Starbucks Customer Service Complaints - page 2

The online customer service people are a special kind of stupid! Ordered a travel mug and after calling for a week to find out an ETA, it finally shipped out 10 days later- without a lid. Emailed them and was asked which item I needed a lid for. Ummm THE ONLY ITEM ON THE ORDER. I received a reply that said to check online for when they received stock on their lids. How would I know that since THE LIDS ARE NOT SOLD SEPARATELY! I can't speak to anyone that speaks English and a manager will not call me back. I can't find a phone # to contact their corporate office

Customer service at the location at 1195 east Thousand Oaks Blvd in Thousand Oaks ca. Is horrible have complained two times over last six months and still horrible. This location could definitely use some training and management change. Attitude of some of the baristas is not very friendly and not suitable to customer service.

I ordered my drink, they messed up, so waited on everyone else before fixing my order, if not for my granddaughter, I would have left, will be cold day in blank before I return

I have checked my Starbucks rewards nothing is being recognized no money on account etc. what is going on and when will payment rewards etc be available? Once the new program start will all my purchases be recognized? I hand made 4 purchuses I am a loyal customer for many years. My name is Barbara Carrubba my gold card number I would appreciate a response.

Someone has beaten me to NYC 92 Street and Third Avenue location. My first hint should have been the 4 customers storming out of the store as I walked in. As it says in the prior review. Only two employees,although the girls were as pleasant as could be. The fact that they were forced to work with no register to ring up any customers was insane to say the least. I pray they receive commendation for the hard efforts put forward today. SHAME ON YOU STARBUCK, SHAME ON YOU

Starbuck in NYC 92 and third Avenue SUCKS, I went in 3 times today. No working registers all day. Only two staff members, one supervisor who was excellent dispute the problem. But were was a manager at a time like that. Really what happened to the assistance for the staff. How is it they were forced to work with out the most valuable part of the day out of order.

I am writing this review here as a warning to future customers walking into a Starbucks store managed by Chris Ali to be cautious of him and his employees (e.g. Starbucks shift supervisor, April M) based on the following incidents:

1. STARBUCKS SHOULD NOT ALLOW THEIR MANAGERS TO MAKE CARELESS COMMENTS THAT CAN EASILY BE MISCONSTRUED BY CUSTOMERS. Perhaps it is Starbucks' culture to be 'laid-back' but it should never be acceptable for a male manager to say "Wow!" to a female customer upon first impression (particularly since nothing warrants this type of attention just for walking into a coffee shop in everyday wear). If female customers walking into Starbucks LIKE this type of attention from him, he should be reserving this type of 'special treatment' for them and ONLY THEM. Otherwise, it is NOT a compliment and it is NOT customer service. Under any other circumstances in any other company that provides customer service, this type of incident would NOT be tolerated towards customers (female or otherwise) at all.

2. A STARBUCKS STORE HAS A MANAGER IN PLACE TO MANAGE A STORE AND PART OF THAT INCLUDES LISTENING TO CUSTOMERS' FEEDBACK REGARDING THEIR EXPERIENCES. While most managers understand the nature of their job entails interacting with customers, this Starbucks manager has not only refused to acknowledge a customer when he/she has a legitimate complaint, he has also deliberately disrespected the customer's wishes to not be subjected to further harassment from the entire staff (including the manager himself) AND they have also CONTINUED THE SAME HARASSING TECHNIQUE AND TAKEN IT EVEN FURTHER UPON THEMSELVES TO PERSONALLY RETALIATE AGAINST THE CUSTOMER FOR NOT WANTING ANYTHING MORE TO DO WITH THIS. In this case, a manager at this store who refuses to handle customer service situations is not needed - Please remember to take down his name and the name(s) of his employee(s) involved in the incidents and report to the District Manager/Corporate Headquarters IMMEDIATELY.

3. STARBUCKS SHOULD NOT BE OFFERING FOOD SAMPLES IF THEY CANNOT STAND THE THOUGHT OF CUSTOMERS EATING A SMALL PIECE OF FOOD FOR FREE. This manager thought I was eating his food for free despite being passed to EVERYONE ELSE in the store - the reason being because I mentioned it in a feedback letter to compliment him. Instead, he took the same feedback letter and eagerly ran off to show HIS own manager for praise and then turned around and accused me of eating his food for free.

