Starbucks is training staff on how to de-escalate conflict with people who aren't buying anything as it rolls back its open-door policy

• Starbucks is holding three-hour training sessions to implement the CEO's 'back to Starbucks' strategy.
• The training focuses on customer service, new workflows, and reversing the chain's open-door policy.
• Employees are also being taught how to de-escalate conflict with customers.

Starbucks is teaching staff how to de-escalate conflicts involving customers breaking its new in-store policies.

As part of new CEO Brian Niccol's vision to make its stores places where people want to hang out again, Starbucks is giving three-hour training sessions for store employees in the US.

In a segment of documents from the barista training, seen by BI and verified by Starbucks, employees are told to "leverage de-escalation tactics" if regular customers refuse to comply with the company's recent reversal of its open-door policy. It previously let non-paying guests use store facilities, like bathrooms, indoor communal areas, and patios.

The Seattle-headquartered coffee chain said earlier this month that from January 27, these spaces will only be reserved for staff, customers, and people accompanying those making purchases.

According to the documents, as part of the training, baristas are given a scenario where a regular customer who frequently visits the store sits in it for a "prolonged" period of time without buying anything.

It continues to say that when the staff member tells the guest the seating space is only intended for customers who purchase something, they share that they don't think they need to make a purchase to stay in the store.

The training advises that if the regular customer refuses to comply, employees should "listen to the customer's concern and kindly reiterate the intended use of our space."

Staff should then "leverage de-escalation tactics to prioritize empathy and understanding."

"Ask the shift supervisor or store manager for help if the conversation continues," it says.

One partner at a store in Florida who has taken the training said it had clear guidance on how to handle difficult customers. "If there's a situation that's escalating, move it aside, get your manager," the partner said. The message was clear: "Don't take it on your own."

One of the documents also sets out what baristas should do if a regular customer who does not make a purchase asks for their water bottle to be refilled.

"Politely share that water is available to customers who make a purchase," the document states.

"Note that we have bottled water for purchase," it says. "Kindly share you'd be happy to provide water if they make a purchase."

The partner BI spoke to said that in some circumstances, the easiest way to avoid conflict would be to give patrons water. "Some of these people, it could set them off," the partner said.

A Starbucks spokesperson told BI that, like other orders, water should be asked for when making a purchase to avoid interrupting baristas as they're preparing drinks. They said this has been an issue raised by employees.

They added that stores that want to provide easy access to water or experience high volumes of requests have the option of setting up self-service stations.

Starbucks' new training meetings are being rolled out across the company this week. They are intended to help implement Niccol's "back to Starbucks" strategy, which corporate communications director Jaci Anderson told Business Insider means making "tangible changes" in stores "to create a welcoming environment and win back customers."

Store managers will receive 40 hours of training to learn the new standards of service and how to train staff to bring the new vision to life. Store employees, who Starbucks calls "partners," will participate in three-hour sessions to discuss customer expectations, new workflows, and service standards.