Anyone have some spare change for Starbucks?

Seattle Post-Intelligencer cartoonist David Horsey exaggerates Starbucks' plight a bit, but he makes his point that the chain has seen better days. Monica Guzman notes that the 97% profit drop in the last quarter is mostly due to costs associated with closing hundreds of stores and doesn't appear to be a trend. || View the full cartoon

Comments

[beantheredonethat]

I will gladly give back my options that were priced at $35...

ditto!!!!

LOL..this is funny!

[baristagirl]

all you complainers should find new jobs and try and pay for insurance on your own.

[beantheredonethat]

Complainers? I guess having been laid off I am entitled to complain and poke fun at Starbucks poor financial results.

[Ben Wilson]

I don't think commenting constitutes complaining, and commenting is what I think we're doing here.

As a former employee, I've written my two-cents worth here: http://sugacoobs.blogspot.com/

[ManagerWhoJumpedShip]

New job - check
Insurance paid for by employer, and much better coverage than Starbucks - check
Actually paid for hours I work - check
Raise - check
401K fully vested on day 1 with 5% company match - check
Weekends off - check
Company that doesn't just pretend to care about work/life balance - check

SORRY ALL OF YOU SUCKERS DIDNT GET OUT BEFORE THE ECONOMY CRASHED.

ITS A SINKING SHIP.

[deadtiredinla]

baristagirl, a few thoughts. While I appreciate your enthusiasm while the ship is sinking, that doesn't give you the right to squash peoples opinions. That is what Starbucks used to be based on, even though it no longer is. I got out, and so did everyone I worked with, with the exception of one guy I know who runs a store down the street from me. This is what he got for his loyalty.
1. Stock options that are worth NOTHING
2. Good employees who quit or were forced out, only to be replaced by robots who don't care, working for a company that no longer cares, in a climate that NO LONGER CARES. PERIOD. END OF STORY.

ManagerWhoJumpedShip:
Where do you work?

[Pat Nerr]

I love Dave Horsey

Does it really matter where manager who jumped ship works?

[Redd]

I think it's a funny cartoon.

But I also love my job at Starbucks and I definitely don't work with robots. You won't convince me not to and I won't try to convince the 'haters' to change their minds. I'm just gonna do my job in my little store and keep making my customers happy. We're doing just fine.

[Ian L]

Memo to all:
Stop bashing howard! the guy has done so much for all of u. First company ever to offer full time healthcare and stock options to part time employees! He put seatown on the map, and did so the right way! He will bring us back, just be patient, give him time, and he will work another miracle

[james]

u guys out there bashing howard r ridiculous. he has built an empire from the ground up, and after a bad year u turn on him and this company we've all loved for so long. i'm pretty sure counting him out is perhaps the dumbest thing i've ever heard. enough, give the man a shot to fix this. if anyone can... it's him.

[CoffeeNut]

Memo to Ian

Stop defending Howard. I agree with you that Howard created a wonderful company. BUT he did that with GREAT partners. Mainly Orin Smith the real brain of Starbucks. Howard has the heart but Orin made Starbucks work $ which funded all the GREAT things including healthcare and bean stock.

Howard CAN NOT turn this around. He is a great marketing guy but even that is questionable with current Starbucks image.

Miracle Howard needs to work is getting back Orin Smith. I don't think that's possible but you asked for Miracle.

[BorrowedPartner]

The articles clearly read that the percentage is mostly due to store closings. Starbucks is still opening stores and last time I checked the WHOLE economy is hurting and banks are closing.
Starbucks just gave one of my fellow partners some money to pay for his rent so he wouldn't get evicted. If put in your availability to work weekends then that's your preference. I don't mind opening every morning because that what I put down.
Starbucks offers 3 different types of health plans I choose $7 for the least coverage.
I do not understand people's bitterness.

On a second note, I think the picture is hilarious...If she came into my store asking for money I'd have to kick out for disrupting the environment

[Pat Nerr]

Oh jeeze... sounds like this tore should have been posting on MSI more. This will definitely aggravate Howie's angina...

http://www.starbucksunion.org/node/2060

At least Starbucks shares are holding in compared with many other stocks out there. We're going to be worth more than Citigroup!

[Joe]

David Horsey is a horse's ass.

