE for the most expensive syrup/ingredient and NOTHING else. They want a vanilla, hazlenut, raspberry, white mocha? (Gross.) You would only charge for the white mocha. They want a zebra/black&white/tuxedo mocha? You charge them for a white mocha because it is the most expensive of the two drinks.

[e]

i don't have access to the brm this weekend, but i'm really curious. is this a recent change? its been too long since i've looked at the beverage resource manual, i'll be the first to admit. this interesting piece of news almost makes me want to go to the store on my days off and check it out ;)

and man, my customers are going to be so happy. (but not my store manager).

[Pat Nerr]

for those debating the "policies and proceudres" for charging customers for syrups and whatnot... I'll refer you to "Just Give 'Em The Pickle" http://www.giveemthepickle.com

a penny worth of drink qualifiers is not worth a customer... Do the right thing... just give 'em the fricken pickle for chrissakes and focus on getting customer loyalty back by service and small value-adds

[XASM]

Hi ex sm,
I am a former ASM, and I very rarely go in anymore, if I do, it is usually just for a drip coffee. I have found that my espresso based bev is usually made incorrectly, or the shots are bitter, and its just too darn expensive.

[sanitizer]

if the container for the sanitizer solution says "corrosive, toxic, poison" why do we use it to clean off steam wands that come into contact with food? what's it doing to the skin on our hands?

[Sigh]

And then, what about the shortage of dish soap? =None= of the stores in my area have dish soap. My store hasn't had any for almost two weeks now. Most of the partners are washing dishes in hot water, then running them through the sanitizer. Weird.

[Aaron]

You charge for up to *one* additional syrup that isn't part of the recipe. Think of it this way: if you get it for free with a registered card, you can only be charged once for it. So syrup+mocha, you charge for a mocha plus a syrup. syrup+white mocha, you charge for white mocha plus a syrup. 2 syrups+mocha, you only charge for one of the syrups. Hot chocolate with extra vanilla, you just charge it like normal, because vanilla is already in the recipe. 20 pump vanilla latte, you just charge once for vanilla. Vanilla+hazelnut latte, you just charge for one syrup, because even though vanilla latte is on the menu and POS, it's considered the same as a latte plus vanilla syrup.

[Kathy]

How would you charge a triple grande cinnamon dolce latte? Everytime I get one I pay a different price, at the same store. Yesterday I was charged $4.99. The barista who rung it up was the sm & when she rang it she said that did not look right, rang it again & got the same amt.

[hollie]

for someone like me, a single mom, a full time cosmetology student, and a part time starbucks employee, my job is everything until i graduate.
and i do have a decent amount of availability, (i even leave school 2 hours earlier than expected to push my availability open more) however the way my SM explained it to me when i had to fill out my "binding 6 month availability contract" it was made to seem like i probably won't have a job for much longer.
it was all i could do to refrain from breaking down and crying in our lobby in front of her.

Oh, and i only have a month until I'm expected to graduate, yet i had to fill out the contract to my current availability, so the 6 week span between graduating and being a licensed cosmetologist, i'll still be working part time hours, if they don't let me go.

[Torontodude]

Can someone nail down the details of the new gold card?

If previous posts were accurate, you'll pay $25 to get a card that entitles you to a 10% discount. But the gold card does NOT include the regular benefits (free refills and extras).

So customers who want to get maximum discounts will have to use carry both cards and decide which to use on a specific transaction. But how many will be that expert?

And it could slow down lines. Customers could say: charge my drip coffee to my regular card and my food order to my gold card.

Don't get me wrong. I think it's great Starbucks is offering better deals to customers. But there comes a point where things get too complex. That is sometimes an issue with video rental places or cable companies. There are so many overlapping offers that it becomes too complicated. Customers are never sure if they are paying more than they should.

And doesn't this put more of a burden on the baristas? Are they supposed to offer financial counseling services to build loyalty -- or just get the maximum per transaction?