4. IN THE EVENT OF NOT KNOWING HOW TO PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE, DISRUPTING CUSTOMERS' ROUTINES IS NOT THE ANSWER. Instead of leaving customers alone and managing the store, this manager would INTENTIONALLY GO OUT OF HIS WAY to PURPOSELY antagonize customers by pulling pranks to incite a reaction (and then laughing uproariously afterwards) and making customers do things for him, thereby deliberating making them angry. He would even TEACH these tactics to his employees and then pat himself on the back for successfully angering/harassing a customer. CUSTOMERS ARE NOT THERE FOR YOU TO PRANK AROUND - WE WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STARBUCKS GAMES. If Starbucks managers feel there isn't enough to do on a daily basis, they need to ask THEIR OWN MANAGER on what else can be done.

5. MANAGERS SHOULD NOT FORCE CUSTOMERS TO WRITE FEEDBACK LETTERS FOR THEIR OWN PROMOTIONAL USE TO LOOK GOOD IN FRONT OF HIS/HER COMPANY. Customers should reserve the right to provide positive feedback on their own (Starbucks' famous 'word-of-advertising' method), but not at the manager's request for one in order to make him/herself look good before his own company. Sending the same employee to continually harass me (e.g. the service level will decrease until you do this for us) until I was forced to falsify a positive feedback letter for the employee should not be tolerated by the company. By doing this, Starbucks has lost credibility under this manager's doing because all 'positive' things said about the company are generated falsely.

6. MANAGERS/BARISTAS WHO ENGAGE IN 'ESTABLISHING RAPPORT' HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY ON THEIR PART. Customers who walk into Starbucks are not looking for assistance nor are they looking to gain anything from Starbucks - they are simply there to make a purchase and mind their own business. However, when managers/baristas are looking to establish a rapport and interact with customers, it is important to keep in mind that this rapport means you DO NOT prank the customer around over and over again. This manager has not only allowed his employee(s) to conduct 'customer service' in ANY manner possible, but has also made it acceptable for even the shift supervisor in charge to also conduct her own 'pranks' and to follow customers outside of the store.

7. MANAGERS/BARISTAS SHOULD NOT TRESPASS THE BOUNDARY INTO THEIR CUSTOMERS' PERSONAL LIVES. Not only is this a severe breach of privacy and respect on the company's part, it is also completely unwarranted and has nothing to do with providing customer service. A coffee shop is a place to relax and enjoy your own affairs and interaction with other patrons, not to have a manager/barista continually steal information from you or pry into customers' private, personal details when customers do not wish to disclose them. It should not be a requirement for Starbucks employees to be involved in customers' personal lives at all.

8. IF STARBUCKS EMPLOYEES ARE UNSURE ON HOW TO DO THEIR JOBS, THEY NEED TO BE RE-TRAINED. For some reason, despite Starbucks providing training for their baristas, they still manage to be incompetent at their jobs and this manager has not even bothered ensuring that baristas are following Starbucks' regulations. As a result, it has become the customer's responsibility to deal with each and every Starbucks barista and the shift supervisor for not knowing how to provide customer service. If Starbucks employees (including managers) feel they are overworked or unhappy or do not want to provide a service anymore, they should take this up directly with their own manager and not out on the customer.

9. MANAGERS SHOULD BE WARY OF USING THE 'MAKING A CONNECTION' AS A SALES TACTIC. This manager did not want customers engaging in 'hellos' and small talk with him yet he would force customers to accept the outrageous customer service tactics bestowed upon customers, such as touching, inappropriate comments, unnecessarily 'helping out' and then having the same Starbucks employee glare at the customer when he/she approaches the same employee, small talk that goes nowhere, insincere hellos, prying into customers' personal details, and so forth. The whole scheme was very manipulative and insincere. Their idea of a 'customer connection' was to pretend to like the customer first before hitting him/her with a sales tactic and then giving the cold, degrading treatment for not complying with them from then on. When a manager's intention of 'making a connection' is only focused on sales instead of customer service, he/she should not be surprised when customer service standards immensely fail with the result of a customer filing a complaint to Starbucks' Corporate Headquarters in the end.

