OPEN THREAD conversation-starter: How are your VIA taste tests going today?

What are customers saying about the instant coffee? Discuss VIA or anything else Starbucks-related in the OPEN THREAD.|| Read "Free Starbucks coffee taste test starts Friday" || Jump to the second page of comments.

Comments

[that guy]

@ info provided

hate to be "that guy" but the two 2% raises or the two 3.5% raises add up to more than a 4 or 7% yearly increase as your second pay increase of the year is a percent based off what you were making for the 6 months prior not the year prior. So if your first review (assuming meets expectations) of the year takes you from $8 to $8.16 then your second one would be another 2% of $8.16 not $8. So your second review would take you from $8.16 to 8.32 which is actually like a 4.5% raise. I know I know I hate to be that guy but I just had to.

[infoprovided]

@that guy

you're absolutely right. That's why the twice-yearly reviews and increases are such a good thing.

It's okay to be "that guy." :)

[SBUX Alum Bill]

@ that guy:

Actually, your math isn't quite right. Two 2% raises would only give you a compounded raise of 4.04%. Still better than 4%, but substantially less than 4.5%.

[smalltownsm]

Store Manager raises are based on performance, but the percentage increase isn't standard like it is for baristas and shifts. I can't remember exactly, but it has to do with how long you've been around, what you are currently making etc. Even though your whole district might be ME, your percentage raises could be all over the place.

[(former) FLA SM]

"I hate making coffee at home with coffee maker. So much mess... can anyone tell me why you would 1. go buy fresh beans 2. grind it 3.fresh press it 4. Add cream, sugar
That's 4 steps!!!! so much work!"

I'm guessing you have a catheter for waste elimination, too. After all, why would you 1. go to the bathroom 2. unzip your pants 3. pull out your business 4. stand there and wait while you urinate 5. shake 6. put back your business 7. zip up 8. flush
That's 8 steps!!!! so much work!

[waltie]

FLA SM gets the award for the dumbest comment of the day.

[Bosco]

As a SM I'm just hoping that the tiny increase we usually score every year from our performance review will be enough to cover the cost from the increase in our medical benefits. Since we are switching from Aetna to Blue Cross my deductions will double and my ASM's will triple! I'll be getting a pay raise, but my check may end up being less than it was before as this goes into effect! I did take the HQ Quiz and it shaved only a few bucks off the deduction increase. A barista at my store that works full time has told me she will have to get a second job now to cover the costs for the increased medical benefits.

[Brown Dot]

@ Richard

So you think its bad that a company profits from a store donating coffee to US troops? Well what do you think of toys for tots boxes sitting in toys r us and walmart and target? I go in there, buy a toy, and throw it in their box...but hey they are still making money off of me! It's just a way for the store to give back a little and achieve goals. Nothing wrong with that

[James Sanders]

Starbucks has been very arrogant with their Via coffee. What is instant coffee? It's a coffee powder made from coffee beans, that dissolves in water. VIA is instant coffee, and it pisses me off when I hear the barista claim, it's not instant coffee. If it's not instant coffee, then what the hell is it? They told me it took them 20 years to develop and contains no chemicals. You mean to tell me it took them 20 years to figure out how to grind coffee extremely fine? And they go and have this coffee challenge, OF COURSE, it's going to be better than Pike Place, because people didn't like Pike place to begin with. Why not pair it up with some Arabian Mocha Sanani or Sulawesi? Starbucks is trying to capitalize on something that's already been done.

[pHluid]

Some great points here about donating to the troops. I am doing it in my store because it's a great product for them. I am merely providing an opportunity for the customer to donate. I'm not forcing it. I am only asking if anyone would like to donate. I am educating the customer as well in making it relevent to their everyday lives. So it's not just for the troops. It is also good for the everyday customer who can't make it to the coffee shop. Via isn't for everyone. But it works well to have a pack in case you can't make your own at home due to time constraints. It's definitely comparable to our brewed coffee. Not as good but very close and much better than any instant I have ever tasted. If it's not for you, great. If you'd like to have the backup when you need it. That's great too. Get creative and sell it like you believe in it. It will sell when you sample. Not to everyone, but it will sell if you sample.

[Just a Java Junkie]

Well needless to say, ever since the unbelievable announcement that Starbucks was coming out with an instant coffee, I have been eagerly awaiting its debut. After all, this company is the King of Coffee and has extremely high standards for their food products. After months of waiting, the taste test arrived. Mind you, I’m not an instant coffee fan, but I have experienced remarkably decent instant brew and pleasantly surprised. ...So here we are, the week has arrived and I'm at my favorite local location, anxiously, happily looking forward to what I believe will be a giant leap in corporate food evolution. The baristas are just as bright eyed as I am, ready to see my response. X....first the pour, uh oh...my eyes perceive an issue. Dark, nearly opaque. Y....the second pour is normal. (I think I already know which is which, senses of expectation are diminishing)...Now the smell, X...uh, is my nose clogged or something?, there's no aroma. Y...ah yes there we are. (Crap, expectations are at the window ledge). Taste test, X... this is terrible, Y... yep, back to normal. (That little ray of Sunshine just jumped out the window). Disappointment sets in. Oh well, I can still boil up water and grounds the old fashioned way when I camp. ....Maybe you'll get it right next time Corporate Geniuses. Franchise anyone?

