The big orange display and the counter filled with VIA samples greeted me at my Starbucks store at 6:15 a.m. this morning. What's the buzz in your store, and how are VIA and the "value meals" selling? || Read "Starbucks addresses the price issue and breakfast"
Does anyone else have "sales goals?" I was expected today, in my Chicago loop store, to sell 5 boxes of Via in my 3 hour shift, and again in my 3 hour shift tomorrow and so on... Oy. Other than that, people I suppose seemed interested, but more apathetic than anything. Telling them they can add it to ice water seems to intrigue customers. (Didn't help me sell any, though.)
Posted by: It's just a job | March 03, 2009 at 10:59 PM
i wanna add via to pellegrino water. lol
Posted by: ananasosaur | March 03, 2009 at 11:08 PM
I think we all have sales goals but some districks and regions are more vocal about them then others. I look at it as just one more way I can disappoint my DM. She seems to want to be disappointed about something so I'll give her this one for free. She's a real pain.
The company can set goals for me all they want, it doesn't mean I'm going to do anything different. The company keeps disapointing me so I guess now were even.
Posted by: who cares anyway ;^/ | March 04, 2009 at 12:09 AM
who cares anyway-
totally understand where you are coming from with the goals. My DM stopped by my store while I was on meal break and asked my about my USD Goals, and I refrained from responding- "75 customer voice, 95QUASA, Increase sales, decrease Costs, sell more pastry, decrease mark out, 2% bakery variance, 0% VTI, NO OT..., no working off the clock(HINT) and that's why I didn't finish hanging my window clings, and haven't set goals for pairing because I just couldn't picture costing the company overtime in this economy, and after training I clearly understand time work = time paid!" I chose to answer, "I don't know, what are they?" instead. I will suggest the pairing, but I am not going to go out of my way to force customers into it. That won't bring them back to my store. Really, I think we all have more important goals than via and pairing usd, like keeping the customers we have satisfied once they walk in the door! Let them know about the deals, but we don't have to shove our value and via down there throats if that's not what they want, and then get reprimanded for not guilting customers into something they don't want in the attempt to meet one more target.
And I will explain the financial and emotional impact of her interrupting my meal break after I process my meal break violation next Monday:)
Posted by: expired shot | March 04, 2009 at 12:44 AM
@Kathy
I believe it's columbian and italian, not french.
Posted by: Mike B. | March 04, 2009 at 02:01 AM
"i wanna add via to pellegrino water. lol"
you are gross.
Posted by: xxzxcuzxme | March 04, 2009 at 02:14 AM
IwantBlue: the PRICE is the same. The COST is different. When Starbucks buys RFBBCC, it costs more (due to various ingredients, like blueberry) to manufacture than RFCSCC. Starbucks makes more money from cinnamon because they pay less for it.
Posted by: FLA SM | March 04, 2009 at 06:14 AM
Speaking as a shift tht can actually taste the difference between VIA and brewed coffee (only one at my store) IT'S NOT THAT BAD! Yes, this product is not for anyone who enjoys a french press or black brewed coffee, but with as much milk and sugar as our customers use, VIA is indistinguishable from brewed. Starbucks is not, to my knowledge, marketing this as a replacement for that excellent french press of Italian or whatever that you may enjoy. It's coffee on the go people! Wise up, I'm sick of partners on this site bashing VIA because it doesn't meet their elitist standards. I'd rather promote VIA than lose my job because my store or my company can't make profit. Creative solutions for destructive economy.
Posted by: ATLShift | March 04, 2009 at 10:58 AM
To Barbi: It's actually Mrs. Mgr. and I must apologize. I didn't realize I had made a camping faux pas. I will difinitely pull out my "Camping for Dummies" book and reread the chapter on how to make camping coffee properly.
To Starbux girl: thanks for the positive!
On the cost of the cakes:
RFCC is .20 cheaper PER CAKE than RFBB accoarding to my billing summary.
The breakfast pairings are a hit at my location. The feedback has been very positive about the taste of the new sandwiches as well as the great cost savings! Dang....can't think of anything negative right now. I will try again later!
Posted by: cafecerezas | March 04, 2009 at 11:05 AM
blueberry coffee cake cost of goods is significantly more per slice than the rfcin.
Posted by: Melissa | March 03, 2009 at 06:00 PM
You are wrong. It's a cost difference of .04-.09 cents depending on your market or distributor.
However, there may be some back end discount that is not listed on the APL list that we don't see for buying in a larger bulk.
They should have the oatmeal and cinnamon cake merchandised together in the case on the promo shelf to remove confusion and tempation. The blueberry and cinn. sit next to one another instead.
Posted by: me | March 04, 2009 at 12:01 PM
I was sampling via coffee the other day and i handed a sample to a woman, she thanked me and i went about sampling. a few minutes later she came up to me and said "this coffee is fantastic," I was then able to explain the details of it to her. with other customers one i said the word instant, they would give me a look and say, "no thanks." So its been mixed reaction. I'm noticing a lot of stigma toward instant coffee that has been hard to overcome.
Posted by: shortsleep | March 04, 2009 at 12:20 PM
"Starbucks is even starting to make McDonalds look good."
Or better. I can get my value meal supersized there.
Posted by: valuemeal | March 04, 2009 at 03:27 PM
Can I make the tall coffee a grande soy mocha instead and it still be 3.95?
Posted by: Court | March 04, 2009 at 05:20 PM
(regarding above comment)
I was getting questions like that all day.
