For the first time since I was in university, I am working on Saturday mornings. I figure since I have to bring Max in for therapy, I might as well get some work done while I'm here. As my Saturday morning treat (because I feel if I have to work on the weekend, I certainly deserve something special) I go to Starbucks and get myself a latte and bagel with cream cheese. A bit pricey for my pocketbook, but I only hit Starbucks once a week, so it's manageable. This morning, as I sipped my blessed lactose-free, no foam, vanilla latte and waited for my bagel and cream cheese, the barrista told me "sorry! we are out of cream cheese!". Sigh. I was too tired to get riled up about it, not that I would anyway, I mean, come on, it's just cream cheese. But I'd already paid... and the alternate toppings didn't seem very appealing. Bagel with butter it is. I didn't have it in me to ask for my 50 cents back, so I got my bagel and was ready to go when I was pleasantly suprised. The barrista handed me my 50 cents and a coupon for a free beverage. Huh. Colour me impressed Starbucks. The coupon stated "A cup should never be half empty. We apologize if your Starbucks experience was anything but wonderful. We want to know how we can make things better and always invite you to share your thoughts with us. The next time we see you, please enjoy a beverage, on us. We hope your next visit is better." And I hadn't even complained! Imagine if I had...maybe then I would have gotten 2 free drinks (kidding). Anyway, #Starbucks #Wellplayed. So nice to see a company figure out how to improve the customer experience.
Very impressive indeed! Some my lament their rule over our culture right now, but there's a reason they got where they are.
ReplyDeleteThere is a time and a place to lament their rule over culture. When you are desperate for java is not one of them ;-)
ReplyDeleteNice play, starbucks. Its refreshing when companies go above and beyond in customer service. I've only had one problem with Starbucks and that was when they were opening a new one by me and made a drink with whole instead of skim milk.
ReplyDeleteBut I bet it tasted super yummy, right? Like a milkshake instead of watered down sawdust ;-)
ReplyDeleteI didn't get the # signs until I read all about them in the NYT today! I'm so out of the loop!
ReplyDeleteI don't mind Starbucks at all. There is one in my office building and the people who work there are waaaaay nicer than I ever way when I worked in the service industry.
For real! The ladies who work at the sbucks in my hood are wonderful. And embarrassingly enough I am now a regular so we almost have that "where everybody knows your name" vibe.
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