Page 50 - The Starbucks Experience

Make It Your Own

ing the customer’s experience. In return, customers offer our
business their loyalty and come to see us as trusted advisors
rather than just transaction handlers.

Formal Training
At Starbucks, all partners are encouraged to develop a knowl-
edge of coffee that can lead to personal insights for cus-
tomers. For example, partners use their knowledge to help
customers appreciate how fresh, high-quality coffee provides
a rich taste profile through the aromatic gases that the coffee
releases. This knowledge acquisition is fostered by the lead-
ership through initiatives such as the “coffee passport” pro-
gram, where new partners are given a 104-page booklet that
they complete within their first 90 days of employment.
The booklet includes a map of coffee-growing regions, 35
information on coffee farming and roasting, coffee-tasting
terms, the fundamentals of brewing coffee, a complementary
flavors chart, and a list of Starbucks coffee offerings. Part-
ners are expected to not only use the passport as a reference,
but complete verified tastings of all Starbucks core coffees
twice a year. Additionally, Starbucks partners are given a
pound of coffee each week at no charge to ensure that they
are continuing to develop their knowledge of and refined
taste for Starbucks products.
As they develop, baristas are encouraged to explore the
possibility of becoming “Coffee Masters,” a designation
reserved for Starbucks partners who have a passion to become
true coffee experts. To achieve that designation and don a
black apron, a barista must complete a significant number of
hours of paid training, pass a series of content-based tests
with high proficiency, and lead a number of coffee tastings.