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: 成人性一级视频在线观看| 欧美美女视频网站| 国产无遮挡吃胸膜奶免费看| 亚洲爆乳少妇无码激情| 青苹果乐园影视免费观看电视剧hd| 大尺度视频网站久久久久久久久| 久久久国产视频| 欧美成人猛男性色生活| 全免费a级毛片免费看| 黄网页在线观看| 国产青榴视频在线观看| 一级黄色香蕉视频| 日韩AV无码精品一二三区| 动漫美女人物被黄漫小说| 久久久久久久性| 国色天香社区高清在线观看| 中文字幕一区二区三区人妻少妇| 最近2019免费中文字幕视频三| 亚洲综合精品伊人久久| 翁想房中春意浓1-28| 国产无遮挡又黄又爽在线视频 | 国产真实乱子伦视频播放| 久久久精品久久久久特色影视 | 国产成人爱片免费观看视频| 中文字幕在线资源| 樱桃视频影院在线播放| 亚洲色成人网一二三区| 欧美综合社区国产| 处女的诱惑在线观看| 中文字幕人妻三级中文无码视频| 日韩精品欧美激情亚洲综合| 亚洲欧洲自拍拍偷综合| 男女做www免费高清视频| 国产igao为爱做激情| 成人在线免费看片| 少妇高潮喷水久久久久久久久久| 久久精品国产精品青草| 男女交性特一级| 啊轻点灬大ji巴太粗太长h| 麻豆传煤入口麻豆公司传媒| 国产精品电影久久久久电影网|