When Cindy of Starbucks, responding to the Starbucks Challenge, kindly asked me if I had any questions about Starbucks policies, I asked her this:
“Does Starbucks have any more detailed information as to why this “break down in customer service” occured? I understand that sometimes, store managers and district managers, say, don’t read all the information they receive from headquarters. But I think many of are wondering why the lapses in customer service have been so widespread — and, more notably — so similar from store to store (i.e. rattling off the list of currently brewing blends, charging venti prices, etc.).”
This is the reply I got:
“As for why the “break down in customer serviceâ€?…good question. We assumed that because the “coffee press upon requestâ€? policy and the above Fair Trade information was in the training and resource manuals, that our store partners knew the information. We take full responsibility for the break down in communications. It is definitely our intention to provide a coffee press upon a customer’s request as you see from the manuals, but for a variety of reasons, it is not always the reality in our stores. In all fairness to the baristas, we did not send them additional, highlighted communications regarding the coffee press policy this month until the issue was brought to our attention through the Starbucks Challenge. So thank you and your fellow bloggers for pointing out our miss and helping us provide better service to our customers. Below is an update to what Starbucks has done so far:
I appreciate what Cindy’s done — Taken full responsibility, and sent out communications to try to remedy the situation. For a couple of the Starbucks outlets that’ve been repeat-challenged so far, the “reminder” emails seem to have been received and noted.
Sadly, this hasn’t happend at my local Starbucks. Or at many others. The percentage of stores ignorant of Starbucks’ fair-trade friendly polices — as reported by Starbucks Challenge participants — hasn’t changed since Starbucks sent out the email.
And more importantly, I still haven’t gotten an adequate answer as to why the break downs in customer service have been SO UNIFORM, in various states across the US, if the corporate handbook mandates are completely different.
I’m facing a bit of a conundrum here. I heart Cindy’s dedication — but her personal convictions seem out of line with Starbucks’ realities, and her efforts, so far, aren’t exactly creating company-wide change — Exactly what I feared when Makower interviewed me for his big-corp friendly green blog.
Of course, it hasn’t been that long. Perhaps this is a lesson in patience for green LA girl. After all, Cindy promises that:
“after I get the results from your challenge, I will be presenting your findings to our Retail Operations and Communications team so we can find a solution.”
More to come. But for now, challenge on. We need solid data for credible activism –
Filed in: starbuckschallenge business cityhippy coffee corporate csr fairtrade losangeles responsibility social starbucks
October 25th, 2005 at 6:47 am
I’m still plugging away at this, out here in the cornfields! The results have been spotty.
My regular Starbucks now just sees me coming across the parking lot and starts brewing the coffee before I’m even in the store. I sent my husband in to buy beans, when we were expecting company, and they told HIM that I would want the Cafe Estima. He was a little befuddled, but dutifully took their word for it ;) That’s one of the upsides of living in a small town.
Other stores that I’ve tried have been less accomodating. The Barnes and Nobles didn’t have Cafe Estima at all. The store in St. Charles was almost hostile…. but it was a busy time. So, maybe that explains it.
Anyway…. thanks for coordinating this!
October 25th, 2005 at 7:43 am
Kudos on your persistance in this project Ms. Green L.A. and to all the people contributing.
I’m not a coffee drinker, when I go to Starbucks I’m much more likely to get the hot caramel cider (mmmmmmm), but I’m thinking, perhaps you’re missing something simple in wondering why the responses to your requests are so uniform. The responses you seem to recieve most often, listing whats brewing and charging for venti, are what I would expect of any small business owner when presented with a special and (to him/her inconvenient) request. In fact I would expect many to simply say No. Starbucks’ written policies are laudable, but perhaps they simply need more rigorous employee/franchisee education.
Also, to the previous commentor, its wonderful that they know you’re routine. I’ve been going to the same deli for lunch for a year now and they don’t seem to know my face, but then I work on 57th street in Manhattan.
October 25th, 2005 at 1:02 pm
Siel,
This is a little off topic, but I found a site today you might like. They have a section with all fair-trade goods, also, portions of your purchases go to saving the rainforest. (or one of several other organizations).
http://shop.therainforestsite.com/
October 25th, 2005 at 2:34 pm
Tee hee — Andrea and GuyOnTheLeft — your posts make me giggle. Is it weird that I would actually prefer the anonymity of NYC than the friendly understanding of Dekalb? I get claustraphobic easily…
In any case — GuyOnTheLeft — Maybe you’re right about the “inconvenient request” thing. My guess right now is that Starbucks has a great policy in writing, but store or district managers are more informally training their baristas to do something different. Unfortunate, both for fair trade advocates and Starbucks’ CSR department –
And Russ — I’ve bookmarked the site! I was actually really excited about the jewelry section — I’m in the market for a new navel ring — but my searches for “belly” and “navel” didn’t bring up anything relevant. Hoping one will materialize one day though ;)
October 25th, 2005 at 7:30 pm
Thanks so much for posting my info on del.icio.us. Holy cow, I’m the only one in all of WI to participate. Just for your ref: I live in Waukesha, a suburb of Milwaukee, not Madison. I haven’t been over to Madison in several months, so you might want to change the related tags.
Gosh, too bad more of my friends aren’t broke student activists, or I’d email more stuff from you. ;)
October 25th, 2005 at 11:57 pm
Cool — Have updated the links. Waukesha. Interesting sounding…
October 27th, 2005 at 7:48 am
I think the fact that the baristas can not think enough for themselves to even prepare you a press is crazy. While this is going on, I think a call for independents who actually serve Fair Trade products — not just coffee and espress even — shoud begin.
If we can educate our customers about Fair Trade and what it means to these farmers and producers, we might be able to set some precedence in the speciality coffee segment.
..just a thought.
October 28th, 2005 at 1:47 am
Hey Jason! But we don’t all live in Bozeman, and Evoke isn’t open yet ;)
I hear what you’re saying though. One thing many advocates are hoping, I think, is that people who haven’t heard about fair trade coffee yet will do so via bigger companies like Starbucks and Nestle, but then eventually learn enough about it that they’ll decide they can get even better fair trade coffee from neighborhood cafes that make fair trade one of their missions –