It used to be that every so often Starbucks would give
you your drink for free. No
fanfare. No formal offer. Just, “Thanks, it’s on us today.”
I felt appreciated when they handed me that
coffee.
Recently, the baristas were giving this
coupon to everyone.
Looks great – right?
Now read the back.
This is why Starbucks isn’t what it used to be.
It went from handing you a free drink with no
strings attached, to printing up a coupon that offers a free drink if you come
in on a weekend, if that weekend is in September, and if you buy another drink
that cost more first.
Customer appreciation just isn’t what it used to
be!
Marshal –
I can see your point but this is about an offer that, as Mary stated above, isn’t really that special.
Sure, I would bet most of your customers come in with their mission (to get coffee and get to work or wherever) firmly in the front of their minds. I’d bet 90% don’t engage in “relationship building” – BUT – that’s their choice. Also, that scenario doesn’t apply to everyone.
Starbucks and their customers both have a role in making the experience. But at the end of the day – Starbucks needs to go farther – not the customer. It’s Starbucks’ who is in business and needs to strive to connect with the customer base.
BTW – I do know all of the baristas at my Starbucks and I always say hello and ask them how they’re doing (and I really care about how they answer the question too!).
Some of us appreciate you!
Ann
You have to look at it from a different perspective, its a buisness. Remember, baristas like myself are paid to try and make you feel welcome and enjoy a good beverage, and if you want it in a ceramic mug, just ask for it that way. I can’t tell you how many customers I greet in the morning by saying, “Hello, how are you doing today?” And 9-10 times, I get the response of, “I’ll have…..”. Its the customers, not Starbucks who make the experience, whether it be in Europe, United States or in Bora-Bora, it all comes down to the customer.
Very good points, Wally. It was never the European experience it was trying to emulate. It used to be better than it is, though. I just wish there was a good indie coffee shop nearby. All I have here is the McDonald’s of coffee!!
I don’t think Starbuck’s ever was “what it used to be.” When Howard Schultz bought out the founders he began talking about “The Starbuck’s Experience” as something wonderful, like a European café. It’s not and never has been.
At the café in Rome or in Malta, I don’t have to wait in a long line. My coffee comes in a china cup, not something cardboard with a plastic lid that has a hole so I can sip coffee while I walk. There’s a place to sit in my Euro café, not a limited number of tables hogged by people making Starbucks their office-away-from-home.
So far, Starbucks has done an admirable job of picking up on the basic Peet’s experience from the original store, but it’s never picked up the European experience it touted. Starbucks has done a good job of staying true to Schultz’s concept of creating “a company my father would be proud to work for,” but I’m not sure that will last when profits fall and margins get even tighter.
Mary – my sentiments exactly!
Ah, the fine print! This is the sort of thing I just throw away and I’d bet a lot of other people do the same thing – which means Starbucks wasted all that money on printing in the first place.
Bottom line: Don’t do “special offers” if they aren’t.
I realize that giving things away requires some accounting behind the scenes, but it’d be really simple to just print X coupons, no fine print, no expiration and book the total liability. It’s likely that no more than – say – 50% of the coupons would get used anyway. But there I go again, trying to make sense…
Too funny, Frank! Sadly, it’s probably not too far off either.
Possibly the next time one has to be a registered custommer since at least 5 yrs. with an exclusive platin membership card…