Starbucks is my preferred destination for coffee consumption. I like that the experience is consistent. I like that they have a commitment to the environment and making a strong social impact. Another element of the Starbucks experience that I really appreciate is their willingness to embrace social media. Starbucks has been an early adopter of everything from Twitter, Blogs, Facebook and most recently Foursquare. Today I’d like to offer up a few ideas to my favorite caffeine pushers, Starbucks.
Slightly Stronger Coffee Mondays
I’ve written about this idea before, but I lost the blog post when transitioning from jeffgibbard.com. Here’s the idea: Mondays suck…for a lot of people. It’s tough to get going. Maybe you had a “rough” weekend. Perhaps you drank too much at a Football game. Whatever the reason, Monday just needs a lil’ extra something…enter “Slightly Strong Coffee Mondays.” The goal is to show people that you’re thinking of them on their tough monday mornings. Make the coffee just slightly stronger, one extra scoop or something. It would be easy to market and low cost to implement. NOTE: In reality Starbucks coffee is already like rocket fuel so this idea doesn’t work as well for them as it would for Wawa or Dunkin Donuts but I still think it’s a great idea…thanks to my wifefor thinking of the idea.
Showcase Baristas
One of the things that I like best about Starbucks are the baristas. I don’t think I’ve ever had a bad experience at a Starbucks and I’ve been to a lot of them…I even have the Barista badge on Foursquare. There’s a Starbucks in my building and one thing I really like is that the Baristas know my name and are incredibly friendly. Kristina is one of the Baristas in particular that makes my experience more enjoyable. One day I went into Starbucks craving something cold and sweet, but I didn’t know what. Kristina made me one of her vanilla chai frappucinos. It was excellent. I think showcasing the talent in each of the stores is a smart idea. I say encourage people come in and take videos and pictures of their baristas and submit them to the Starbucks Fan Page. Let Barista’s come up with their own creations and promote them on Twitter and Foursquare. Acknowledge Baristas for innovative drink creations and food pairings on the Fan Page. There are so many ways to inspire and engage not just the customers but the employees. Highlight the Baristas and put the spotlight on their creativity. Any other ideas? Sound off in the comments.