"In all of my years at SBUX, the corporate office has never, not once, stood up for the partners at my store"

That's what one employee writes the latest open thread. Has anyone had a different experience? || Jump to the second page of comments.

Comments

[Herman M]

Well, as a now former tech, I'd have to say...

nope. That sounds about right. Howard was signing Bravo awards for us in one room, and in another someone was planning how to outsource us.

Our supervisors, and even their supervisors did, but Seattle? Nope. Whenever we voiced concerns, the response was "this isn't the right time or forum for that". Next thing you know, most of us were not picked up by the outsourced company, and those that were are either unhappy or no longer with them for the most part.

[A Non eMoose]

"Has anyone had a different experience? "

Not me. All I've learned is to give the customer whatever they want, however they want it, even if it defies the basis of business and/or health. If they complain that I ignored their demands to leave the lid off their drink, even though I am obligated to put one on, they will get free drinks and I will get yelled at. If I charge someone for the two tall frappucinos they are getting instead of the one venti they want to be charged for, they will complain and get free drinks and I will get yelled at. About the only thing I still feel brave enough to do is kick people out for bringing in their dogs, and really I think I haven't been yelled at by corporate for that yet because those customers didn't think to try calling and complaining. God knows they probably would have gotten a hundred apologies and free drinks otherwise.

Why would corporate stand up for us "partners"? They honestly do not care about keeping us motivated or instituting some kind of company loyalty.

[drive]

In my experience also, corporate has not stood up for the partners. We are treated as disposable employees. Our store was robbed at gunpoint (luckily nobody was killed or injured). The three partners who were traumatized by going through this never heard a peep about it from corporate.

[James Connolly]

I wouldn't be a Wobbly today if it were otherwise.

[fl sm]

NEVER is a strong word. The SSC follows policy, if the customer is clearly in violation of policy or, even better, you head off the customer complaint by calling it in yourself or calling in an incident report, they will back you up. (so long as you have followed policy)

Too much work you say...if that's too much effort to go through than probably the easiest thing to do would be to "just say yes" and make it right. Either it matters and you need to call it in so that you can have the support you need, or it doesnt matter and you need to just do it and get over it.

[Noah]

In any complaint to corporate system, the guy at the bottom is going to take it in the ear all day every day.

The most powerful advertising in the world is word of mouth so corporate can't let this thing fester. To head off further trouble, it quickly becomes "Yes sir, yes sir. Should I kiss your ass before or after I give you some free stuff?"

[Waltie]

I know of numerous cases were certain customers have been banned from store due to atrocious or even dangerous behavior. So to say that corporate never backs up store level partners is wrong.

[calibarista]

I don't know about corporate in Seattle, but all management higher than SM seems to be on the same page. Certain things trump customer wishes, safety and health code especially. We've had more than one person complain to district manager that we did not do something for them which would have violated our health/safety standards... the customer got an apology, and we got a call to tell us we handled it badly by refusing. They will never back up a "partner" or tell a customer that their request was not possible or reasonable because, to Starbucks, all requests are reasonable.

The DM doesn't back us up on ringing policies handed down by the DM himself!!! He sent out an e-mail a while ago asking that the many teenagers ordering strawberry ice waters (ick) be rung up as a blended strawberry lemonade instead of just for the strawberry add-in, and if he sees us not ringing correctly, we'll get corrective actions. So we grudgingly do it, and when someone complains to him that they have to pay over 3 dollars for strawberry and water, he apologizes profusely and tells the person that they have permission to tell us to ring it up as only strawberry syrup, and we get a lecture about meeting customer needs. It's always the barista's fault if a customer is not satisfied - That's Starbucks' attitude all the way to the top.

[Ninja]

" The SSC follows policy, if the customer is clearly in violation of policy or, even better, you head off the customer complaint by calling it in yourself or calling in an incident report, they will back you up. (so long as you have followed policy)."

This!!

I find that our customers call corporate to "tattle-tale" on us for the craziest reasons. One day we had corporate called on us three times. The first call was from a man who was angry because we weren't brewing all of the coffee that we have on the shelves, just Pike, bold, and decaf. The second was from a lady who came through DT, and after getting her drink asked our partner on DTR if she could throw away some random cup that was in her car. After my partner explained that she cannot, due to the health code, the customer was very confused and exclaimed how that policy is "sooo weird!" and how "the world just keeps getting weirder and weirder!" *shrug*..so she called corporate on that, for whatever reason.

