Let's get the weekend OPEN THREAD going!

How are "The 12 Days of Sharing" daily deals going over at your store? Discuss this or anything else Starbucks-related in the OPEN THREAD.

Comments

[spence]

The 12 days of sharing have been a huge success. Almost, too much. A couple times, we didn't have as much product as we should have.

[I <3 music]

I'm off after four hours of dt order taker. I sold 30 bliss trays!

[winterene]

Maybe somebody reading this can help me. At some point during the summer, Starbucks changed the store locator on their site to use some kind of Java script. Since the change, I have not been able to figure out an easy and automated way to determine which stores have closed. I used to be able to run code to download the list and compare it against my database to see which stores were not longer listed, but I have not figured out a way to do this with their new locator. I'm sure dozens of stores have closed since the summer, and my website and list (starbuckseverywhere.net and starbuckseverywhere.net/ClosedStores.htm) are getting more and more out of date.

If anybody has insight on how to fix this problem, or knows of store closures since the summer, I'd appreciate it.

[Waltie]

Doesn't the website's store locator have store phone numbers? Why not just call and say, "Hey... are you still open?"

[CD]

@Winter - does the store locator app store the information in the app and could you retrieve the data from the app? And could you archive the data (or app version) prior to updating the app?

[7even]

Has anyone in NYC seen this kid?
http://www.facebook.com/pages/I-Bet-Your-Local-Coffee-Shop-Doesnt-Have-This-Hat/169448519755317

[CD]

Howard Schultz - It is very shameful that Starbucks has created an environment where its front line employees (intentional avoidance of the term "partner") feel compelled to spend their wages just to meet sales quotas.

While a pound of Christmas blend may be "only $7.95" today, it takes an entire hour for your front line employees to earn enough to make that purchase. For the quotas and pressure to be so intense that these employees are driven to make their goals by buying product must really be questioned.

Its not just today's goals. How many of your hourly employees have bought unwanted VIA just to get the pressure off?

Is this the company your father would be proud to see you run?

[hearbutloud]

CD- I have NEVER bought things to make goal. My manager, on the other hand, has. But it's his/her ass - not mine - if we don't make sales quota.

[Vimax]

Great STARBUCKS! I think its unfortunate that Digitech's Papervision Capture and PaperFlow were not rated or mentioned. Why is that? Capture professionals in service bureaus predominantly use this product and it shows up #1 in the executive forum survey every year.

[Starbucks Barista 2005-2008]

I posted this in another thread, but I figured I'd post it here in the open thread in case someone doesn't answer it in the other one.

So here is a question for all current baristas. It is my understanding that you guys/gals are required to pull double shots, and can not pull singles anymore, for any espresso based beverages. Say you are making an espresso based drink that requires 3 shots. Obviously, you are going to pull two doubles, which means you will have one left in the end. What do you do with the remaining shot? Do you give it to the customer for free if they want it, or do you toss it out? What is Starbucks' official stance on this?

[Starbucks Barista 2005-2008]

@Winter

Love your site man! I've used it on several occasions to get a beat on stores I plan on visiting when I go out of town. It's also helped with planning road trips. Thank you for doing what you do!

[Stxbarista]

At my store we usually toss the shot. Now if I notice the person wanting a 3rd shot looks like they could use a 4th as well, AND they've been decent with me, I'm happy to include it if they agree. It contributes to less waste, which adds up at a high volume store. On the official stance, I have no clue lol.

[Mrs. Tillinghamshackles]

Starbucks Barista 2005-2008
All Mastrena stores got their machines upgraded and can pull single shots.

[Mike Pollock]

@winterene

Try http://mobile.starbucks.com which hasn't been redesigned since 2007, but the back-end data is actually current.

[Staxman]

I'm wondering if Starbucks' recent problems aren't just a function of its sheer size, other issues aside.

As a customer, I became disenchanted with Starbucks in the early 2000's. It wasn't that baristas didn't remember my name and favorite drink--given that I went to a lot of different locations, I didn't expect that. It was that my (not terribly complicated) drink wouldn't always be made correctly, and that baristas were rude on a number of occasions. I haven't been pleased with Tully's either.

I've never had any serious issues with an indie coffee place, or walked out of an indie place angry. On the few occasions that I've had minor problems an indie place, a word to the owners has put things right in short order.

[I.Heart.Spirit]

Does anyone have any good websites to find more information /fun facts about our coffee, besides starbucks.com and they coffee and tea resource manual on the portal?

[slaw275]

in re: the 4th shot,
Many times there is another triple waiting behind the drink I am currently making, or a tall drink that would get a single shot. That's why it gets a little irritating when the customer says "oh, and just throw that 4th shot in there too."

I will say, the best way to get the freebie shot is to NOT ask for it... many partners will offer it up with a smile as long as you don't seem like you expect to get it.

