Weekend OPEN THREAD: Let's get the chatter going!

Profits are up! VIA's selling like hotcakes! The dividend has been increased! Things are looking up -- right? Let us know. Discuss the state of Starbucks or anything SBUX-related in the weekend OPEN THREAD. || Jump to the second page of comments.

Comments

[Waltie]

"Does anyone think its possible for a store to hit 100% overall satisfaction on a customer voice without some kind of manipulation going on? "

Yes. All they have to do is satisfy all of their customers.

[Longo]

I too am leaving Starbucks for another job. Frankly, I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to work when so many people can't find jobs. Were there some negative aspects of the job? Of course, but when I look at the "big picture," the positives far outweighed the negatives. 97% of our customers are very nice people who are a pleasure to serve and to interact with. All but two of my co-workers care about what they are doing. My SM does a pretty good job.

All in all, I look back at these past two years and I really think that I could have done a whole lot worse. I do hope that the company remembers its roots and what makes it special before it becomes "just another coffee place." I hope that the partners realize that they are getting paid to WORK and to do things according to Starbucks' standards, whether they think they should or not. Finally, I hope that management and upper-level management remembers that the customers AND the partners are part of what makes the whole Starbucks experience unique. From what I've heard from long-term partners, the latter of the two is increasingly being forgotten about and so partners don't feel like they matter any more. Everyone needs to feel valued in order to make this work.

Best wishes to all, whether you're staying with Starbucks or moving on.

[(former) NJ_newbie]

Anyone know where the NJ Clovers are?? I'd LOVE to try a cup!!

[Christinschu]

Actually clover in NYC is about to explode. There are several stores about to launch clover in NYC. There are struggles to launching a clover in existing stores, however. My store would be perfect, but there simply is NO room for it!

[dottie]

No the stores that have 100% on cv are cheating somehow. Whether its outright by doing it themselves or just saving it for their favorite customers. Talk to your fellow SMs. I did when my cv was low and everyone else in my district was sky rocketing and that was the consensus.

[MelodyWithSbux-blog (link in name)]

@(former) NJ_newbie

I've heard that one Clover is in Paramus, NJ, on Route 17 south. The other I hear is in Englewood. Neither of these two stores come up in the store locator yet as having a Clover, but I've been firmly told that they have them. I could be wrong - I can't easily get there and check.

@Christinschu - Do you have any idea how many stores in NYC are getting the Clover? I would love a vacation to New York (but not in the summer when it's humid!).

[I.Heart.Spirit.]

@Waltie

I don't know if you've ever seen the comments from Customer Voice's...

But it is the average of three months. I've had comments on mine suggesting moving our store 3 blocks over to be closer to someone's house, getting rid of our green aprons for a different colour, upset we don't take checks, that we should build a tunnel to keep out all of the rain in our drive thru, upset we don't have fountain drinks, upset we don't have warming, etc... I can keep going.

The fact is, you can deliever legendary service, quickly, with a warm, delicious hand crafted beverage, but if you have crazy customers upset thinking you can pull a pizza out of your ass for them... then it would be highly unlikely to keep them 100% happy for three consecutive months.

[Barista Ben]

Thats my gripe with the customer voice. Most customers don't really care. The ones who have 'something to say' tend to give you poor scores and than complain about something you have no control over -- or even worse -- another store!

Or, on the flip side, you get the customers who also don't care but just give you high scores because you asked.

[Happy Customer]

Thanks for the feedback, everyone!

Would store-bought (rather than homemade) treats be better?

If I go the tip route, should I give the tip to them individually, or put it in the tip jar? Are the tips divided at the end of the day, or at the end of the shift?

If I want to get in touch with the DM, how do I get that info?

Thanks again...already looking forward to my Monday morning Starbucks...it's the only thing that gets me out of bed on Mondays!!

[Christinschu]

Melody: There is a Clover store at Spring and Crosby in SOHO already. Two stores are launching Clover in August that I know of in Manhattan (UWS I believe) and I know one or two are launching in queens and long island. There are more to come (I just overheard those few while in a Renovation meeting for my current store)

[LV]

Happy Customer -

It won't matter to the baristas too much whether they're homemade or store-bought, because we just appreciate the gesture.

