Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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I'm struggling with every shift because there's always that one bad customer... (self.starbucksbaristas)
submitted by firsttimesbuxpartner
This has turned into a constant for me every day that I work.
Every time there's a customer that is either rude or gets mad at me for something that I cannot control.
Yesterday I had to deal with a customer who kept arguing with me about their iced coffee and how it doesn't automatically come with cream (because it doesn't ring up that way) and I had to have my shift manager handle it because I had already been there for 6 hours and I wasn't leaving for another 2.
Today I had to deal with a customer who refused to pay the 2 cents they owed because they "have been here every day" and "spend hundreds of dollars" and I literally cannot just let the 2 cents slide because I could get in trouble.
I try counting down from 5. I try to calm down. But every day after work when I come home I either crash or start crying. It's starting to become very difficult to cope with day to day stressors.
Every time there's a customer that is either rude or gets mad at me for something that I cannot control.
Yesterday I had to deal with a customer who kept arguing with me about their iced coffee and how it doesn't automatically come with cream (because it doesn't ring up that way) and I had to have my shift manager handle it because I had already been there for 6 hours and I wasn't leaving for another 2.
Today I had to deal with a customer who refused to pay the 2 cents they owed because they "have been here every day" and "spend hundreds of dollars" and I literally cannot just let the 2 cents slide because I could get in trouble.
I try counting down from 5. I try to calm down. But every day after work when I come home I either crash or start crying. It's starting to become very difficult to cope with day to day stressors.
kanoodlepoo 5 points 4y ago
I feel ya, there’s always those rude customers. People that are miserable and are rude usually have their own problems. Just don’t pay attention to them, people suck lol. You can do it!! I believe in you!
Lolindir93 4 points 4y ago
After 4 years at the company & having worked in different “customer service” jobs, it all comes down to the fact: we deal with coffee.
People take coffee very seriously. They wanted it the moment before walking into the store. In a restaurant, people are expected to wait for their meal & are usually pretty good about it.
Though, I’ve found that at Starbucks, customers want you to have already read their mind before they walked into the store so you have their drink ready by the time they get to the POS.
Unfortunately, that’s the nature of The Starbucks Machine & overtime, it just won’t even phase you anymore.
People take coffee very seriously. They wanted it the moment before walking into the store. In a restaurant, people are expected to wait for their meal & are usually pretty good about it.
Though, I’ve found that at Starbucks, customers want you to have already read their mind before they walked into the store so you have their drink ready by the time they get to the POS.
Unfortunately, that’s the nature of The Starbucks Machine & overtime, it just won’t even phase you anymore.
marlinspikeplace 3 points 4y ago
Learn to laugh at them. That is genuinely the best advice I can give. Some customers will absolutely make you want to scream or cry or tear your hair out in the moment but if afterwards you can go in the back and manage to laugh at the absurdity of the situation? It will get you through the day.
Granted, there's some things you can't come back from. There are people who will treat you like you are less than alive and you will have to cry until you feel human again. But others? You just have to look at them stewing in their own pit of absurdity and say, "You're making a spectacle of yourself, in public, for free, I have the moral high ground, and you're STILL not getting free coffee, ya dingus."
Granted, there's some things you can't come back from. There are people who will treat you like you are less than alive and you will have to cry until you feel human again. But others? You just have to look at them stewing in their own pit of absurdity and say, "You're making a spectacle of yourself, in public, for free, I have the moral high ground, and you're STILL not getting free coffee, ya dingus."
chelscrew 3 points 4y ago
two important things to always remember:
1. you can always ask another partner to finish the transaction if things aren’t going well, because we always want both our customers and partners taken care of, and we don’t want customers to be satisfied at the expense of our partners
2. for every bad customer you have, you’ll have a good one. don’t let the customers who are god awful ruin the connection you might make with the very next customer. let yourself focus on how you might make a new regular, or how you made someone’s day with your recommendation, or how you made the moment right with someone.
1. you can always ask another partner to finish the transaction if things aren’t going well, because we always want both our customers and partners taken care of, and we don’t want customers to be satisfied at the expense of our partners
2. for every bad customer you have, you’ll have a good one. don’t let the customers who are god awful ruin the connection you might make with the very next customer. let yourself focus on how you might make a new regular, or how you made someone’s day with your recommendation, or how you made the moment right with someone.
HawkSpotter 2 points 4y ago
Great perspective. The awful ones stand out because they’re so bad.
dreamsonoma 2 points 4y ago
As much as this sounds very brass, once you take off your apron and hat for the day, leave those bad customers at work! As well, dont let those customers get to you. Why I say, I used to think that way as well. I had to learn to have a thicker skin to deal with customers like that. Those customers well eventually warm up to you or will go away. You can do it!!!
Madame_Deadly 2 points 4y ago
I have a problem letting it get to me and for some reason lately I've been a bit mouthy to customers I guess you could say. I told one customer earlier that she cpuld be nicer -_- It literally slipped out before thinking
karmapayback 2 points 4y ago
I believe in you. Keep up all the good work you’ve been doing!
brooke-b 2 points 4y ago
I feel this. This job hasn’t made me cry in the whole 6 months that I’ve been here but this week I’ve cried twice here. I feel like the customers are wilding out extra lately like they’ve been extra crazy and rude. It’s not just you we all feel the same way idk what the deal is but I hope it gets better for you!!
firsttimesbuxpartner [OP] 1 points 4y ago
I briefly worked in retail and I never had days that were this bad, or customers that were this bad. It's so painful some days.
Candelantern 1 points 4y ago
It's so hard to focus on the multitude of good customers you make connections with because even just one bad interaction can ruin your whole day :/
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It's so hard not to take it personally, I feel
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It's so hard not to take it personally, I feel
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