Dropped by within the last hour for two beverages for our drive. Ordered, was charged, and called for pick-up correctly for a hot chocolate. But at my first sip, I knew it was a mocha. (While I am a Starbucks devotee, I'm not a coffee drinker. At all.).
I turned back and caught my (it was a gentleman) barista's eye and said "This isn't a hot chocolate, it's a mocha." Of course, he knows that; he just made it.
But when he comes over to the pick-up area, he looks at my cup on the counter, then up at me as if to say "what's wrong" although no words were said. I repeated myself, to which he replied, impatiently, "Okay! I'll remake it."
"Here's your hot chocolate," I hear, and we're off.
As we're walking out, my husband said to me, "Not even an apology? A quick 'I'm sorry, let me remake that for you?'" Oh my gosh, I think, I'm not the only one who noticed the lack of engagement and no apology.
You know what, it's so easy to offer exemplary, personalized service. This gentleman's countless Starbucks colleagues are proof of that. But it only takes one poor company representative to leave a bad taste in someone's mouth. Literally and figuratively.
Dear Sbux Manager, offer some of your spot-on coaching that I trust you are great at to this employee. Your store is beautiful, the girl who took my order was a good listener, accurate, and gave service with a smile, and my drink was good on the second try. The visit was still a miss due to my barista's attitude.
Cheers, from a still-loyal Starbucks devotee ~* read more