[Dirty Latte]

Hi, welcome to home depot, can I get you a side of nails to go with that latte?

[JoBarista]

@SMgal

I think being a SS again is worth it.
No promo threats, non-taxed tips, maxed out hourly, can't work over 40...just sounds like heaven.

Not exactly so from the SS point of view. We are being required to hard sell the VIA and model the "correct selling behaviour" i.e will that be a 3-pack or a 12 pack with that tall DCCF or glass of H2O or whatever. We have been informed by the DM that it could b e career limiting to not push the VIA, and again you are not modeling the correct selling behavior to the baristas.

SMs are being endlessly polled for their Via numbers 3-5 times a day to be texted or called to DM. For me, this is too much of a press for high pressure selling that our customer base is growing tired of. Not much of a third place when you have to consistantly endure aggressive up selling and the equivalent of "you want fries with that?"

And I have to pay taxes on my tips. It is shown on my pay stub and easily audited because of the way tips are done at our store. 40 a week would be nice but many SS feel their own internal pressure (just as managers do) to complete tasks and set the next shift up for success even if their on the clock shift is over. The Lean staffing process makes it impossable to do all we have been doing and high pressure sales with fewer partners. There are always things left undone if you don't quitely finish them up off the clock.

[Coffee Soldier]

Does anyone feel that if our DM's are requiring us to text in our Via numbers then the company should be paying for our text plans on our cell phones....I've got about 25 texts this week alone from my DM and her blackberry type thing the company pays for her to have why should I be sending her info from my phone? and if the SM isn't in the store then the closing SS has to text in the info....California will be sueing about this next!

[TripleGrande]

Just wondering how you are making the coffee for the Via taste test...I've seen at least one store make the Pike with the pour over method and others use the drip...seems like the brewed coffee would be easier to tell apart...

[green_cup]

FLA SM gets the award for the dumbest comment of the day.

Posted by: waltie | October 04, 2009 at 05:30 AM

Um, wrong. BEST comment ever.

------------------------------------

As for the whole text messaging thing: if you're incurring costs related to work and not being reimbursed for them, that's just wrong (and, frankly, stupid of you to incur without saying anything.) Sure 25 cents isn't a whole lot, but it's the POINT of the matter. Make sure they're either reimbursing you or tell them that they need to find another method of collecting data that doesn't cost you anything. Simple.

[Melody]

@James Sanders - Let me tell you, I despise Pike Place Roast. I'm still slightly mad at Starbucks that they've made it their "everyday brew". Having said that, I just spent about an hour at a Starbucks, and I watched carefully what was happening at the Via Challenge Table. Coffee taste is subjective!

The Starbucks was understaffed in my book (though I come from the days when I remember a much slower pace, relaxed Starbucks), but the baristas were trying very hard to engage customers with Via. And listening in on the conversation, much to my surprise, it might have been one in four person really preferred Pike Place Roast over the Via.

All that really shows is that coffee taste, just like any other food/beverage, is really subjective. Some people really do like Pike Place Roast ... at least over Via anyway.

[Melody]

My latest blog entry is a store review focused around the Via Taste Challenge. (Link in my name)

[...]

tell your DM that you want to email in the info, and have your shifts call them. there is nothing wrong with this, and they get email on their "blackberry type thing" just like they would get a text.

[spence]

I'm hoping that Costco finds more buyers than I am. I am sampling my little heart out. About 1/2 get it wrong. Many praise it as the best instant coffee they've ever had. They agree that Columbian is good, italian makes an easy iced coffee. They smile. They chat.
I smile. I chat. Then I add, "Can I add a 3 pack or a 12 pack to your order? You can use your $1.00 coupon right now." I smile.
Their smiles crumble. Some raise their eyebrows at my audacity. Others give me a dirty look.
They are no longer happy. Almost everyone turns me down. "No, I don't drink instant coffee." or "not today"

[Aces of Eight]

My store is already 50% to goal...

[spence]

Congratulations Aces.
I'm happy for you.

[Aces of Eight]

Thanks.

I wish all of you out there luck with your sales, I really do. I know it can be hard, all I can say is just keep trying. We get turned down plenty, but if they don't want it now, we still offer a coupon for later, we make conversations and connections and no matter how many times we get discouraged we don't let it get us down.

