well, along with the red cups came my store's early christmas present: a manager.
we've had acting managers floating in and out of our bux and few weeks ago they gave us another assistant manager (which was a bit odd considering we didn't even have a permanent manager yet). turns out the newly added assistant manager has been promoted to our manager.
oh. what. fun.
off the clock he seems like a cool guy but as soon as he hangs his apron around his neck he turns into "king cappuccino". he's the one that fought with me over a drink recipe, and he's also the one that turns over the worst mid shifts ever. to be fair he's been promoted in a store that's had a lot of confusion as far as staffing goes. apparently this guys big dream is to one day become a regional manager, which means he's going to have to dazzle all his bosses so that he can move up the bux chain.
this can go in either one of two ways: 1.) he bonds with his baristas, works his butt off and helps create a harmonious environment for the partners and the customers or he turns into a nit-picking, bean-counting killjoy who will fire/transfer anyone who won't ascribe to his personal party line.
i've seen both those things happen in other stores. the manager that chose option #1 (the best manager i ever had the privilege to work with) is ready to be promoted to district manager. the manager that chose option #2 (the WORST manager i ever worked for) was asked to leave the company after just a few weeks.
time will tell if my new manager will check his ego and get with the bux program. if not, i've heard coffee bean is hiring.
customer rant: i applaud your sense of urgency, i really do - but don't forgo being polite for being speedy. you were so concerned with calling down the line that you mismarked cups, and when i realized you had written down "sugar-free vanilla" instead of "vanilla" for my latte, i pointed it out. instead of changing the cup you threw a tantrum - making a big show of tossing the cup across the bar and into the trash. uh, wouldn't it have been faster to just scratch out the "SF" instead of getting a whole new cup? please, slow down enough so that you don't blow a fuse when you have to correct a mistake.
12 comments:
Now I am slightly confused...Your rants seem to be first person and provide great insight but todays appeared to be from a customers perspective.
BTW i see you link Sling and JP. thats cool my spouse is Lorraine over at Here's the Thing.
Small blog world
For your sake, I hope the manager takes option #1 !!!!!!!!!
Holy crap re: the customer rant. I've never seen a barista throw a cup like that...I think I would've laughed my ass off. What a spazz eh? hehe
I could never understand people who spazz out when serving during rush hour. My attitude is do the best you can, calm down, and smile. Less likely to make mistakes that way. If people really want the product/service, they will wait :)
I love your blog. Since I've been reading it for a month or so, I have become more aware of how people here in Germany behave compared to what you describe in your blog.
First of all, I am shocked at what seems to be the degradation of common courtesy in America. It's been 14 years since I moved to Germany, and I don't remember the behaviour you describe.
Today I was in my local bakery where a guy was picking up 4 coffees to go. This in itelf was unusual, because in Europe people generally go to cafes and drink their coffee there. You almost never see anyone walking around with a paper coffee cup in their hand. Anyway, this guy ordered four coffees, three with milk and one without. He reminded the server that one coffee was without milk. She said, "oh I've already made them all with milk," as if she wasn't going to give him what he ordered. Instead of flipping out, he just said okay it doesn't matter that much. But then she went and gave him a new coffee without milk (like she should have done!). No one got angry, no hissy fits. As this was happening, I was just thinking about some of your customers and how this would have gone down so differently at your bux.
Keep up the great writing and keep your chin up.
Wordygurl
Lack of bonding and feeling my worth is appreciated is precisely why I've chosen to go independent at this point in my life. For your sake (and maybe his) I hope he chooses the right option.
It's a challenge training a new boss..Know what I mean?
You are a knowledgable and articulate person B.Brat,I think,with your help,and a little patience,you can have him whipped into shape in no time. ;)
Hi there...I just found your blog as a recommended read from a friend of a friend and I can already tell that I will be by often...
Show me a person whose goal in life is to be a retail manager and I'll show you the definition of a douchebag.
Now how is the "retail manager = douchebag" comment helpful? That could be the perfect job for someone who is service-oriented and enjoys interacting with people. It's this sort of bitter snarkiness that makes retail management jobs so difficult, for management, staff, and customers. And no, I'm not currently in retail, but I have done it several times & I appreciate how challenging it can be for everyone involved. Reading blogs like Brat's and Waiterrant have made me a much better customer, too.
Now on to my original comment: I am still chuckling over "King Cappuccino." Ha! I am picturing a guy in a green Bux apron and a gold spray-painted cardboard crown with glued-on jewels.
Kiz - Hari Raya is the celebration after ramadan (the fasting month)... i don't know about those other ones - just Hari Raya since it's one of the bigger ones...
Yes, it's a pity about the mug... just need to get another one and write my name on it fast and personalise it a little bit.
and fingers crossed that the new manager takes option 1 and becomes great although i think his ego will over-inflate and he'll continue being a tool... but hopefully not!
That's it...I am moving to Germany. Civility has left the U.S. of A. and if the recent campaigning hasn't shown that then I don't know what does. [I am not a politico...but I live in VA..and if you can say "Webb & Allen" than you can scream "MUDSLINGING"]
This isn't geared towards you Brat, you know that...we [service workers] just simply should NOT have to put up with this.
It is the US OF A...Not the US OF E.
Who knows what the E is...anyone? Bueller?
Bux you don't count..giggle...you know I say it all the time. We have the same employees and clientele.
Bless you girlie.
eric - haha, i didn't realize you were "the spouse" lorraine mentions in her blog. you're right, it is a small blog world. and kiasyn kelle answered your question :)
kiasyn kelle - haha, thanks for dishing out the barista 411!
mellowlee - i've worked with baristas who threw fits, and let me tell you it was not acceptable. they soon learned they had to act right or leave.
wordygurl - i've heard from a lot of people that the quality of service in the states has steadily declined. you'll have to visit a bux in germany and let me know how the baristas treat you! thanks for stopping by.
shakennotstirred - i hope so as well. from what i can tell it seems like a possibility.
sling - haha, we can only hope!
trisha - thanks for popping by!
anonymous - i'm not surprised you're the expert on what makes a douchebag, so thanks for your insight.
girl with moxie - you're the BEST kind of customer.
marcus - i see moments where he seems like he'll step off his pedestal, and then there's the times he thinks his poop smells like espresso. time will tell.
skippymom - haha, who knew pools and coffee would have so much in common?
Keeping my latted fingers crossed for you, Brat. There's a new manager at my bux, and it's gone from a wonderfully fun place to spend my mornings to a boring, disorganized, no-personality box of a bux. Ugh.
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