[kymgr]

Regarding the extra shot... Order the drink that you plan to receive. The barista can give you the extra shot but is not required to give it to you.
When I had the Verismo machines and was going to end up with an extra shot, I would just tell the customer that I had an extra shot and could give it to them if they wanted it. I would purposely not tell them why I had an extra shot so that it would not be an expectation if I needed the shot for another drink. These are the customers that seemed to actually appreciate it.
I can't tell you how many customers come in from other stores that I have seen become irate when I tell them that I am using the fourth shot for the drink that is behind their drink...

That is a really long way to say: If you want it, ask for it when you order and pay for it. If it is offered and you didn't ask for it, enjoy it. If the store has the shiny new mastrena machines, it doesn't exist unless the barista accidentally pushes the wrong button.

[Redacted]

To add to the 4th shot discussion...

I thought that Starbucks had instituted a "make one drink at a time" rule--so saving the 4th shot for the next drink violates that rule as you are technically starting another drink before the first is finished.

How's that for a dilemma?

[catty]

@Redacted

Now with BR2 we can make two drinks at a time.

[slaw275]

the milk for the 2nd drink should be steaming as soon as the milk for the first drink is finished, which is well within the time constraints of pulling two doubles. it actually works out kind of perfect =)

[usorthem3]

Starting a new POS system three weeks before Xmas was probably not the best timed decision for speed of service. Reminds me of the original opening date for Denver's airport being set for the Tuesday of Thanksgiving week. Did know one think this might be a bad time?

[Melody (reply to I.heart.spirit)]

@I.heart.spirit -

Fun coffee information. My blog has a little, though I need to fill in a lot more. Link in name goes to my whole bean menu. I especially like the Verona and Sumatra blog posts. ;)

The 15th Avenue Coffee and Tea blog (the Starbucks that isn't called a Starbucks on 15th East) has some really great coffee related posts if you dig through it:

http://www.streetlevelcoffee.com/blog/

They also cover a lot of tea information too, but still it is extremely informative.

If you really dig through the official Starbucks.com blogs you'll find some amazing coffee blog posts. I like this one on espresso roast:

http://www.starbucks.com/blog/espresso-roast-e28093-at-the-core-of-it-all

And here is a blog post about Starbucks sourcing coffee from the Yunnan province in China... another great post:

http://www.starbucks.com/blog/628/history-in-the-making

I hope that helps a little.

[spence]

2 weeks before Christmas and we are still seeing 2 person deployment.

[matt]

whats the new promo???

[spence]

Matt, No freakin idea. And I was the closer and supposed to set it up. But we aren't allowed to stay late. And we had 2 person deployment. And it was crazy busy. Lately, I feel that we have been set up to fail. Not by the SM, though. I've been watching the labor hours for the week and we just aren't getting the hours we received in years past.
Questions of the night? Wash the floors or the clean the bathrooms? Can't do both.
Set up the displays or serve customers? Can't do both.
Clean the pastry case or wrap the pastries so they will not be hard by morning? Can't do both.
Wash the dishes or clean the sinks? Can't do both.
The questions never ended.

[TZ]

The Winter 1 promo drink is Skinny Caramel Macchiato. Which to me does not make any sense. We do not have sugar free caramel sauce. So that is printed with a small asterisk.

[jetblue711]

Really? Skinny Caramel Macchiato? After all those years of pounding the Sugar-Free Vanilla Non-Fat Caramel Macchiato into the guests and explaining that it is not a skinny beverage, hence I will not call it out as one.

[Hipsterdufus]

I just want to emphasize something some one already said, the new machines do not require a double shot to be pulled, so many many stores do not pull this "extra" shot. Only stores with older machines

[Coffee Soldier]

In my store we are using same exact amount of hours as prior year going by the holiday planning report and doing 10-18% over in sales and earning less labor....every single week for the past 3 weeks we have gone over anywhere from 3-6%. How is this possible? We've sold also sold about 30% more drinks os it's not that we are not selling the beverages to account for more labor....and it is nearly every store around feeling this crunch. I think something was done to labor by the company and it wasn't communicated to the stores. Working with 2 people in a DT store from 6 to 10p stinks!

[spence]

Coffee Soldier, You are right and phrased it better than I did. There is no doubt in my mind that corporate has changed the labor and kept it a secret. But we on the floor, have noticed. My SM refuses to go over labor. We have to stop the line to make more whipped cream. We have to stop the line to go wash the whipped cream containers. The new customers that come in for the holidays are getting a terrible experience.

[Bongoagain]

I remember the two person deployment from last year and the qasa forms and it has all returned this year. Along with higher VIA goals and the 12 days of sharing which was good for whole bean but we didn't sell nearly enough VIA to make our plan.
It would be better if we took away the majority of paper cups we receive and encourage customers to bring in their own cup. And that doesn't include a large thermos about the size of a coffee urn unless they want to pay for a traveler.
Here is a Starbucks idea: begin our wages at $10 per hour, give excellent training, and make our environment look like a coffee shop.