Posted by: Court | March 04, 2009 at 05:21 PM
gah, i don't even know why i keep reading this.
sometimes i find out information here before I would at work... but most of the time it's just grumbling from people who don't understand business, customers who think they know everything, ex-partners who are bitter. the few of us in here trying to still LOVE WHAT WE DO & SHARE IT WITH OTHERS are muted by the rest of you bitching..
get over the starbucks bashing. i know you want to blame someone, and i realize service is down in some locals, but please get over yourselves already!!
things are harder than they've ever been. you don't like via...fine! we're not brewing it in the stores!?! you don't like the idea of paying less for breakfast sandwiches and coffee... fine, don't! i'm more than happy to up my average ticket with you're pretentious money. REALLY PEOPLE?!
Posted by: angry asm | March 04, 2009 at 08:49 PM
@ Court -- in your example you would ring it up by hitting Grande, then the pairing button (either the reduced fat cinnamon or the oatmeal), then go to your syrup screen and add soy and mocha. Your customer still receives a discount but must pay for the size upgrade, modifiers, and milk upgrade. Of course a lot of that would get taken back off with a registered Starbucks Card, so it's an even bigger savings for the customer, but it would still be more than $3.95. For $3.95 the beverage must be a tall size...
Posted by: Asher | March 05, 2009 at 07:21 AM
Regarding the customer(s) who prefer RF blueberry cc vs. the RF cinnamon swirl cc. All the customer sees is that the purchase price is the exact same between the two. They're not concerned with cost. What happened to the old days and the "Just Say Yes" policy? Who cares about the minor cost difference. Keep the customer highly satisfied so that they don't go down the street. This just comes from a former SM, who truly "poured her heart" into this company before things started to change. I left for personal reasons and did so at exactly the right time because so many of the values that brought me to SBUX are no more. Breaks my heart even today. Word to the wise...keep your customers highly satisfied because it's proven they will spend more in your stores. In this current economy, everyone does matter!
Posted by: used2bapartner | March 05, 2009 at 10:57 AM
Used2bapartner, that makes sense, but 'no substitutions' is plastered EVERYWHERE in the promo materials.
Posted by: Tommies2012 | March 05, 2009 at 12:47 PM
I agree to some posts here:
- Some people just want to be negative. Fine. Go work somewhere else.
- I do think that there needs to be a vegetarian and vegan option. I am vegan - there are no sandwiches for me in the Pairing options.
- SBUX has made some mistakes. I find many people at corporate do not have the backgrounds for the jobs they are in. . . but they are trying.
- All in all, I still think it is a company that wants to do the right thing. Celebate that!!! You do not work for a evil company - something like Halloberton or a cigarette company.
Posted by: Wagstaffe | March 05, 2009 at 01:20 PM
My personal opinion is, "sell sell sell!!!" If that seems harsh, impersonal and off-putting to you, let me explain:
There is personality in sales. It takes personality to tell. Selling is a game, a challenge, a competition and can be wonderful fun if not for the pressure that most often comes with it. Pressure from SM's, which they get from their DM's, which they get from their Regional Mangers and so on.
So what's the solution? I think it lies in the personalities of the partners. The more those personalities are showcased on the floor, to the costumers, in a positive fashion, the easier selling things becomes.
Now I know Starbucks has a lot of rules that seemingly are in place to stamp out personality (the dress code...no tattoos...piercings...hair color, etc...) but, I propose that with each new rule imposed there is created another means to express oneself creatively. Yes your tattoo must be covered, but HOW must it be covered? It does not say. There is more freedom than you think, and if we partners would stop focusing on the negative and begin looking for the freedom, maybe we could sell more, and have a better time doing it.
Posted by: NYCSHIFT | March 05, 2009 at 03:10 PM
Vegan Pairings? I can't even imagine the COGS on a Vegan Breakfast sandwich. Vegetarian I can see, but Vegan, really? Don't get me started on this.
Posted by: Curious | March 05, 2009 at 09:35 PM
well i haven't sold one combo meal yet, just another stupid idea, and waste of time and promotional materials, lets get back to basics PLEASE...
Posted by: baristajack | March 05, 2009 at 10:26 PM
@Wagstaffe and angry asm:
Sorry about the negativity...but some partners are really struggling and maybe they just feel the need to vent.
I have been with the company for 3 years. I have believed in it and given it my all. Now I feel like I am getting screwed. Despite that, I try to build up my enthusiasm everyday. I try to keep up the morale of my parthers.
I would like to think that Starbucks is still the great company I came to work for, and the economy is to blame for all of our woes...but that is pretty difficult at times.
I am still doing my best everyday, but feel that I am on shaky ground with this company. I could put up with (and have) a lot of stupid crap, but not knowing if I am going to have a job in 3 weeks or whether I should start looking, just because noone can be bothered to communicate with us, really brings a person down.
=(
I am sorry if that reality is too negative for you.
Posted by: Moiraine | March 07, 2009 at 03:00 AM
To the sheeple that said "they aren't value combos, they are breakfast parings."Yup, and it isn't a "small," it is a "tall."
Why is it do you think theat customer are running to Dunkin' Donuts and McDonalds in droves and Strabucks is closing stpores by the humdereds while these others are opening new ones by the hundreds?
Ronald McDoanld loves you! He wishes that Starbucks would clone you.
Dunkin'Donuts has a feature spot for you in theor new "Deici" commercial!
Posted by: Pouter | March 08, 2009 at 04:45 PM