last week i wrote about newbies who seem so clueless it's a wonder why they were ever hired. it's true, however, that sometimes these newbies become solid partners who more than earn their paychecks. conversely there are newbies that start off spectacularly then steadily turn into unproductive whiners.
a few weeks ago a newbie from another bux was covering at my store (that's how desperate we were for coverage). although she'd been with the company for less than a month she was solid at register, frappuccinos, and competent at bar. she had a great attitude, mixed well with our customers and was fun to work with. so when i found out she was covering another shift at my store i was actually excited since she had been so great the first time around.
when she called to let us know she'd be fifteen minutes late i didn't think too much of it. but when she breezed in half an hour late out of uniform and tossed out a "what's up, brat?" i was slightly miffed. it then took her another ten minutes to change into her work clothes before she was ready to join us on the floor.
i wish i could say that she was golden for the rest of her shift, but she wasn't. in fact she was like a different person. she whined when asked to stock the bathroom, she was less than welcoming with customers, and she seemed to have regressed when it came to bar, forgetting recipes and messing up on drinks. i could hardly believe this was the same girl that wowed us the last time she covered a shift at our store.
when her shift was over she asked me "was i as good as last time?" and i gave her an honest answer: "not even close."
why do stellar newbies go bad?
i have no idea, and really there's no excuse. hopefully she'll learn but usually once they "go bad" there's no turning back. and some wonder why turnover is so high at bux.
customer rant: i'm glad you like the new bux cd - really i am, but could you refrain from playing it so loud that your customers have to practically yell when placing their orders? and when a customer asks you to turn it down, do so! especially since you have it cranked up past the bux approved level. i know it's your passive aggressive way to drive customers out of the store when it comes close to closing time, and it's truly unacceptable. crank the music up as high as you like when the doors are locked and you're cleaning, just remember that bux is supposed to be "the third place" - not YOUR place.
11 comments:
Just have to say as a sbux sm, that turnover ISN'T really that high compared to most places in both retail and F & B, at least not in my market. Too bad that newbie doesn't have some better leadership at her home store. I love having the luxury of using borrowed partners, and 9 times out of 10, they shine, because they are out to impress when they come to my store. Hope this newbie was an isolated incident...
You know, Brat, if her atitude is consistently bad, you have a point. But one time? Maybe she had a personal problem, maybe she's in debt, maybe someone she loves is sick or in trouble. Maybe she was just having a really bad day. The very fact that she asked how she did sounds like she knew that wasn't her best.
Of course, if she keeps doing that, let bux toss her lazy ass on the street.
what did u mean bux is "the third place". I could come to my own conclusions, but I've never heard that before; it sounds like one of those corporate terms. I'd be interested to know.
whatever are we going to do if you ever leave Starbucks? If you do, then we would all hope for another professional disection of every aspect of the new job.
But it probably would never be the same.
I haven't come across a Starbucks where the music was too loud - yet; however this morning my usual location seemed to have been possessed because even the manager greeted me without eye-contact and a solemn "Yep...?"
I even stalled a moment because I couldn't tell if she was talking to me or asking me what I wanted.
No tip for her this time.
I love this blog! Makes me miss being the happy snarkface waitress. Thanks for being entertaining, if at your own expense! A Starbucks just opened .8 kilometre's walk from my home, so my maternity-leave ass is there everyday :) Suz.
Brad that was awesome - and I thought I was the only person who could do that! I read your first post and thought... wha...?
My fingers were itching to respond with some highly unpoetic abuse
Then immediately after I read the second and cracked up.
You really are my #1 today.
anonymous - i think you used to be my manager! haha. that's how my old store was when i had the best manager in the world but everything is totally different in my new district.
alessandra - it's true, everyone can have an off day but she was so far off it was hard to excuse.
seth - to quoted all the teen girls that come into my bux: "oh no you DIDN'T!"
anonymous - 'the third place' is a bux corporate term. the first place is your home, the second place is your work and bux wants to be your third place.
lighterate - haha, well it doesn't look like i'll be leaving anytime soon!
calamity h. jane - even on days when EVERYTHING is going wrong, it's still no excuse not to greet a customer. good for you on refusing to tip the bad attitude!
brad #1 - haha, i agree with lighterate's comment.
suz - thanks for stopping by! so cool you now have a neigborhood bux.
I wonder if newbie's store has a morale problem and she's thus slid into bad habits ...
If she was good then went back to her store and came back bad the problem is with her store and the culture at that location. She was "trained" to not give a shit and still get paid. Anyone competent and treating the customer and co-workers well, etc is probably viewed as "uncool" or a "nerd" and given a hard time. Ergo to fit in at her store she has to conform to the culture of shitty service and attitude. Many people learn this in high school when they get crap from their peer or ethnic group for good grades and participation then carry it into their adult lives.
You are full of yourself, you were a newbie at one time to. And face it you just a lowly coffee girl at over priced coffee shop. No one cares about your bitching. If you don't like it go get an education and a real job.
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