We also have some really friendly partners who are really good at selling stuff, most of them don't have a sales background, they are too young, they just have a natural nack. And somehow they manage to find a way to relate the product to the customer, or just work it into a conversation.

The DM's in the area want to talk to my SM about how we are doing so well (best in the region) honestly, I don't know... we just keep sampling all day long and keep trying, and somehow we are doing it. I really can't explain how we have managed it.

Though, while we do have a lot of very dedicated partners. We also have a store that makes about 1/4 sales on drip brewed coffee, and we have high whole bean sales, so that helps. If we were a frappuccino store or something, I doubt we would be anywhere near our goal, no matter how good are partners are at selling.

Which makes me worry about the promotion. I know of stores that sell mainly frappuccino... how in the world are they expected to meet their goal? Because I am sure their goal is based on their sales... but that's overall sales. How can they be expected to sell a ton of coffee of... any kind? I mean, even if you push it as useful for iced coffee and iced lattes (if you are in a warm weather market) if your big seller is frappuccino, how are you going to make the sale numbers?

And I am sorry if it sounds like I am bragging and I am annoying anyone.

[groundup]

My Rant: Our store is understaffed. In the mornings during rush, just keeping up with people in line, 8 minute coffee cadence,heating sandwiches, sliding through the cafe and keeping the area clean is frustrating. Selling VIA slows everything down and becomes an insult to our regulars who were pummled with the product earlier this year.I was mildly threatened to sell this stuff to every customer. Chicago market.All they want is their regular brew and leave, so they can get on the road and make it in time to work. When customers are constantly asked everyday about a product they have no interest in , they become resentful and may go away. I had one pull me aside one day and request not to be told about VIA, just serve his coffee and let him leave. I feel that the company is or has already approached a mindset of mediocrity in its offerings. VIA may be a road to nowhere.Get rid of Pikes Place and offer more different coffees on a weekly basis.Interestingly we are getting more requests for a bold brew in the morning. If Starbucks wants to increase sales get customers to step up to more enticing flavors, richer coffee. Spend more time on customer education.Have more coffee tastings....be more like Starbucks used to be. Gee what a novel idea. End of Rant

[Melody]

@Aces of Eight - You don't sound like you're bragging. You sound realistic. There's a big difference between the store at the bottom of a tall office building in a downtown urban center where the customers drink a ton of coffee (and are watching their waistlines), and the store in surburbia that is nearly a teen hang-out and the blender is constantly going. You would just think that one will sell more Via than the other. I'm just sayin' ...

@groundup - I suspect, given that it has been 18 months of Pike Place Roast, that even people who thought the brew was great may be ready for a change of pace by now. How does it not get boring to only have one coffee all the time?

[Thought of the Day]

@BrownDot, "Toys for Tots" works on the premise that you bring a unwrapped toy to donate. It doesn't have to be from a "certain" store.(Don't believe me, do the research.) Which leads me to ask: If I brought a pound of Folgers to Starbucks to "Donate Coffee for the Troops" would Starbucks let me put it in the box?

[Dunkin' Dough Nut]

So the point is that the instant coffee is so good it tastes as good as the brewed..or will it come off that the brewed is so average even instant coffee tastes as good?

Risky way to market; interesting to see what results will be.

[kevin]

SBUXCONFESSIONS.BLOGSPOT.COM

send your confessions of less than legendary service ;)

[baristajack]

I was one of the partners scheduled to offer customers the Via challnege this week, I did it inside a few times outside at the drive-thru a few times etc.. to be honest more than half could tell the difference right away, people just like to prove you wrong, which is fine. a salesman I am not and never will be, I was happy to be able to connect more with our customers, which opens up more dialogue in the future, my manager suggested i make a iced version for cutomers to try, which really seemed to work well, i just feel there is too much pressure with these goals. i think the focus should be on introducing it to people, if it is as good as they claim that should be enough but the pressure is DO NOT FAIL, OR ELSE..and thats the vibe I get. why call your required goals 100 %, when infact they want a 500 % result, watch next week we will get some sort of negetive feedback because something else dropped in sales

[Burned Bean]

the via challenge, what a joke! i could differentiate them by aroma alone... i didn't witness the four steps of tasting in action at any of these instant coffee "challenges" either... where has the culture gone?!

[is it so hard to be civil]

Most people couldn't tell the via apart from the brewed coffee. I could tell just by looking. I still think it's good instant and better then some hotel coffee. I think after this big push it will just be something that takes up a small space on a shelf. It seems that grocery stores are where it will sell. They are just using the store level to introduce it. I don't see us having big via goals after holiday.

[50/50]

I will not say what region in case their is a way someone from my region could look up the store that is doing the best, which is probably quite easy. And from there my identity would probably not be all that difficult to guess, I prefer of course, to stay anonymous.

