Service: Efficiency v. Personality

By I.J. Hudson

I am a frequenter of Starbucks, and am fascinated by the baristas’ knowledge of all the combinations their customers pack into orders, the shorthand they use to mark the cups and all that goes with the Starbucks experience.

First of all, let me be the first to admit that I could never do their job well.  I order regular coffee, “no room” (for cream).    I’m just not a double-soy-latte-3 squirts, whatever kind of guy.  I could never cope with one person ordering three different drinks and then changing his/her mind(s).

I recently watched a Barista work alone at a Starbucks.  She was extremely efficient, from ringing up the sale, to filling the order, to snapping the cover on and adding the cardboard sleeve to keep me from burning my hand.

There was a bit of a line, but she kept at it: concentration, speed and efficiency.  The line moved quickly.  She served us quickly and well - even those folks whose order, if written, required a semi-colon and three commas. But she didn’t seem to be having any fun as she worked.

Perhaps it was holiday stress, or she wasn’t in a good mood, but the fact she wasn’t having fun was a negative for me.  Given a choice between quicker service and slightly slower service with a smile or the time to exchange pleasantries, many people would choose quicker service. I wouldn’t.

I like to get to know a little bit about the people I work with, people at checkout, people in lines, people everywhere.  I’m prone to ask the heritage of a last name I see on a name tag.  Blame it on all those years I was a reporter, or just call me nosy.

That’s why I was disappointed when I didn’t get a chance to really interact with the barista other than give her my order.  Ideally, it should have been efficiency plus personality.   One of the first things mentioned in the official barista job description is "to welcome and connect with each customer."  That's good for cultivating long term relationships important to keep people coming  back.

No, I’m not throwing away my Starbucks gift cards, and I’m not giving up on this barista.It could have just been a bad morning.

Next time, I’ll order my “grande, regular coffee” and hope there's room/time - for at least a smile.