Post away on the first OPEN THREAD of 2008

Here's a chance for customers to ask questions of baristas -- and an opportunity for Starbucks employees wipe off their forced smiles (if it's indeed that's what they are) and be honest about how they're feeling about their jobs and the company.

Comments

I ask this because in my other district, which is a thousand miles away, managers use promoting and creative in-store advertising to move retail items. Slashing prices is not part of the agenda.

In the past in other areas , I was told to NEVER do this, it is wrong and creates inconsistancy for our customers, I like it that I can do it where I am now.

[fuwalda]

I didn't think the free song downloads promotion was dumb. Customers loved it at my store. It really increased repeat business. I thought it was a fun, exciting, extremely successful promotion.

[baristababe32207]

I need help from my fellow Sbux partners. I am set to panel at the end of next month for ASM and I am currently in training. Can anyone tell me what to expect and what type of questions would be asked and if I its worth it. I've been when the company for 2 years and I love it and the customers. Despite all the negativity involved. I've been at the same store for 2 years and went through 9 managers and it still has not change my perception of my company. I love my store, I love my customers, I love my partners, and I love what I do. My plan is to leave my full time job to hopefully become ASM and eventually SM. P.S. do anyone have any ideas for comunity services...some ideas I had was to raise Coffee for our troops and volunteer building homes.

[Jamie]

Thinking about jumping on board the ship that is Starbucks..........

I am have been offered a job as an ASM in a quite busy location, coming from years as a restaurant/bar manager. Does anybody have any comments or things I should be concerned about before joining in the Starbucks experience?

Emails reveal Starbucks spied on staff looking to establish union

By Stephen Foley in New York
Published: 11 January 2008

Starbucks managers monitored internet chatrooms and eavesdropped on party conversations in a covert campaign to identify employees agitating for union representation at the coffee chain, internal emails reveal.

The correspondence has come to light after a long-running legal battle between the company and a union angry at being prevented from organising among Starbucks' 150,000-strong army of "baristas" and other employees.

The revelations come at a sensitive time, threatening to tarnish the chain's public image just as its pioneering chief executive, Howard Schultz, is trying to re-energise the company and attract customers back to its coffee shops.

In one email exchange, managers sought information about a Halloween party attended by employees, and reported how two people at the party had a discussion about union organisation. The conversation ended, one manager noted, because the two employees "were attracted to each other and this became the focus of their evening".

Starbucks says it does not prevent employees from organising into unions, they just don't want to. It has been fighting what it calls "disruptive" activity by the Industrial Workers of the World union since at least 2004, the emails make clear. "Below is a summary of the recent developments in New York City regarding our attempts to thwart a potential union situation," one three-year-old email begins.

The correspondence – leaked to The Wall Street Journal – came to light just days after Mr Schultz returned to the post of chief executive at the company he turned from a tiny Seattle business with just four stores into a global phenomenon. He has promised to put staff at the heart of a plan to revitalise the firm.

In a letter to employees and customers posted on the Starbucks website after his appointment, Mr Schultz wrote how he had "brought Starbucks to life" by hiring "an exceptionally engaged group of partners (employees) who shared our excitement about building a different kind of company. In doing this, we developed a culture based on treating each other, our customers and our coffee growers with respect and dignity."

Yesterday, a company spokesman said Starbucks abided by all labour laws, such as those that ban a company for firing employees for union sympathies. He said Starbucks was confident it would prevail in its legal dispute with IWW supporters claiming wrongful dismissal. The dispute "focused on enforcement of Starbucks dress code and [union lapel] pin policies, and partner disciplinary actions", he said. "These documents have been presented out of context and in vio-lation of a judge's orders."

The emails show that managers monitored a Cornell university alumni discussion board to identify employees that had graduated from a labour programme at the university, and they discuss when identified "IWW supporters" are next up for an appraisal and whether they might be at risk of firing.

According to the WSJ, managers several times expressed concern that emails could turn up in a legal case. In one 2005 email, a manager wrote: "Not to sound too 007 here but I am going to ask that we delete these messages after reading and stick to verbal conversations as none of this is protected under attorney client privilege and is subject to full disclosure."

