Challenge #7: Mystery Solved? Inching closer
to an easy FT Cup.
LOCATION: Pasadena, California, USA(Hastings Ranch) 3699 E Foothill Blvd
I was killing time waiting for a nearby store to open, so I stopped by another Pasadena Starbucks.
"My I have a grande fair trade drip, please?"
The Partner on the register begins inputting the drink on the register, then pauses.
"Right now we're brewing [some other coffee], would you prefer that?"
Ooooo, I think, a crafty blend of diversion to 'what's brewing' with just a hint of 'I'm providing a special service by getting your coffee to you faster'. He's good!
"No, I would prefer the Fair Trade, please. Would you press it?"
"Sure!" he says perkily. Once again the words of power are effective, especially when delivered as a polite imperative, not as a request. "It will take about five minutes." Sigh.
"Ok," I say, and ask for a "light" pressing.
To his credit Mr. Partner goes in back and scores a 1 pound bag of Cafe Estima without hesitation; he explains to me that they have changed the name of the coffee.
I explain to him that it's still Fair Trade, that the FT label is a third party certification that has nothing to do with Starbucks, and lots of people sell Fair Trade Certified Coffee. It is true that Starbucks has only one FT blend, which is now called Cafe Estima, but there is other Fair Trade coffee. My explanation draws another Barista who hovers, listening, apparently prepared to intervene if Mr. Partner is out of his depth.
"What size did you say you wanted?" he says, a little nervous now. I smile and cut him some slack and do not "warn" him of the challenge as I often do.
Six minutes later, he approaches me apologetically, and tells me he has just noticed that the French Press he used has a hole in it. I do not ask what this means, although the longer I contemplate it the more bizarre it seems. Still, he is so apologetic I cut him some more slack, and he hurries off to remake it . Four minutes later, he has the coffee in hand and at my table.
I notice a curious look as he sets it near the computer -- I have the SBX store locator up in one window and am writing this entry in another. (Wicked grin.)
Although I got the FT drink with only minimum hassle, there was a clear and deliberate effort to direct me away from it. That this happens in nearly the exact same phrasing and the same perky helpfulness from store to store suggests that it is part of company policy.
Then it hits me: This must be their general training accidentally snagging on the Fair Trade policy ! If someone asks for a flavor or blend that is not brewing, I bet they are trained generally to use suggestive selling techniques to steer the customer to something they are brewing -- both to make the sale and keep the customer happy.
It always takes a beat for my request to sink in, and it seems likely that the hapless Barista is reaching into his training for something appropriate -- which, in light of the company FT policy, turns out to be inappropriate. Mystery solved, maybe!
Still, score this one a FAIL, because I had to ask twice, and explain how to do it. I give points for NOT having to go through the "we're out of FT" schtick, but in the end I had to work way too hard for a simple cup of coffee which should be available with out having to be a stickler.
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posted by Roger, Gone Green | 11:04 AM
2 Comments:
"Then it hits me: This must be their general training accidentally snagging on the Fair Trade policy ! If someone asks for a flavor or blend that is not brewing, I bet they are trained generally to use suggestive selling techniques to steer the customer to something they are brewing -- both to make the sale and keep the customer happy."
Exactly! Most of the time people order a coffee we are not brewing, it is an accident! I don't really see how this is a problem or is discouraging you from what you want. The Starbucks policy is that we will french press any coffee upon request, and be glad to do it. But it really irks me how some of the bloggers in this challenge get all mad that they aren't offered a press before they request it! I can't read your mind. I don't know that you came to Starbuck to get a cup of pressed fair trade coffee unless YOU TELL ME THAT.
Also, if you know anything about french presses you should understand how there can be a hole in one and also should not sigh that it will take five minutes! The press likely had a filter that was coming apart. The barista didn't notice until he tried to pour your cup and then redid it instead of giving you yucky groundsy coffee. Stuff like that HAPPENS.
You are well aware of the fact that Starbucks is not going to have Cafe Estima already brewed when you walk in the door unless it is the Coffee of the Week, so why are you upset and/or surprised that the coffee will take five minutes to press? We can't just snap our fingers and have the coffee ready brewed. We baristas are very talented, but we do not have super powers. Sorry.
Claire --
Thanks for validating my observation about what *seems* like a stall. The company policy on the web page is that the FT coffee will be produced on request in four minutes. The time is company verbiage, not mine. The trick is, if the company really means that FT or any other coffee is available then it should be easy. It should not require the consumer to be turned down and explain how to provide the coffee. (Most every register person I asked did not offer to press the coffee -- they just said they didn't have it -- only when I asked for the press specifically, did they -- usually -- agree.)
The "sigh" over the hole-in-a-press-thing was exactly that -- I had no idea what that was about, and I have heard a lot of weird, and pretty lame, reasons why the coffee wasn't available even as it sat there on the counter. So I didn't bust his chops over the hole in the press, and was geniunely pleased, albeit marked it a "fail" for the redirect.
Why a fail? Corporate says on FT you should not do the redirect: You should respond with an offer to French press it if it is not brewing. And because the FT coffee is different, and engages a highly viral set of consumers (witness the blog thing) and if handled well has the potential to be a BIG WIN for the company -- they want the offer made before a knowledgeable FT consumer tells the partner how to live up to corporate policy.
Meanwhile, I'd say your points are well taken -- and this clarifies that the disconnect is between corporate and the intended training and the training you guys are getting on FT.
Also, you have highlighted another point: Some people want French Pressed coffee for the brewing method. Not the FT crowd -- heck I find pressed coffee pretty awful most of the time. But the FT crowd would rather have it French pressed than not at all. The important part is Fair Trade, not the method.
If you are asked for FT you do not have to read any minds; that is what is wanted, no matter how you have to brew it, so offer the press immediately! You store scores karma points for the company, and helps them find a way to turn the mean-bloggers into the viral green consumers touting Starbucks . . . (grin).
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