When Starbucks first arrived on the scene I’ll admit I was a bit late to the party. When it came to coffee I was more of an after a meal coffee person, not a coffee addict. In reality, it was Wi-Fi that got me hooked on Starbucks. I would spend time locating the Wi-Fi locations that in their day were powered by T-Mobile and take the tiniest of laptops I had, and even some Wi-Fi enabled phones, and do all I could to work from a Starbucks.
Along the way I quickly learned that Starbucks was not really ready for Wi-Fi or what would become “Conference Room S.” They didn’t have enough tables for co-working, nor did they have enough power outlets. While that may still be an issue is some older locations that have not been updated, I have to say, if any company has embraced the Anywhere Worker concept of where people can be Working Anywhere it has been Starbucks. And if any company missed the mark in keeping that cultural workplace shift, and is now playing catch-up, it was T-Mobile who had the real estate, and as Machiavelli wrote in “The Prince,” so well, “Territory establishes control.”
And now that T-Mo and Sprint are merging, Wi-Fi installed in all of their locations would have made Starbucks even more essential to the Anywhere Worker. But I digress. Starbucks to me has always been the McDonalds of coffee. They nailed the concept of consistency early on, giving customers a uniform experience all over the nation, and now around the world. Even more so, Starbucks has really grasped the concept of being the place people meet. It can be for a catch up, for a first date, for a short, informal business meeting or even where students of all ages meet and gather to work together. While Regus and WeWork may be the “co-working” hubs of many, Starbucks, like libraries has been the co-working spot of choice of so many for so, so long.
Like McDonalds, Starbucks has embraced the concept of the drive through. Over the past week, I have sat inside many a Starbucks as I have gone on the road, taking my restored sports car for a spin….a long one at that, and as I have watched first hand, the drive throughs are Starbucks boldest and best move yet. While the mobile app lets you order and pick up, the drive through phenomena is really interesting.
Just as when Starbucks first went with Wi-Fi, they’re still learning. The number of staff focused on mobile often leaves the inside the coffee shop line waiting to place their order or receive it in many high volume traffic locations.
So, while the drive through is high on convenience, it’s often low on speed, especially if you use the Starbucks app while heading to your favorite location. Yes, you can order on your mobile, time your arrival, and be sitting in line while someone ahead of you orders their fresh milk, double shot, mocha, cappuccino, extra foam, cinnamon and extra something, while all you ordered was a double shot espresso and a bagel. McDonalds this past year solved the long wait vs. short delivery time and regular drive through order, with a waiting area for those who have more challenging, larger or more complicated orders.
When Starbucks does that, they will have perfected the drive through and pick up the order experience. But, until then, the lines will grow, and the experience will only get better…...
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