"From the Comfy Chair": Why Juan hangs around Starbucks stores for more than 10 minutes

From The Comfy Chair
Starbucks Marysville, Washington 

BY "JUAN VALDEZ"

Good communication is just as stimulating as black coffee, and just as hard to sleep after.  ~Anne Morrow Lindbergh


Over the course of the first six Comfy Chair columns, I've been taken to task, quite severely at times, for spending more than five or ten minutes in each store I've visited. This criticism has never made much sense to me for a fairly simple reason – if I'm in and out, wham bam thank you ma'am, then whatever I see in that short period of time becomes the sum total of my experience.  Frankly, I've never thought that to be fair to the store or its partners.

For instance, if I'd just spent 10 minutes in the store on 116th Ave NE in Marysville, Washington during my recent visit, I would have missed when a partner came out and cleaned the dirty condiment bar approximately 40 minutes after I sat down. I wouldn't have seen the same partner clean the front windows shortly thereafter.

I'd have missed another partner who came out approximately one hour after I sat down and cleaned some tables and sweep the lobby floor. I would have had to report that the condiment bar was filthy and the lobby dirty instead of being able to note that at least the partners on duty were trying to keep those areas clean.

The partners behind the counter were quite friendly and they made an effort to connect.  I ordered decaf in the middle of the afternoon and these folks had it already brewed and happily handed me a cup right away. The pastry case was clean and stocked and everyone seemed to be having a good time at this drive through store.  /CONTINUED IN THE FIRST COMMENT BELOW

Comments

[JUAN VALDEZ]

Unfortunately, as for the bathroom, it wouldn't have mattered how long I stayed in the store. Even if they had cleaned the dirty pools of water on the floor by the time I left, which they didn't, there was nothing they could do about the severely scratched mirror. By the way, the water on the floor was from wash basin splash - here's a tip partners – you can turn the volume of water down so it doesn't splash all over the floor when someone washes their hands. In addition, there was a frickin toilet brush in the corner, propped against the wall. I can't believe the same people who are out front, doing things like saving the planet, connecting with customers, serving what Howard Schultz thinks is the perfect cup of coffee actually think that a toilet brush propped against the bathroom wall is somehow attractive.

These may seem like small things to those who don't like the idea of some random guy going around writing reviews of various Starbucks. They aren't. A badly scratched mirror, dirty pools of water and plainly visible toilet brush make an establishment look shabby and less enticing. The management of the store should be on top of such matters and, in this case, they weren't.

Overall, it was a good visit. They just need to do something about that bathroom.

Time of day: early afternoon

# of partners on the floor: 7

Service time – 3 minutes

Was the restroom better than a gas station restroom? - No

Busy level – steady

Were they trying to keep the lobby clean? - Yes

Would I recommend to a friend – Yes

Legendary service? - Yes

# of stores reviewed where a partner has tried to connect with a customer – 4 out of 7

# of stores where they've offered samples of anything – 2 out of 7

# of stores that could have been considered "understaffed" - 0 out of 7

# of stores with a clean bathroom – 3 out of 7

"Juan Valdez" is the nom de cyber of a former Starbucks manager who became disenchanted with the increasingly bitter taste of the Starbucks experience and fled to the mountains of Colombia where he now rides his burro and ponders the glittering sunsets. On a crisp clear day, when atmospheric conditions are just right and the moon is in the seventh house, Juan can be reached at juanvaldezsbux@gmail.com.

[remember moments]

In any of the stores you've visited, have you happened to notice if they're selling anything except mugs in the product line? I love it when they offer journals, planners, pens, etc and I'm starting to think that maybe those things have gotten the ax due to all the cutbacks everywhere. My local SBUX have nothing but mugs and more mugs.

[Charbucked]

If you want an in and out, quick experience, you aren't going to Starbucks. You are going to Dunkin' Donuts or McDonald's.

This IS the problem. Starbucks was successful when it was the "third place," and its mass store closings and mass layoffs are the result of trying to increase volume and locations to get in the business that Dunkin' Donuts and McDonald's are in.

It did not work and it will never work. The value combos move is huge mistake. Instant coffee, not so much a mistake or brand dilution, but just smelling like desperation. It is a better idea than producing movies.

[Yvette @ Capsule]

Great blog! I'm wondering if you know more about where I can make product suggestions to Starbucks. I'm hooked on their Signature Hot Chocolate you see, and now with Via, I'm wondering if a powdered chocolate might be next? :-)

[NorCalBlend]

7 partners on the floor?! I'm lucky to get 3 in the afternoon. Sigh, I guess not being a drive-thru we are a lower priority.

[anonymous]

I'm at a DT (busy one too!) and I still only get three in the afternoon. Four if I'm lucky, and for 15 minutes or so sometimes there are five, but usually one or two people are about to go home.

[Melody]

[quote]Great blog! I'm wondering if you know more about where I can make product suggestions to Starbucks. I'm hooked on their Signature Hot Chocolate you see, and now with Via, I'm wondering if a powdered chocolate might be next? :-)[/quote]

The answer to your question is that you can go to mystarbucksidea.com and make product suggestions there.

