(no subject)

[caithream]

Today we started selling our new Vivanno drinks which, ha, uh. Firstly, they're advertised as "smoothies" but they kind of have the consistency of pancake batter, or chewing on a pillow. They're not... really that great. Before they came out it pissed me off mostly because it's a SMOOTHIE and last time I checked, we're not Jamba Juice or Smoothie King but we're going to freaking become one if something like this keeps up. So of course we have to wear these shirts that say ~*~VIVANNO*~* all over them, which is fine, but apparently the person on register one (*waves*) has to wear this God-awful lime-yellow apron with even more *~*VIVANNO!!!~*~ on it. It wouldn't be so bad if the shirt I had to wear wasn't this light green/teal/seafoam color. Dear GOD could you find anything that clashes any worse? And, I mean, it's not like I'm THAT superficial or anything, but even customers were like, uhhh. But it gets better. We have to wear YELLOW WRISTBANDS, the paper ones, you know, the ones you wear when you go to the FREAKING FAIR or something, with our names on it and a number; how many you supposed to sell. To top it off, there are stickers and signs all over the store for it now, and we sample it constantly.

So then my District Manager calls the store and says, "So you're pushing the drink at the register, right?"

NO I AM NOT FUCKING PUSHING THE DRINK AT THE REGISTER. Not only do I feel like the BIGGEST TOOL IN THE UNIVERSE, but I am not going to dissuade the morning regulars who get the SAME THING and probably do not feel like having a sales pitch thrown at them at seven in the morning. I just, sometimes I wonder why Starbucks tries to pull the whole, NOOOO we aren't corporate-like! Not at all! when they so obviously, painfully are. I HATE being the puppet while corporate pulls the strings, but I guess when you grow up you have to learn to, I dunno. Accept it, I guess. Sigh.

I bought the most adorablest tea pot in the world today for only $10, and it already has an infuser in it for loose leaf tea. My green tea from Adagioteas.com came in yesterday (with a free sample of "birthday tea" that has a blend of vanilla, cream, and caramel, omg it smells AMAZING) and I'm so excited to try it, yaaay!

Tomorrow I get a day off and I am so excited to sleep in I CANNOT EVEN TELL YOU.

Comments

[unperfectwolf.livejournal.com]

Duude. you have NO IDEA. You at least don't have real corporate IN YOUR STORE TELLING YOU TO PUSH THE DRINKS. And by real corporate I mean the people from Utah Street in Seattle who make millions and are the people who make us do this shit.

[caithream.livejournal.com]

Oh my Godddd. I think I'd be crying. D:

(PS, are you still available on the 26th or 27th to give us a little tour around Vancouver? If not, that's totally fine, 'cause I'm pretty sure we can find more than enough stuff to do to keep us occupied, but I was just wondering! :D)

[mousewings.livejournal.com]

So they don't even taste good, in your opinion? Then, it'd be misleading to push the item.

If I actually did go to coffeeshops, I wouldn't mind if an item was promoted to me and it was good or decent (like how I once wanted sugarless lemonade at a stand and the person there said it'd be better if I got the sugar or else it'd be gross). If the item was not good at all, I'd feel ripped off and annoyed.

[caithream.livejournal.com]

Um, I don't know! I mean, they're... decent? I wouldn't hork it up in the trashcan. But I just KNOW that some people are going to hate the consistency of it, good for you or no. And, ha, I just do the same thing I did when we were promoting the orange mocha lattes: I told customers it wasn't my favorite. The orange mocha really DID make me want to hork in a trashcan, but at least that way I was being honest without totally selling out my company. I'm too nice of a person sometimes, sigh.

[idril-telrunya.livejournal.com]

HI! I MISS YOU! STARBUCKS BLOWS! I WANNA TALK TO YOU HOMG!

[caithream.livejournal.com]

WE SHOULD PROBABLY HAVE A CHAT TONIGHT OMGGG. HARASSING KATE INCLUDED.

(PS DO YOU FEEL THE SAME WAY ABOUT THIS ICON AS I DO UNFFFF.)

[leahlou.livejournal.com]

I work at a licensed store inside of a Kroger and we also started pushing them today. I Don't think they taste horrible...but it wouldn't be something I'd be beating down the doors to get! And that apron IS awful. blegh. My store manager walked in today and had to take a step back and readjust his eyes. haha

[goodnight.livejournal.com]

OMG SWEETS. I FEEL YOUR PAIN. *holds you*

[flusteredspeech.livejournal.com]

Whatever, Starbucks is RIDICULOUSLY corporate. It all just makes me really happy to be working in the independent business world. Today, my boss (and it really makes me laugh to call him my boss because he's totally my buddy instead) in the coffee shop kept feeding me things he'd dropped on the floor and stuff. When we don't know the answer, we make shit up! The customer is not always right! We take the entire store (including the 60-year-old couple who owns the place) to pub trivia on Tuesday nights! It's AWESOME!