I am writing this review here as a warning to future customers walking into a Starbucks store managed by Chris A. to be cautious of him and his employees (e.g. Starbucks shift supervisor, April) based on the following incidents:



1. STARBUCKS SHOULD NOT ALLOW THEIR MANAGERS TO MAKE CARELESS COMMENTS THAT CAN EASILY BE MISCONSTRUED BY CUSTOMERS. Perhaps it is Starbucks' culture to be 'laid-back' but it should never be acceptable for a male manager to say "Wow!" to a female customer upon first impression (particularly since nothing warrants this type of attention just for walking into a coffee shop in everyday wear). If female customers walking into Starbucks LIKE this type of attention from him, he should be reserving this type of 'special treatment' for them and ONLY THEM. Otherwise, it is NOT a compliment and it is NOT customer service. Under any other circumstances in any other company that provides customer service, this type of incident would NOT be tolerated towards customers (female or otherwise) at all.



2. A STARBUCKS STORE HAS A MANAGER IN PLACE TO MANAGE A STORE AND PART OF THAT INCLUDES LISTENING TO CUSTOMERS' FEEDBACK REGARDING THEIR EXPERIENCES. While most managers understand the nature of their job entails interacting with customers, this Starbucks manager has not only refused to acknowledge a customer when he/she has a legitimate complaint, he has also deliberately disrespected the customer's wishes to not be subjected to further harassment from the entire staff (including the manager himself) AND they have also CONTINUED THE SAME HARASSING TECHNIQUE AND TAKEN IT EVEN FURTHER UPON THEMSELVES TO PERSONALLY RETALIATE AGAINST THE CUSTOMER FOR NOT WANTING ANYTHING MORE TO DO WITH THIS. In this case, a manager at this store who refuses to handle customer service situations is not needed - Please remember to take down his name and the name(s) of his employee(s) involved in the incidents and report to the District Manager/Corporate Headquarters IMMEDIATELY.



3. STARBUCKS SHOULD NOT BE OFFERING FOOD SAMPLES IF THEY CANNOT STAND THE THOUGHT OF CUSTOMERS EATING A SMALL PIECE OF FOOD FOR FREE. This manager thought I was eating his food for free despite being passed to EVERYONE ELSE in the store - the reason being because I mentioned it in a feedback letter to compliment him. Instead, he took the same feedback letter and eagerly ran off to show HIS own manager for praise and then turned around and accused me of eating his food for free.



4. IN THE EVENT OF NOT KNOWING HOW TO PROVIDE CUSTOMER SERVICE, DISRUPTING CUSTOMERS' ROUTINES IS NOT THE ANSWER. Instead of leaving customers alone and managing the store, this manager would INTENTIONALLY GO OUT OF HIS WAY to PURPOSELY antagonize customers by pulling pranks to incite a reaction (and then laughing uproariously afterwards) and making customers do things for him, thereby deliberating making them angry. He would even TEACH these tactics to his employees and then pat himself on the back for successfully angering/harassing a customer. CUSTOMERS ARE NOT THERE FOR YOU TO PRANK AROUND - WE WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH THE STARBUCKS GAMES. If Starbucks managers feel there isn't enough to do on a daily basis, they need to ask THEIR OWN MANAGER on what else can be done.



5. MANAGERS SHOULD NOT FORCE CUSTOMERS TO WRITE FEEDBACK LETTERS FOR THEIR OWN PROMOTIONAL USE TO LOOK GOOD IN FRONT OF HIS/HER COMPANY. Customers should reserve the right to provide positive feedback on their own (Starbucks' famous 'word-of-advertising' method), but not at the manager's request for one in order to make him/herself look good before his own company. Sending the same employee to continually harass me (e.g. the service level will decrease until you do this for us) until I was forced to falsify a positive feedback letter for the employee should not be tolerated by the company. By doing this, Starbucks has lost credibility under this manager's doing because all 'positive' things said about the company are generated falsely.



6. MANAGERS/BARISTAS WHO ENGAGE IN 'ESTABLISHING RAPPORT' HAVE A RESPONSIBILITY ON THEIR PART. Customers who walk into Starbucks are not looking for assistance nor are they looking to gain anything from Starbucks - they are simply there to make a purchase and mind their own business. However, when managers/baristas are looking to establish a rapport and interact with customers, it is important to keep in mind that this rapport means you DO NOT prank the customer around over and over again. This manager has not only allowed his employee(s) to conduct 'customer service' in ANY manner possible, but has also made it acceptable for even the shift supervisor in charge to also conduct her own 'pranks' and to follow customers outside of the store.