Posted by: Aces of Eight

Don't flatter yourself, no ones coming to get on line for your autograph or anything so put the kool-aid down buddy...

[Kim]

I tried the stuff...note to Starbucks: just because you say it is as good as freshly brewed coffee doesn't make it so.

[Naptown Barista]

This was all part of Howard's grand plan when he launched Pike Place Roast! "People will think it's good because WE serve it!". After awhile, the masses are "dumbed down" sufficiently to believe that PPR is a really great coffee. Then we unleash VIA upon the masses, and claim it's GOOD. How? ...by having a taste comparison with...Pike Place Roast!

If I were a marketing director for Dunkin Donuts, the 1st thing I'd do is attack my competitor by advertising that "Starbucks Coffee is as Good as Instant, and they've got the taste test results to prove it!!!!"

[Naptown Barista]

...Really, all VIA proves is that Pike Place Roast is a horrible coffee. Why not compare "Real" Columbia with VIA Columbia, and ditto with Italian Roast? The answer should be pretty simple, they're not even close.

[Aces of Eight]

50/50: Why do you think I would care what YOU post? How about you take that and think about it for a second...

Do you have any idea why someone would want to remain anonymous? I dunno... maybe because things said here could be used against them?

You don't like what I post, don't read it/respond to it.

[Brown Dot]

thought of the day

Well of course. Do it. It's just a donation. Now would the soldiers like your cheap version of coffee over starbucks probably not. But do it. Show your appreciation to the troops. It's not starbucks corp that does this anyway. Its done at the store level.

[baroosta]

I like the people who would come in after the taste challenge in the lobby was over and we were doing it at the register...and they would ask for a sample and then walk away with both cups, add cream and sugar at the condiment bar, and then come back and ask you which cup was which...doh!

[SBUCKS DRONE LOS ANGELES]

It seems like we're not really stressing out about Via after a week. Our goal stands at 80% and my SM seems happy with the results. Best of luck to everyone trying to meet their goal or get near it, don't get discouraged! Remember, Via isn't the second coming, great times at Sbux will be had again!!!

[green_cup]

thought of the day

Well of course. Do it. It's just a donation. Now would the soldiers like your cheap version of coffee over starbucks probably not. But do it. Show your appreciation to the troops. It's not starbucks corp that does this anyway. Its done at the store level.

Posted by: Brown Dot | October 05, 2009 at 08:26 PM

I appreciate the troops enough not to buy them Via. :D

[Melody]

@Baroosta - I hung out at one store last Sunday & carefully watched their Via taste challenge. Surprisingly, many people totally doctored the little sample cups with cream and sugar. The store had used a marker and put a little tiny star on a huge number of the cups and so they always knew which was which.

As an aside, I am beginning to think that Clover stores shouldn't have gotten Via at all. Everywhere there is a Clover there are plenty of non-clover stores around (and let's hope that Starbucks doesn't completely over expand this too). Baristas in Clover stores have been watching their Clover numbers for months and have slowly been cultivating a customer base willing to spend $2 to $3 dollars and change for a 12 ounce black cup of coffee. Sometimes it's close to $3.50. These stores also have customers spending $9 to $13 for a HALF pound bag of whole beans. And now these customers are getting Via pushed at them. I see a disconnect there. I'm still thinking this one over, but starting to think this.

[(former) FLA SM]

"I appreciate the troops enough not to buy them Via. :D"

Ha! Zing!

[me myself and I]

I think this is the first time ever I laughed at a posting from green_cup. Thank you!

[Melody]

I bet we've all been watching the news and heard of the earthquake, then terrible landslides from just a few days ago hitting Indonesia/ Sumatra area. I've wondered whether Starbucks is planning any humanitarian efforts for Sumatra, given Starbucks' history of giving, the shocking devestation to villages in Sumatra, and that this is an important growing region.

Has anyone heard anything?

[is there anyone home?]

You know that Starbucks is in trouble when green_cup is against um…

And what happened then? Well, in Whoville they say that green_cup's small heart grew three sizes that day. And then the true meaning of coffee came through, and green_cup found the strength of ten green_cup’s, plus two!

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

Yes, Starbucks is coordinating with local authorities in the region. They are also contributing $25,000 from the Starbucks Foundation. None of Starbucks major coffee farmers were effected and we will have Sumatra and other coffees available.

[Respect=Loyality]

My raise was also the 1.5% and told that I was too close to the max to recieve more than that. Strange because I am still 8000 from max with this raise it will take me over 10 years to reach it. I wish they would just say we spent your raise on the VIA comercials. More hours worked, no bonus, 1.5% raise, no NC, and sadly still love my job, but my family hates Starbucks because of what it has done to them. Wish I could afford stock too.

[rick h]

Does anyone know where Starbucks gets those white trays that their desserts sit on? They're plastic yet look like china. Manufacturer's name or brand name would help. Thanks so much..