More on Starbucks Barista Discontent over Pushing Via

(MoneyWatch)  I knew that Starbucks (SBUX) had given its employees an intensive crash course in Via as part of its high-profile rollout of the new instant coffee product. But I didn't know how aggressive the company was training its employees to be.

BusinessWeek is running a story on how Via sales pitches have gotten so intense that both baristas and customers are complaining. "This is the most stressful promotion I have ever experienced, and I've been with the company for seven years," one employee wrote on a Starbucks gossip blog.

Another employee blogged that Starbucks baristas "were just told to place a Via 12-pack in the customer's hand while asking if they would 'like to add some Via to their order.' This sort of aggressive pitching is not in line with how the baristas see themselves, which is as more like bartenders than salespeople. Nor is it likely to win over customers, who are expressing exasperation on their own blogs.

I know Via is huge for Starbucks and there's a lot riding on its success, especially considering how the company has faltered in recent years and how McDonald's (MCD) has turned itself into a direct rival. But annoying customers doesn't seem to be the best way to go.

Related Stories on BNET: Starbucks Seller Takes Via Discontent to PostSecret Starbucks Goes All Out in Via Instant Coffee Launch