Comments on: Why is customer service at Starbucks consistently great - while the service at most other take-out joints sucks? http://www.emergencemarketing.com/2006/06/12/why-is-customer-service-at-starbucks-consistently-great-while-the-service-at-most-other-take-out-joints-sucks/ Thoughts on marketing, innovation, social networking, new products and the impact of technology on all those thingies Thu, 20 Nov 2008 10:59:46 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.5.1 By: Rick Lightburn http://www.emergencemarketing.com/2006/06/12/why-is-customer-service-at-starbucks-consistently-great-while-the-service-at-most-other-take-out-joints-sucks/#comment-429 Rick Lightburn Wed, 21 Jun 2006 15:41:46 +0000 http://emergencemarketing.com/?p=633#comment-429 Starbucks knows that they have better employee benefits than most other restaurant chains: they know that this higher cost is the cost of better service. Even if you convinced the company owners of Wendy's or Bruegger's that a relationship-focus were necessary, execution of any changes would rely on the franchisees, who don't see that far, and would bear the cost of increased service. All Starbucks stores are company-owned, while for many other chains they are franchised. Hence, service and staffing standards can be decided one with one management decision rather than the management of each store. (That this is true, note that the Starbucks in airports and in hotels -- which are licenced stores, and the only ones that aren't managed by Starbucks -- have, IMO, lower service than regular cafes.)

Starbucks knows that they have better employee benefits than most other restaurant chains: they know that this higher cost is the cost of better service. Even if you convinced the company owners of Wendy’s or Bruegger’s that a relationship-focus were necessary, execution of any changes would rely on the franchisees, who don’t see that far, and would bear the cost of increased service.
All Starbucks stores are company-owned, while for many other chains they are franchised. Hence, service and staffing standards can be decided one with one management decision rather than the management of each store. (That this is true, note that the Starbucks in airports and in hotels — which are licenced stores, and the only ones that aren’t managed by Starbucks — have, IMO, lower service than regular cafes.)

]]> By: olivier blanchard http://www.emergencemarketing.com/2006/06/12/why-is-customer-service-at-starbucks-consistently-great-while-the-service-at-most-other-take-out-joints-sucks/#comment-428 olivier blanchard Sat, 17 Jun 2006 22:58:32 +0000 http://emergencemarketing.com/?p=633#comment-428 Pumping more oxygen into each store's ventilation system would have about the same effect. Pumping more oxygen into each store’s ventilation system would have about the same effect.

]]> By: Jason http://www.emergencemarketing.com/2006/06/12/why-is-customer-service-at-starbucks-consistently-great-while-the-service-at-most-other-take-out-joints-sucks/#comment-427 Jason Mon, 12 Jun 2006 22:09:15 +0000 http://emergencemarketing.com/?p=633#comment-427 As a regular visitor/customer at Starbucks, I too am always struck by the high level of engagement between employees and their customers. Although I definitely agree that many other similar food/drinks establishments have much to learn from Starbucks, I have to wonder if the coffee giant's service is related much more to its *type* of business and not necessarily an approach all should follow. Great post! I'll have to explore this one on my blog as well. As a regular visitor/customer at Starbucks, I too am always struck by the high level of engagement between employees and their customers. Although I definitely agree that many other similar food/drinks establishments have much to learn from Starbucks, I have to wonder if the coffee giant’s service is related much more to its *type* of business and not necessarily an approach all should follow.

Great post! I’ll have to explore this one on my blog as well.

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