[Badeddie]

To exSM:
After 14 yeears, I have recently been told to "get off the bus".
Last week I finished the last pound of my weekly markout.
Did I go to Starbucks?
I went to Peets. Got a pound of Arabian Mocha Java. It's pretty damn good.
I also was waiting for a friend, and went in and purchased a tall drip while I waited outside.
I'm not avoiding Starbucks, but at the same time, I don't hang out there either.
It's not my Third Place. Never has been.
But if I want a quick cup, I'll stop in.

By the way, I have some interesting opinions about Optimal Scheduling.
Bottom line is, I think Starbucks WANTS this to work, But I don't think the labor pool is going to LET it work.
We'll see...

[Helen]

Hi, I am form Australia where they have closed the majority of Starbucks stores. There are only 4 left in my city - none within walking distance of my house. I am totally devasted! Does anyone know anything about them re-opening the closed stores under a different name? That is a rumour going around down here as they have just closed the doors - everything is still in the stores. It has been over a month now - surely they could have removed all their funiture etc by now? Maybe it is just wishful thinking on my part.

[tt]

Has anyone heard that the holiday setup is the day before thanksgiving? Not only is the stores going to be super busy but we have to set up for holiday before thanksgiving? Where's our work\life balance? Its bullshit...

[star*ucks]

I havent heard about the optimal schedualing here in canada, but its not uncommon for part timers here to be sent home an hour or 2 early on a slow day to get labour down.
The reason we even have these part time jobs is to make money to cover rent etc...but the amount of hours varies so much (and i have a pretty good availability) and when we get the hours, a few cold be shaved off if the store decides on the day.
This certainly isnt istilling me with any real respect for the company when I get messed around like this.
anyone else have this?

[rj_29]

whats this about a gold card? seems discriminatory -- maybe itll be one of those weird things where everyone gets it and it isnt so exclusive...

i can tell you that if someone ahead of me gets a better deal on teh same exact order, i will get the same deal. i have no problems with making sure abotu that. besides, from reading this web site ive learned the golden rule -- just say yes works... used it before and get free stuff all of the tmie.

-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~-~

"And doesn't this put more of a burden on the baristas? Are they supposed to offer financial counseling services to build loyalty -- or just get the maximum per transaction?

Posted by: Torontodude | September 19, 2008 at 06:48 PM"

this bothers me. while i get what youre saying, i dont think that any barista should complain about a "burden" on them -- if home-office says you'll do xyz, then youd better be doing that. its a rule. if you think doing your job is a burden, go find a new one.

[GRTL]

All the time...there has never been any consistency to scheduling at Starbucks. I have worked for this company for 2 years and I'll go from having 30+ hours one week to struggling to get 20 and told if I need more hours I have to call around to find them. I have almost the entire day open availability, 7 days a week...it's just completely random. Granted I wanted to work this temporarily but it turned out long and it's taking me forever to get out...

[Ben Johnson]

Optimal Scheduling will be benefitial in the long run but is awful for those partners who work one day a week. Aren't we supposed to respect all partners great and small? I feel for them, I understand why Starbucks is doing it but I feel for them. Seems like a harsh attempt by Starbucks to "bully" those one or two day a week people out of a job so they can't get a pound of coffee every week!

[ohmeohmy]

From what I read about the Gold Card, it entitles you to a 10 percent discount that cannot be combined with any other promotions. The way the actual information is worded makes it sound like it won't work with the Rewards program.

When I asked somebody else about it they had the same reaction as I did. I still haven't gotten any clarification on that bit.

I'm not a partner in stores - what is this Optimal Scheduling thing everyone is talking about?

[Christin]

"Has anyone heard that the holiday setup is the day before thanksgiving? Not only is the stores going to be super busy but we have to set up for holiday before thanksgiving? Where's our work\life balance? Its bullshit..."

Really?! Your comlaining because two people out of every store have to do a set the day before thanksgiving? Ummm...big deal. If you don't want to do it request that day off.