[A Non eMoose]

Agreed about the labor problem. Add to that the fact that people are naturally getting sick around this time, which wreaks absolute havoc on our store. Sick people are absolutely not allowed to call out, ever. Cough on the money, sneeze onto that sandwich, run into the back real quick to puke before coming back out to finish that line of drinks, who cares. If one of them happens to be sick enough to be in the hospital, the entire day is ruined as people have to work one-person deployments or people get no days off for the week at all because they are forced to come in and work. I've heard quite a few customer comments/complaints about it already personally (since obviously this makes things move quite slow), and we're not even in our busiest time yet. Great.

[xwhipGBL]

a Non emoose, same thing in our store. :( It creates so much stress and tension.

[spence]

I'm sure Howard knows it's bad out there but I really doubt he has any idea just how bad it is.

[Anonymous]

Great post like it. Need more. if any one want to make a better website that can earn money please visit http://codeawebsite.com here i have have learned to make a better website which is generating huge income, try yourself.

[winterene]

@Mike--thanks, but http://mobile.starbucks.com is out of date--it lists stores that have long since closed.

@Waltie--I would have to call every single store (7000+) periodically. That's not feasible.

@CD--It might be possible to figure out how to get the app, but I don't know Java (or JavaScript) well enough right now. Clearly the data must exist in order for the browser to display it in my window, but I haven't figured out where it is yet.

[usorthem3]

@Coffee Soldier The parameters of the program can be changed just like changing ground zero to minus 200ft for a plane. It crashes into the tarmac. Sad what has happened to the experience from just four years ago. We have a rehire employee that was hire just before me. I'm looking forward to seeing reactions to the new techniques for everything. When you run lean you have to run mean.

[javagirl666]

Corporate hasn't changed labor. Your sales may be up, but what about transactions??? My transactions are up 15% over last year and i've been earning close to 25 more hours/week.

[rathernotsay]

We too have seen a lack of labor. Comp sales up from last year, transactions are up too, less labor though. DM refuses to recognize this, all stores are complaining, except low volume who can't work with less than 2 anyway. Heard it was from BR2 rolling out, now we are lean and mean so we shouldn't need as much labor to run this machine!

[NCSM]

My store does not have this problem with labor you guys are claiming. I've added hours to my schedule every weekend since Thanksgiving so I don't get in trouble for running too much under labor. For those of you who are running 2-man at night, sounds like your SM needs to spread the labor around to the night shifts rather than padding the morning and mid.

[letmeruncorporate]

the thing with transactions is bs. beverages should matter. when its the same transactions but i have people ordering trays of drinks or cars ordering for five people food and beverages that takes more even though its just one transaction. bottom line is we do not have enough labor for the experience we are expected to deliver. the starbucks experience and third place are long gone.

[letmeruncorporate]

ncsm...is that a nor cal sm?

[Hipsterdufus]

before I left we were up several percent in transaction comps and earning the same amount or LESS labor.

[east coast mgr]

when we run out of whip and we are still slammed .. I just don't serve whipped cream ... too bad, cant 'make' more people be on the floor & most customers are cool with it. They can also see we are busy & if not I tell the m to write mystarbucksidea.com

[...]

My transactions have to be up because of ringing every beverage seperate from the gold card cheapskates. What gets us is we give away so many drinks from such long drink times. We are outnumbered so bad that if we get a big order (six drinks or more happens more often than youd think) it makes everybody behind them wait that much longer. Those who wait so long get a free drink. Those free drinks and large orders actually manage to learn us less labor. This gives us even less labor to handle the same rush a few schedules up and it is even worse then and keeps compounding.

10 x 90% x 90% x 90% x 90% = 66% of the labor to start with after a month. Our stores sales are so capped its unreal and a DM/SM so unwilling to staff as to increase sales.

[Waltie]

So stop giving people free drinks. If there's a line out the door, people should expect a slight wait. Don't give free drinks to somebody should because they happen to be behind somebody with a large order. That makes no sense.

[getsomeknowledge]

@CD it's not hard to sell people on buying a pound of beans at that price. And get this: Starbucks is a business. I'd like to see another business who didn't try to upsell people, sell to people and , wow , novel idea-make money!

[getsomeknowledge]

@redacted it's 2 drinks at a time. It was always 2 at a time

[getsomeknowledge]

mystarbucks idea isn't for complaints. KNOWLEDGEABLE. Tell them there is a form to fill out. Only, then they would get you in trouble, and you don't want that, do you? Yes, there is a form customers, that you can pick the store for and give your specific complaint: http://www.starbucks.com/customer-service/contact/retail-stores-form