Starbucks CEO asks baristas to be nicer to worried customers in time of stock market turmoil

Howard Shultz sent an email to the firm's 190,000 employees

Schultz, 62 has made a reputation for himself as a CEO who wants to improve society by launching initiatives such as ‘Race Together’ campaign that was meant to get customers and baristas talking about racial matters.

Did you notice that the Starbucks barista serving you coffee this morning was more friendly than usual? Then thank Howard Schultz.

The CEO of Starbucks asked his staff to be especially sensitive to customers who might express concern over the plunging stock market.

In an email to his 190,000 employees the coffee giant’s chairman and chief executive said : “Today’s financial market volatility, combined with great political uncertainty both at home and abroad, will undoubtedly have an effect on consumer confidence.”

“Our customers are likely to experience an increased level of anxiety and concern… Let’s be very sensitive to the pressures our customers may be feeling, and do everything we can to individually and collectively exceed their expectations.”

Schultz, 62 has made a reputation for himself as a CEO who wants to improve society by launching initiatives such as ‘Race Together’ campaign that was meant to get customers and baristas talking about racial matters.

Schultz also stated that Starbucks would survive through the financial turmoil, adding that "Our growth plans for the future of our company will not be impacted by the turmoil of the financial markets," he wrote.

"We will positively manage through today’s challenging environment just as we have positively navigated through challenging moments in the past."

The CEO sent the memo after a collapse in Chinese indices sent shockwaves through financial markets on Monday, triggering the ugliest day of global trading since the depths of the financial crisis eight years ago.