Why were so many stores NOT brewing the fair trade Cafe Estima the first week of January, when it was supposed to be featured as the coffee of the week?
Mystery solved: This week was also designated as “Manager’s Brew” week — basically, a “get rid of all the old coffee inventory” week — at Starbucks. So, a lotta managers decided to brew the unpopular stuff that had been cluttering up the store closets instead of Cafe Estima.
I got this info via Pat, a district manager who pulled together the LA managers meeting about the Starbucks Challenge last month. “I believe it was just a marketing communications issue,” he said, in a very apologetic tone.
Basically, it seems that one department (CSR?) said, hey, let’s kick off the year with our fair trade certified blend (Cafe Estima)!. Another department said, hey, let’s kick off the year by getting rid of all the old inventory. The two didn’t talk to each other, so Cafe Estima ended up getting shafted.
If only the mermaid would take a breather from it’s super-aggressive expansion and proliferation to take a look at all the breakdowns happening in their stores… At this point, Cafe Estima’s hit so many Starbucks road blocks that this seems like more than just an unfortunate coincidence to many. Especially when Cindy, the CSR rep who’s been involved with the Starbucks Challenge, halts all communication. It’s been over 2 weeks now…
Even if they stop concentrating on proliferation, communicating specific messages to every single partner in over ten thousand stores takes time.
You’ll be happy to know that a few weeks ago my manager posted something in the partner communication book reminding all of us to offer french presses of Cafe Estima because of your challenge. So your message IS getting heard.
Comment by Claire — January 25, 2006 @ 5:57 pm
Yey!
Hoping other managers do the same — Claire, is your store anywhere near LA? Would love to drop by, just so I can finally chalk up another challenge success…
Comment by Siel — January 25, 2006 @ 5:59 pm
Ugh, hiding from dissenters with questions only makes things worse.
Comment by Jasmin — January 25, 2006 @ 8:48 pm
Jasmin:
Sorry to state the obvious, but Claire did not ask a question and the fact that Seil responded demonstrates that she is not hiding.
Comment by Wheeledmenace — January 25, 2006 @ 9:14 pm
Hey Wheeledmenace — I think Jasmin was referring to Cindy’s “disappearance.” At least I hope so! :)
Comment by Siel — January 26, 2006 @ 6:15 am
Yup, I was talking about Cindy.
To be clearer, it should have read “dissenters who have questions.”
Comment by Jasmin — January 26, 2006 @ 7:26 am
Ah yes, then I agree with you. So sorry for the misunderstanding.
Comment by Wheeledmenace — January 26, 2006 @ 11:27 am
Siel, I’m way up in Rochester, NY.
So you’re message is getting way WAY beyond LA.
Comment by Claire — January 27, 2006 @ 5:59 am
Or beyond LA, but not so much in LA itself :( So far, at least…
Comment by Siel — February 2, 2006 @ 8:39 pm