All to say, ARE YOU HERE YET??!

[idril-telrunya.livejournal.com]

DUDE IM HERE WAITING FOR YOUR LAME ASS!! I EVEN CALLED! WTF MAN?!

(PS UM SO MUCH THAT I THINK I MIGHT NEED PRIVATE HEADBOARD BANGING TIME TONITE!)

[safelight.livejournal.com]

Rofl, chewing on pillows. Everyone seems to love them at my work! I'm unsure about them, but they're just so good for you, I can't resist.

Haha, I don't have to wear the shirts, they're too cheap to give any to licensed stores. We have the apron though and I do not want. I DO WANT THE BANANA SHARPIE, THOUGH! And we didn't get any even though we were supposed to. *-_-*

Well, I think of it this way: Safeway is the biggest tool, and Starbucks is by far the lesser of many, many evils in the corporate world. You've got it made at Starbucks compared to a Safeway Starbucks, where we're stuck in limbo!

What I did today was just have samples made at the register in the morn, and offer them. I don't try and convince every person to actually change their order to them. When there's a drink I don't like, I say it's an acquired taste, and it works every time. But honestly, they're doing surprisingly very well with my customers! I went through bananas like crazy today! I have yet to try them with matcha or espresso, though. (I just tried it for the first time today, since I was away.)

Did you like sugarfree mocha more than this? LOLOLOL. *rolls on floor* Man, that stuff was disturbing, the smell of it made my stomach turn.

Ahhh, I've really wanted tea from Adagio.

[caithream.livejournal.com]

WHAT IF JARED AND JENSEN COME TO MY STORE?? I WILL LOOK SO UTTERLY RIDICULOUS. :((((

[caithream.livejournal.com]

OMIGAAAHH for a little bit I was SERIOUSLY contemplating going out and finding a few independent coffee shops to apply to, but. I've almost been with Starbucks for TWO YEARS now and I'll be getting another raise soon and siiiigh. Maybe when we MOVE IN TOGETHER we can totes find a coffee shop to work at together and be the most AWESOMEST BARISTAS EVER. *FIST KNOCK*

One week one week ONE WEEK AND I WILL SEE YOUR FAAAACE AGAIN!! <3333

[caithream.livejournal.com]

Heh, I dunno! I never ever used to frequent Starbucks before I worked there, and I would be happy enough just throwing back a doppio with two raw sugars and go about my day than have some other ornate drink, you know? Ah, well.

BANANA SHARPIE!! HAHA I forgot about that! I wonder if we got ours in yet. Guess I'll find out tomorrow morning, heh.

Yeah, that is most definitely true. There are a LOT of other companies out there that make their employees bigger tools than Starbucks. But, still, YOU KNOW. *Hands*

AHAHAHSFDL;FSDK SUGAR FREE MOCHA. God, what a JOKE. Orange mocha made me want to hurl bad enough, but JLFAKSJDS COULD YOU IMAGINE SUGAR FREE ORANGE MOCHA?? GROSSSSS.

I think I'm gonna try it tonight! I'll let you know how it goes, hee!

[goodnight.livejournal.com]

OMG SO TRUE!! D:

[hellogloworm.livejournal.com]

ugh. vivanno.

those bananas are driving me crazy. mushy nasty melting bananas.

though the orange mango with matcha isn't bad. and surprisingly, neither is the banana chocolate with espresso.

i get it sans banana. i hate those bananas.

my store manager is in charge of promoting them in my district. you can imagine the pressure she's throwing on us.

but holy cow! have you tried the berry stellas?! so good! i had one with an orange mango vivanno (sans banana) the other morning and when i woke up i had an amazing poop. just saying... lots of fiber!

[caithream.livejournal.com]

:(

I HATE digging them out of the freezer. Apparently we're supposed to get whole bananas in soon? I hope so.

I do like the orange mango with matcha as well! I think we mixed the banana chocolate with chai, which was weird but kinda interesting.

The berry stellas are amazing! HAHA YAY FIBER. I'm tempted to call the Vivannos "super colon blow" because THREE SCOOPS OF POWDER. WOW. That's gotta do something fun to your insides.

[desertgoddess.livejournal.com]

I hear you when it comes to corporate stuff. Hallmark does stuff like that all the time. They have this formula for selling more of their product that's call F.I.R.S.T and basically we are suppose to ask customers three questions after a formal greeting. It goes something like "Who are you shopping for today? Is there anyone else you are shopping for? What can we help you find for you today?" And we are also push people to get three cards instead of two. But half the time when they come into the store and you ask them if they need any help they basically say no, so...yeah. Corporate really doesn't know shit sometimes.

Plus, wouldn't you think that if they wanted the drink that the advertising and maybe asking someone if they liked it would convince them?

[heybritney.livejournal.com]

hahaha, wow. that is intense, dude. to be honest, i've never been a huge huge huge fan of starbucks, mostly because i don't like coffee, and most of their other drinks are for some reason a little... off. :/