Starbucks

The starbucks store in woodland park, co has the worst customer service. I have lodged several complaints at the online form available on the website, and today lodged a complaint via phone. Seems that no one is managing the complaints or doing anything to resolve the issues.

Yesterday, I drove through the drive-thru and ordered the same drink I have ordered for 5-6 years: venti iced starbucks double shot, one pump of classic syrup, and half-n-half instead of the 2% milk. When I was provided with the total, I notice a cost difference and mentioned it to the employee at the window. He explained to me that there is an extra charge for the half-n-half. I said that based on my prior complaints and understanding from their corporate offices, this is not true. He called over a supervisor-we'll just refer to her as "v." v proceeded to tell me that the computer at the drive-thru automatically adds the extra cost for substitutions of this nature, that there was no way to remove it, blah, blah. I said, again, that is not what I have been told by the corporate offices. At this point, I was very frustrated and rapidly losing patience. V proceeded with "I know you, blah, blah" "you can just go to another store." at this point, I am thinking I am filing yet another complaint, and I told v that I really don't have time to argue with her (yes, yes indeed. V was arguing with a customer. Not trying to make the service right for her customer, just arguing and telling me to go somewhere else. Really?). V then tells me that they don't have time for this either (oh yes she did...), blah, blah (I couldn't hear because my blood was boiling by this time). I finally just told v to stop talking, she was just making matters worse. I handed over my card, asked for the drink and the sandwich I ordered. & yes, I was charged extra for the substitution of half-n-half over the 2% that is part of the drink recipe. Keep in mind here that I could just ask for the drink without dairy and walk into the store and add the half-n-half myself. But walking into the store defeats the purpose and convenience of the drive-thru. I won't even go into how frequently the drink is not made correctly.

It's not the extra charge, it's the principle of the matter. If they aren't supposed to charge me extra, they shouldn't. It's that simple. And treating a long time customer (12 years of business at this store) like their business doesn't matter is simply not good for business because customers like me will find a way to publically note the incident. I have to conclude that the issue is not that the half-n-half is more expensive, thus the extra charge (remember I can just add half-n-half using the dairy available on the condiment bar in the store), but having the employee add the half-n-half to the drink must be the reason for the extra charge? Because I thought that the baristas were adding dairy to almost all of the drinks offered, aren't they? Including half-n-half?

Just to test my theory that the explanation of the drive-thru computer automatically adding the extra charge was a load of... Pooh, I went to a different starbucks drive-thru, ordered the exact same drink with the substitution of half-n-half. I didn't get any argument about it, and I wasn't charged extra for the half-n-half. So much for the lame drive-thru computer lie. And this drink was made exactly as I like it. It was delicious! Incidentally, this other starbucks location has fixed the messed up drinks that the woodland park store made on many occasion, with no arguments, no back talk. Just lovely, pleasant service and an excellent product.

The resolution I would like to see is v fired. I am actually afraid to go back to the woodland park store for fear of having to deal with her again. I would also like my drink made correctly without having to pay extra for something that I should not be charged extra for. I would like to be treated with respect and value as a long time faithful customer. I would like the manager and regional director to call me and apologize for v's behavior and statements to me. I would like to know that the employees at this store will receive customer service training, and training on how to ring up drinks on the drive-thru computer.