How A barista made my day Passion Squared blog

How A Barista Made My Day

May 1, 2017Nina KovnerENGAGE, GROW

“Customer service is not a department, it’s everyone’s job.” Unknown

A barista at Starbucks made my day.

How?
She surprised and delighted me. She did something unexpected.

What did she do?
She offered me a free beverage.

Well that seems like no big deal.
It was a big deal.

Why?
Because it was simple, unexpected and it made me feel valued and happy.

My loves, at the end of the day, all of the marketing programs, fancy Instagram posts, Workshops and Classes don’t matter if we do not remember what matters most, a happy client.

Now, I know what you may be thinking. “Nina, we cannot give stuff away”. I get it, but that’s not the point. I am a regular customer who came in to purchase a pound of espresso, which I do about every 10 days. She did not know me. She did not need to. She just felt like and had the autonomy to do something special.

And that is all.

Surprise. Delight. And make me feel valued and happy. Be a day maker. And give your team permission to be one too.

And if you do, your clients may be inspired to share their experience with their friends. And on Yelp. And even, in a blog post like I did.

Love + Awesomeness-
Nina

PS: A big shout out to the Starbucks on Flower + 9th in DTLA. You made my day. Thank you.

A Land With No Starbucks

A Land With No Starbucks

August 3, 2015Nina KovnerGROW, MY TRUTH

“Sometimes we are so focused on the things we want, we miss out on the things we need.” Unknown

When I first saw my new favorite place on Facebook, the home of my Aunt & Uncle, I had no idea if I would ever get there, nor less did I know the impact it would have on my state of being.

You see, I have been so wrapped up in life, and moreover, my business, and have not had a real “off the grid” break in years.

So when the opportunity arose, my Uncles surprise birthday party, and knowing I would get to see a big part of my East Coast family, I was all in. No, it was not the ideal time to take off, no, it was not in my budget, but yes, it was the best decision I have made in a long time.

Little did I know, I would be arriving in the land of no Starbucks (or Coffee Bean, or Uber, or cell service) and boy, what a shock to my system that was.

Many of us get so hung up in what we want, or think we want, or think we need, that we can lose sight of what we really need; love, connection, family, air, reflection, relationships, you know, the stuff that matters.

So how does one live in the land with no Starbucks? Simply. And beautifully. And purposefully.

While I did prepare a bit by bringing my travel French press, I did not have any espresso to put in it. Thankfully, my cousin was in a much more populated area when I inboxed her asked if she could stop by Starbucks so at least I could have my morning espresso, and she graciously obliged my addiction.

But my routine of what I think I need and want went sideways from there. What do you do when you cannot make a phone call? Or have no wireless connection or limited connection? You breathe. That’s what.

Many forget the day of having nether of those things, and yes, we all survived. Generations of awesome humans survived with far less than what is available to us today. And while I LOVE the social + digital web, as being a core of my business, and love how it can empower the people I love, I realized how much we are tethered to our devices, and missing out on so many beautiful things, like life.

I am not one to say put down your devices, I would never and will never believe in that, but what I do know now is that we all need to disconnect. And I can speak for “us all” as I work with people every day who are stressed, filled with anxiety, “too busy” to do important things, overwhelmed, etc.

Think of it this way and play a little game that goes like this…
Want: Starbucks + cell service
Need: Rest + recharging our batteries

Want: To do everything on my to-do list today
Need: To create awesome, quality work

Here is my challenge to you (and to me). Put down your devices. One a week, or a few times a month. And if you cannot seem to disconnect on your own, travel a few times a year to a place you are forced to, like I was, and just be present. Look up. Look around. You will not even believe how beautiful a land with no Starbucks can be.

Love + Awesomeness-

Nina

PS: A huge shout out of love + gratitude to my entire East Coast fam for making my week “off the grid” so awesome. I love you all so very much and cannot wait to come back (travel French press included)!

starbuckslove

From Starbucks With Love

November 29, 2012Nina KovnerGROW

“Dream more than others think practical. Expect more than others think possible. Care more than others think wise.”

Howard Schultz, CEO Starbucks

 starbuckslove

Gordon & I  probably talk about coffee, espresso and Starbucks way more than most people, but hey, when you love something so much, you feel compelled to share it with the world.  Oh yea, it’s called customer loyalty, happiness and word of mouth.  Sound familiar?

I felt compelled to write on this topic after an experience I had at “my Starbucks” last week.  I call it my Starbucks as its my main spot I have been going to, nearly every day, for the last decade. Do you have a “my Starbucks”?

It’s All In A Name
They know my drink (talk about creature of habit), they know my name, they know my sister, my Mom and my brother.  They even know when someone comes in and orders my drink, almost always asking, “Is this for Nina?”  Talk about customer care.  I have a bond with them, a relationship, a trust that is priceless.

Will You Miss Me When I’m Gone?
They know when I have not been in for a while, they know my business, my hours, when I have gotten a new tattoo.  When I moved away from LA for over a year and came back in, they welcomed me home.  They remembered me, and my drink, even after a year had passed.  They missed me, and I felt it, in my heart.

Please Don’t Go
So last week, I made my daily visit to my happy place, where the baristas make me smile.  One of my fave baristas told me he was moving to the East Coast for a new opportunity.  My heart sank. I could not even believe that I would not be seeing his kind smile, genuine interest in how I was doing or enjoy the perfect Venti Black Ice Tea in a Trenta Cup Extra Ice Unsweetened drink he has made me thousands of times.  I grabbed my drink, hugged him, wished him the best, told the gang to have a great day, and walked out the door. And cried. Yep, that actually happened.

So I began to think about other companies I do business with, and began to wonder if I would cry if one of the team members left, or worse yet, if the business closed down. I am not saying that having customers cry is a good thing, but what I am saying is if they do, it says a lot about the depth of your relationship with them and how much they care about your people and your business.

So now let’s talk about you.  How much time and energy are you putting into building relationships with your clients, both online and off?  Can they “feel” how much you care?  Will they cry when you are gone?  Some very important things to consider when evaluating your team, your systems and your customer care.

(shared with LOVE from your Starbucks loving passionista Nina)

PS: If you are ever in LA, be sure to visit the BEST Starbucks on the planet located at 7122 Beverly Blvd.