This is exactly why a blog is better than Facebook

Blogging = Ranting ....

As I entered the Carnaby St Starbucks this morning, my fists clenched, my forehead drew lines, my lips tightened. I was ready for a fight, a fight for justice, a fight for my right to taste a real hazelnut latte. I ordered my drink, breathed deeply to calm down, and waited patiently. Glancing over the counter, staring at the Barista, I prayed and hoped that they would make the effort to make my drink right, 'Just this once - please make it right' is all I could think.

The barista yelled "Tall hazelnut latte, Tall hazelnut latte, Tall hazelnut -"
I interrupted with a "Thanks" accompanied with a half smile that was all to ready to kill, if the drink was wrong.

I began to walk away, stared at the pitiful customers eagerly queuing for coffee and secretly thought "Don't waste your time, they will make it wrong"
And then, my legs stopped, I sat down, who cares if I have to get to work, this is far more important. I took a sip of my drink, and yes, you guessed it - they made it wrong! Even bees would be sick by the amount of syrup in that coffee.

By now my mind was like an overworked time machine, clogging away at every angry emotion that had been born in this very Starbucks that refused to make my drink correctly. I sat there for a moment longer, and counted the times they had actually made my drink right. And what joy came to my mind - from the 20 or so times I have visited this thief, I had been served satisfactorily 3 times. Calculating further, it dawned on me how much money I had wasted. That was it for me - I had enough, and finally I had retreated to my 'I'm done' gravestone.

I quick stepped back into my office, sat down at my seat whilst my fingers raced through the numbers on my phone. Yes, luckily I have the Starbucks HQ number on my mobile! (Just for these moments).

I explained to the lady my problem, at first I was a little embarrassed by my seemingly 'me me me' complaint, but after the first stumbled sentence I was over it. In fact, I had shot to the top and felt like a dirty politician who was saving face. She empathised with my situation, and asked for my address to which I replied ..

"Listen, I don't need or want Starbucks vouchers, I don't even want you to write apologising for my bad experience. All I want is the expert Barista from HQ to get down to my local Starbucks ASAP and train the staff on how to make (a) Tall hazelnut latte (b) Grande hazelnut latte. I don't want anything else, so please don't bother. Just get onto this ASAP"

Thinking back, I guess she was surprised by my response, in fact, I think I am even surprised by that (I'm not one to turn away freebies). Alas, this is not about freebies, it's about certain standard that needs to be held, there is an underlying principle here somewhere, once I figure it out you will be the first to know.

Oh - I feel so much better now