Reading the Naples Daily News this morning I came across an article from the Associated Press about Starbucks Corps’ new website which solicits customer ideas on how to improve the customer experience.
They showed one customer’s idea- “An express line for people who JUST WANT COFFEE! That way the coffee drinkers don’t have to wait so long in line behind all those people getting specialty drinks.”
An excellent idea for sure which got me thinking about a few of the changes I’d like to see.
First off I’d like to say that the prices for a cup of regular coffee at Starbucks is actually in line or a few cents cheaper than Dunkin Donuts here in Naples and back home, so kudos to Starbucks for that.
A couple of days ago I was at a Starbucks within a Target store. There were only two people in front of me in line. The young hipster chick behind the counter was incredibly friendly and bubbly, asking the people in front of me how they would like their latte machiatto prepared with a huge smile on her face.
This happy face attitude would soon change when yours truly came front and center and asked for his coffee of the day with cream and splenda. She quickly informed me that the creamer and sweeteners were located over there and I could prepare it myself. The problem was that I had the bean hanging off of me and she was being scootchie so I asked the girl if she could just put the cream and splenda in behind the counter. That friendly young coffee hipsters’ smile turned into a frown in an instant. You would have thought that I asked for something crazy.
Unfortunately this experience isn’t confined to this one particular Starbucks. It happens in nine out of ten of them. Whenever you ask for them to add your creamer and sweetener they act like it’s such a totally unreasonable request.
They will all honor your request, but almost every Starbucks barrista will turn from friendly coffee snob barrista to indignant huffy unhappy employee lickity split if you dare ask for them to prepare your regular cup o joe for you.
Watch for yourself how quickly you too can send these folks into a tailspin with what seems like a smple request.
It’s a regular cup of coffee FFS! Get over it!
http://mystarbucksidea.force.com/home/home.jsp
Good Morning Gloucester 