Starbucks baristas have begun implementing a new system aimed at speeding up service and reducing bottlenecks that have led customers to complain about wait times of up to 40 minutes for their coffee orders.
Part of the system involves changing the order in which hot and cold drinks are produced. Under the old method, Starbucks baristas prioritized cold drinks from start to finish, even though hot drink orders came in first.
Workers who provided feedback to company superiors said the system led to longer wait times at the drive-through.
Starbucks also plans to assign one of its employees to the role of “play caller” who steps away from production and helps ease traffic jams as well as perform other key tasks such as replenishing cups or helping when an unexpected crowd arrives.
“One of the pain points we found was that our espresso machine was often running constantly, and that was one of the things that was preventing our partners from checking in,” Katie Young, senior vice president of store operations, told CNBC.
“And another thing we saw that we didn’t necessarily know was what part of the store would be crowded.”
Young said Starbucks locations “really needed to have a dedicated partner, when things got intense, to step back from production and just help.”
“It’s the ability to respond flexibly to things we can’t predict,” she said.
Starbucks management is planning increased customer engagement through its mobile app, which starting Monday is open to non-rewards members who can place orders.
The company also recently took inspiration from fast food chains, including McDonald’s, by launching a budget-friendly combo meal last month.
Starbucks’ new “pairings” menu lets customers pay up to $6 for a large hot or iced tea or coffee with one of the store’s snacks, like a breakfast sandwich or butter croissant.
At a time of stubbornly high inflation, Starbucks is looking to win back the hearts, minds and wallets of disappointed customers who, according to one study, are forced to wait up to 40 minutes for a coffee.
Company employees blamed management, which laid off about 29,000 store employees in the 12 months beginning in October 2022.
Starbucks’ stock price fell more than 22% last year, and the company’s new CEO, Laxman Narasimhan, was heavily criticized after the company released its quarterly results.
Starbucks cut its profit and revenue forecast for fiscal 2024 after reporting that same-store sales fell 4% while foot traffic declined 6% in the three months that ended in April.
The situation has become so dire that Narasimhan’s predecessor, Howard Schultz, who is credited with transforming Starbucks from a Seattle coffee shop chain into a global colossus, published a lengthy LinkedIn post urging the company to reorganize its U.S.-based operations.
The Post has reached out to Starbucks for comment.
News Source : nypost.com
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