"Grande Awake?"

Since becoming a working girl last spring, I’ve been patronizing the Starbucks across the street from the office at least twice a day each day I work. Okay, I know what you’re thinking…I’ve become one of those “Starbucks people”. But it’s not like that, really! It just happens to be there and I need tea and my office has no facilities! What else can I do? Well, okay, maybe I have become one of those “Starbucks people”. But, hey, I live in Vancouver, my neighbourhood is a mecca of Starbucks, and really, they do have the best tea. I mean, what do you expect? So I stand in the longest line I’ve ever seen each morning for my Grande Awake Tea (at least I’m not ordering a seven word beverage!). And then again around lunch time, I break for my smoke and head into Starbucks for my second Grande Awake Tea. Over time, I’ve become a familiar face and am friendly with the staff.

At some point, when I stepped up to the cash register, there were one or two staff who just simply stated “Grande Awake?” as they punched it into the register, to which I would nod, smile (it’s nice to be remembered, even if it is only by a probably too low paid barrista working at Starbucks) and say thank you. Something that simple can make you feel like you’re special. Or at least it can for me. Or perhaps I am just somewhat pathetic. You be the judge. Anyways…as time went on, the majority of the staff were punching in my Awake tea before I even got to the counter. Soon, there were times when I could see my Awake tea being made while I was three or four deep in line. I’d get to the register, pay, grab my tea on the other side while the people who were ahead of me waited for their coffees. You can imagine how much I love this! Special attention in any form is what I’m all about! (sort of laugh here, but I must admit it’s true). New staff would be at the till and the barrista would be saying to them “she’s a Grande Awake, I’ve got it”. Oh ya, I’m feeling special! After awhile, this became pretty much the norm…I would walk in, get in line and I could see that someone was making my tea. Yesterday I came in, and when I arrived at the counter my tea was there waiting for me! It totally made my day. THAT is customer service!

So, it may only be a tea. It may only be one Starbucks. It may only be a handful of people working behind the counter. I may not know their names. They may not know mine. I may be just one person who frequents the place enough with the same order. But this one small thing can make my day, reminding me that it is the little things in life that can give me a big sense of feeling good. As my dear little brother always used to say to me (well actually, more about me, but that’s another story) “simple mind, simple pleasures”. Enough said.