Shame on you, San Francisco Coffee

[sensei_]

One can spout painfully obvious platitudes or choose to do something about it like stop giving them business.

fortunately, or maybe unfortunately for me i dont take coffee. and if i did, it is usually at my local hawker centre where the owners are the ones making your food.

[JR8]

One can spout painfully obvious platitudes or choose to do something about it like stop giving them business.

Is there a reason you are taking this SO personally, I mean you're not one of the sacked staff masquerading as a customer are you?

[nakatago]

One can spout painfully obvious platitudes or choose to do something about it like stop giving them business.

Is there a reason you are taking this SO personally, I mean you're not one of the sacked staff masquerading as a customer are you?

I checked his identity; short of checking his identity card. He really is just a dissatisfied customer.

[JR8]

Oh ok thanks, well they must do one hell of w coffee then.

[morenangpinay]

were the workers foreigners? well you know the strict compliance nowadays.So might not be the company's fault..we dont know the reason so maybe it would be better if you don't expect them to know your name or know how you like your coffee because they are new.

[the lynx]

One of the best experiences I've had in my many years in Singapore has been my morning coffee shop visits to the Millenia Walk and Suntec San Francisco Coffee branches.

The people there are great - they remember your name, your coffee, are friendly, and are real (not like the robots at Starbucks who always smile while asking you to buy something else). It's a genuine pleasure to see them first thing in the morning. Plus the coffee, when made by the experienced baristas, is better the the other shops.

I have been a loyal customer for over 6 years - the only coffee I get is from there.

Well, that all ends tomorrow. The company, in their misguided thinking, decided it would be a good idea to fire all the experienced staff and replace them with rank beginners.

Penny-wise, dollar-foolish.

I had a coffee today from one of those beginners - it just wasn't up to the usual mark, nor did that person know me or my usual coffee selection or did he even have any semblance of personality.

With the connections I have with those people, I don't think I can honestly feel right about patronizing that place once they're gone.

All things must pass.

At least I'm spoiled for choices with all of the other coffee shops around.

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Note I'm a regular poster posting under a different handle for this topic. If you don't believe me, or if you think I'm one of those people who will soon be no longer working there, PM me and I'll tell you for real.
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Well you know what people say about moving on; start new relationships.

I always tell myself that each time my favourite hair stylist and I have to part ways.

[offshoreoildude]

You live in a 'fire at will' country. What else would you expect? The problem is not with the coffee company but the useless NTUC and pro employer policies that allow this to happen.

[CoffeeCustomer]

No they were all Singaporeans, all Muslim, all super nice people and all working there 2-5 years or more.

You're wrong - we, or I and they anyway, do know the reason - it's cost-cutting - the more senior people make more money than the new hires, plain and simple.

So they'll save some money on salaries while they lose customers due to the loyalty issue, the now crappy tasting coffee, the less attractive (in the friendly and intelligent senses, based on the replacements I've seen) - hence the penny-wise dollar-foolish comment I made earlier.

But no one asked for your advice, not sure why you felt the need to offer it, as obvious as it was. I'm just raising awareness and hopefully their management might read this and have a think about it, and for other customers to make their own minds up about where they want to get their daily coffee going forward.

I've already found a number of good alternatives, plus there's always Starbucks and Dome a last resorts.

Oildude, yep, that's right, for them and the rest of us, couldn't have said it better.

And Lynx (hope you don't mind me not calling you "The Lynx", which is a bit silly), yes, agree with your perspective, time for a change and often change is good.

were the workers foreigners? well you know the strict compliance nowadays.So might not be the company's fault..we dont know the reason so maybe it would be better if you don't expect them to know your name or know how you like your coffee because they are new.

[JayCee]

You're wrong - we, or I and they anyway, do know the reason - it's cost-cutting - the more senior people make more money than the new hires, plain and simple.

were the workers foreigners? well you know the strict compliance nowadays.So might not be the company's fault..we dont know the reason so maybe it would be better if you don't expect them to know your name or know how you like your coffee because they are new.

Did you hear this from someone within the company who is responsible for the decision making?

[sundaymorningstaple]

And Lynx (hope you don't mind me not calling you "The Lynx", which is a bit silly)

pot. kettle. black?

[nutnut]

Oh, looks like the old San Francisco Coffee Shop in Millenia is opening up again at some point, they have their notice on the ply boards.

To be honest, I liked the coffee and service there, if the coffee remains good, I'll continue to go back. I'm not too precious, it's very convenient for me and let's face it, the new staff can't be any more useless than the ones in Coffee Bean in Millenia walk!

I understand you had a bond with these people, but for me, it's just coffee.

[sundaymorningstaple]

^^^^ +1

Maybe CC had an imaginary girlfriend there that he was lusting after in his mind and now she's gone.

[CoffeeCustomer]

You're right nutnut, on both accounts.

I haven't tried Coffee Bean, as I remember they are a bit more expensive.

Here's how they stack up for Short Lattes, only my opinion as everyone likes different things about their coffee:

SF: $4.90, usually good taste
Starbucks: $5, so-so taste
The new Green Salad place near Candy Emporium: $4.90 - only had once
3-Inch Sin: $4.80, never had
Cedele: $5, quite good, quantity more like a Starbucks Tall
Dome: $3.90, ok taste
Joe & Dough: $4.90 / $5.20 take-out - very good, and closer to a Starbucks Tall
Gloria Jean: Haven't been in a long time, will have to check
Coffee Bean: Haven't been in a long time, will have to check
And there are others of course.

To be honest, I liked the coffee and service there, if the coffee remains good, I'll continue to go back. let's face it, the new staff can't be any more useless than the ones in Coffee Bean in Millenia walk!

I understand you had a bond with these people, but for me, it's just coffee.

[nutnut]

Yes, agreed, that's the thing, the SF coffee is good! Why punish yourself!

FYI, 3-Inch-Sin Coffee Sucks, can't remember the price, but it wasn't amazingly cheap!

I tend to have a normal coffee with milk from Coffee Bean and it's around $4 I think and you get 10% discount for working nearby. It's actually not that bad, but they sometimes get it wrong or spill it on the spoons or something equally incompetent!

nut

[egalitarean]

Man, sad to hear of the change of SF crew... I depended on that place for my daily morning cuppa when my ex-office was at Millenia. Every single one of the staff was amazing, almost made the coffee itself taste special. Didn't like the ones from Starbucks and Coffee Bean as the baristas then were burning the coffee :S Now that I am based at Shenton, there's hope again from the many coffee joints here.

@CoffeeCustomer, if you are serious about your joe, I recommend a weekend visit to Highlander and Papa Palheta