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Another piece of "common sense" that seems all too rare. It may seem like such an obvious point he is making, but it's definitely a point worth making. Focusi
by michael_dorfman 18y ago
Another piece of "common sense" that seems all too rare.
It may seem like such an obvious point he is making, but it's definitely a point worth making. Focusing on short-term return at the expense of the customer relationship will never give good longterm results, and may not even give good short-term results.
- SwellJoe 18y agoAgreed. It's particularly surprising that the employee didn't waive the cost, and raise hell up the chain about the policy. I thought Whole Foods was an "empowered" workplace where employees made the decisions about what happens on the floor. This seems like something they ought to have a say about, if they are, in fact, able to make decisions about how the store where they work operates. I'd certainly never be happy about charging someone $0.50 for ice to go with a beverage they were already paying for...every independent coffee shop I've ever been to will serve just about anything over ice if you ask (and in Austin, on hot days, I found they often asked preemptively if I wanted it iced).
- radley 18y ago>I thought Whole Foods was an "empowered" workplace where employees made the decisions about what happens on the floor. Starbucks was like that initially too, but neither have been like that for years.
- stcredzero 18y agoI think Starbucks is trying to bring some of that back. I got a free coffee in a Houston Starbucks a few weeks ago.
- staunch 18y agoMy experience as well. The Starbucks I go to often is constantly giving me free drinks/snacks/extras.
- gaius 18y agoSame here. Starbucks is a giant corporation, but each branch has the same people in them from day to day, if you stop by the same branch on your way to work every morning, then you'll soon be chatting to the staff. I don't know the dynamic behind the free stuff tho'. It could be Starbucks policy, it could be just the staff being nice to a familiar face who doesn't just bark an order at them, or it could be them deliberately screwing their employer. Probably all three at one point or other.
- natrius 18y agoOne trick is that at less busy Starbucks locations, the regular coffee isn't ordered often enough for there to be brewed coffee ready for you when you order it, especially in the afternoon. Usually they'll give it to you for free to compensate for the wait.