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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

#231

Post by twawaaay »

As it should be.

Nothing worse than a CEO who does not understand how their business works at the lowest level. Unless this somehow does not matter for business profitability or future (which there are examples of but much less than many people would think).

In my experience, upper management has this problem of getting accurate information. This happens for many reasons and is really, really, really hard to fix. It usually requires conscious, serious and sustained effort from the manager demonstrating his/her people that it is safe to bring information whether good or bad.

I bet the a shift once a month is good investment of time as long as he won't be placed in a bubble -- a model Starbucks location where everything works perfectly because the CEO works there once a month.

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

#232

Post by mataug »

twawaaay wrote: post #231

As it should be. Nothing worse than a CEO who does not understand how their business works at the lowest level. Unless this somehow does not matter for business profitability or future (which there are examples of but much less than many people would think). In my experience, upper management has this problem of getting accurate information. This happens for many reasons and is really, really, really hard to fix. It…

I really hope he picks a random Starbucks location across various cities.

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

#233

Post by daedalus_j »

MrGilbert wrote: post #228
CobrastanJorji wrote: post #224

Earlier quoted context omitted.

These "king gets wisdom from dressing as regular person" stories are great, and it's definitely a great idea for higher level folks to sample the ground truth themselves on a regular basis. CEOs are at a real danger of being surrounded by yes-men, and it's very possible that through conditioning and repetition they might actually start believing insane corporate positions. However, there's a real smell of something g…

Your last paragraph has a valid point, and the outcome of such a visit can simply be that: There are ideas, but for some reasons, they don't make it to the higher levels. Let's find out why!

That problem is exacerbated in this case by the difference between "retail", "retail corporate" and "corporate". The fact the that anything coming from the frontline employees not only had to work it's way up to retail leadership, but then to essentially an entirely different corporation's leadership makes it nearly impossible for ideas that require action by "corporate" to trickle all the way up.

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

#234

Post by stcroixx »

CobrastanJorji wrote: post #224
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…

These "king gets wisdom from dressing as regular person" stories are great, and it's definitely a great idea for higher level folks to sample the ground truth themselves on a regular basis. CEOs are at a real danger of being surrounded by yes-men, and it's very possible that through conditioning and repetition they might actually start believing insane corporate positions. However, there's a real smell of something g…

The CEO is just a superior human capable of things others can only dream of.

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

#235

Post by twawaaay »

mataug wrote: post #232
twawaaay wrote: post #231

As it should be. Nothing worse than a CEO who does not understand how their business works at the lowest level. Unless this somehow does not matter for business profitability or future (which there are examples of but much less than many people would think). In my experience, upper management has this problem of getting accurate information. This happens for many reasons and is really, really, really hard to fix. It…

I really hope he picks a random Starbucks location across various cities.

I know people behave very differently when within hearing distance of a higher up. Now imagine you are the highest one... every person you meet, every day, is constantly thinking hard about filtering what they are telling you.

It does not matter if you pick random locations, people will still modify what they are saying when they see you.

But it helps a bit. There is higher chance you will finally meet some people who are not afraid to tell the truth. There is also chance you will start seeing some patterns. It is probable that managers will clean up a lot of stuff when they suddenly get to know about a visitation, but they won't clean up everything and you will get at least some glimpses. Visit enough restaurants enough times and glimpses may form an image of reality.

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

#237

Post by JustSomeNobody »

fykem wrote: post #123

[flagged]

Everything about the Starbucks CEO shift up is because of unionization. Old CEO didn't want to face congress, now if he still has to, he can simply say, "I don't speak for Starbucks". Schultz is a freaking COWARD. Now this. It's clearly a PR stunt to show other suits that the CEO "cares". But it's really to keep pushing their thumb down on the union busting button.

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

#238

Post by AlwaysRock »

roflchoppa wrote: post #46

The only way things like this really work is by not giving any heads up to the store or the store management. Otherwise store management spends a huge amount of time trying to tidy up before “corporate” comes by. At least that was my experience when things like this happened at the fruit stand.

It's less about seeing how x store runs and more about seeing how the job for x employee is, no?

I dont think undercover bossing is helpful. But a CEO working a barista or manager shift at a store and dealing with customers and all the shit employees deal with it going to be insightful for the CEO. Hopefully that will help set policy and make work better for those workers.

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

#239

Post by mrguyorama »

sebzim4500 wrote: post #135
badwolf wrote: post #112

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've mixed feelings. Many probably wouldn't want the semi-dead weight of big executive screwing up the morning rush.

I haven't worked retail, I know its unpleasant but is there really that much skill to it?

This comment is such a perfect microcosm of HN

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

#240

Post by maxk42 »

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.

I would believe that's the case if Narasimhan were working a full shift, but he's only working half a shift once a month. At that point why bother? What are you going to learn in 4 hours a month where all the employees are on their best behavior and the store is made immaculate prior to your arrival?
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