I too enjoy this blog. It's just another perspective of what's happening inside Starbucks stores. I realize that it's not always even totally accurate - it's possible Juan might hit a store on an off day where a person has called in sick, but still, I enjoy his bird's eye view of Starbucks. Juan, was this store really more in Lake Stevens than Marysville? And I think you should come to downtown Seattle! ;)

[Juan Valdez]

@yvette
Melody has a great suggestion...mystarbucksidea.com is the place to go

@melody
This store is right off I-5, next exit past the Walmart exit. And you make a good point about how my visits may not accurately reflect how a store does overall. There may be things going on that day, that moment which negatively affect the service, product and cleanliness. Still, over time, a fairly clear picture of Starbucks should emerge as a result of these columns which was one of my original goals.

And, don't worry, downtown Seattle shall not be spared the journey of the burro.

[SPORK]

Question for you Jaun,
Are you ordering the decaf because you enjoy it or to see if there's a hassle? Sounds kind of like entrapment :P.

[AliCat]

Guys, don't you get it? If you're in Washington, you get special treatment... the closer you are to headquarters, the more labor you get to APPEAR to have your act together.......

[green_cup]

@melody
This store is right off I-5, next exit past the Walmart exit. And you make a good point about how my visits may not accurately reflect how a store does overall. There may be things going on that day, that moment which negatively affect the service, product and cleanliness. Still, over time, a fairly clear picture of Starbucks should emerge as a result of these columns which was one of my original goals.

And, don't worry, downtown Seattle shall not be spared the journey of the burro.

Posted by: Juan Valdez | February 25, 2009 at 02:19 PM

The horses are bad enough! Downtown Seattle doesn't need the addition of burros to slow down traffic. I mean, we can't even get past all of the construction that blocks cars and pedestrians in downtown!

On a side note, who knew there was a Wal-Mart near Seattle! I totally thought Seattle was spared of the horrible company that is Wal-Mart. Now, that company has issues and makes Starbucks shine like a beacon of a decent company.

[Making lattes]

yvette-- signature hot chocolate IS powdered. We just mix it with water and milk for you.

[Juan Valdez]

@spork

Hey there sporkster...you caught me. Am testing the willingness of the partners to get me a decaf "after hours". When I visit in the mornings, I'll be ordering something else since decaf would normally be readily available.

[Torontodude]

Just a general comment on the reviews. There is too little about coffee and too much about everything else, INHO.

[Juan Valdez]

@torontodude

They arent supposed to be about the coffee. My columns are supposed to be about the Starbucks experience and the gap between what Howie and his minions say and what actually takes place in the stores. Here is the explanation we provided on the same day the first column was posted:

http://starbucksgossip.typepad.com/_/2009/01/introducing-from-the-comfy-chair-a-new-column-by-a-former-starbucks-store-manager.html

[Mrs. Tillinghamshackles]

Melody, that store is still definitely in Marysville. Its one exit North of the Plaza 88 store on 88th Street.

[FLA SM]

Seven partners on duty? SEVEN??? And they can't get a lobby slide done for 40 minutes? FORTY??? How are these people keeping their jobs? I fantasize of having four people on duty! (And yet, somehow, we manage to keep a clean store and happy customers.) I guess Alicat is right: the closer you are to Seattle, the more labor you get, 'cuz we sure aren't seeing it down here in Florida!

[Keith]

Labor is earned according to the volume of business at a store. At least that's what they say. I know Corperate management tries but I really wish they would stop micro managing things and give the SM more power to schedule labor as needed and run the store. Maybe if they did this they would only need half the DM's they presently have (perhaps a future layoff idea).

In regards to selling retail products, I wish we didn't sell anything but whole bean coffee and packaged tea. I've sold many coffee pots and espresso machines and almost half are returned as defective. As a business if you can't do it well, don't do it at all. Part of Starbucks problems revolve around trying to be everything to everyone. For God sake, why are we selling wallets and books? They just get marked down and then donated when they don't sell.

As a partner I wish we had the labor to do a lobby sweep and check the bathrooms more often. I don't like to use the bathrooms at my store. We also need to get the labor to train partners how to do a lobby slide, what to look for, and how to clean a bathroom. I know it sounds simple but some partners don't know how to do it properly. Really, look at some peoples homes and tell me they know how to clean a bathroom. Besides, the womans bathroom and the mens bathroom are slightly different-ladies pee in a toilet and men pee at the toilet. It can make a bit of difference on where to look for a mess. McDonalds prides itself on clean bathrooms. Not that I go there a lot, but when I have the bathrooms are clean.

[Northern Shift]

i HATE my bathroom's faucet. if you're not careful, you exit looking like you wet yourself because of the high water pressure. I doubt anything can be done about it, though. We're company-operated, but I believe we share water and stuff with the mall next door.

[vkxmai]

The Starbucks at Cedar and Warrensville Center Roads in Cleveland had generic brand socks on display beneath the pick-up counter.

[Juan Valdez]

@northernshift

you can adjust the water flow...there should be shut off valves under the basin for both the hot and cold water lines. just close them a bit and youre all set.

