Whenever I hear the word ‘ Coffee ‘, ‘Starbucks’ comes to my mind instantaneously and I am certain this would be happening with several other people too. Starbucks has become synonymous with Coffee which speaks volumes about their product offerings and of course, their branding strategies which have survived the test of time and that of the competition as well. Drinking coffee is no big deal but Starbucks has very successfully made an event of it and has over the years made this event into an experience to cherish around the globe.
The Starbucks Experience: More Than Just Coffee
The well-spread coffee menu, the taste and the aroma of it, coupled with the beautiful ambience of outlets and courteous staff have all contributed to the amazing experience of having coffee at Starbucks. So much has Starbucks infiltrated the psyche of the consumer that having coffee at Starbucks amounts to nothing less than a badge of achievement, something to boast about, a bit of pride and arrogance and of course a feeling that you have finally arrived. To tell you honestly it has been no different for me either. So a few years ago I got the opportunity to have coffee at a Starbucks outlet at an airport lounge and the experience that day is the motivation behind this post today.
Personal Touch: The Power of a Name
The staff at the Starbucks counter who was taking orders asked for my name. I asked him why he wanted my name. He said the name would be put on the coffee mug. I was a bit surprised and I had to spell my name clearly for him to get it all right. The coffee arrived in a short while and I saw my name written on the disposable Starbucks glass. The feeling certainly was a good one on seeing my name. This was Starbucks’s latest customer connect initiative (their competitors had already started it). Though the gesture was nothing extravagant it still was able to engage the coffee drinker and leave a smile on his face undoubtedly.
Coffee, Fun and Humor: The Name Game
The initiative became more interesting when customers started having fun with it and instead of their names, they started spelling out their nicknames and teasers. Also on several occasions, the staff misspelt the names which further added to the humour. According to Starbucks, this initiative of writing names first became a necessity to handle large orders, and names were written to ensure that the right order went to the right person and that there were no mistakes. However, when the activity started as a customer connect programme it really became a success story. The customers also felt a sense of belongingness and ownership which was extremely critical for customer retention.
A Successful Customer Engagement Initiative
Sourcing customers is a hard task but holding on to them is even harder. Branding strategies cannot be one-time affairs and as the brand evolves over time, the strategies too have to change. It would be fair to say that Brand Managers have to be on their toes all the time and can never let go of their thinking caps. Branding is a continuous process which is evident from Starbucks’ thoughtful initiative.
Starbucks is the no.1 Coffee Cafe brand in the world but still needs to keep the engagement with the customer going apart from ensuring good quality of its products, and services and seamless delivery of the exalted experience it guarantees.
We need to keep challenging the status quo and surprising our customers is a lesson learnt indeed.
To read about Burger King’s amazing strategy, click here.
To know how Starbucks became an 80 Billion Business, click here.
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