Introduction:Recently, staff at tea beverage brands have frequently been shouting slogans, prompting complaints from customers. Many patrons reported being startled and disturbed by sudden advertising phrases in stores, believing such practices not only disrupt quiet environments but also come across as overly pushy. Surprisingly, the staff members who were complained about did not resent the feedback—in fact, they supported more complaints. What kind of management system lies behind this? What are the employees’ thoughts when facing high-pressure enforcement? This article takes an in-depth look at this “slogan controversy” that has left both consumers and employees frustrated.
Recently, a complaint post on social media sparked heated discussion. The author accused employees at a well-known tea beverage outlet of frequently shouting slogans loudly, which felt abrupt and startling to customers who just wanted a quiet rest. Some even described the experience as akin to walking into a multi-level marketing gathering. Customers who had expected to casually purchase a drink were instead taken aback by the sudden group advertisements from staff, significantly detracting from their experience.
The post quickly resonated with consumers across the country, with many recalling similar experiences. They shared that they had been startled—either inside the store or just passing by—by sudden bursts of “Welcome!” or product slogans. Some said bluntly, “I didn’t even dare to go in after hearing that,” while others criticized the practice as “very off-putting,” arguing that the brand relies too heavily on verbal promotions that are not only ineffective but also annoying to customers.
Interestingly, when the business owners or brand received customer complaints, the accused staff members did not express dissatisfaction. Instead, they thanked the complainers in the comments section and even actively encouraged more people to report issues to headquarters, saying things like “That’s great, go ahead and complain!” and “Suggest filing more complaints.” This unusual reaction made the whole incident even more puzzling.
Upon further investigation, it was found that all of this stems from the brand’s strict slogan regulations for store employees. According to informed staff, stores not only require employees to recite fixed phrases when customers come to pick up their orders—such as “Thank you for coming, Grandpa Doesn’t Brew Tea, Have a Happy Day Every Day!”—but also have standard lines for delivery drivers, like “Thank you, you’ve worked hard, stay safe.”
What adds even more pressure to the employees is that regardless of whether there are customers in the store or not, every five minutes, staff must shout “Welcome!” along with a rap promoting the current seasonal product. This fixed and high-frequency verbal task turns the employees into what feels like “on-the-dot repeating clocks,” and they must follow the rules under surveillance even when no customers are present.
If employees, due to negligence or fatigue, fail to shout the slogans a few times and are caught by monitoring inspectors, they may face penalties such as copying punishments or salary deductions. It’s understood that each missed shout can result in a fine of up to 200 yuan, with some cases even involving copying the phrase 20 times. As a result, even if they’re unwilling, most employees choose to comply with the rules on camera to protect their income, creating a work routine where they feel “compelled and helpless.”
Such a high-pressure management system has left many employees physically and mentally exhausted. One staff member said bluntly: “If I don’t shout, the monitor will catch it and I’ll get fined. Who understands getting punished with 20 copies just for shouting slogans?” Another commented: “Not shouting gets you fined, and it also annoys the customers.” It’s clear that these rules, which are supposedly meant to enhance customer experience, actually lead to unpleasant outcomes for both sides.
Onlookers, after learning the full story, have called on the brand to take seriously the genuine feedback from both employees and customers and to cancel this mandatory rule that leaves “customers annoyed and employees exhausted.” One netizen pointed out: “Shouting these slogans in tea shops is meaningless; what matters is that the drink tastes good,” emphasizing that the quality and flavor of the product itself are key to attracting and retaining customers.
Overall, this controversy sparked by a series of slogans not only reflects the gap between the brand’s promotional strategies and consumer expectations, but also highlights the conflict between corporate management systems and the wellbeing of frontline employees. How to maintain brand image while also taking into account customer experience and employee feelings will be a key issue for the brand to consider in the future.
The above content is compiled by CoffeeHunters, a coffee news website.
