Global EditionASIA 中文雙語Fran?ais
Lifestyle
Home / Food

Sound of silence speaks volumes as baristas serve up a treat

Xinhua | Updated: 2020-12-08 09:51
Share
Share - WeChat
Chen Zizhong (left), a hearing-impaired barista working at the Starbucks Beijing Xitieying Wanda signing store, communicates with a colleague using sign language on Thursday. [Photo/Xinhua]

Chen Zizhong, 27, clad in a brand-new black apron, won the coveted title of "coffee master" among his colleagues in Beijing's one and only Starbucks signing store.

The hearing-impaired barista works with a mix of hearing and hearing-impaired staff. The staff members refer to each other as "partners", which reflects the close bond that helps them during peak rush hours.

Starbucks has a total of six signing stores worldwide, which are made up equally of hearing and hearing-impaired staff. Among them, two are in the Chinese mainland. The Starbucks Beijing Xitieying Wanda signing store, where Chen landed his job, opened in September and is the first of its kind in Beijing.

Tackle problems head-on

Cabinets groaning with mugs and canvas sacks display souvenirs printed with images of hand signs and gestures, while a low cakes-and-pastries display case makes way for communication between baristas and customers in sign language. Display screens with order details always face the customers, and portable tablet computers with built-in voice assistance provide the hearing-impaired baristas with ease in face-to-face communication.

Flanking the counter, the corner for activities is decked out with soundproof foam to safeguard a relatively quiet environment for the hearing-impaired baristas.

However, the delicate designs of the cafe are quite hard to spot by a busy passerby. "When customers are wearing their masks and ask me for some napkins, misunderstandings can easily take place," Chen says. Those scenarios are where his hearing partners can step in and help.

Chen Fangqi, the cafe manager, has worked with Starbucks since 2009. "This is the quietest Starbucks I have ever encountered," she says, adding that she used to work in a cafe at the Beijing South Railway Station, among the busiest branches in Beijing.

The coffee shop in the railway station has a high volume of customers. The only hearing-impaired employee spends his shift preparing drinks in order to avoid possible issues communicating with customers.

"Our interpretation of equality is not about lowering our standards to favor the minorities, but offering equal job opportunities and upward mobility for impaired citizens," says the manager.

No compromise in standards means an uphill struggle. Copying the same drink recipe dozens of times from their dog-eared notebooks patched up with tape is commonplace for hearing-impaired baristas as it is the most efficient way for them to learn.

It will not be easy for Chen Zizhong to qualify as a coffee master.

Basic knowledge of various coffee beans sold in the store and day-to-day practices to make pour-over coffee are only snags, but hosting coffee lectures with customers face to face can be a daunting task.

Chen used to spend his days in a 9-to-5 job hunched over a desk, but feeling the absence of human interaction, he applied for a new career with Starbucks.

"After years working with screens, I'd like to move onto something that brings me (in a) face-to-face interaction to help improve my speaking ability," he says. "Though it can be hard for me, I want equality for everyone."

1 2 Next   >>|
Most Popular
Top
BACK TO THE TOP
English
Copyright 1995 - . All rights reserved. The content (including but not limited to text, photo, multimedia information, etc) published in this site belongs to China Daily Information Co (CDIC). Without written authorization from CDIC, such content shall not be republished or used in any form. Note: Browsers with 1024*768 or higher resolution are suggested for this site.
License for publishing multimedia online 0108263

Registration Number: 130349
FOLLOW US
 
主站蜘蛛池模板: 日本精品3d动漫一区二区| 4480yy苍苍私人| 日韩欧美中文字幕在线视频| 免费国产怡红院在线观看| 麻豆国产入口在线观看免费| 探花视频在线看视频| 亚洲国产成人va在线观看网址 | 美女被到爽羞羞漫画| 国产精品538一区二区在线| av片在线观看永久免费| 新梅金瓶之爱奴1国语在线观看| 亚洲不卡1卡2卡三卡2021麻豆| 狠狠色丁香婷婷综合潮喷| 国产v精品成人免费视频400条 | 亚洲情综合五月天| 大战孕妇12p| 两个人看的WWW在线观看| 日本精品一二三区| 亚洲bt欧美bt精品| 欧美黑人疯狂性受xxxxx喷水| 内射白浆一区二区在线观看| 试看120秒做暖暖免费体验区| 国产私人尤物无码不卡| 99国产在线播放| 娇妻校花欲乱往事叶子| 丰满岳乱妇一区二区三区| 最近中文字幕免费mv视频| 亚洲最大成人网色| 玩乡下小处雏女免费视频| 四虎成人精品无码| 风流女护土一级毛片| 国产玉足榨精视频在线观看| 91色视频网站| 天天综合天天添夜夜添狠狠添| 亚洲人成色777777在线观看| 男人桶女人30分钟完整试看 | аⅴ资源中文在线天堂| 无码人妻精品一二三区免费| 九九久久99综合一区二区| 欧美国产激情18| 亚洲熟妇AV乱码在线观看|