Tips get put away and held until the end of the week, and then the week's tips are divided evenly according to hours worked.

As for the DM, a lot of times they'll have the DM's cards available at the register or condiment bar. If not, just ask a barista or shift lead for the number and they should be able to look it up. (providing that it's not too busy at the moment, and also providing that you make sure to tell them you want to deliver positive comments... otherwise, they might tell you they've lost the number. Haha.)

Glad you're so committed to letting them know you're happy. :) Customers like you can be few and far between.

[Hmmmmm?]

Just so you know "just a shift"... There are people at the business's you frequent that feel feel the same about your Hipster /played-out/ granola/ soccer mom/ jock/ complacent street youth/ stuck up priss (insert your label here) a$$. You may think you are a joy to all, but I promise you there is a board somewhere from the person that sold you your messenger bag or your single speed that is laughing at you. Enjoy life, stop being such a B-O-O H-O-O.

[*Long_(Chai)m_Partner*]

@Longo
I'm happy to hear you're moving onto bigger and better things. I've been a partner for over 9 years, and have moved up the chain from barista to store management. I have to say that sadly, you're absolutely right. The partners are getting so lost in the shuffle. I used to love the job I do, the people, the company. Literally, I would wake up in the morning so stoked to go to work. (I started when I was a sophomore in high school, so I got revved about working- free frappuccinos!)
In the recent months/years, we've fallen so quickly away from the uniqueness of our partners, from individuality of their spirits, and from having fun at work. This company has been so good to me, but honestly, I miss having amazing days at work. I miss being able to trust that my DM was not only my boss, but someone I could also bring concerns to, without being told to "figure it out yourself" or never getting a response. This used to be the best company to work for, and unfortunately, more and more partners- who are doing a fantastic job- are leaving for better opportunities because of the treatment.
I understand that no job is perfect, and there are going to be bad/off days in one's career... I just wish my partner number wasn't my only identity. I think a lot of partners are missing that personal connection and have begun feeling like they're just a number. I still love this company, and when the day comes for me to move on, I'll be so sad because it's been such a ride, one incredibly fun until recently. I, like you, hope that the company remembers who/what made it what it is: it's partners, the Third Place, and fantastic product, and in turn, the amazing customers who come in because of the first three.

[Goldilocks & the Three Baristas]

"Does anyone think its possible for a store to hit 100% overall satisfaction on a customer voice without some kind of manipulation going on? "

Absolutely not, if the sample number of customers is any reasonable number. There is no way that even 10 customers will be "highly satisified" with every aspect the CV measures. In a busy store that for the 18 months is increasingly understaffed this is even more true.

[shift.misto]

dear starbucks.
i can't wait to see you again this week, at your normal time and place.
I can't wait to see my fellow shifts and feel that giant elephant in the room. I can't wait to worry about my future with the company because you fall for every little trick a certain lazy lying coworker hands to you, SM. I can't wait to come in again and clean up everyone's mess. I can't wait to work my ass off for 8 hours just to get an all CAPS note that says something ridiculous like, forgot straws "sad-smiley". really? stock your own effing straws! you never stock a single thing for me. i count the long minutes until my next raise. and the years until i become an SM, at least then my store will finally be at the direction of a manager with the backbone to lead.

ah that felt good.

[Kro]

My old manager has her boyfriend fill out customer voice surveys in the lobby, so it's no surprise that her scores are so good. She even got a nice note from the regional manager about how great her partners were doing! Rock on Starbucks.

[(former) FLA SM]

re: Customer Voice...

The two biggest problems with customer surveys (it's the same at every company that uses them) are...

1. The responses are not always accurate. Two examples: my store was a mall store in a food court. Once I got a complaint about the lamps in my lobby being too dim for reading. A valid complaint except for the fact I didn't have lamps because I didn't have a lobby or seating for reading. Another time I got a complaint about the cleanliness of our restrooms. Again, a valid concern except for the fact I didn't have restrooms. The nearest restrooms were the mall facilities shared by all customers of the food court, not within my control.

