JUNE 19, 2008

Lattes - 70 Cents Cheaper

Back in April, Lisa wrote about My Starbucks Idea. Now here we are in June, enjoying the benefits of Starbucks listening to its customers. So far I’ve registered my Starbucks card to get free flavor shots and soy milk with my drink orders. That saves me 70 cents per grande vanilla soy latte!

As exciting as this discount is, I’ve encountered an annoyance along with the much appreciated benefit. Most of the cashiers at the Starbucks near my office are not informed of the benefits of registering one’s Starbucks card online. Every time I’ve made a drink order with my card, I’ve had to remind the barista to give me the discount. Shouldn’t it be automatic? When I’m in a rush, like most people are on weekday mornings, it is a hassle to explain to the cashier why I shouldn’t be charged for the vanilla flavoring and soy milk. The people behind me in line probably don’t appreciate it either!  It has even crossed my mind  to go to a different coffee shop because of the frustration. I wonder if the 70 cent savings is worth it to busy commuters if they have to spend more time just to get it.

Another benefit Starbucks is currently offering is free WiFi for cardholders in many stores for the first two hours per day. While this is definitely better than nothing, if I were looking for a place to relax with my laptop and a cup of joe, I’d much rather go to a place that offers unlimited WiFi (places like Corner Bakery, Panera Bread, and countless small coffee shops) rather than getting kicked off after the first two hours.

While My Starbucks Idea is a great example of Deep Listening, Starbucks still has a long way to go before consumers get a warm fuzzy feeling when they think of the coffee chain. Kudos to Starbucks for giving us the opportunity to let them know what we want, but so far I’m not entirely convinced the company is 100% dedicated to this program. Who’s with me when I say most of the ideas implemented so far don’t seem to go that extra mile?