Why I Will Be a Starbucks Customer for Life!
Location: Home Office – Reading Time: 3mins
Meet my youngest son, Charles (or Charlie Boy as he is more affectionately known!). This is Charlie at our local Starbucks branch in Ayala Center, Cebu.
We popped in together when his Mummy was doing some serious show shopping, and Daddy had gotten tired of the question “What do you think of these…?”. We go into this Starbucks 2-3 times a week. The staff there know us well, and we’ve got to know them pretty well, too. However, on this day KZ, the young lady on the left in the photo, remembered that the last time I was there with Charlie she gave me a taste of their new Orange Latte Drink, without the coffee, just to check it out. It was good, and so I let Charlie have a little taste too (one of the rare occasions where anything remotely close to Chocolate gets near him as he’s only 14 months old!).
Charlie liked the new beverage, too. So much in fact that he smiled at the staff with a grin from ear to ear! (Gotta love that choco taste, huh, kids…?!)
So, on this trip to Starbucks, I didnt get the customary ‘Hi Chris, same as always..?’, as I walked through the door… No, no. This time around it was a great big ‘Hi Charlie..!’, and then I ordered my drink. I already had a smile on my face – not only was the staff great with Charlie the last time we went in, but they even remembered his name (and he wasnt the one paying for the coffee!).
Before my beverage was completed and served to me, KZ was walking around the counter, with a little tasting cup in hand, towards Charlie. With that she bends down, along with a co-worker in tow, and starts to feed my little boy the choco-orange delight that he fell in love with the last time he was in the store. Absolutely awesome.
This my friends, is why I will be a Starbucks customer for LIFE. The coffee is great, yes, and I do love it. But there ‘are’ other coffee shops in town. The fact of the matter is that Starbucks employees, or ‘Partners’ as they are known as, are among the absolute BEST employees that I come across. Everywhere – not just in the Philippines.
Thank you Starbucks for being awesome, and thank you KZ at Ayala Center, Cebu Branch for being spectacular as always and putting another smile on my son’s face – I have a feeling he’ll be back for more soon!
Aside from the fact that I love their coffee, I’d say kudos to the staff of Starbucks Ayala for knowing what good customer service is. Good customer service pays off because you get loyalty, satisfaction, and good feedbacks from customers.
To quote Tony Alessandra, “Being on par in terms of price and quality only gets you into the game. Service wins the game.”
Customer service is an important factor in building customer loyalty and satisfaction.
Starbucks… don’t forget the 1.5 splenda!!!
Sometimes, it’s the people that makes the experience worthwhile.
Charlie is sooo cute
How sweet is that
! That just goes to show you that businesses these days are doing a lot more for the customer than the “usual”. Its nice that KZ and friend were great with your son and you, too.
Go team Starbucks!!!
Sounds like the Starbucks in Bangkok. The staff are so friendly and they knew my name and my order, its like a local pub back home!
They are good for practising Thai on too.
I’m not if they are just being friendly as its their job or they don’t mind having a chat. Hard to know in Thailand…
You know I love Starbucks, its my virtual office and home away from home. You are right there is a reason they are such a massive company and making so much money… they know how to do it right
Cheers
@Maren – They simply know how to make customers feel great. Plain and simple.
@Bangkok – Thanks for the comment. Indeed, Bangkok Starbucks folks are also just as cool…
yah right… Nice & cool place, and delicious coffee.. Starbucks Rocks..
I could not agree more! There is a reason people keep coming back.
I found your blog by accident… ironically, I wrote one last month which echoed your sentiment:
http://www.dianetyezapata.com/?p=46