Apologies in advance. I’m a communications major and it’s kinda my thing. This doesn’t apply to all people and situations but works most days.

TL;DR at bottom.


It helps if you have in mind what you would do in their station. Also, have the clean play and ready cards (that’s what we call them, right? Hah) in hand to give them.

Stress how keeping up QASA standards are what all stores should strive for—even if they’re not there.

I start off by stopping whatever I’m doing, look at them and say

“Hey ‘Fred’ while you don’t have customers at the register can you PLEASE focus on straightening up the area around POS (or anything they can do while still being available for the main job focus *customers*).”

-It’s important to say their name (this get’s their attention)

-Make eye contact or get a verbal response if on headset (They can’t say they didn’t hear you if you do this).

-Ask them and say please!! (I’ve heard people complain about how they hate working with people who demand them to do things.)

-Give them a specific thing to do. Even if it’s “Hey Blair, can you please clean around/behind/under the warming station when you don’t have a line?”

-Make sure you thank your partner for the job they did or the attitude they had while working. Positive reinforcement works for *most* people.


TL;DR - Say their name and get their attention. Be civil and say please. Give them something specific to do. Say thank you for specific jobs or attitude they had.

(Used to be a ssv)

With my drive baristas: I made it into a competition. Seriously effective at my store. Pick a time, and encourage them over the headset— a lot of them have fun with it.

Customer support... I struggled with that, too. Splitting the 8 minute cycle is useful. So instead of hitting everything at once, you lift the load by alternating each cycle. It’s a slightly altered version of what my SM in AZ applied.

**Cycle A:**
*Brew
*Ice, beans, sleeves
*Sanitizer, Smallwares
*Task list

**Cycle B**
*Brew
*Lobby Slide, bathrooms
*Signals
*Task List

At the end of the day I think there’s nothing to say— you have to flex to find a way they like working. If that’s splitting up work, creating incentives, etc.