Starbucks baristas say they are understaffed, have to put up with rude customers

In September, CEO Brian Niccol had said he wanted to empower baristas to take care of Starbucks customers. (File photo)

Starbucks employees have a message for their new CEO Brian Niccol — take steps to prevent chronic understaffing. The employees have claimed that not only are they severely understaffed but they have also had to put up with rude customers. They want Niccol to introduce clearer guidelines to cafe managers for banning customers who act inappropriately.

Liv Ryan, a barista and union organiser at a Starbucks in New York, told Reuters that baristas have long had gripes about the lack of guidance from the company on how to contend with bad-tempered customers.
"I have been told countless times that part of our job is 'just taking rude customers,'" Ryan said. "But there's no clear line between 'rude' and 'hostile' and even then I shouldn't have to put up with anyone being rude to me at my job."

She added that Niccol should put "an end to short staffing."

One barista, who did not want to be named for fear of reprisal, said he wanted to see more clear divisions between stores that focus on mobile orders and drive-throughs, and those that hew closer to the original vision of Starbucks as a laid-back coffeehouse. Such a separation could ensure a smoother workflow, he said.

Last month, Niccol had said he wanted to empower baristas to take care of Starbucks customers.
"We'll make sure our baristas have the tools and time to craft great drinks every time, delivered personally to each customer. For our partners, we’ll build on our tradition of leadership in retail by making Starbucks the best place to work, with career opportunities and a clear path to growth," he said.

In an open letter last month, Niccol said that part of his strategy will be to make a clear distinction between “to-go” and “for-here” service. The former head of Chipotle Mexican Grill, who has built a reputation for listening to his detractors and fixing their complaints, said in a video statement: "To succeed, we need to address staffing in our stores, remove bottlenecks, and simplify things for our baristas."

(With inputs from Reuters)