Written August 30, 2005

First Day of School

I start Starbucks School tomorrow and I’m nervous. What should I wear? Will I have all the right supplies? Will they like me? What if I go to the wrong room?

John assures me that it will all go smoothly and everyone will like me. This whole experience makes my brow furrow. Is this really what I’m starting? Surly I made a wrong turn, wasn’t I going to be a Teacher? A Communications Editor? A Gastronomic Anthropologist? But here I am, a Customer Service Specialist with an emphasis in Espresso Arts. In all honesty I am thrilled. I will not have to constantly publish to keep my job or get tenure. I won’t have to write a 75 page research paper. I won’t have to manipulate images of women to sell products. I wont have to work more than 40 hours a week. And I won’t have to do anything without being compensated.

Tomorrow marks the beginning of my corporate journey on the “inside.” What impression can I make with those who I will supervise? How can I encourage and empower them? What positive changes (as small as they may be) can I make to the coffee* industry? Who will I meet and what will I learn? And, where will Starbucks take me, both geographically and within the company? So many things to look forward to. I brace myself at the starting line anxious and adrenaline pumping, ready to pace myself for what may be a long and rewarding career with a successful corporation.

Tomorrow I also get to contribute to our family’s GAI (gross annual income).

Grace and Matt start school too (next Tuesday). We just left them in New jersey, their dorm apartment starting to look like home, new school clothes and so many memories to share. I look forward to living vicariously through Grace this year – she is going to be starting her Master’s. I will be curious about her experience and so excited for her research. (GO GRACE! PS – Don’t let the puny man get you down.)

The only thing left that I feel like I have been emotionally preparing myself for is being on the front line again. If you have not working in food service, then you just don’t know. It is so hard to please everyone all of the time and it can wear on you when you have a day (and another day, and a lot of your days) where you interact with people who just don’t seem to appreciate what you are doing for them or even acknowledge you at all. Two things I have learned thus far from my customer service and food service career: 1) They are working so hard, harder than you probably get close to imagining, while getting paid a salary that pays the bills but usually not for all of the effort – SO TIP THEM (us) WELL; 2) Be human. It makes a huge difference in the kind of service you will receive when you treat people like people and smile, say thank you, and act as if you care (even a little) for their well being.

Think of me next time you’re in line at a coffee shop…would you pause and say hi? Would you say thank you? Would you tip me? Would you make a mess for me to clean up? Regardless, I will be there gladly helping hundreds of people get their fix and enjoy what they have come to appreciate as their Starbucks community. And I will be grateful for the opportunity.

*The Coffee industry ranks second, only to oil, in internationally traded goods.