Starbucks’ new CEO, Brian Niccol, faces the challenge of reassuring investors that the company’s US coffee shops are still in demand. At the same time, he is also dealing with concerns raised by baristas and loyal customers who are pushing for various changes within the organization.
Baristas have expressed frustrations over persistent understaffing, low pay, and insufficient benefits, according to Reuters. They are also calling for the authority to ban aggressive customers from Starbucks locations. On the other hand, dedicated customers are asking for greater consistency in their drinks.
Recently, Starbucks reported a 6% drop in US same-store sales for the fourth quarter and withdrew its earnings outlook for the next fiscal year. Niccol acknowledged that baristas need more support to provide “exceptional service” as the company looks ahead.
To be successful, we must address staffing issues in our stores, remove bottlenecks, and streamline processes for our baristas,” the CEO said in a video statement. He indicated that further details about potential changes within the company would be shared during an earnings call on October 30, after the announcement of the financial results for the fourth quarter and the entire year.
Baristas have been vocal about staffing problems in the company’s coffee shops. The report highlighted Liv Ryan, a barista and union organizer at a Starbucks in Long Island, New York, who stressed that the executive should work on solutions to end short staffing. She noted that baristas face challenges due to the lack of guidance from Starbucks on how to handle rude and aggressive customers.
“I’ve been told numerous times that part of our job is to just accept rude customers. But there’s no clear boundary between ‘rude’ and ‘hostile,’ and I shouldn’t have to tolerate anyone being disrespectful while I’m at work,” Ryan remarked. Meanwhile, customers are calling on Starbucks to provide more consistency in their coffee.