[Pat Nerr]

Joe... Dave and I love you

[Argentius]

I'm trying to see what the BFD is, except that, of course, this hasn't happened to SBUX before.

But, I mean, considering biggest unemployment numbers in a long time, recession, etc, for a luxury coffee company to still be turning a profit at all after closing 600-some stores...

[baristagirl]

managerwhojumped ship... I wasn't bashing anyone's opinion. I just wanted all those folks out there to realize that the benefits that SBUX give to their employees even the part timers are much better than having to pay for them on their own...for the last six months about 1/4 of my paycheck as a barista went to pay for health coverage...what would happen if 25% of your income went to insurance.

I feel so lucky to be part of a company that does care about their employees. I left a better paying job in my field, and got more hours at my store I feel more appreciated after every shift than I ever did at my last job.

[Ian L]

Hey James,

Why don't u take a step back buddy and open ur eyes. Yes Howard had great partners, but guess what... he still HAS great partners. Orin is long gone, but that doesn't mean howard cannot turn this thing around. he's not the the guy u want to count out; to come from where he came from and do what he's done, that's not normal. he's not normal, and neither is this company. they've fallen on hard times, but guess what, so has the rest of the country. howard hired orin, and he'll find someone else. in the mean time, get off his back and see what he can do. you've already thrown in the towel man, damn...

[deadtiredinla]

I think a lot of the animosity on this thread is due to a difference in perpective. People who have been with the company since, say, before 2005, were treated differently. The whole company was different. We are not talking about new products, we are talking about a complete 180 in terms of the culture and mission statement. That is why people are so upset. When they voiced they're concerns, they were shown the door. I suspect that the people who are defending the company are newer employees. Otherwise they wouldn't say things like "the company doesn't owe you anything". Because, at one time the company did. Peace

[Douglas]

I'm not a big fan of his work, but that mermaid is kinda cute... in a disheveled, "morning after" kind of way.

[casbuxchick]

My biggest issue, respectfully, is that stores need to focus on profitability. I as an SM should know my top 10 products that bring the biggest bang for the buck and focus on those.
I don't want to fill out more paperwork--I want help in containing costs, and strategies for creating a great customer experience with a much more conservative labor budget.
I want senior management to really focus on the message they are sending into the trenches--should I care about winning contests for things that are not bringing anything to my bottom line? Should I be up nights worrying about standards that have nothing to do with keeping my store open, are not realistic based on the amount of people tramping through my store throughout the day (customer and partner), and customer feedback that I have no way to hold anyone accountable for?
I'm a pragmatic manager--I understand that I have to pass my health inspection with an A, I have to create a customer experience that makes people want to return repeatedly, and I have to turn a profit even though the economy is off 20-30% based on your geographic area. Oh, and I need my staff to be happy and motivated and not want to stab me in my sleep.
I would like middle and senior management to think about the metrix they are reviewing and really think about whether they are aligned with what is workable and most important. Arbitrary standards don't ever get you what you want.
Only the strongest, most disciplined companies will survive this downturn. Our customers want us to make it, and our brand is strong--we just have to eliminate silliness.

[baristajack]

with all this talk about labor being trimmed back, and now the word is the closing partners are punching out too early? can you believe this? on one hand they want less partners doing more to shave off labor,yet give better service, and now the word is partners should do no pre-closing before the door is locked, therefore causing them to punch out an hour after we close, i think its time that the DMs spend a little time again behind the counter,and see again what we have to do. maybe they should spend less time creating endless action plans and wasteful paperwork for store manager who are all over worked, and under appreciated. i think they forget what we as partners deal with on a daily basis, with all the new changes, one minute were going back to basics, now our store is selling vegetable chips, and more breakfast sandwiches than we had before, we were told they were going away. yikes

All our customers see anymore is a company who used to take care of us so in return we could take care of them, they don't see that any longer and if you think they do then you aren't spending any time with them!

[islandbarista]

I know some people think that things will turn around soon, but speaking from a store that was doing great until they fired my manager, replaced her with a brand new SM that doesnt give a crap about the partners, customers, or ethics, I'm pretty sure starbucks has turned a corner of a street i'd rather not go down. this company is not what it used to be, and i'm getting out while i can.

baristajack on November 13, 2008 at 08:56 PM:

What do you mean about the preclosing work and labor? I haven't heard any changes to this.

