Starbucks Baristas: The daily grind
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rant on customer connections + manager from a neurodiverse partner (self.starbucksbaristas)
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[deleted]
colonade17 4 points 2y ago
I get both sides of this. The job requires you to provide customer service and part of that is reading both employee and customers social cues. And it's pretty basic customer service to greet your customers and have conversations with them. And at Starbucks the expectation is that you greet every customer who walks in the door, and try to engage with them whenever you're in a customer facing role. If that's really problematic for you then a role in a high volume retail business may not be the best fit for you.
At the same time it's Starbuck's and your manager's job to provide you with the training and support to do your job well. Starbucks provides very little training on how to be good at customer service, they mostly just tell you to do it. I find that especially problematic since for a significant amount of the workforce here this is your first job, and you need more support and structure to succeed here.
At the same time it's Starbuck's and your manager's job to provide you with the training and support to do your job well. Starbucks provides very little training on how to be good at customer service, they mostly just tell you to do it. I find that especially problematic since for a significant amount of the workforce here this is your first job, and you need more support and structure to succeed here.
vicesvegetarian 1 points 2y ago
i should've prefaced before, i do greet customers and hold decent customer service, but being in a kiosk, most people just want to get their coffee and go, so it seems like my efforts are pushed down a lot.
i'm more frustrated with how my manager and shifts handled my autism and other diagnoses. my manager asked me, unprompted, saying that she heard i have 'mental conditions' and that she needs to know what these are without the request for accommodation or anything, to which my knowledge is illegal although i didn't know that at the time of conversation. i hold my job pretty well, and to be told it's my fault and shouldn't be working is extremely unprofessional. this has caused my manager to carry on this message (about my diagnosis) to a shift i work with often without my consent, which has caused for some issues too. honestly, i'm more frustrated with how my diagnosis was handled than the customer connections.
i'm more frustrated with how my manager and shifts handled my autism and other diagnoses. my manager asked me, unprompted, saying that she heard i have 'mental conditions' and that she needs to know what these are without the request for accommodation or anything, to which my knowledge is illegal although i didn't know that at the time of conversation. i hold my job pretty well, and to be told it's my fault and shouldn't be working is extremely unprofessional. this has caused my manager to carry on this message (about my diagnosis) to a shift i work with often without my consent, which has caused for some issues too. honestly, i'm more frustrated with how my diagnosis was handled than the customer connections.
colonade17 1 points 2y ago
They're allowed to ask about it, however the ADA sets limits on any negative action they can take based on that information. And many managers are not trained on how to handle these situations. But it's your responsibility to request the accommodation, it's not their job to tell you to do it, you have to know your rights and stand up for yourself. Don't expect your boss to do that for you.
Ok-Bowl4392 1 points 2y ago
As a fellow barista on the spectrum this is sad to hear. While I hate functioning labels for this conversation all use high functioning as my place on the spectrum. My new store knows of all my issues and are very supportive. If I forget a social cue a nice and gentle reminder sets me back on track and I usually get it every time after. If I come off as rude or irritated with a customer my manager will say something but it’s never rude and it’s only him protecting me and making sure I can keep doing what I do best. Social interaction is a large part of our job but it isn’t the only thing that makes a good barista. I recommend calling partner resources
Ok-Bowl4392 1 points 2y ago
Also I recommended looking into transferring. Starbucks has some great stores and districts while others need to be reported to partner resources like yours and my old store, which I reported and so did my new SM after I told him what happened to me there.
M333oww 1 points 2y ago
You are very valid this is complete bullshit. Starbucks itself will push that theyre very accepting of others, but truly no store I’ve worked at has been good about that. Hopefully something is done about this. And yes, our store has been pushing the customer connections so fucking far it’s crazy. I love being nice to people and doing things for them, but I like doing them genuinely, not when the managers are breathing down my neck telling me to ask people personal questions and cross so many boundaries.
IntroductionDeep1687 1 points 2y ago
I get you hun... I have ADHD that I am just now finally being diagnosed with and I've recently been getting a lot of comments about my inability to stay on task and things like that (aka my ADHD lol) and it's become very difficult and frustrating because I don't even have the guts to tell them a lot of it is because of my ADHD out of fear they'll accuse me of coming up with excuses (thank you anxiety) Starbucks is a toxic, dehumanizing place and they can literally suck it. If you're that unhappy I'd have a very serious conversation with your manager and tell them you can't come in anymore. I have seen so many people at my store simply quit with now two weeks or nothing. The store will be fine. They might have a rough two weeks trying to cover your shifts and then they'll be fine and most importantly you will be much happier and healthier
vicesvegetarian 1 points 2y ago
the whole problem is, i feel like i had to tell them, and my manager handled it extremely unprofessionally. i'm more frustrated with how my manager and shifts handled my autism and other diagnoses. my manager asked me, unprompted, saying that she heard i have 'mental conditions' and that she needs to know what these are without the request for accommodation or anything, to which my knowledge is illegal although i didn't know that at the time of conversation. i hold my job pretty well, and to be told it's my fault and shouldn't be working is extremely unprofessional. this has caused my manager to carry on this message (about my diagnosis) to a shift i work with often, which has caused for some issues too. honestly, i'm more frustrated with how my diagnosis was handled than the customer connections.
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