Right after the third incident happened, our manager called corporate to let them know what was up. A lady came through DT and ordered "a solo espresso with fifty cents of soy milk." So we rang it in as a short soy latte, told her the total, and she got fussy. "NO!!! I want a SOLO ESPRESSO with FIFTY CENTS of SOY!!" She was basically telling our partner how she wanted her short soy latte to be rung in, so she would get it at a cheaper price, even though they are the same effing drink. We have had this customer come in before and try to pull this move, complain about how you rung it in wrong, and succeed in getting her short soy...i mean, her solo espresso, add soy (we have some partners who are waaaay too lenient on JSY.) The manager told her that this will be the last time we will ring it in for her this way, but from the point on it will be rung in as a short soy latte.

I bet corporate LOVED us that day!

[Cafe Nervosa]

Anyone else read Connections and Conversations on the portal? I do, every week. One of the "complaints" was a customer who asked for a doppio macchiatto with extra foam, and both the barista and manager refused. And this was a problem.

Store partners, take a moment to imagine what happened. I dare you to come up with something more plausible than this:

"You didn't fill the cup all the way."
"Right, it's a macchiatto, it's only supposed to have a little foam."
"But I want it filled all the way."
"Oh. That's actually a double short cappuccino, it's a different price."
"THEY DO IT AT THE OTHER STARBUCKS WHERE IS YOUR MANAGER"

I'd bet anything that's about how it played out. But instead the corporate commentary said something preachy the way it always does.

I was always under the impression that the customer should be charged for what they order, not how they order it. Fun fact! A tall latte in a venti cup filled with extra foam is a solo venti cappuccino! The correct way to ring it is venti cappuccino!

[aeiou]

Cafe Nervosa, I had a customer at my last store who got a drink like that. When I first started at the store, I tried to ring her up for a cappuccino and she yelled at me. I explained that that's what she was actually ordering and she yelled at me that they never rang her up that way. I wasn't working with the regular partners that day, so we just let it go and warned her that next time we'd ring her in the correct way. I spoke with partners (and even the manager) who said, no, just ring her in for a macchiatto since she comes in almost every day. That's the way it was at that store, ring regulars in for whatever they're used to paying since they come in so much. Who cares what they're actually getting?

[Shift Supervisor]

Sbux is little by little getting rid of the people who made the company. The hard workers in the stores and in the field that gave their blood sweat and tears for the company to grow like it did and now the company finds no use for them. MY OPINION!!!

[former partner]

I agree that Starbucks never rarely stands up for their own employees and I have no doubt that is part of the reason for the short staffing in many areas that have been discussed in other threads.

Where is the Howard who wrote Pour Your Heart Into It ? He seems to have become exactly what he spoke against in that book.

[Waltie]

Also, this is a pretty nonsensical thread for another reason: Out of however many angry letters corporate gets from customers, who knows how many they just toss aside? If they receive twenty letters from angry customers and actually contact the store to correct them on, say, one, partners are going to get annoyed and feel as though corporate doesn't "have their backs" or are unsupportive.

This is a completely one-sided, nonsensical argument.

[Shifted]

@Waltie,

Oh, please. It's not nonsensical if your one side is the one that always has to bend over and smile.

Wait, wait, I know: if you don't like it, leave. Yeah, that's not realistic for most people. But you go ahead and stand on your porch and yell at those damn punks to stay off your lawn, k?

[peaches]

In six years, the magic words out of every customers mouth: "But they do it at every other Starbucks!"

Waltie, are you working for the same company? Multiple people in different regions with different experiences are sharing an opinion built on specific situations when the company has let them down, and your argument that these opinions are one-sided and nonsensical is based on the fact that -- actually its not based in anything. For as nonscientific as our real world stories and experiences are, the only thing even less credible is assuming that a company is doing the right thing behind our backs, even though the evidence proves otherwise.

What kind of person defends a corporate entity like that?

And banning customers has nothing to do with corporate. That is a decision a store manager can make. I honestly can't imagine how you could be writing your posts anywhere but seattle.

[Jason Coffee]

One things for sure. It's pretty sad that a company once held in such high regard by their partners is taking such a beating in this thread.

This is a question for all current partners: Are there any of you out there that still believe in Starbucks as a company the way so many once did?

I look forward to reading your answers.

