thoughts

So it's Friday, the day I usually head to Starbucks for my weekly allotment of sugar and spice. There was no line up which is a perk, mostly because it's Spring Break and students have much better things to do then hang out at the campus.

I stop in front of the cashier at the till, whose head is down and she's looking at something. But some how she notices that I'm in front of her and she looks up, asks what I want, plugs it into the system, yells for the other girl to grab my chocolate caramel muffin (said other girl was in the process of putting a garbage bag into the bin for their coffee grinds), rings my purchase through hands me my receipt to sign and puts her head down. Once I finish signing my receipt I go to hand it back to her and she has to put her CELLPHONE down because she's TEXTING!!

OMG! This is the biggest beef I have with customer service. I am your priority when you are on the clock, not your bloody stupid phone, not the gossip conversation amongst staff, not even restocking your display case. I AM THE MOST IMPORTANT PRIORITY, along with all the other paying customers!!

This is not the first time I've been at this location and this is not the first time I've been treated second to the above mentioned statements. This location is right outside my place of work on the campus. And also it's a University campus, it's BUSY. There should be no time for you to be talking gossip, (or smack about your customers either you fool) or texting or neglecting the paying people in front of you.

My beef - why is it so hard for people to put their phones down and leave the gossip until there are no customers in the store? Mostly the phone is my big problem, and it's not just relegated to the sales associates. Even the manager texts when she's on the clock, behind the till, waiting on customers. When it's top down, it's time for an overhaul.

I've complained to Starbucks head office before. The lack of etiquette, the lack of presentation when handing back my resuable mug, the lack of customer service, have all earned my ire and evil death glare. But the problem is that this manager is hired by the University to work in a Starbucks branded store. This manager is Union, and we all know that once you're part of a union you only leave by choice or by death. Although this manager still has a regional boss to report to, she probably can't be fired unless she violates union policies.

It's very frustrating, and I know I'm not the only person to complain about the staff. When you're in a front facing customer service position, customer service is all you should be doing. 99% of retail companies out there have a 'no cellphone on floor' policies. What makes this Starbucks the exception to the rule? Why is it so hard to follow the rules??

You might be thinking that I don't have a right to complain about the cellphones, because I just occupy a chair as support staff at the University, but let me tell you something. I have 12yrs of retail experience. I've paid my dues as a lowly associate up to a store manager. While I've never worked for Starbucks, I have worked for a variety of clothing and gift and show companies, and all of them have had the same 'no cellphones on the floor' policies. Again why is this Starbucks exempt??

I feel like my needs and wants as a customer are ignored, that my money which is paying their wage, is not important enough.

You're probably thinking why doesn't she go to another location? Well the closest Starbucks is a 5min walk across campus to the residence housing block - which means it's even busier!!! I could get into my car and drive to the local mall - a return trip of about 25-30min. So much for a 15min coffee break!!

Really Starbucks staff/management - control your employees, inforce the rules and regulations, and lock up your damn cellphones! I AM YOUR ONLY PRIORITY