Store Manager Review

Running the shift: opening/closing, floor leadership, handling peak times, keeping standards high
Customer experience: coaching “warm welcome” behaviours, resolving complaints, making sure every customer feels acknowledged
Team leadership: rota planning, hiring/onboarding, training, 1:1s, feedback, performance management and wellbeing check-ins
Operations and compliance: food safety, health & safety, audits, cash handling, stock/inventory, equipment issues, waste controls
Performance and targets: tracking KPIs like sales, labour, speed of service, NPS, spotting patterns and adjusting the plan
Communication and admin: updates to the team, reporting up to area/regional, actioning campaigns and local priorities
Continuous improvement: simplifying routines, tightening standards, sharing what works so the store is “disciplined to deliver”

The apprenticeship has been really well structured and organised. Each month we’re given a new assignment, and having a full month to complete it gives me enough time to stay on top of the work and plan it properly. The feedback I receive is great, and I like that we can approach our coach whenever we need to, which helps me pick things up quickly and get answers to any questions as they come up. Overall, it’s been an amazing experience and I’m getting a lot out of it.

The apprenticeship has been a great experience, and the support around it has made a real difference. Our Learning and Development team keep a close eye on us and make it easy to reach out whenever we need support, which has helped me stay on track throughout. I also want to recognise , who has been brilliant in organising days for us to get out and see the wider business, which has added real value to my learning. On top of that, my Area Manager has consistently supported me with her skills and guidance, and I genuinely don’t think I could have completed the apprenticeship without the level of leadership and support I’ve had in the business.

SCL have been really helpful throughout the apprenticeship. Whenever we need support, have questions, or get stuck, they point us in the right direction, provide great resources to reflect on, and ask open questions that genuinely get you thinking. I’ve also really valued the way they explain the theory behind what we do, because my role is very practical and hands-on, and it’s helped the learning make sense in a real way—especially around leading teams, developing people, and becoming the best leader I can be. Overall, my training provider has been exceptional and I’ve felt well supported throughout.

The qualification I am undertaking through my training provider has materially enhanced my effectiveness by strengthening my understanding of the principles underpinning high-quality people management and motivation, reinforcing a people-first leadership approach, and developing my capability across key areas including employment law and stakeholder management, thereby enabling me to lead with increased confidence and deliver improved outcomes through a higher-performing and more engaged team.

Yes

Over more than 20 years with Costa Coffee, I’ve felt genuinely supported and well looked after through major life and career milestones, and I’ve built long-term security and confidence through operating stores—so I’m now excited to use the apprenticeship to strengthen my skills further and progress into broader roles within the business, and I’d strongly recommend Costa as a company that prioritises its people and continues to grow from strength to strength.