[sonicangel]

I am very envious of every sbux partner who love their jobs!!! While i do enjoy my job, and most of my coworkers, my store manager is a controlling LIAR!!! She talks about other partners behind their backs, and sometimes even customers. She always leaves early, which i guess we don't really complain about that, but we are pretty sure she doesn't put vacation time in for it.
Sometimes sbux will tell us to do things a 'certain way' but then she turns around and tells us to do things her way.
She will scold us in front of other partners, and customers, but says she's just 'coaching'.
Even though the list goes on, and we all have our complaints, none of us partners are compelled to say anything, because there would be a reckonning...by her!!
I think my favorite part about the job, and while i've stayed at her micro-managed store, is my co-workers, and about 90 percent of the customers!!! With all their sometimes quirks! I usually laugh when i'm there, causing others to laugh!
I love reading that others love their store AND THEIR MANAGER! Like i said earlier, i'm jealous of you...For others out their whose managers ruin your life, just know you are not alone out there, and i can only hope and pray that there is something or someone out their to make you smile at work as well.

[sasa gabore]

A STORM IS BREWING.
-------------------
Starbucks in Britain are FILTHY!
Think Starbucks have problems at home? the bubble is ready to blow in Europe too...

My local starbucks in London (enfield) has not changed decor and filthy chairs in over 8 years ! situation is not much better in most British starbucks.

As the competition hots up expect Starbucks to kick the bucket...

Badly run company.

[asdf]

Hmmm...

sonicangel ...

your store manager sounds A LOT like mine. What part of the country do you work in?

[newASM]

On being an ASM....

I paneled almost a year ago, and just got promoted. I think one's journey to ASM depends on the district. We have a large district where I am (actually, it split in 2 last year) and so they can afford to be a little more picky.

When you panel, talk about specific conversations you've had with partners about their performance, how you have contributed to their development, how you have created relationships with customers and how you have grown the business. Remember to use specifics! That's what they are looking for. Also be sure to review the "Success Profile" for ASM (in the book or on the portal) and take a look at the behavioral interview deck that we use when interviewing applicants.

To the partner who asked about community ideas: we've done several auctions over the past couple years that have been very successful. We simply chose a cause (breast cancer, homeless shelter, etc.) and asked local business to donate items. Partners would sign up for volunteer slots and it would last 1-2 days.

[fallon]

does anyone else have such petty petty drama going on in their store?

First of all, may I ask why my manager hires all girls between the ages of 16 and 20? This brings nothing but drama, bitching, lying, gossiping crap into and behind the counter of my store.

Second of all... why can't anyone show up for work. Who raised these girls? Didn't their parents teach them the value of getting to work ON TIME and every time they are on the schedule?

Third. Why does my manager confide in me ( a shift) that she doesn't want to work there anymore and she hopes she gets fired and she just wants to go home and be with her little girl and she wants to leave early and blah blah blah... what is going on?

AND why can't she make a decent schedule? why do I have to come in everyday and freak out because we don't have enough people... we are a drive thru store and three partners for three hours in the afternoon on a friday is just not ok. We need to have four people behind the counter to even function...agh!

how do I handle this crap?

[jlo12132003]

Ruby Doomsday:

I'm an SM at a Starbucks, and despite the Certificate of Proficiency, you are still considered a minor until you are 18. Federal law mandates that minors cannot work until after 3pm, and then only for four hours through the week. Weekends, you could work an 8 hour shift, but you can only work a maximum of 20-24 hours a week. As for there being multiple managers, our shifts can be considered the manager on duty. You could always ask for the store manager. Unfortunately, if she already has 2 minors, then she probably can't hire you, just due to the availability that Federal Law mandates us to follow. See if there are any other stores in the area that she could possibly forward your application to. I know it kinda stinks, I have the same issue at my store. There are some great kids applying, I just can't hire them at the moment. Hang in there.

[CoffeeMan]

First of all, I did not write what Sonic Angel and Fallon posted, but I'm so grateful for what they said. I LOVE Starbucks (I was at 3 today!), but the gossip about customers by young women employees age 16-20 is hurtful. I've left a store for good because of this. I know it's just part of growing up, but it doesn't happen at every Starbucks, so it must also have something to do with training, or the fact that they have too much free time.

About the skinny thing, I don't even know what it's all about because I usually just order coffee or americano, but for what it's worth, I noticed 4 women at 3 different stores order something with the word skinny in it as I was waiting in line to order. Must be something to it.

And to repeat, I LOVE Starbuck's. With the exception of my one bad experience at one Starbuck's I have nothing but the highest regard for the company and all the baristas. As one of your coworkers said to me, "they're just kids." But it still hurts (the gossip and silent treatment).

