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Starbucks CEO will work a shift at the company’s cafes once a month

cnbc.com

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Re: Starbucks CEO will work a shift at the company’s cafes once a month

#151

Post by savanaly »

stcroixx wrote: post #132
parker_mountain wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Occasionally fairly major changes like what? I'm curious. There's nothing that shows the flaws of a process like running it yourself.

Probably better to just listen to the people that do it all day than to think you pop in as an outsider and have some special insight.

Disagree. Experiencing something yourself is a whole nother ballgame from being told about it. "You can't tell people anything" [0]. Recognizing this applies to oneself shows intellectual humility IMO.

[0] http://habitatchronicles.com/2004/04/you-cant-tell-people-an...

Re: Starbucks CEO will work a shift at the company’s cafes once a month

#152

Post by JohnFen »

I'm not sure I see the point of this, unless it's just for PR.

Working a half day per month will tell you very little of importance in any workplace. And, if you're the CEO of the company and all of the other employees (and especially management) knows you're the CEO, working that half day will tell you exactly nothing.

Re: Starbucks CEO will work a shift at the company’s cafes once a month

#153

Post by [deleted] »

whack wrote: post #13

I recall Amazon used to do something similar. Executives would sometimes take customer service shifts. The goal isn't PR or worker morale - most people see through stunts like that. The real goal is to help leaders better understand their product, its problems, and customer frustrations.

[deleted]

Re: Starbucks CEO will work a shift at the company’s cafes once a month

#154

Post by isk517 »

blululu wrote: post #68
gwbas1c wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

One shift a month means that the CEO will have a much better feel for the customer environment and not be disconnected. I hope he rotates through a few different stores, though. Otherwise, he may become myopic to the quirks of one particular location.

A little bit of knowledge can be less than useless. It gives the impression of understanding while passing over the harsher realities. The way that such a move is enacted matters. Is this shift scheduled on a random Saturday/Sunday with ~48 hours notice. Does the shift last 8 hours? Does his replacement randomly show up 30 minutes late and he needs to work an extra 30 minutes with zero notice? Does he need to open th…

You make a good point. Probably better to just work a full two weeks at a location once a year than 1 day a month.

Re: Starbucks CEO will work a shift at the company’s cafes once a month

#155

Post by tiffanyh »

daedalus_j wrote: post #109

Ron Johnson used to do this when he headed Apple retail. Would just go into a store totally undercover to the customers (obviously staff would recognize him) and work for a bit. Occasionally fairly major changes, both to the staff side and to the customer experience, were made based on his visits. I don't recall ever seeing a press announcement about it. Saying you're doing it to win brownie points sure makes it seem…

> “Saying you're doing it to win brownie points sure makes it seem inauthentic.”

Starbucks doesn’t have a good track record for replacement CEO for Howard Schultz (founder/CEO).

So I’m sure these kind of announcements is to instill confidence with Wall Street that this CEO will work out.

Re: Starbucks CEO will work a shift at the company’s cafes once a month

#156

Post by JohnFen »

wincy wrote: post #102
jackson1442 wrote: post #93

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This should absolutely be a thing for vertical integration developers. If you're developing cashier software for Target, you should have to use it under realistic circumstances sometimes. Same for Amazon driving software, helpdesk software, sales, etc.

When I worked for a large logistics company we’d have a few days a year where we’d go downstairs and shadow someone using our software. It was very informative. The UX people were redesigning workflow to be “easier” and less information dense and the experienced people (who worked mostly on commissions mind you) where very pissed and wanted their hot keys and their at a glance information. It was very eye opening.

> The UX people were redesigning workflow to be “easier” and less information dense

I never really understood why they focus on these two things. They're good for rank beginners, I suppose, but once you've even approached competency, those "easier" workflows inevitably end up being a huge pain in the ass, and lower information density is actively a terrible thing.

Re: Starbucks CEO will work a shift at the company’s cafes once a month

#157

Post by jrumbut »

stcroixx wrote: post #132
parker_mountain wrote: post #114

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Occasionally fairly major changes like what? I'm curious. There's nothing that shows the flaws of a process like running it yourself.

Probably better to just listen to the people that do it all day than to think you pop in as an outsider and have some special insight.

People need performance and narrative.

Spending one day a month so you can say to fellow executives "I actually went and touched the problem, we need to fix it" and so employees can say to each other "he actually came and touched the problem, he must be working on fixing it" has real value.

Actually learning about the problem and coming up with a solution is best done by listening to the people like you said, but there's a role for the other thing too.

Re: Starbucks CEO will work a shift at the company’s cafes once a month

#158

Post by msla »

Now where have I heard this before...

We few, we happy few, we band of baristas;

For any to-day that boils a brew with me

Shall be my bestie; be they ne'er so vile,

This day shall glow up their selfie post;

And customers in Bed-Stuy now a-bed

Shall think themselves accurs'd they were not here,

And hold their socials cheap whiles any speaks

That pulled with us upon Saint Crispin's day.

Re: Starbucks CEO will work a shift at the company’s cafes once a month

#159

Post by zachthewf »

JohnFen wrote: post #152

I'm not sure I see the point of this, unless it's just for PR. Working a half day per month will tell you very little of importance in any workplace. And, if you're the CEO of the company and all of the other employees (and especially management) knows you're the CEO, working that half day will tell you exactly nothing.

As long as the customers don't know, I can imagine it might help.

Re: Starbucks CEO will work a shift at the company’s cafes once a month

#160

Post by JohnFen »

sebzim4500 wrote: post #134
wincy wrote: post #102

Earlier quoted context omitted.

When I worked for a large logistics company we’d have a few days a year where we’d go downstairs and shadow someone using our software. It was very informative. The UX people were redesigning workflow to be “easier” and less information dense and the experienced people (who worked mostly on commissions mind you) where very pissed and wanted their hot keys and their at a glance information. It was very eye opening.

>The UX people were redesigning workflow to be “easier” and less information dense and the experienced people (who worked mostly on commissions mind you) where very pissed and wanted their hot keys and their at a glance information. That doesn't necessarily mean that the UX people were wrong though. Even if their changes made the experienced people slightly slower, it could be worth it if it significantly sped up onb…

You only onboard someone once. In theory, that person will have to be using the system every day for years.

Why optimize for the one-time thing at the expense of the everyday use?

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