Your Starbucks idea truly in action, everywhere?
Will the Starbucks brand be brought back onto course? Since I've recently become a SBUX shareholder I have a vested interest that they do. I've also been watching the "my starbucks idea" blog with great interest to see how they can openly participate with a community of customers. One of the minor but neat ideas that they have under "Ideas in Action" is no more printed receipts under $25 unless the customer wants it. Great. Saves paper and stops my wallet bulging from unnecessary receipts instead of dollar bills.
Only problem is now that I have that expectation I've received 2 receipts at different locations in the past week. I'm assuming that perhaps the locations are not "stores" as they were in highway travel plazas. However, where more important to deliver the brand than a location where thousands of main street Americans may test drive the brand during a road trip - just like airports? In both cases I mentioned the blog and the idea in action and the barista didn't seem to know about the blog nor the supposed new policy on receipts. Expectation turned to disappointment.
Three weeks ago a Starbucks in our local Target location was missing "Starbucks" staff so a Target staff member was desperately trying to help. Twenty minute wait later (crazy! - one of those the longer you wait the more you're committed to seeing it through even though it makes no sense) and she couldn't make the Frappuccino my wife wanted. Clearly she didn't get the training the stores closed for earlier this year!
Oh, and does it seem to you that the Starbucks blog is extremely slow? Some inherent structural problems? Also, tried to conduct a search, even for the word "coffee" and got a "There are no matching: Notes". Could be the harder Starbucks tries, and the more they promise, they more they may be disappointing customers if they fail to deliver on the promises. Maybe better to under promise and surprise on the delivery?
Comments
The Starbucks brand is their promise, so underpromising means under-positioning which could weaken their value proposition. But is coffee competitor Dunkin Donuts much better?
I've been impressed with the new "America Runs On Dunkin" strategy. But, over the weekend I stopped by a Dunkin Donuts. My wife ordered coffee. I ordered a chocolate donut. I was greeted at the drive through counter with "we're out of chocolate froasted." So I said "glazed please." Out of glazed too. So I asked what donuts DO you have? They only had three donuts (yes three total not three flavors) left. I blurted out "but you're Dunkin DONUTS!"
Realistically, ONE bad touch point experience may not damage a strong brand like Dunkin Donuts, but you need to manage the brand as if that ONE experience will.
In the coffee war battle, let's call our experiences a draw - and win for McDonalds and WAWA.
Posted by: Anthony | May 13, 2008 12:40 PM