2. If you don't receive the absolute highest score, then your score is a zero. I don't remember for sure, but I recall CV being scored on a scale of 1-5. And if you scored 4's across the board, indicating your customer was satisfied in every category, you got a zero. The SM would be berated for not having satisfied the customer, even though they clearly indicated they were satisfied in every category. Yeah, that makes sense.

[name]

I don't think anyone who has never worked behind the counter can judge just a shift, if you have work behind the counter I can respect if you disagree with him.

[trot101]

Reply to Waltie

It's sad that you are so paranoid that you can't appreciate a customer's attempt to say thanks. My customers bring us goodies all the time, and we appreciate them for it.You say she is a regular, so not a complete stanger. You remind me of someone else I know who pulls down all the shades in her house and rips out the mailing labels on her magazines "so no one can find out where she lives and do harm to her. Loosen up!

[John Devlin]

I was in Chicago over the weekend (Skokie, a northern suburb). There were many Starbucks pinpointed on a google map and I could not find any of them except a Barnes and Noble Cafe that only served House Blend, and another 5 miles away. None of the many other spots marked had a Starbucks that I could find.

Also there should be a different marking for free-standing Starbucks, 24 hour Starbucks, and for those hidden in grocery stores.

[Starbucks gossip webmaster]

John -- it sounds like you were in the old orchard mall b&n starbucks. There also is a store-owned starbucks in the mall.

[Waltie]

"It's sad that you are so paranoid that you can't appreciate a customer's attempt to say thanks. My customers bring us goodies all the time, and we appreciate them for it.You say she is a regular, so not a complete stanger. You remind me of someone else I know who pulls down all the shades in her house and rips out the mailing labels on her magazines "so no one can find out where she lives and do harm to her. Loosen up!"

Don't worry about me. I'm not a shut in and I've never once been told to loosen up by anybody who's ever met me. I just don't eat food given to me by strangers. If that's paranoia, I guess I'm paranoid. But then, I'm also paranoid for washing my hands after using a public restroom or for wearing a seatbelt when I drive my car.

[Spazzy Starbucks Student]

Hi there! I'm a very happy Starbucks customer who is distracting myself from my work. This blog has been so interesting to read (I've checked out a lot of the previous 'OPEN THREAD's / interesting looking topics).

@Happy Customer, I'm with you here. I, too, love my Starbucks and wish there was more I could do to thank them. I'm entering my junior year in high school, and find myself the most productive doing schoolwork almost daily at my local Starbucks. The majority of partners are SO incredibly energetic, down-to-earth and a lot of fun to talk to! I definitely would not have made it through my very grueling finals without their support during my afternoon till late night study sessions there. Maybe I'll see about baking something for them when I end up back in the States, as I'm away for the summer. Haha, I know I've reached a good relationship with my favorite partners when I have been concerned that someone may leave during my 7+ weeks abroad this summer... that would absolutely devastate me. Do you think they'd accept food from me? I love to bake, but I'm not sure if the fact that I'm 16 makes it more creepy for me to bake for them... hm. Enlighten me?

I find it so interesting that I've read so many negative stories from partners working at Starbucks. When my Starbucks "craze" (it's now become my study space, relaxation space, meet a friend to talk space, read a book space, and everything in between...) first started, I really aspired to someday be the person behind the counter putting a smile on somebody's face with a small gesture, the way my partners do every time I go to the store. Is this just a childish, idealistic dream? Will it only get worse during the 2 years before I turn 18, the legal age to work at Starbucks in my state? Eek...

OH. One more thing. At my overseas Starbucks locations, there are a lot of interesting drinks that I don't think exist in the States... examples being the Lemon Hibiscus (something like a PTL blended with ice), and these interesting frappuccinos made with 'coffee jelly.' Are these Asia exclusives, or have I just missed them come to the US? I didn't realize how different the menu would be over here... definitely took some getting used to!

Thanks, and hope everyone is well! Sorry for the wicked long post, just had some questions / things to say. My friends think I'm wacky when I talk to them about how Starbucks is my "second home"...

[Funnny]

""Does anyone think its possible for a store to hit 100% overall satisfaction on a customer voice without some kind of manipulation going on? "

Yes. All they have to do is satisfy all of their customers."

HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!