[StLouieDrip]

Juan Valdez, I think you get a bad rap, so you shouldn't take the criticisms too harshly. Or maybe I'm cranky too, because I really don't see anything wrong with what you've written. Since I've also visited many different stores I've found your blog an interesting read. You're just telling it from a customer's perspective, and it's exactly what a lot of customers are thinking too. I also agree sbux is long way from what's been promised. And I had to laugh at the comment "...what Howard Schultz thinks is the perfect cup of coffee..." OMG is that meant to be a joke? LOL

Otherwise, I just want to mention that no matter how frustrated I am with the coffee at sbux, the bathrooms here in STL are absolutely pristeen. Ah well, at least we're fortunate in that way.

[cactusmush]

Generally I find the washrooms pristine in all Sbux throughout N.America. The exception to this is the cleanliness of some of the Sbux washrooms in NYC . Since the municipality of NYC (an otherwise great city) struggles with the concept of public washrooms, some NYC Sbux washrooms get so much traffic from the tourists that they are hard to keep clean.

[Veritas]

I have been a long standing Starbucks customer, and have visited branches all over the UK, US and Canada. By and large I have always received great (filter) coffee,friendly service, and clean comfortable surroundings. However, there has been a noticeable decline in the service standards during the past 2 years in the UK, with only one brand of filter coffee being brewed (usually Fair Trade) despite two brands being advertised. Staff have deliberatey poured the Fair Trade even though I have asked for the specialty brand, and have then had to put a fresh brew on. The timers are often not reset for the hour, or are not visible to the customer. Starbucks say that 'freshly brewed filter coffee should always be available'. In some UK branches, the armchairs are so stained and crumb laden it becomes more comfortable to sit on the wooden chairs. So, are talking about disaffected staff, or is the global slowdown causing cutbacks on the less profitable drinks, staff availability and housekeeping? I wonder!

[:-)]

Cactusmush: I definitely wouldnt say starbucks bathrooms across north america are pristine. I have visited many stores across this nation and i definitely beg to differ. NYC has disgusting restrooms. Id rather ask for another paper cup and go outside then use a nyc restroom especially if its a starbucks one. Chicago is much the same way. But i think i was most shocked by seeing one of the filthiest bathrooms in a Starbucks in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. I'd expect a nasty bathroom in a large city but not a small town. Filthy is an understatement. It smelled terrible in there. There were hand towels scattered all over the floor. There were no hand towels in the dispenser. There was no toilet paper in the dispenser. The toilet looked backed up. They did have handsoap though.

[spence]

We don't have a DT so when it rains, it gets slow. Yesterday, we had a gulley washer. Yeah! Very few people were willing to be soaked to the skin in February for a coffee. We got so much done.
Question: Have other people noticed that since we've cut back on labor, typically the customer waits longer and the tips are much smaller?

[BlahBlahBlah]

I drive through this Starbucks every day before work and the partners at this store always go out of their way to connect with me. They know my drink and a few of them know my name. Thank you.

[Irving]

The bathroom mirror in our store was recently vandalized and "HIV +" is now etched into the glass. We called to have it refinished/replaced... they said 5-7 weeks for someone to come out for that. Sometimes, there's nothing the store can do with that kind of thing. But, keeping it otherwise clean should be a priority. It can be challenging when there's a line of people waiting to use it, but it should be done.

[Triple Grande]

I just noticed a comment about a cafe that i am familiar with, and feel the need to respond. I know the Portsmouth, NH store very well. I admit that the bathroom there is atrocious. From what I've seen, the problem is this: it is THE bus stop bathroom, and also THE public bathroom for all of downtown.

Controlling the problem seems extremely difficult due to the fact there is a back door right next to the bathroom, and it seems as though this is where a lot of the homeless people in the area like to clean themselves up and/or get drunk. On more than one occasion I have been waiting 15-30 minutes just for someone to come out of the bathroom, and when they do it usually smells like a mixture of feces, sweat, and alcohol, there is usually water splashed all over the floor and mirror, bits of newspapers, paper towels and toilet paper scattered around, empty alcohol bottles in the garbage, and the toilet is dirty and not flushed.

Now, I know this is not an excuse or a get out of jail free card. The baristas should be checking the bathrooms every ten minutes when they do their cafe sweep. That said, I know that it is often difficult for someone to get out there and clean every 10 like they're supposed to, especially when there is only two people working and a line of customers needing service.

I've spent some time brainstorming this with an ex barista and the only solutions I can come up with to ensure that this bathroom in particular is always properly clean is to put a lock on the door and hope someone doesn't run out the back with the key, or hire someone full time wait there and check the bathroom after every use.

Anyhow, I think it's the pleasant, happy, and fun personalities of the baristas, and the quality and consistency of my beverage that makes that particular store worth my frequent patronage.

Just my two cents.

[Hannah James]

Juan...you should do the one in frontier village lake stevens.
I'd like to hear what you think.

[Cindy]

Ok. I just wanted to say... these "store visits"... don't read them, don't care. Are you a partner? Why should we care? I certainly don't. Get a real job!

D

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