Best,

Jason Coffee
Coffee Cup News

[wasatech]

Amen Herman M. That's exactly how in played out with the tech layoff. They were in contract negotiations with several service companies in the summer of 08' to outsource us. I know because that's when I started getting unsolicited job offers from one of the companies. They didn't get the contract, in part - I guess, because they couldn't keep there mouth shut. And during the outsourcing "test" in the midwest region, I was speaking with a friend at SSC about the "test" - his response: "what test?, that isn't a test (pause) opps you didn't know that? That's just the first region to get let go". No shit.

[javagirl666]

Banning a customer is NOT up to the store manager..it includes, DM, RD, and Partner Resources...trust me, it is not an easy process.

[tidebarista]

@Jason Coffee, not me!

I used to love my job. I used to brag and rave about how great Starbucks was. Two years ago, if you asked me about getting a job at Starbucks, I'd say, "yeah, Starbucks rules! Lemme sign your application." The work was good, the pay was decent. The job also used to allow for a lot of creativity, whether it be in selling retail, pastry case setup, spreading coffee knowledge.. it was just splendid! I would come in off the clock to do coffee tastings for my partners and customers. I would clock out of work and go straight to another Starbucks to see my fellow baristas, sit down, and enjoy some bold brew. Those were the DAYS!

Nowadays, I'm miserable at work. Making drinks is no longer creative, enjoyable work--constant tweaks have turned it into a chaotic scramble to shell out fruit smoothies and extra extra EXTRA caramel frappuccinos as quickly as possible. It's not a strange day when I have to make smoothies and take orders for drive-thru while I'm pulling shots for the next couple lattes as I'm on the way to the backroom to see if I have any mini fudge donuts for the person waiting at the DT window. It's just how the job is now.

Oh, and while our short-staffed and short-fused crew is running five miles a shift behind the counter, we gotta sell some VIA while we're at it. Very recent policies are going to turn us all into VIA salesmen--we have to "automatically" (Starbucks's words) give a VIA sales pitch if someone purchases a mug, gift card, coffee traveler, or box of pastries, 100% of the time. Not upselling VIA? That means you're not following policies, punk!

I could go on and on, but for the sake of my evening, I'll let others do that for me. Simply put, working at Starbucks isn't what it used to be. Corporate can keep saying that they are connected to the partners and core values, but it's all talk, no walk. (seriously, how can you say you're adhering to core values if you have to *change all of them*?!?)

[Shift Supervisor]

Ditto tidebarista. There is no time to connect with customers and things were good at one time and Sbux was rated I believe #2 on the best companies to work for and now where are they? Last I heard it was somewhere in the 90's I think. What do you think that says about the company. Yes a couple years ago I would have bet my life on Sbux being the best company to work for and they love their partners and will do anything for them. Now.....don't anyone dare ask me that question cause I could get fired for the answer. How can a company keep abusing it's partners and still expect us to talk highly of them and to give them the respect we do NOT get anymore?

[teapartylemonade]

I'm currently dealing with a customer who keeps ordering a latte with mocha syrup. That's a no-whip mocha, right? She screeches at me 'No!! Don't ring it that way! I'm supposed to get the syrup free!'

I'm sure she'll be calling SSC any day now if she hasn't already done so. And we will be instructed to ring it as a latte.

This is the type of thing I was referring to in my original post. We ring things as we are supposed to, then 'Seattle' gets involved and we are told to give them what they want at the price they want to pay.

They tend to gloat once they know we've been reprimanded and they're sitting in the DT with a fistfull of service recovery coupons.

[SPORK]

rule of thumb for me... if the customer actually responds to my 'how are you doing today' in any response other than 'grande latte add mocha' I'll just say yes.

[LV]

Jason Coffee:

I was hired just short of five years ago in an environment where opportunity to promote was abundant, benefits were better, and we still had personal days and faster-accruing vacation time. Not only that, but they demanded coffee knowledge and coffee quality. I'm not going to pretend that there wasn't a bottom line or that everyone was satisfied, but I thought it was a damn good place to work, and I was lucky.

Starting about 2 to 3 years ago, something changed. I don't have a smidge of a chance of promoting in our district's current climate, benefits were either chipped away or new scheduling practices prevent more and more part-time people from accessing them (all while Starbucks can still make the claim that they offer health benefits to part-timers), students are actively discouraged from working there, emphasis on coffee knowledge has been replaced with emphasis on Via salesmanship, and drink quality has been replaced by increased speed of service.

The environment has changed. Do I think I'd be better off working at McDonald's? No way. Starbucks still has decent flexibility with hours and good benefits to those who can finagle over 20 hours a week out of their manager. However, I am disgusted to remember that it took me 5 years to get to the 10 dollar an hour mark with their measly raises, when the In-N-Out across the street pays that as a STARTING WAGE. I feel underappreciated for the experience and knowledge I have, and that's forcing the older partners out.

