I Hate Starbucks

1. dumbblondsroast
   

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   Couple days ago I was on the laptop at work doing shift training, and I started the deployment section. Obviously it went through proper deployment and what each person's main focus should be and where they can "slide" if need be.

   It made me realize that my store does not really follow proper deployment very well. For example, Cafe bar will start doing DT drinks on Cafe bar and vice versa. DT register will help a cafe customer and Cafe register will be pulling stickers for DT. Plus, there is never a designated floater (I'm guessing that's usually whoever the manager or shift is...?), but I think that's because my manager schedules to the bare minimum, which is a whole different topic in itself.....

   So is anyone's store consistent with their deployment or does everybody just do there thing?

   Posted 8 months ago #

2. palmettobug
   

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   We rock at deployment. I didn't realize how much we rocked until I borrowed at two other stores, they're HORRIBLE at it. Not to mention one of them had people just wandering off to do non-essential tasks with a 30 person line, when they're SUPPOSED to be floating. By the time I got back from my break, I found three coffees blinking, a line practically out the door, someone on my R1 till (not a register deployed barista), and the R2 float missing. WINNARZ.

   Posted 8 months ago #

3. Señor Cardgage
   

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   Haha. ..uggh. Deployment can make or break ..hell, a store in a general sense. I'm not one to talk, though, as I'm used to being three deployed positions simultaneously, so it's weird to reel it in when we actually have three or more part coverage. As in 'I .. don't .. have to run from bar to warming and back inbetween brewing coffees, grabbing pastries and calling the line..? oh my god. what is this. this isn't starbucks anymore!'

   Posted 8 months ago #
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4. Jerkmancery
   

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   Palmettobug, I've experienced something similar to you, but reversed.

   My district is known for rich-as-fuxk customers. You know the kind; they respond to your friendly greeting with, "umm yeah, I'm gonna need a venti 180 sugar-free caramel latte with skim milk, a decaf grande extra hot soy americano misto and blahblahblah I forgot to take my pills BEFORE going to Starbucks, so now you're gonna be the lucky recipient of my mood disorder". Because our store makes insane amounts of cash regardless of how crappy we are as a team (being a new store, we SUCK magnanimous amounts of donkey balls), not even the SM cares too much about proper deployment. It REALLY hurts us when shxt gets real, though.

   I tend to phantom outside of my district at VERY high volume locations. Because deployment is used properly, the shifts go SO MUCH SMOOTHER. The difference is night and day. Bottlenecks are cleared within minutes, customers are rung through in sequence, coffee cadence is always followed, nobody stands around fingering their asshxoles, and best of all, because the queue moves relatively quickly, customers are a lot happier, treat YOU nicer and give better feedback on the customer voice.

   I think deployment is directly related to how well a shift supervisor can lead people. A lot of shifties get promoted only because the SM likes them, not because they can actually fucxking LEAD people. Drives me bananas, it does. >:(

   Posted 8 months ago #
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5. IGLtICEBanDCCF
   

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   At my store, we rarely have enough people to have proper deployment. I've only experienced it a few times, but man, did it make things run smoothly.

   Posted 8 months ago #

6. Señor Cardgage
   

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   I love leadin' my troops into battle, especially on record breaking weekends. This one's been real rough on my poor .. everything, though.

   We're atleast getting our labor back for the weekends since our numbers are climbing to levels of ridonx, so yeah, I can actually deploy people rather than gird my loins for six or more hours straight of two part coverage horror. Lemme tell you, having four part coverage and the ability to stick people on BAR1 and BAR2, one ONREG while I expedite/shout grim battlecries of vile encouragement/sometimes hop ONREG2 to clear bottlenecks is .. is so beautiful.. in comparison to what I'm used to.

   Posted 8 months ago #

7. SCSHC
   

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   our deployment is insanely strict. If you don't stay planted or slide to a position you shouldnt everyone gets all cray about it.

   Posted 8 months ago #
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8. Señor Cardgage
   

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   I much prefer a fluid deployment, but then again, everyone's gotta be trained and decent at every position. That-a-way everyone can slide in and out where needed. I don't think it's expecting too much of people to know the bareassminimum of their jorb, though- and as stated many times, it infuriates me when partners are planted in the same place every single day, every single shift, ever.

   Posted 8 months ago #

9. dumbblondsroast
   

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   @senor cardgage
   About the partners planted in the same position ALL the time: I hate that too! First of all, the mangaer should be training employees thoroughly on every position and then should be placed in different positions to get familiar with the position once training is over. It's so frustrating when I can't put someone on DT or bar because either they were never trained on it or they just suck at those positions (even though they've been here longer than me -__- me to them:"...just assign a till on front register..."). ARGH haha

   Posted 8 months ago #

10. Señor Cardgage
    

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    It's a surefire way to handicap an entire day in case something goes wrong like someone calls out, or someone gets sick, ooor you have one of those magical shifts where your SM's off for the day and scheduled you with nothing but DTR partners. Haha.

    Posted 8 months ago #

11. GreenMachine
    

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    Poor deployment will drive me up the wall, that's when i start to get bossy and bxtchy to my baristas. Once you become a shift you realize how important things are that you thought we're stupid before. I transferred from an insanely busy, down the street from a country club, a mile of the interstate store, to a much slower store in a medium sized city that does in an entire day, what my old store did in just the morning rush. Moved here and didn't think deployment wouldn't be a big deal. But it really is. My dtr gets out of their window for any reason during rush, I will beat some a**. After rush deployment doesn't matter as much as long as people have a basic understanding of their responsibilities.

    Posted 8 months ago #

12. StopSayingExpresso
    

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    I'll just clock in and not even ask where I'm needed, because I can see where the messes or issues are, so I immediately get to work fixing them.

    That probably sounds bad, but our deployment is pretty much nonexistent. The only thing most of our shifts will tell you is whether or not they want you to assign on a till.

    Posted 8 months ago #

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