As for optimal scheduling, I like it. It isn't that big of a deal really. All it does is officially prioritize how we distribute hours. As for partners that work only one day a week, I'd like to know how they pulled that off in the first place. I am probably more generous than anyone else when I make my schedule, but I agree that partners with limited availablity should officially get the least amount of hours, and people should commit to at least 3 days a week (2 per week for weekend partners) if they want starbucks to commit to them. Keeping in mind, of course, taht they can still request certain days off.

[hh]

The gold card sounds like another headache and another argument, and another thing for the "other" starbucks to do wrong.

I also have to say that the original question about how to ring up that beverage is a HUGE problem with this company. This inconsistency ruins the customer experience, and it is dreadful for the baristas to deal with.
Personally, it has gotten OLD. really old!

[Posted by:]

Sorry, Aaron. You are incorrect. I worked today and checked it again to make sure I had the policy correct. You don't charge for up to one extra syrup or whatever you explained it as.

I'll say it again:
Drinks with syrups-Charge for the most expensive syrup/sauce in the drink once and nothing more, no matter how many pumps or types of syrup/sauces they get. For instance, a vanilla, hazelnut, caramel latte would be a vanilla latte sub the other syrups-NOT a vanilla latte, add syrup, sub syrup. A vanilla, hazelnut, mocha would be a mocha sub the other syrups-NOT a mocha, add syrup, sub the other syrup.

Dry inclusions beverages-A vanilla bean frapp with chocolatey chips should not be any higher priced than a standard vanilla bean frapp. HOWEVER, a vanilla bean frapp with any added sauce or syrup should be charged a higher price.

I'm telling all of you. Look it up. I believe the policy was either changed or clarified with the latest update of the BRM.

[JC]

I used to be an SM. I still go to Starbucks on occasion for a drip coffee. The place gives me the willies because I see people/partners from my old store. The problem is that there is nowhere else left to get a coffee! They're all Starbucks. However I have trained myself to only go once a week. It's a great way to make it through the recession. Oh, and if you make costco coffee at home, it tastes even better than Pike's Place Roast.

Starbucks good 'ol days are over.

[huh...]

what is wrong with being a one day a week partner? hell, i was a one day a week shift for the majority of two years. i recently quit after 8 years and it looks like it was time to go if this new scheduling is so lock tight.
as far as going to sbux now that i quit, i go to my old store if i'm in the area to say hi and maybe get an ice water, but that's it. there's better espresso all over the place. i don't even drink coffee anymore.

Oh goodness, you are very wrong. The reason I point this out is because I get yelled out for ringing people up correctly because of partners like you. Why are you not charging syrups? Rewards members get their syrups free. Does that mean that when they buy a white mocha it's a latte plus white mocha syrup? No. Caramel white mocha guy uses his Starbucks card and just pays the white mocha. If we weren't charging for syrups already, most of the customers in my store wouldn't have an incentive to register their cards. Profitibility is essential to our success, my friend. Starbucks hasn't gotten nice all of a sudden.

As for the triple grande cinnamon dolce, ring up a grande CDLatte (it's on the main POS screen) and then hit the add shot button. Or old school it and do grande latte->cd syrup->add shot. They should both ring as the same price. The CDLatte button is just there since it's a popular drink and that makes ringing it up quicker.

[waltie]

As an assistant manager who's been writing a couple of "optimized" schedules... I don't know how to feel about them. On the one hand, I love that we no longer have to penalize people with open availability to "reward" hours to people with limited availability. But, to be honest, I never really did that anyway. If you can only work one day a week, I wasn't giving you hours anyway unless I absolutely had to, thank you very much.

But, on the other hand, I don't see the point of having what amounts to set schedules. I don't know anybody who wants to either open or close every time. So... why have what amounts to set schedules when it's just going to annoy people? One of the perks of working at Starbucks has always been how flexible the schedules are.

But... we'll see.

[SPORK]

Gold Card members do get Card Benefits, as well as the 10% back. It is exclusive, but it's also in my oppinion a huge success. Customers feel rewarded for their loyalty and come in WAY more often. My favorite part of the program? All the jealous customers who are used to just being said yes to when they ask me if they can have one. Sorry pal.

