TOUGH LOVE | Speed Kills

"Amid customer complaints that the Seattle-based coffee chain has reduced the fine art of coffee making to a mechanized process with all the romance of an assembly line, Starbucks baristas are being told to stop making multiple drinks at the same time and focus instead on no more than two drinks at a time." Wall Street Journal article (Oct. 13, 2010)

This conversation of balancing speed of service with soul of service isn't a new one for Starbucks.

It's territory we've covered here many times (and its territory covered in my TOUGH LOVE screenplay about the drama surrounding a fictitious Starbucks known as Galaxy Coffee).

Just a few years ago, Starbucks closed all its North American stores to retrain its Baristas on the "Art of Espresso" in hopes of finding a better speed/soul service balance. And today, the Wall Street Journal reports Starbucks is rolling out revised drink-making procedures designed to "make stores operate more efficiently."

Seems to me the issue here is less about being efficient and more about being effective in serving better tasting drinks to customers.

Former Starbucks President Jim Alling once said, "As much as we want to meet people's desire to produce beverages quickly, we also realize that people want a smile with their drink, that they don't want to feel rushed."

If there is one lesson Starbucks has learned in its nearly 40-years of being in business, it's taste will always trump speed. Starbucks customers are paying a higher-price for a higher-quality coffee experience than can be found at a quick service restaurant (McDonald's, Dunkin Donuts, etc.) People will wait for a better-tasting cup of coffee.

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Comments

[Richard]

I couldn't agree more! I love Starbucks for the quality of the coffee - and I HATE feeling rushed when placing an order. It's why I hate Starbucks anywhere in Manhattan.

[Tracy G.]

I remember reading a case study a few years ago about Starbucks that was about the dilemma that Starbucks was facing when deciding whether or not to begin selling their instant coffee in their stores and through larger supermarkets and specialty shops. The biggest concern was that they were overlooking the quality and experience that people look forward to when purchasing a cup of coffee at a Starbucks store. The issue at hand was whether or not this new instant coffee that people could make a home, which some reviewers claimed tasting bland, would endanger the brand that they had worked so hard to create. I’m glad to see that Starbucks is now sticking to their roots and focusing again on how to give their customers the experience that so many of them desire.

[Joan Esperida]

A speedy service is essential to a QSR, that's why they're called fast food and quick-service restaurants. A coffee shop must still be able to provide a relaxed environment so Starbucks really should not worry too much.

[Marc The Sales Techniques Guy]

Starbucks in the 2000s greatly increased its "licensed store" system, which permits Starbucks licenses only if they contribute to less than 20% of the licensee's gross income, are inside other stores or in limited or restricted access spaces, as to not dilute the brand image.

I found your article interesting, I will be updating my article Sales Information - Do You Have What You Need?

[Eddie]

Something that sets Starbucks apart is their willingness to always be improving and being aware of their customer needs. They will shut down stores when they feel they have expanded too quickly, and they will work to improve the experience for their customer.