By Julia Rice
Spring 2007 Kaplan Award Winner
Brad, the Top-Top manager doesn’t like anybody’s shoes. According to the official Barnes and Noble Bookseller Handbook baristas must wear solid black or white tucked-in shirts, black pants or skirt, an apron, and closed-toe shoes. After the first month, Brad finally noticed my black canvas shoes that have tiny white skulls sprinkled across them. He told me that they weren’t going to work. My shoes, which were hidden behind the countertop, were required to be more formal. Tony’s warning confused me because I was told by the café manager that pretty much any closed-toed shoes were permissible.
Top-Top manager Brad hates Nathan’s shoes. Nathan hates corporate policy. I like Nathan, and his black and white checkered Vans. Nathan told me that he bought these $40 shoes specifically for his barista career, and if another comment is made about them he’s going to walk straight out of this place.
For the last four years Barnes and Noble has been the world’s largest bookseller. It has also been ranked number one for quality among retailers. However I am not drawn to Barnes and Noble for their corporate feats. In fact, I would presume that most people shop at Barnes and Noble for its convenience, and large selection of books. Only after I got hired as a barista in the café did I begin to fully understand what a corporate company is. Only after I got hired did I begin to understand “quality customer service”…or rather “quality customer service!”
I arrived at orientation to meet the first manager out of many. Her name was JENNY! and she liked to use words like “Super!” and “Faaabulous!” a lot. At first I tried to make the best presentation by trying to play along. My voice suddenly raised a few fluttery notes and my face carried a permanent open smile. Customer service is easy, I thought, I just had to be enthusiastic, upbeat, and pretend to truly care.
Fifteen minutes later Jenny completely drained me out. I felt pretty pathetic compared to her. How did she have this much energy? What did she eat that had her bouncing off the walls? And how was this considered professional? There was this awkward silence right after she quickly rambled a question off, started smiling and right before I could muster up the energy to respond. I wondered why I had never noticed that I was a somber person. However, since the orientation, I barely see Jenny around. Occasionally she’ll come to the café and order a coffee! and blueberry cake! I just make sure to get customers before and after her to upgrade their drink size and buy a rice-crispy treat, and I’m in the clear.
Nathan has taught me a lot about the company’s operational standards. He believes that for every new food product we sell we should be able to sample it. I think this is a reasonable idea, because sometimes people don’t know what they want, whether it’s the peanut butter cookie (about a 650 calorie treat) or the oatmeal raison cookie (roughly 600 calories). I don’t know our manager’s policy on sampling, but I don’t bother to ask. When Nathan brought a slice of our new Strawberry Cheesecake to the back, I improved upon my barista skills by having a few bites. The instant sugar high I got made me believe I had just found Jenny’s secret to great customer service.
An excerpt from the official Barnes and Noble Café Server Job Description:
Responsibilities
1) Helps maintain Café sales by delivering our customer service commitment
2) Assists in maintaining the Café in accordance with company operational standards
3) Knows and follows Café loss prevention and safety policies and procedures
4) Works as part of the total store team
Chloe wore gold flats that matched her dangly star earrings and worked the bar like a pro. I was sad to see her go, even though her other job paid more and she got the respect she deserved. On her last shift she remembered a time when her husband tried to use her café discount while she was working and one of the bosses advised her that these actions could lead to termination. It wasn’t worth explaining that another boss saw no problem with this after she had asked a previous time before.
If a cookie breaks, a scone is dropped, or a pre-packaged sandwich expires we must put these items in a plastic bin labeled “waste”. We then write down what we just put into the bin. After we close, a manager comes up to verify that the wasted food in the bin corresponds with the written list. I’m not certain as to why corporate policies insist upon this. If I really wanted to steal, I wouldn’t record the stolen food on the waste list.
In a big company like Barnes and Noble, it is important to monitor “the team.” In fact I get a real sense of teamwork when I see the not so subtle camera pointing strategically on the cashier’s back. Ashley, another barista, likes to go into the accounting room on her breaks and watch the surveillance screen. She’s been known to call the café’ and tell her fellow employees to return back to work. This order is not intended as a joke. Ashley is considered to be one of our top baristas.
Ron, the official security guard dressed up in a pseudo police suit positions himself at the South exit. I’ve only seen one security guard, and he is always it. I often wonder what happens to the vulnerable corporate bookstore when he takes his fifteen minute break. When I’m in the break room with him I always want to begin a conversation, but I am too intimidated by his silence. I have never seen him speak one word. I have become fond of Ron and his silence. He doesn’t try to sell you a bigger size coffee, ask you if you want a sugar cookie with that, or if you want to buy a membership today. In fact, if I were a customer, he is what would bring me back. He is truthful, independent, and has the best customer service that Barnes and Noble has ever seen.