[Darleen]

If you can only work one day a week, I wasn't giving you hours anyway unless I absolutely had to, thank you very much.

Waltie,
What's with the "thank you very much"? Do you think that partners that can only work one or two shifts a week are not of value? Your post comes off like that. I had a shift that stepped down to barista because she had another job which was full time. She was one of my BEST partners and I made sure to schedule her EVERY sunday am. Customers LOVED her and she was extremely legendary. Maybe one day Starbucks will wake up and realize that one by one they are pushing out their most valued assets, their partners. One day we'll walk in to our neighborhood Starbucks and wonder if we have walked in to a scene straight out of "the stepford wives" all blank stares, fake smiles etc. Pretty much what they want , it seems. Not bitter, just realistic. Funny how things look when you finally take off those rose colored glasses, huh?

[Darleen]

however the way my SM explained it to me when i had to fill out my "binding 6 month availability contract" it was made to seem like i probably won't have a job for much longer.
it was all i could do to refrain from breaking down and crying in our lobby in front of her.

Exactly my point! This is what is happening to our dedicated, loyal partners. So now Hollie will most likely be pushed out, where does that leave her and her family? To be punished,no, FIRED for not having 32 open hours is sad. I guess the next step will be to cut off benefits too, huh? Seems to me every decision lately has been made in favor of INVESTORS, not PARTNERS. Who runs your business Howard? I've yet to see an investor in a green apron. Keep this stuff up and pretty soon You'll be behind the counter slinging drinks because you'll have pushed all your loyal partners out the door in search of a company that actually cares and wants whats best for them. Talk is cheap, you're the leader, start leading with your heart again, not your wallet.

[Pat Nerr]

Hi Darleen...

[snagger]

Darleen--Forget about Howard; try Peet's.Brighter ,clearer,and better coffee!And they don't have any god you're suppose to worship.

[Aaron]

Hollie, I think either you or your manager misunderstood optimal scheduling a bit. The whole "6 month" thing means that there is a 6 month grace period to meet starbucks new availability expectations. So even if you have really limited availability right now, you have 6 months to become more available before they start strictly enforcing the standard, and ask you to leave. So in your case, in 6 weeks when you're done with cosmetology school, you can fill out a new availability sheet, and keep your job. Availability sheets aren't contracts, and they don't last for a minimum amount of time (except a few weeks, since schedules are made a few weeks out). So Hollie, you should be safe for now.

9:52 PM, that's not quite what I said. I'm with you on the vanilla, hazelnut, caramel latte. You charge one syrup only. You can sub the rest of them so they are accounted for. But yes, at a maximum, you charge only once for any syrup that comes in the round plastic clear bottles. Mocha+syrup is a different story though. Because a mocha counts as a totally different drink, not as a latte+mocha syrup, you charge for a mocha, and if a customer wants another bottled syrup, you charge once and only once for that, no matter how many additional syrups they get.

[Pat Nerr]

except for Alfred Peet... but he's a worthy god

[waltie]

"Do you think that partners that can only work one or two shifts a week are not of value? "

No, I don't think they are of no value, but their value is so limited that they shouldn't be working at Starbucks. I'm sorry, but if you are only willing to work one or maybe two shifts per week, it's not worth to keep you around. It's going to be too hard to keep you up to speed on everything and you're just going to take hours away from other people who are willing to actually work as many hours as possible.

I think people with ridiculously limited availability can be wonderful, charming partners... but, no, it's not worth it to keep them on the payroll when you can just give those hours to somebody who wants them more.

[snagger]

Waltie--Ever hear "All for one and one for all".When SBUX was on the roll they couldn't find enough help.Now, folks want to throw trained and experienced partners overboard.Your chances are better if they're gone; only what happens when its time for you to go!In some respects it's a good thing to see some unionized workforces spread the pain with fewer hours worked by everyone to keep everyone employee.