[baristajack]

i have heard some dm are complaining that partners are punching out too soon after the store is closed, therefore sending the message that pre-closing is being done too early, ridiculous seeing as if the store is dead for the last 2 hours we are open, they want us punching out no earlier than 45 minutes after the store is closed, does that make sense to you? if there are no customers to wait on, what else are we supposed to do, first it was no pre-closing was to start before 5 p.m.which made sense, but if the labor is being cut, i dont see the problem, with getting the work done and leaving after it is, we do all out markouts after we are ,closed as instructed, also coffee is fresh till close, our bar is open for 10 minutes until after close. but everything else has been done, mopping bathrooms etc

baristajack:
I see what you're saying now. I think what's happening, at least in my area, is that there are too many stores too close together. Each store's business is cannablizing (sp?) the others'. The end result is that stores that used to be even somewhat busy are slow now especially in the evening and night time hours.

Partners, regardless of how few people are scheduled during this time, get bored so you're right, they start all of the preclosing tasks early.

When I started working at Starbucks we started preclosing around 7 or 8pm. Over time as business in the evenings started to die down, the closing partners started preclosing around 4 or 5pm.

The new store I'm in they start preclosing around 3pm!

I personally don't care to start preclosing early as I feel it impacts the way I work. Everything gets moved around, certain items we can no longer use because we want to keep it clean until we close, it just negatively impacts customer service.

I do know that ALS gives us preclosing time, but it is scheduled usually around 8pm (check the "Assigned Filler" line on your Daily Coverage Report).

I don't know what the answer is to this, but perhaps these stores that are closing early need to actually close early. Perhaps they are not getting enough business to justify staying open until the posted time. The manager should talk to the DM about adjusting the store's operating hours.

Thanks again.

[baristajack]

Thank you for your input, it's much appreciated

We get certain preclosing tasks done very early at my store. Guess what? No one's ever getting out early. We don't have a dishwasher, so there is a LOT of washing to do, and we have to start on that way earlier than 7 or 8 or it will not get done.

The trick is to do it in a non-disruptive fashion. Wash one thing at a time, replace it, then do the next task- and don't do big things like floors until a couple hours before closing. That way customers don't start wondering if you're about to close, and service isn't impacted.

[complaint]

why do all SMs assume that they do so much? honestly, how often are you on the floor? is it not you that complains to your shifts that things aren't getting done? are u urself not capable of doing it? and why are some SMs getting away with sitting in the back room when scheduled for floor coverage. that's just being plain lazy. the SM that i'm talking about has all but 8 hours of noncoverage a week. those 8 hours are just b-s-ing and yelling at partners. how sad is that? i say get off ur high horse and pitch in!

i feel bad for the baristas at the store i go to. i have heard about it for a while now, i even called corporate, but nothing is happening. what a great company, dontcha think?

[Death Latte]

5 Reasons why StarBucks is licking mcdonalds double cheese burger greasy crack
1. They Sale Frappachinos
2. They tried to compete with jamba juice and came out with the vivanno
3. They don't have pumpkin cream cheese muffins
4. They don't have a dollar menu
5. Last and most importanly Perfect Oatmeal isn't perfect its real name is instant otmeal

[puppygirl]

I belive that our company will be strong again. I love my Starbucks and I love my store and I love my partners and how they are so devoted to our customers. I know that our senior mgmt will lead us well. Combine their leadership with the passion of our store partners and the brains of our SM's, we will be on top again and my stock options will bring me profit. I am not in denial of anything, I am too old (46) and wise to be nieve. We are just going through what so many other companys have gone through. I love Howard and yes, I do drink the kool-aid, everyday by gallons.
And I think the Horsey cartoon was very funny.

[DetroitRocks!]

We too are being held to the closing time and are expected to do a write-up if they leave earlier....seriously?? If your done...you are DONE. The openers should be set up for success, if not address it. NOT by the DM enforcement...
DM's sometimes seem to forget what its like to be on the front lines...

Anyone else getting pummeled by their DM for not pushing gold card sales enough????

[Pat Nerr]

under $8 a share... I smell shareholder and partner value coming

[Melody]

What do you mean by that Pat?

[Melody]

Never mind - though it looks like stocks generally are down.

[Pat Nerr]

Bean stock strike price is determined on the last day of the fiscal year (end of Sept) This combined with the grant % determines how many shares each eligible partner receives.