7. MANAGERS/BARISTAS SHOULD NOT TRESPASS THE BOUNDARY INTO THEIR CUSTOMERS' PERSONAL LIVES. Not only is this a severe breach of privacy and respect on the company's part, it is also completely unwarranted and has nothing to do with providing customer service. A coffee shop is a place to relax and enjoy your own affairs and interaction with other patrons, not to have a manager/barista continually steal information from you or pry into customers' private, personal details when customers do not wish to disclose them. It should not be a requirement for Starbucks employees to be involved in customers' personal lives at all.



8. IF STARBUCKS EMPLOYEES ARE UNSURE ON HOW TO DO THEIR JOBS, THEY NEED TO BE RE-TRAINED. For some reason, despite Starbucks providing training for their baristas, they still manage to be incompetent at their jobs and this manager has not even bothered ensuring that baristas are following Starbucks' regulations. As a result, it has become the customer's responsibility to deal with each and every Starbucks barista and the shift supervisor for not knowing how to provide customer service. If Starbucks employees (including managers) feel they are overworked or unhappy or do not want to provide a service anymore, they should take this up directly with their own manager and not out on the customer.



9. MANAGERS SHOULD BE WARY OF USING THE 'MAKING A CONNECTION' AS A SALES TACTIC. This manager did not want customers engaging in 'hellos' and small talk with him yet he would force customers to accept the outrageous customer service tactics bestowed upon customers, such as touching, inappropriate comments, unnecessarily 'helping out' and then having the same Starbucks employee glare at the customer when he/she approaches the same employee, small talk that goes nowhere, insincere hellos, prying into customers' personal details, and so forth. The whole scheme was very manipulative and insincere. Their idea of a 'customer connection' was to pretend to like the customer first before hitting him/her with a sales tactic and then giving the cold, degrading treatment for not complying with them from then on. When a manager's intention of 'making a connection' is only focused on sales instead of customer service, he/she should not be surprised when customer service standards immensely fail with the result of a customer filing a complaint to Starbucks' Corporate Headquarters in the end.

I attempted unsuccessfully on several occasions to log in to my online Starbucks Account to reload my Starbucks Card. Subsequently, I unsuccessfully attempted on several occasions to reset the pass word for my Starbucks Card. I, then, contacted Starbucks customer service by email about this problem. I received an Email from Starbucks customer service. The instructions from Starbucks Customer service concerning this problem failed to correct the problem. Therefore, I must assume that this problem is either the result of gross negligence by Starbucks or surreptitious malice by Starbucks to black list me for some unknown reason.

I have tried several times to resolve a problem reloading my Starbucks app.. Wasting hours of my time. I would like to be issued a new gold card so I don't have to deal with your app

We love Starbucks in general and stop in wherever we are. But at our neighborhood store on Alki Avenue in West Seattle, we find that the service at the cash registers can be forgetful and sloppy; to the point where we think about passing it by. Maybe it's understaffed, but whatever it is, it needs attention.

I use the store in Manhattan at Park Avenue and 49th Street (diagonally across Park Ave from the Waldorf) fairly regularly. Most often I find the staff very disengaged from the customers. Today, the person who took my order (she was idle and did call me "next"), proceeded to work on opening coin rolls rather than do my order, which was a cup of coffee. She asked some other employees to get it, but either no one heard her or they ignored her. Finally after opening several rolls of coins and filling her register drawer, she complained about the other employees, and got my coffee. It wasn't very long, but I felt like I was the last priority, not the first.

I was in the customer service business with a world class company noted for WoW'ing the customer. I would never have tolerated this behavior, and I certainly would have been aware if there was a pattern love he this at a particular store, which there is in the case of this Starbucks location.

I have been going to starbucks for over 5 years and I firmly believe that they need to retrain the manager at the hood river Safeway store on how to order supplies. I go in almost every day yet it has been over three weeks since she has had the supplies to make a lot of the drinks that I would normally buy. I have seen her being rude to some of her customer's. Not to mention the fact that I have had more than one cold drink cups lid explode because it doesn't fit the cup. I have gone to other places in the area that has complained about her constant borrowing of their supplies. For the most part customer service is excellent it just seems that the manager has issues that should never be reflected in the work place.

I was at Royal Columbian Hospital today, 20,July 2015 and there is a Starbucks kiosk there. I ordered a coffee and cranberry muffin. The muffin was so stale and dry that the only way I could eat it was to quickly take a drink of coffee. I have always been under the impression that Starbucks served fresh food daily. Apparently I am mistaken. Won't be buying from there again.

