Starbucks is teaching staff how to de-escalate conflicts involving customers breaking its new in-store policies.
As part of new CEO Brian Niccol's vision to make its stores places where people want to hang out again, Starbucks is conducting three-hour training sessions for store employees in the US.
In a set of documents from the barista training, seen by BI and verified by Starbucks, employees are told to "leverage de-escalation tactics" if regular customers refuse to comply with the company's recent reversal of its open-door policy. It previously let nonpaying guests use store facilities, such as bathrooms, indoor communal areas, and patios.
The Seattle-headquartered coffee chain said earlier this month that beginning January 27, these spaces would be reserved for staff, customers, and people accompanying those making purchases.
As part of the training, baristas are given a scenario in which a regular customer who frequently visits the store sits in it for a "prolonged" period of time without buying anything.
In the training scenario, a staff member tells the guest the seating space is only intended for customers who purchase something, and the customer says they didn't think it was necessary to make a purchase to stay in the store.
The training advises that if the regular customer refuses to comply, employees should "listen to the customer's concern and kindly reiterate the intended use of our space."
Staff should then "leverage de-escalation tactics to prioritize empathy and understanding."
"Ask the shift supervisor or store manager for help if the conversation continues," the training document advises.
One partner at a store in Florida who has taken the training said it provided clear guidance on how to handle difficult customers. "If there's a situation that's escalating, move it aside, get your manager," the partner said. The message was: "Don't take it on your own."
One of the documents also sets out what baristas should do if a regular customer who does not make a purchase asks for their water bottle to be refilled.
"Politely share that water is available to customers who make a purchase," the document states.
"Note that we have bottled water for purchase," it says. "Kindly share you'd be happy to provide water if they make a purchase."
The partner BI spoke to said that in some circumstances, the easiest way to avoid conflict would be to give patrons water. "Some of these people, it could set them off," the partner said.
A Starbucks spokesperson told BI that, like other orders, water should be requested when making a purchase to avoid interrupting baristas as they prepare drinks. They said it's an issue that's been raised by employees in the past.
They added that stores that want to provide easy access to water or experience a high volume of requests can set up self-service stations.
Starbucks' new training meetings are being rolled out across the company this week. They are intended to help implement Niccol's "back to Starbucks" strategy. Jaci Anderson, the company's corporate communications director, told Business Insider that means making "tangible changes" in stores "to create a welcoming environment and win back customers."
Store managers will receive 40 hours of training to learn the new standards of service and how to train staff to bring the new vision to life. Store employees, who Starbucks calls "partners," will participate in three-hour sessions to discuss customer expectations, new workflows, and service standards.
