Jun 25th, 2008

Four Things Working at Starbucks Taught Me

By David Weliver

I don’t think I have ever had so much fun at work as I did slinging lattes and bagging beans at Starbucks. (If you don’t get it, ask somebody who has worked at one). But at Starbucks, I also learned valuable lessons that have helped me everywhere else I have worked:

Starbucks Career Tip: Engage Others – Most people don’t expect to have a counter person use their first name or ask them how they are doing (and seem genuinely interested), let alone make eye contact. Sadly, most people have come not to expect true engagement from coworkers, managers, or clients, either.

How to Use It – Imagine how you can stand out at work if you make an effort to use names, make eye contact, and be genuinely interested in everybody you talk to each day.

Starbucks Career Tip: Surprise People – Are you a Starbucks regular? Chances are you have received a free drink when a barista makes a mistake or things are running slow. How many other companies admit to a mistake and give you free product without being asked? Such a simple gesture can make a customer’s day.

How to Use It – At work, surprise others by going above and beyond. Buy flowers for a coworker who had a bad day, take a good client to lunch and avoid selling him anything for the entire hour, or make your boss look really good in front of her manager.

Starbucks Career Tip: Know Your Stuff – These days you can walk into a store to buy a TV and find salespeople who could barely tell you the difference between LCD and plasma screens. Ask any Starbucks barista about the differences among Latin American, African, and Southeast Asian coffee beans, however, and you’ll likely get an earful. That’s because Starbucks employees at every level are expected to know coffee.

How to Use It – How well do you know your company’s business? Whether you work in sales, finance, human resources, or on the warehouse floor, taking an active interest in understanding your company’s product, culture, and business strategy will help you take your career to new heights.

Starbucks Career Tip: Recognize Others – Though you might not know it as you wait for your cappuccino, Starbucks pushes its partners (Starbuckian slang for employees) to recognize each other for a job well done. Partners trade personalized business-card sized notes with one of several guiding principles printed on the back to show day-to-day gratitude for a job well done. Coworkers and managers have higher awards to bestow upon partners who really go the extra mile.

How to Use It – Recognizing others at work can be as simple as saying “thank you” for ordinarily thankless tasks. Say it personally, or leave a handwritten note. If you’re a manager, nothing boosts employee job satisfaction like the feeling that their contributions are noticed and valued.

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3. How to Think Like a CEO
4. Ponzi Schemes: How to Recognize and Avoid Investment Scams
5. Manage Yourself: 10 Ways to Make Yourself Accountable at Work, in Life, and with Money

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One Response to “Four Things Working at Starbucks Taught Me”

1. john says:

   June 25, 2008 at 10:34 am

   Awesome article, the basics of communication are essential in the work place. when i was in high school i bagged groceries. you know what it taught me? I better get educated because this sucks.