[coffee in exile]

@teapartylemonade: why would the mocha syrup be free? I thought that mocha and white chocolate weren't included as free flavors with a registered card. I do understand the latte with chocolate, though, as I work at a non-sbux corporate coffeeshop and love ringing people who want no-whip mochas for lattes add chocolate. we actually advertise them that way. whip is part of the price of a mocha (and anyone who's done a milk order knows heavy cream is expensive) and so if you don't want it it burns a little to pay the bigger bucks. on top of that if you've ever ordered a drink that usually comes with whip as no-whip it can be quite hit or miss whether or not you actually get no-whip. So I guess I, and most customers, wouldn't see the issue.

[teapartylemonade]

exactly. the mocha would't be free. Except this customer thinks it should be. and if she complains loudly enough to corporate - it will be free for her.

I also have customers who want me to ring up vanilla lattes that way - latte + vanilla. it's not what we have been told to do.

[shift.misto]

actually... if u watch your training TBTs.. you should ring at lowest price per standard.

the extra charge is for whip and mocha SAUCE isnt free anyway.

[Sidamo]

Actually the word latte means that it includes steamed milk. Hence Caffe (Coffee) Latte (Milk) or Caffe (Coffee) Mocha (specialty syrup). A Mocha Latte is a hot chocolate.

If they want a Mocha Latte give them one. Whatever do I know. Im only Italian.

[coffee in exile]

@sidamo: that's just being willfully obstinate since latte in the US is recognized as milk plus espresso. while the customer might not be a peach there's no reason to escalate.

@teapartylemonade: why wouldn't it be a latte plus vanilla? like a latte with vanilla specifically has its own button but a latte plus any other flavor is just that? that seems needlessly complex.

[people are starving and your worried about a fifty cent refill....]

Wow. I'm having a hard time understanding why so many of you are getting so dogmatic over policy.

Just say yes trumps all other policies unless illegal or immoral. This means if a customer wants a doppio in an iced grande cup and then fills it with breve at the CB, so be it. Leave it alone. They aren't hurting anyone and you're getting yourselves all worked up over nothing.

Focus your attention on something more important, like selling via, lol.

Seriously guys, it's not that serious.

[tea-rex]

"Just say yes trumps all other policies unless illegal or immoral. This means if a customer wants a doppio in an iced grande cup and then fills it with breve at the CB, so be it. Leave it alone. They aren't hurting anyone and you're getting yourselves all worked up over nothing."

mmm, delicious milk variance...

[Superviso]

Funny, I was talking with a co-worker today about this. Starbucks spends a lot of time and money trying to keep customers who are actually COSTING the company money. Now I wouldn't really care, except for the fact that this lost money could be used to pay partners better, or market the current promos, etc. And the funny thing is, corporate doesn't appear to either a) realize this, or b) care that this is wasteful. Both would be issues if I were interested in running a serious business. Let's face it, Starbucks corporate is run by a bunch of yes-men/women who don't know what goes on at a cafe level, and don't care about truly good business practices. The customer is always right, but when they're costing you money, they're not a customer, they're a thief.

[the great alejandro]

By the by, a customer complained to corporate about one of our employees who asked him if "his girlfriend cared that he was bald?" I thought this was hilarious on many many levels. As a bald man himself, someone who takes it that high up over such a bizarre (and hilariously inappropriate) commnet has some issues. I don't know if this adds much to the discussion, but it's an outstanding anectdote.

[me, myself and I]

a vanilla latte and a latte add vanilla are the same drink and both get discounted with the eligible card.
Latte add mocha unfortunately gets discounted too, even though policy says no...

[red]

I had a man threaten my life in the store on 2 seperate occassions. Police report was filed. I got fired. That's what I heard from corporate.

[ncsm]

Anyone who gets worked up over "irregular" customer requests because of what they do to the dairy variance needs to keep in mind that milk variance is affected far more by 1) inaccurate dairy counts 2)partners giving away drinks to family & friends 3)failing to mark out partner beverages 4)overprepping/oversteaming. If you want to get agitated about customer orders, fine--be honest and upfront about it. Don't feign concern for variance!

[Juan Valdez]

I have to admit, I'm absolutely astonished by the references to the "good old days" from two years ago as opposed to the ratrace that is now SBUX.

