I've been to the glasshouse at Starbucks Novena on occasion and I haven't encountered the warmth or superior service as mentioned in the book. The place scores points for its excellent decor and ambience but doesn't offer anything close to the levels of service as suggested in the book. And I've always preferred the Frappucinos at Coffee Bean anyway. I understand it's personal preference, but the ice-blends at Starbucks taste rather unremarkable to me.
Let me list down some of the details mentioned in the book, on what makes Starbucks such an immersive experience for the average American consumer:
1. At Starbucks, "being welcoming" is an essential way to get the customer's visit off to a positive start. It is also the foundation for producing a predictably warm and comfortable environment. It enables partners to forge a bond with customers so that infrequent visitors become regulars, many of whom end up customers for life. I don't feel that the staff at Starbucks are any more welcoming than the $1 bubble tea shop auntie underneath my block.
2. Starbucks partners are trained not just to listen to their customers, but to take action immediately based on what they hear, and to learn from these experiences for future customer interactions. I feel that a coffee purchase at Starbucks is just another business transaction, not dissimilar to the experience at other coffee retailers.
3. The Starbucks sensation is driven not just by the quality of its products but by the entire atmosphere surrounding the purchase of coffee: the openness of its store space, interesting menu boards, the shape of its counter, and the cleanliness of the floorboards. What Starbucks recognized long before its imitators was that the art of retailing coffee went way beyond product. The details of the total experience mattered. Every particular - from napkins to coffee bags, store-fronts to window seats, annual reports to mail order catalogs, tabletops to thermal carafes - seems to reflect the authentic and organic roots of Starbucks. This statement sounds a tad exaggerated, but I agree for most part of it.
4. The difference between good and great can often be the willingness of leadership to structure surprising moments around calendar opportunities. Starbucks leadership often initiates a surprise event that is not primarily aimed at self-promotion. To celebrate summer and National Ice Cream Month baristas served one million free cups of ice cream at 6,000 starbucks locations for an unadvertised 'ice cream social'. I've witnessed free cone day at Ben and Jerry's, and I've also come across days where Starbucks give away coffee for free. It irks me that Singaporeans will do anything for freebies, even if it means queuing for hours. This spoils the entire experience. If I desire coffee, I'll willingly pay for the Starbucks experience. It simply doesn't make sense to queue for hours on end for coffee just because it is free. I can't even grab a copy of Today on the way to work because the queue for the paper at Bishan MRT is verging on the ridiculous. This behaviour is so typical of Singaporeans that I am, at times, ashamed to acknowledge myself as one. Some people either have too much time on their hands or are struggling to make ends meet amidst this financial crisis. I certainly cannot fault them if that is the case.
5. By providing a high-quality, consistent customer experience, Starbucks offers a place for conversation, connection, and reconnection. Go by Starbucks on any given afternoon, and you will find young people huddled around tables in conversation for hours. Business meetings take place. Friends catch up over a Frappucino blended beverage. I don't agree that the customer experience is high-quality, but it is undoubtedly consistent, albeit unremarkable. Starbucks appeals because it effuses comfort and relaxation without imposing time constraints. I enjoy catching up with friends over a casual cup of coffeee. It must be mentioned, however, that Coffee Bean offers a similar if not better experience than Starbucks, especially since its ice-blends are more delectable. While Starbucks has the edge based on the strength of its brand and its impeccable store location and decor, my friends and I will often opt to visit Coffee Bean ahead of Starbucks.
I've read half the book, and these are my thoughts so far. I hope I can finish reading it before it is due next week!