[Bryan]

I am currently a full - service resteraunt manager and I make under 40k a year.

Can anyone tell me what managers make in the St. Louis market? I have 6 years of resteraunt experience and 1 year management experience. I probably work about 55 hours...in a slow week. What are the hours like? What are the duties of a manager? You can email me at [email protected]

Thanks a lot

[blackbux]

this concerns whining creaton customers who snivel about long lines, the drink isnt right and any other assinine complaint. Prehaps while you're whining at Starbucks partner you should ask them to lay down on the floor for you and you can wipe your feet on them like a door mat. You lazy humps need to understand ITS JUST COFFEE!

[Xan]

"Happy New Year Baristas far and wide! Everyone says Starbucks is ubiquitous and the same everywhere. I disagree. That's because people make the difference. Each one is a fascinating microcosm of our new ethos, which demands infinite choice, yet craves familiarity."

lol wut

[Scout's Honor]

LOts of comments from a loyal customer:

okay, after all you guys talked about skinnies, I ordered one yesterday. Disgusting!

I also made sure to make a fool out of myself and ordered a really caloric pumpkin scone with it. The scone was okay (hate the new orange-y icing and trans-fat free), but that mocha was just wrong-- super gross. Given, I usually only order peppermint mochas anyways during the holidays, so they really aren't to my taste anyways.

I think SFUX mochas make my teeth feel like they are covered in fuzz. I wish they wouldn't use powdered crap. I miss Panama Bay in the East Bay of SF--they used a liquid chocolate for mochas-yum. We now live in Seattle.

Also, why were all the stores so large and beautiful in SF area, but Seattle, while having plentiful stores, are all small and cramped, with few drive thrus or fireplaces or places to spread out?

Admittedly, SBUX employess seem friendlier in Seattle, but service is sooo slow compared to California stores with far fewer customers. Hmmm?

Finally, my friend showed me this ghetto trick. She orders a Venti shaken black ice tea, no sugar, no water, no ice. She ask for another Venti Cup full of ice. She gulps twice. Throws the remaining into the cup of ice and while still in line (she hasn't even paid yet) asks for a 50 cent refill. She gets 2 drinks for almost the price of one-- to go. How bad is that? She did it when I was with her the other day. I was soooo embarassed.

Final thought: I always bring my kids to Starbucks. They love it. I saw some comments above about no kids welcomed. That's wrong. How do you get them addicted early, eh?

Seriously, the first time I ever feel my children aren't welcome in a store, will be the absolute last time I grace that store with my dollars. Our kids are well behaved, love reading from the SBUX book baskets, and sitting on the little chairs. If kids aren't welcome, why have those things? Or kid sizes?

Speaking of, my two kids' hot chocolates were room temperature before we sat down yesterday. WTF? They ended up not drinking them. Do they make them at such a cool temperature all the time? This is the first time we experienced this.

Finally, I am ones of those stay at home wives mentioned above in large houses. That does not for one minute justify rudeness. I had many jobs in my teens and twenties in food service/retail and I know it can suck. That's why I always try to greet a barista with a smile and say thank you. It has to do with people's character and souls, not their bankbook or their ability to stay at home. There truly are mean people everywhere and in every walk of life. You just get to see it more because SBUX appeals to every subset of the community. SBUX will give you a superior education in people and the world at large.

Finally, my friend showed me this ghetto trick. She orders a Venti shaken black ice tea, no sugar, no water, no ice. She ask for another Venti Cup full of ice. She gulps twice. Throws the remaining into the cup of ice and while still in line (she hasn't even paid yet) asks for a 50 cent refill. She gets 2 drinks for almost the price of one-- to go. How bad is that? She did it when I was with her the other day. I was soooo embarassed.

Your friend is being dishonest at least, and I would be embarassed too!

Kid's hot chocolates are steamed to 140 degrees, which is less than a beverage for an adult. Couple that with the smaller size and whipped cream and you have a drink that cools off substantially faster. It could be that previously the drinks were being made incorrectly.

For god's sake...listen for your Name/Drink and take the one that YOU ORDERED! I'm sorry but if you ordered a hot chocolate, DONT TAKE A FRAPPUCCINO!!

Dolce:

You commented on Black Friday Sales. Trust me, I'm right there with you. We're easily a $10k store that day and we only have 1 pair of machines and an amazingly small store. I feel your pain. We dont have the label machines we just stick to regular drink calling though.

