Dear Starbucks shareholders, Howard Schultz, and anyone else who may be listening (This means you, Pat Nerr)
I love the idea that you represent. That you can go nearly anywhere in the country, and for about 2 bucks, you can get a piping hot cup of delicious coffee, a pleasing environment, and light banter with intelligent, caring and friendly people. I love the idea of sitting in store typing doing some work, listening to music, talking, or reading.
That is what is special about your company, and worth keeping. I am a FAN of the standards that you have represented, and I think that the $2-5 bucks that you charge is a value for the feelings that you sell.
The experience is eroding quickly, and it may be too late to go back.
Nobody likes to be sold, nobody likes to be monetized. If you want to suggest and share music (or even books, or even movies) with me, that’s welcome. I enjoyed your “Bob Dylan” live at the gaslight series, and was glad to see it (even though the recording was somewhat of a disappointment). I’ve even enjoyed your “The way I see it” on your cups.
What I haven’t enjoyed is the fact that your stores are feeling more and more like a cross between Target and Ruby Tuesdays. Crap everywhere. That’s nobody’s third place.
Your employees have grown increasingly unfocused and listless, and the standards they uphold are nowhere near where they were 2 or 3 years ago, sore to store. A few things have happened recently:
- I went through the drive through, ordered bold, got mild (and no explanation), and I came into the store to ask, I was treated as if I was an idiot for coming in, and treated like all I wanted was a coupon (which i got).
- Someone slid my change across the counter. I had a pithy remark (don’t try too hard), and I got: “What, you expect me to be perky,” in a serious voice. “I don’t pay $2.50 for a coffee to be treated rudely, that’s for sure.” Not an atypical experience.
- I stopped going in to Starbucks, and started making coffee at home. I had a 4 times a week Starbucks habit. 3 out of the last 4 times, you didn’t have coffee ready. How can Starbucks have this problem? It’s easily solvable; weigh the coffee, when it’s low, have an alarm ding. Tim Horton’s seems to manage.
- Your I-tunes promotion (and why I won’t be back for a while): I went in, was asked if I like music.
“Yes, Why”
“Here’s a free Itunes card, it’s by KT Tunsall”
“No thanks, I don’t use Itunes,”
“Oh, you should take it and try it–it’s a free song.”
“I’m not going to get to it, and I don’t need the clutter.”
“Oh, well you don’t have to be snotty, you should try a new experience once and a while.”
None of this is atypical, and none of it stands out anymore, it’s about the experience people have. Starbucks has gone from friendly to Elitist and arrogant. The only things that is saving you now is your location, and our nation’s caffeine addiction because “Getting a Starbucks” is now far from magical–or even pleasant–experience.
Would I choose a third place that is cluttered full of merchandise?
Would I tolerate someone selling me something–aggressively–in my third place?
I do not think so. Have some humility and honor the novel creation that you’ve made–the third place. Honor it, as if it’s sacred, and treat yourself as a host, hoping to make a good experience for people, not as the purveyors of culture.
Things that you must change and do:
There is some hope for you, you have great locations, and good memories. I’ll be back, I’m sure, in six months, and I’m sure that there are many people like me.
- Coffee, dammit. A Starbucks must ooze coffee. It should smell like coffee, it should look like coffee, feel like coffee. Don’t worry about branching out, don’t worry about expanding (read: diluting) the brand. Be proud to sell coffee.
- De clutter. Less is more, and don’t insist on selling non useful items. If you want to share music, great. If you want to share gadgets, great, but remember…this is MY third place…and I won’t tolerate being monetized.
- Protect the third place on behalf of the customers. Always remember it is OURS and not YOURS. You have been honored by us to be included in our day, and it’s something that we can exclude (as I have done).
- Uphold the standards of authentic friendliness. Having people that are excited about the opportunity to honor people by knowing their drink, and seeing them off with a smile is the most important thing. This has to be practiced EVERYWHERE in your company.
- Focus on number of repeat customers in a week; most of us pay by credit card, those that don’t could have some type of unobtrusive rewards card. Measure how much we’re coming, measure if we stop coming, figure out why.
- Sell stuff online, not in store. Create a community online–have a reason to go, and if you must sell us crap, do it there.
- Figure out what the super users like, want and use, and cater to them (formerly us). The rest will be evangelized.
- Charge more for coffee. I’d be more inclined to pay $3 bucks for a perfect cup of drip coffee than I would be inclined to tolerate being sold to. Best Buy wrecks the experience by hawking an extended warranty. Don’t you be like them.
- Engage more with the community. Have more of a community bulletin board, welcome meetings in the community, and have some fun.
