Starbucks Company Problem With Customer Expectation In The Area Of Customer Service

Starbucks company performance growth rate in 2002 for same store sales has been 5% or higher year over year for 11 consecutive years, however recent marketing survey showed Starbucks is not meeting customer expectation in the area of customer satisfaction. Marketing survey showed 34% of response was improvements to service, which of 19% response was friendlier, more attentive staff and 10% was faster more effective service. The problem with customer dis-satisfaction is related to faster growth rate of the company in high traffic area with complex handcrafted beverages portfolio creating longer wait time than 3 minutes from back of the line to hand in drink which is consider excellent service. The proposal from senior vice president Christine Day of administration in North America was to invest $40 million annually in company 4500 stores which will result in 20 hours of labor a week in each of the store to improve speed of the service and thereby improve customer satisfaction. The problem Starbuck is facing customer are waiting longer than 3 minute from back of the line to hand in coffee which is causing customer dis-satisfaction. (Moon & Quelch, 2006).
Background …show more content…
Starbucks pride themselves in three components to their branding strategy high quality premium coffee, customer service, and atmosphere. Starbucks stores were located in high traffic, high visible areas such as retail centers, office building, and university campus and selling whole bean coffees, rich brewed coffees, Italian style espresso drinks, cold blended beverage, and premium teas. In addition to coffee products most stores sell variety of pastries, sodas, and juices, along with coffee accessories and equipment, music CDs, games, seasonal novelty items (Moon & Quelch,