I recently decided to write to Starbucks to thank them for some of the good customer service I had received. This was following a chat with the in-store manager who was bemoaning the fact that they only ever got slapped for doing things wrong but never had the positive feedback passed to them by the Customer Care team.
So this is what I wrote to them:
I have talked with your uk MD on Twitter on a few occasions and given some feedback but I thought it was time I mailed you guys just to give you some "on the record" feedback.
I am No.1 Starbucks fan (here is my blog post to prove it http://www.themoiderer.com/blog/2010/09/confessions-of-a-starbucks-a-holic.html)
I also run a little club on Twitter called The Bad Night Coffee Club (http://www.themoiderer.com/blog/2010/07/the-bad-night-coffee-club.html)
There are lots of us poor parents that are on Twitter at 5am sharing a virtual cup of Starbucks (it is generally the preferred coffee brand) and comparing our stories of lack of sleep!
Anyway the feedback :
1. The new stores in Welcome Break Services.
These are brilliant! I always had to stop for a Costa Coffee in the past for a fix but have now adjusted my stops so I can stop and get a latte. I think the styling on these stores is really nice. I can easily see myself wasting too much time in them instead of getting on with my journey. I hope they start accepting Starbucks cards soon!
2. My local store.
My local store is Dundee. I used to spend a lot of time in the Borders store until it was shut ( I was gutted) but I have been going to Starbucks for a coffee since it opened. Cindy, the regional manager, is really friendly and it's nice to chat with her. She makes me feel like a valued customer, which given how often I am there, is actually true. But so often companies fail to acknowledge their regulars. This attitude carries down to her duty managers who always have time for a chat, are always friendly, and try and make a point of remembering my order which is nice.
I guess we all too easily sit down and write an email when we are unhappy with something but don't take the time when everything is good. So this is what I am doing. Please share with the Dundee store and regional manager that I think they are great and I feel a strange pride when I go there with friends and they get to see what great service I receive.
By the way, when are you planning on getting a presence on Twitter? I think it would be a great idea. Many companies these days use it for positive brand reinforcement where they sweep timelines for reference to their brand and address dissatisfaction and acknowledge satisfaction. It is a powerful tool.
Anyway, thanks.
Dawn (aka The_moiderer on Twitter)
I sent this mail about a week ago and today I got a reply
Thank you for taking the time to contact Starbucks Coffee Company.
We welcome feedback from our customers and it is lovely to learn of your enjoyable experiences at your local store in Dundee. I have shared your thoughts with the store and district management to ensure that the praise is shared with the partners in the store. Creating premium beverages in a welcoming environment is our goal, so your feedback will certainly be appreciated.
I am pleased to learn that you have enjoyed visiting our new Welcome Break stores. While the majority of our stores do accept Starbucks Cards, a small number of stores that are not wholly company owned are not able to accept Starbucks Cards. These include concessions located within leisure facilities such as Centre Parcs, Village Hotels, Bourne Leisure, motorway service areas and non BAA airports. I am sorry for any disappointment this may cause. Please be assured that we are currently working on this, and hope to be able to offer Starbucks Card as a form of payment in our licensed stores in the future.
Currently there are no plans to launch a Starbucks UK Twitter account. However, we are always looking for ways to engage with our customers, so this may be a possibility in the future.
Thank you again for sharing your positive feedback with us. I hope you will continue to enjoy our coffee for many years to come and we look forward to welcoming you back to Starbucks.
Kind regards
Joanne Barker
Customer Care Specialist
What I find interesting is that I know for a fact when you write to complain they send you vouchers in compensation. Interesting that when you write with positive feedback you get nothing! That is not good Customer Service in my opinion.