I know that you’ll see this eventually, and I sincerely hope it’s not too late to save the brand. End whatever commitments with the other brands that want to monetize your customers. Turn the volume down, and reconnect with the millions that still love you. Begin to earn the honored place that you enjoy, and begin to approach it with a sense of humility.
Best Regards,
Chris Johnson
Tags: selling
{ 17 comments… read them below or add one }
Hey Chris.
Come on over to my Starbucks. They’re still smiling at customers, even though they have to make those breakfast sandwiches now. And they better…they just gave me an online site to go and review how they’re doing.
I’ve always wondered why Starbucks doesn’t do a rewards card too. Although, if you register your Starbucks card I think every once in a while you get ten bucks back or something like that.
I’m sure Pat N. will take your issues up with corporate. :o)
You should stick with the old Westerville Starbucks — they’re not as uppity as the brand new people.
AMEN! As a 3+ year partner, I’ve seen/felt/thought all of this, especially over the past year or so. I hope it’s not too late!
That’s too bad that your experiences have been so rotten. Give them a chance, ask to speak with the manager next time someone acts that way.
I hate how cluttered Starbucks is getting, too. It occasionally feels like I’m at McDonalds (the first time I had that thought was when they had some sort of co-promo with Akeehla and the Bee).
I haven’t had the lack of friendliness that you seem to be having, but I never can seem to get a damn blueberry muffin to go with my coffee when I want one. They’re always out.
I agree with you about the clutter. I don’t think I’d pay any more for their coffee no matter what though. too damn expensive as it is…..but ya get what you pay for…most of the time.
They should move to Fair Trade Organic most – to – all – of the time. They have the near Monopoly market buying power to change substantially the lives of entire countries for pennies on the kilo.
(I want to respond but I’ve got to leave soon – so excuse the grammar):
Clutter, oh yeah! Lost experience, you betcha. Nasty, unclean stores – oh, yes! (10th and Girls School, Indianapolis – the worst). Originality – gone! Rewards program and acknowledging the “old-school” users like me (since 1994 in Seattle), how so easy. McDonald’s like – yup.
I miss my old, original Starbucks.
Starbucks == Mcdonalds == minimum wage grumpy f*** serving low-value, medium-price americanised rubbish. Leave your expectations at the door!
Jon, UK »
John-
Sigh. if we don’t expect more, we don’t get more.
If you received the same type of customer service, beverage quality, and location to hang out, the cross-marketing and promotional stuff would be far far less overbearing.
All of that extra “clutter” generates revenues, very LITTLE of which is reflected in the paychecks of those partners waging war in the coffee-ground trenches.
Up the wage of the barista.
Up the required minimum AGE of a potential barista (wage increase would help this).
Starbucks – you might want to vacation in the Hamptons, ride the company jet, or whatever other extravagant methods you have to pat yourselves on the back, but damnit, open your eyes!
The REAL people who fight the fight to put Starbucks out there, in the minds of my customers, my partners, and my family, are those of us actually working in a store.
There are many perks that come from working at Starbucks, but the core needs improvement to bring in and retain quality personnel, who will more honestly and readily respond to and connect with the people who keep this company going – our CUSTOMERS.
Awkward Jimmy » Buddy–i don’t know. Starbucks will–as any RATIONAL company will–only offer the minimuim necessary. Have you checked the stock price? These “extras” are diluting the brand, cannibalizing the experience, and sending the company down the drain. And–it’s MY third place, and i’m not going back, probably ever.
Why?
1.) It’s a waste of money, and an insult to the cash I earn. To spend it often on $2/coffees, is stupid.
2.) It’s pretentious. It’s not helping me connect with or influence people.
3.) It sets my expectations high, so I have stupid, crabby posts.
Anyway, more to come, as is always the case on the internet. Thanks for stoping.
Rob » Thanks for stopping! I think that this has caused a major shift in my own values.
Nikki M. » The real answer is not insult the money we earn, and not waste it on crap. Go to quicken sometime, and see how many under $10 food/drink transactions there are. And then go to bluebook.com and pick out a car.
MyStarbucks » Thanks for stopping–I don’t know how much sense that makes, because I’m usually a “to go” kinda guy. And, I don’t want to be one of those pricks. I have usually said something like, ” Can you be less into your job?”
Coffee Mistress » Well, I think it is for me. My thinking about this (and the people that looked me up/emailed/whatever) made me think a lot. And my conclusions? Well, I think that starbucks has no place in my life…
McDonalds is basically Starbucks. With the coffee bars they have added in our locals ones they are nearly as expensive and have a worse appearance.