[SurprisinglyHopeful]

sonicangel, i know i'm a day late and at least a couple dollars short on this, but your SM's behavior is beyond unacceptable. she should be, as my DM says, promoted to customer.

since you (obviously) can't talk to her about it, go over her head. speak to your DM. his or her phone number should be readily available for you, and call from your home if you have to. you do not need to tolerate that behavior.

[SurprisinglyHopeful]

i have been with starbucks for fifteen months. after a string of crap customer service jobs and one "real job" where i was a cubicle monkey, i gave in to my best friend's cajoling and filled out an app at her store. the manager told me during my interview that she was so blown away by me that the interview was really a formality and she was using it as a training exercise for a shift she was grooming for ASM.

fast forward. this manager is the only manager i have had in any job that was HAPPY to be at work, genuinely loved her job, and believed in me. she admired my commitment to my job (i completed my passport within 59 days of hire, even though i don't drink straight coffee), and i was promoted to shift within nine months -- the only promotion i've ever received in ten years of steady employment.

fast forward again. my manager moved out of state. my store has a new manager, hand-picked by our DM who was recently tranferred from florida (i'm in upstate ny). the store is in CHAOS. my partners don't want to be there, everyone feels lost, and everyone is cranky, and our customers are noticing the difference.

i'd heard of this website but never visited until today. i've been reading since about 5pm. i'm addicted. but my point is that this ambiguity is solidifying my commitment to starbucks.

whether we baristas like it or not, we ARE starbucks, on and off the clock. and it might be hard to smile and say, "thanks, have a good day" to that customer who is constantly cranky and wouldn't even try the ubora blend because it sounded "like and african virus" and he doesn't "want to get sick," but it's your job to smile.

post here anonymously to vent. this isn't the place to yell at customers. do that privately, in the little hell in your head. you know the one. ^.^

[Amanda]

To the lady who has the friend with the iced tea deal...

Ugh! I can't stand stuff like that!

I want a venti iced americano no water extra ice, then I'm going to take it to the condiment bar and pour the whole 2% carafe into my cup.

Yeah...you're not fooling anyone.

I have one lady who always comes in and says this and I HATE IT for two reasons which I will explain below (see that will keep you reading!)

"I want a venti mocha frappuccino with two add shots and any that's left over I want it poured into another cup for me."

Okay.

Here's my first issue: I know how to make the damn drink so that there isn't any left over. That's my JOB.

Second issue: Assuming that there were some left over, you are paying for x ounces of drink, and not more...and that's what I'm going to give you. I really hope that she says this because of the espresso shots, because that I can understand...if she said to any other frapp I would lose it.

Also, she stands DIRECTLY at the hand off and stares at you while you make it to make sure you aren't dumping any of her preciousness down the drain.

Okay I'm being obnoxious. It just bugs me when people imply that I don't know what the hell I'm doing.

One day I want to make another venti whatever just ahead of hers with like an entire venti worth of extra and dump that crap down the drain right in front of her, then when she freaks out, tell her, "Don't worry. That wasn't your drink...I'll make sure yours has none left over. If you want a venti and a grande frappuccino...order both."

Obviously I would never really do that. Just kidding. Sort of.

Thanks for listening :)

[Amy]

I'm an 11 year SBUX customer and have noticed that one Starbucks I visit occasionally puts whipped cream on anything it can: apple cider, hot chocolate, caramel macchiato, all the frappucinos....even despite my ordering light or skim (WHY would you order Light or Skim and then put all that fat/calories on top?). I was thrilled to read earlier here that someone is trying to only put whip on drinks when it's asked. Is that going to become a more widespread practice???

Amy-

You'd be surprised. When I ask whether or not the person wants whip on their non-fat whatever, about half the time they say yes. A lot of people justify the whip by getting the drink non-fat/sugar free.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

This just in! There's something brewing at Starbucks. I have only receive a preliminary report but I heard the brewed coffee will get a change. Not sure what is happening but apparently its going to be a new platform sometime in March or April. If anyone has any information concerning this, please respond.

BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL
PRIMUS INTER PARES
STARBUCKS REBEL ALLIANCE
AIM SN: BOSTONSTARREBEL

I know it makes no sense, but many people get whip on their no fat drink. It's.....nuts! Maybe we should have nut toppings too - lot's of fat!!!