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Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts

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Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts

#271

Post by zbentley »

drilldrive wrote: post #181
ABCLAW wrote: post #162

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>They want mindless binge drinkers, not talkers. I'm friends with a lot of bar owners, and have had a few bars in the family in the past. Owners don't want someone getting plastered. We want the high functioning alcoholic who orders 3 pints to his partner's 1 and draws his friends to come to the pub with him every night or two.

Seeing that you have experience in this sector, what is the purpose of a bar exactly? I never have gone to a bar, but always have had the assumption that bars are pretty much for getting plastered.

> bars are pretty much for getting plastered

They might actually be the least efficient retail or service venue for achieving that purpose.

Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts

#272

Post by sunshinelackof »

I experienced this in college when I worked as a cashier at a grocery store. One particular "song" comprised entirely of whale noises. I probably heard it 15 times a day and it was always the target of employee aggression. For some reason the manager just refused to put on something else.

Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts

#273

Post by Simulacra »

rmason wrote: post #185

They modernized the gas pumps at our local Speedway by adding video players. Instead of news like I've seen in California they play endless commercials and the volume is loud. I remember stopping one time when it was twenty below zero this winter, no one was at the pumps and the same commercial was playing and not a single pump's sound was in sync with another. I felt like I was in a movie about a dystopian future.

I refuse to get gas at places that play advertisements at me. I’m already overpaying for gas, why be greedy?

Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts

#274

Post by iceninenines »

jimmy1 wrote: post #238
cjmoran wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On all the pumps near me, the second from the top on the right side mutes the video. Some gas station attendants or kind customers thought to write "Mute" on the button in sharpie, and I encourage everyone to do the same.

I wouldn't condone vandalism -- despite however justified you may feel it is, plus it would have the opposite effect: I don't want whoever create those demon machines to know we know where the mute button is.

Fuck inverted corporate totalitarianism, more duct tape.

In France, hundreds of speed cameras were destroyed. These gas pumps will be let go with a warning. They should count their blessings that these gas stations aren't nationalized.

Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts

#275

Post by iceninenines »

toomanybeersies wrote: post #201
brewdad wrote: post #191

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I ran into a pump in MI last summer that wouldn't even turn on until it finished playing the first 30 second commercial. Eventually, I could start pumping but it continued to play obnoxious ads throughout. I won't be filling up there anymore.

Just wait until they start adding cameras that detect whether you're actually looking at the commercial or not, and pause the commercial when you're not paying attention. I'd link to the relevant Black Mirror episode, but I'm sure we've all seen it.

Add some AI, and oh what fun. If you insult the gas pump, it won't vend until you apologize to or bribe it.

Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts

#276

Post by ddevault »

jimmy1 wrote: post #238
cjmoran wrote: post #236

Earlier quoted context omitted.

On all the pumps near me, the second from the top on the right side mutes the video. Some gas station attendants or kind customers thought to write "Mute" on the button in sharpie, and I encourage everyone to do the same.

I wouldn't condone vandalism -- despite however justified you may feel it is, plus it would have the opposite effect: I don't want whoever create those demon machines to know we know where the mute button is.

This is why I would suggest a baseball bat rather than pointing out where "mute" is. Bonus: effective against the angry property owner as well!

Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts

#277

Post by mpolsz »

munk-a wrote: post #222
fitzroy wrote: post #219

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Seems like the ideal place for Tesla to run ads.

I am familiar with the expression "no publicity is bad publicity" but... honestly pushing your product in these sorts of swill advertising venues seems like it's in danger of building up customer distrust and anger.

What if they made ad without any sound? Between loud ads it would be even more visible.

Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts

#278

Post by labster »

crooked-v wrote: post #227
roel_v wrote: post #176

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My children are in a primary school level 'English as a second language' program in Australia right now, and my son got a 'Spot's first Christmas' book to take home to read yesterday. So then I had to explain what 'Christmas carolers' are, and why they would be at Spot's door if they're only a thing on the other side of the world? And also - snow? In December, at the height of summer? So that quickly devolved into a…

In December I took a trip to southern California, and it struck me as really bizarre to have these songs on local radio repeatedly mentioning snow when it was a relaxed 70°F (≈21°C) on Christmas Day.

Most of those stations transmit up into Big Bear where there is snow. But yeah, most snow in LA is added by movie magic.

Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts

#279

Post by redwall_hp »

e1ven wrote: post #218
krrrh wrote: post #209

Earlier quoted context omitted.

You don’t see these in Canada but I am always flabberghasted by them while in the US. I noticed that holding my finger over the tiny speaker hole greatly reduced the volume, and I resolved to carry a roll of duct tape with me so I could do some public service next time I had to deal with them.

I agree they are abhorrent and I'd prefer if they were banned. From a practical perspective, try pressing the second button down on the right. This will mute on most models.

Endorsed by Stephen Fry https://pipedown.org.uk/

Re: Starbucks' music is driving employees nuts

#280

Post by nyolfen »

1auralynn wrote: post #202
save_ferris wrote: post #10

I experienced this working in retail during the holiday season back when I was in college. The little bell intro to Mariah Carey's "All I want for Christmas is You", will forever haunt my dreams. I rarely listen to Christmas music anymore because of that experience. Nowadays, I get irritated when I've burned through a 2 hour playlist twice at work and need to find something else to listen to, but I totally take the a…

I worked at a Macy's in college one holiday season, right across the aisle from the dancing santas that alternated their tinny versions of "rockin around the christmas tree" and "jingle bell rock". The tinny sounds on top of the general background muzak was extra-insanity-inducing. One day after being at work for 10 hours I got in my car and jingle bell rock came on and I totally broke down crying. I've a lot of symp…

https://youtu.be/hTcfDX1NvMk?t=54 (i promise it's not jingle bell rock)
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