I have been going to Starbucks for many years. I lived in Seattle and Starbucks was all about service and I loved that. When two people pay $12.00 + tip for drinks, you are not just buying coffee. I have when to several stores lately and the service is BAD. I ordered coffee from the Starbucks store and it was 13 days before it arrived. I went to Starbucks customer service "contact us" wrote the details of the issues.I received a email conformation, so I know they received it, yet no reply.Shame on you Starbucks, your service at a lot of stores are poor and you do not reply to customers. You are not the only coffee shop on the block anymore.

Good morning, I just felt someone needed to know that on several different occasions I have gone to the Starbucks on Valencia & Cardinal location Tucson Az 85746 and your employees are extremely non-friendly! Never a Hello, GM, no eye contact I almost feel like I am "Bothering" them when placing my order. I love your products and sometimes visit different locations on a daily basis, and this is the location that stands out in the negative :(.........

There are 3 Starbucks within a 1.5 mile radius of my location in Allen/Plano Tx but I no longer shop at 2 of them (the closest ones). The closest one takes 10 minutes minimum to go through the drive through and either their speaker is extremely faulty or their staff has a poor sense of humor, putting 10 Splenda in the coffee when I asked for only 2 (this happened more than once). The last time I recommended to the Manager they at least repeat the order to confirm, but I hear that suggestion has not been implemented. The next closest store at McDermitt, you have to refuse everything on the menu to get a cup of coffee. 1 cup of coffee with 2 Splenda and Half/Half -- how about some oatmeal? No -- How about a pound of our coffee? No -- Would you like a breakfast sandwich ?

Employees were too engaged in laughing behind the counter to be curteous to me when I walked up to the counter. The server that waited on me was not friendly. When I asked for advice and expected engagement she was rude. And turned and laughed with the going msn barista. The garbages at the mixing station were overflowing. The floors were dirty. Tables dirty. And still the employees were loud and laughing instead of taking care of the store or it's patrons.

Its so sad how you treat your customers. You have suspended my credit card for no reason and you will not only unsuspend it you wont even talk to me. Its been months. My credit card company said that it allows the auto charge and you reverse it immediately. My husband is a doctor who works hard and looks forward to a coffee everyday at lunch. We are upstanding citizens who have paid all their bills on time for over 50 years. Such a shame you would treat such nice people so horribly..so horribly. I will be tweeting my story, facebooking my story wherever I can.

I went to disney where everyone is happy,not at the Starbucks in the magic kingdom,I was treated with rolling eyes and impatience,they got my order wrong,then would not give me my change back,I paid more for what I got!!!

Today I went to the Starbuck's store in Greenville, NC on Greenville Blvd. I am a regular customer. There was a new male employee, and I asked for a grande mild, an easy drink to make. This server gave me the coffee, and said "Here is your 'cawfee'", in NY accent, clearly jamming me. So then it turns out there are grounds in the coffee, so I asked another server to replace it. He was friendly enough, but worked on at least 3 other drinks, and did not even get to mine at all. So I told the manager that I will not return to this store. I do not know what action he took, but they do not deserve my business any longer. I paid for my drink but did not wait for it, and went to another store in town where they are always friendly (near ECU).

I am trying to get my money back off the gift cards. As I am for traditional marriage I unstand you don't want my business. So I need to get a refund. How do I do that? Thank you, Sandra Overturf

I go to the Starbucks located on Market and 3rd from time to time. I had bought coffee earlier in the morning on Wednesday the 18th. But as afternoon came and was having lunch with a friend, we went back to the same Starbucks for I assumed the people that work there are friendly and other Starbucks have great customer service. I was wrong. My friend needed to use the ladies room and I asked politely to the barista. The barista told me I had to go in line and BUY something. This was an unfortunate experience for my friend and I. I won't be coming back to that Starbucks.

I go to neighborhood. Store about twice. A week sadly every time they show me and treat me as if they hate their. Job and despise me they say only money amount an shut down counter outside. Is always. So dusty i think they are descriminators i am thinking about. Telling al my friends about this particular store unless i see a big change. Disgusted Hector D

Went to the drive thru in 94503 on main street purchase 2 Grande java chip frap. Me and my husband were like three cars from the drive thru window.disappointed we might as well been drinking warm chocolate milk with coffee and melted whipped cream terrible 9.30 down the drain.