At this point, two years ago, that Howard had been back in the CEO chair for six months and there was already a lot of grumbling on SBUX Gossip about how he was abandoning his principles.

It was two years ago this summer that the massive store closures and partner layoffs began to occur along with the crackdown on labor hours etc.

In fact, a year and a half ago, I started the "From The Comfy Chair" column in direct response to all the complaints about the way Howard and corporate were running the business - I wanted to truly see what effect it had at the store level.

Two years ago was when the you know what hit the fan.

In order to reminisce about the "good ole days", I think you have to go back at least 5 years, eh?

[Northwest]

the biggest contributor to dairy variance is the stores p-card

[RatherNotSay]

Juan, you are right. I remember things were slowly starting to change a little more than 6 yrs ago, I've been with the company for 10 yrs. When clean sweep was rolled out I noticed a major change in the way we, at the store level, were spoken to from the higher ups.

[javagirl666]

Clean sweep never would've been an issue if not for all of the lazy ass managers that couldn't keep their stores clean. Its a shame what we have endured with all of this nonsense for what seems like a very common sense thing..cleaning to maintain your stores.

[Coffee Ninja]

As someone who has coprate called on me twice, once for not giving some guy free venti frappuccinos that "tasted funny" TWO WEEKS PREVIOUS! And once for not giving some guy a refill ice tea on an "ice water" cup I can say that coprate really doesn't listen or care. One thing I have learned is that they don't care about how much free crap they give away as long as it makes people stopping complaining. At one point I didn't care that they gave away free stuff because it "wasn't hurting anyone". But the thing people don't realize is that these customers who complain arn't hurting coprate so much as the baristas and shifts. The price of drinks includes LABOR! If we keep giving out free drinks and refills we are hurting how many hours we get to work.
We follow policy we get yelled at.
We don't follow policy we get yelled at.
The company wants us to work so hard for them but they arn't willing to work for us or support us.
Sorry but a MUG award dosn't really brighten my day when I'm getting yelled at by customers and my company.
And I know there are going to be people here that think if we hate it so much or are so unhappy with the company to get out. But it's not about being unhappy because some of us actually do LOVE what we do, it's about being dissapointed in the company and wanting to make a change from the inside. And yes there are some of us out there that are activly trying to make things better, it's just an uphill battle somedays.

[curiouscustomer]

How does one ring up a hazelnut caramel latte?

And how do you ring up a peppermint mocha?

[Coffeejocky]

Dear curiouscustomer. Policy around the haz car latte is quite specific. If the total number of pumps is less than or equal to the standard number( say 4 for a grande) than it is Latte add (choose one) if it is over the standard (say 5 or more for grande) you get charged for both syrups.

PM = Mocha add pep syrup

[shift.misto]

coffeejocky.. do you actually work in a starbucks? that is NOT correct...

@curiouscustomer.
you get charged for the first syrup, not for the second. pumps don't matter.

Latte --->add caramel -->sub hazelnut.

Mocha --> sub peppermint.

(add is charge, sub is free)

[shift.misto]

@Sidamo
"A Mocha Latte is a hot chocolate"
oh? and what is a vanilla latte? or just.. a latte? would you give your customer a cup of plain warm milk?

[formermanager]

ninja, not to be a jerk.. its corporate.

[Guat.my.mala]

shift.misto.
You are wrong. A PM is a mocha, add peppermint because mocha is a sauce not a syrup and it is charged for BOTH. (That's why at holiday time, the PM is slightly more expensive). And other normal time, we ADD peppermint. You might want to get your facts straight before you go correcting people around here. I'm a 4 year partner and a SM.

[wondergekko]

shift.misto:
It should be:
Latte --->add caramel -->add hazelnut.

Mocha -->add peppermint
You are not substituting at all. In the Peppermint Mocha, you are charged for both syrups. With the Caramel Hazelnut Latte, the system won't charge for the second syrup.
For inventory purposes, you need to ring it correctly, especially with the Simphony POS.

[Sidamo,]

actually its Vanilla Caffe Latte.

The increased cost during holiday is for the addition of chocolate shavings, red sprinkles, and marketing. During that time it is a specialty drink. This is evidenced by the fact it is marked differently during holiday promo. The recipe is different. The PWM is the same price as a WM during holiday.

You ring once for the most expensive and sub the rest. You would sub the Peppermint. You add Caramel and sub Hazelnut. You are a store manager, you should know where the beverage resource manual is.

[Frappy Fran]

I bet Starbucks won't make the top 100 companies to work for this year!