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Where were you during the Great Starbucks Shutdown??

3113

3113

Hello Summer!
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:eek: Holy Venti Latte, Batman!
Starbucks Closes Stores To Retrain Baristas

Starbucks Corp. retaught baristas how to make espresso shots, steam milk and hand drinks to customers while it shut down nearly 7,100 stores in the U.S. on Tuesday evening. The Seattle coffee giant said that, starting Wednesday morning, it is promising customers that their drink should be made perfect every time. If not, the company is urging customers to let the barista know and they will remake it correctly.

Starbucks shut down the majority of its U.S. locations from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. local time for the training session. Last month Starbucks replaced its CEO and said it would slow its U.S. growth after the company's stock lost almost half its value last year. At the training sessions, managers instructed workers to make sure it takes between 15 to 19 seconds for each espresso shots to pour from the machine so they come out like honey dripping from a spoon. They urged workers to stop resteaming milk and only steam fresh milk, to let espresso shots sit for no more than 10 seconds and to pour foam onto drinks instead of scooping it with a spoon. Managers also told baristas to thank customers, smile and make eye contact when they hand off their drinks. Many of the teaching points already were official policy but weren't being practiced consistently, managers said.

"Over the years we kind of lost our way," Starbucks CEO Howard Schultz told workers in a video that started the training. He urged workers to "really embrace this moment" and make a more genuine connection with the company's customers.

At a Starbucks in downtown Chicago, about a dozen workers slurped samples of coffee and discussed how it smelled. They explained to each other how they conversed with their regular customers while managers gave them pointers on how to improve the interaction. Baristas timed how long it takes for an espresso shot to run through the machine, then adjusted the machine to make sure the shots poured through properly. Some of the Chicago baristas told managers they sometimes feel too rushed to give customers the best service and that they have difficulty remembering regular customers' names. "It should be a wow factor," said Andrew Alfano, regional vice president for Starbucks Midwest region.

Rival coffee chains seized on Starbucks training shutdown to offer free or reduced-price drinks. Dunkin' Donuts sold small lattes, cappuccinos or espresso drinks for 99 cents starting Tuesday afternoon through the evening.
Click to expand...
Okay. Anyone go to Starbucks post training? Notice any difference in how you were treated or how your espresso tasted? Was the foam poured on top rather than spooned on top? :confused:
 
3113 said:
:eek: Holy Venti Latte, Batman!

Okay. Anyone go to Starbucks post training? Notice any difference in how you were treated or how your espresso tasted? Was the foam poured on top rather than spooned on top? :confused:
Click to expand...

I like my foam poured.

Why does that sound dirty?
 
I don't drink coffee, so I wouldn't be in a Starbucks in the first place.
 
I was ignoring it and saving money like always :rolleyes:
What I make at home is better and much cheaper :D
Especially since I don't have a use for anything but black coffee :D
 
TheeGoatPig said:
I don't drink coffee, so I wouldn't be in a Starbucks in the first place.
Click to expand...

I don't know if I really trust anyone who doesn't drink coffee. :rolleyes:

Tell me you don't drink beer either and I swear I'll put you on ignore. :D
 
TxRad said:
I don't know if I really trust anyone who doesn't drink coffee. :rolleyes:

Tell me you don't drink beer either and I swear I'll put you on ignore. :D
Click to expand...

You may ignore me if you'd like. I don't drink either.
 
3113 said:
:eek: Holy Venti Latte, Batman!

Okay. Anyone go to Starbucks post training? Notice any difference in how you were treated or how your espresso tasted? Was the foam poured on top rather than spooned on top? :confused:
Click to expand...

Nope...don't drink coffee...wouldn't be caught dead in a Starbucks anyway.

As far as that type of training goes, what Starbucks needed to do was take some time to put all their managers through a few days of training, including HOW to train their baristas to the company's standards, and then had the managers put their employees through a few days of training. This would all take awhile, on the order of several months, because obviously they wouldn't be able to train everyone all at once. However, a few hours of a training course rarely changes anything.
 
We don't even have a Starbucks here in Bumblefuck. :rolleyes:

I don't drink coffee anymore either, not because I don't love it, it's for health reasons. :(
 
I read an article in a financial journal some time ago that analyzed the success of Starbucks. Why were people willing to pay so much money for a cup of pretty average coffee? The conclusion was that it was two factors 1) the "community" feel of Star$$ - the being part of a club of other people who drink it and 2) the general desire of the average American to believe that paying more for something made it somehow more "exclusive."

They had been losing the "exclusive club" feel for a while. When there's a Star$$ on every corner and it's no different from the hundred imitators there's not much point in paying extra for real Starbucks coffee, is there? The only way they're going to keep making money is going to be to shut down and do training like this. Better yet train the managers. Then shut down about half of their locations. Make people work to get a cuppa. The sheep that want to pay extra for Starbucks coffee will work for it.
 
It's a business thang.

Starbucks is an omnipresent neutral location to conduct business with WiFi access and power if necessary.

When I need to meet a client off-site, I usually arrange to meet them at the local Starbucks. There's never a question of it being too-expensive/too-sleazy/too-unprofessional etc. There are also no screaming children, no smoking and no nosey waiters.

As for the cost, even if he/she were guzzling venti mocha-coconut-caramel-Frappachinos with whipped cream, there is no way the cost would be close to my billing rate. (Although it would be fun to see someone try).
 
Let me see. A year and a half ago, a tall latte' at Starbucks was $2.50. A year ago is was $2.95. Now it's $3.25. Maybe it isn't the staff at all but the growing greed of management :eek:
 
I am an espresso addict. There is no way I can drink the stuff in Starbucks, it tastes horrible.

Chocolate milk however...

Maharat
 
For $2.49 I can get three weeks worth of coffee. My percolator makes a really good cup too. :)
 
TxRad said:
I don't know if I really trust anyone who doesn't drink coffee. :rolleyes:

Tell me you don't drink beer either and I swear I'll put you on ignore. :D
Click to expand...

But if I drink both does that make you pay attention to me or to what I say? Just asking . . .
 
I don't go to Starbucks for the same reason I don't go to Walmart - I prefer to support local businesses.
 
I went to Starbucks once. I had heard all of my co-workers talking the place up and decided to try it.

I was disapointed. The coffee was expensive, bitter and weak. I got a regular cup of coffee, my wife got a Cappucino. In both cases it was a disapointment.

Cat
 
I only go into a Starbucks for their Apple Cider anyways. They can KEEP that expensive-ass coffee of theirs!
 
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