Baristas at Starbucks are already complaining about a new business strategy aimed at ‘humainizing’ the global chain.
Employees at the world’s largest coffee retailer are once again doodling messages on to-go coffee cups, this time as part of a new strategy to reposition the global chain as a coffee shop rather than just a place to pick up mobile orders.
However, the company’s drink-makers are not happy with the added work.
‘Writing out messages on every cup has slowed down the pace and is a “forced” way to build connections with customers,’ a Starbucks barista told CNN.
Others have said that on occasion customers have misinterpreted the messages scribbled on cups as attempts at flirting.
A Starbucks worker in Atlanta and a leader of Starbucks Workers United, Amanda Rivera, said: ‘It’s just a lot for workers to have to add to the number of things we’re expected to do.’
‘It would be more sincere if I didn’t seem stressed out of my mind making 10 other cups,’ she added.
The company’s CEO, Brian Niccol, 50, who took over as Starbucks’ CEO from Chipotle in September, reintroduced handwritten messages back in late January.
Employees at the world’s largest coffee retailer are once again doodling on customers’ to-go coffee cups, this time as part of a new strategy to reposition the global chain as a coffee shop, rather than just a place to pick up mobile orders
The company’s CEO, Brian Niccol, 50, who took over as Starbucks’ CEO from Chipotle in September, reintroduced handwritten messages back in late January
Niccol said in a recent interview that he feels the coffee chain had ‘veered too much’ into mobile orders and that it ‘took a lot of the soul’ out of the brand.
He added that the company’s sales have dropped for four straight quarters.
The newly tapped CEO believes adding the personalized notes, which could include affirmations, well wishes and ‘hello again’ for regulars, may turn things around for the struggling chain.
The coffee company, headquartered in Seattle, even highlighted the return of the personalized notes with a new commercial.
Starbucks previously enforced its practice of writing on customers’ cups, however during the Covid-19 pandemic the global chain paused the practice.
Yet, Niccol and other Starbucks leaders believe bringing back the handwritten messages will add an extra customer service touch and will hopefully boost the company’s sagging sales.
The roastery reserve business has also added condiment stations set with milk, sugar and free refills served in ceramic mugs for customers who order their coffee to stay, Niccol said.
The newly tapped CEO believes adding the personalized notes, which could include affirmations, well wishes and ‘hello again’ for regulars, may turn things around for the struggling chain
The company plans to enforce the personalized message practice starting in late February, according to a company memo seen by Bloomberg News
‘There’s a lot of just simple things that go a long way of saying, you know what, this is a community place,’ Niccol said on an earnings call in October.
The former Chipotle CEO added that the company needed to buy some 200,000 Sharpie pens to give to employees so they could write the messages.
The company plans to enforce the personalized message practice starting in late February, according to a company memo seen by Bloomberg News.
The memo gave examples the option of drawing a smiley face or writing out a customer’s name.
‘Workers could also consider sharing well wishes like “seize the day” or a “hello again” for regulars,’ the memo reads.
Starbucks will give stores additional hours where needed to account for the new task, starting February 24, according to the memo.
The company is also planning to test a new approach to staffing levels in 700 stores to ensure workers can handle orders, Niccol said in late January.
