Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Starbuck's Marketing Mishaps Annoy Loyal Customers


First of all, in case you did not hear, Howard Schultz ordered the shutdown of over 7,000 Starbucks for 3 hours Tuesday for a massive retraining session starting at 5:30pm local time. Howard is the Chairman and CEO and is trying to steady the coffee giant after substantial losses last year.

The Associated Press & Washington Post reports, "Your drink should be perfect, every time. If not, let us know and we'll make it right." Howard Schultz said the 135,000 baristas who got the refresher course pledged to uphold "the uncompromising standards and quality that have made Starbucks the world's coffee leader."

However, despite the press coverage that the shutdown would be occurring, it seems that Starbucks themselves did not do a good enough job of notifying their customers:

Christina Mallozzy, a pharmaceutical saleswoman, looked miffed when she walked up to a Starbucks on Manhattan's Upper East Side only to find out it was closed. "I'm not furious. My life's not going to end," said Mallozzy, 25. She was, however, annoyed because she had she had gone to the trouble of snagging a parking space.

I personally visited my neighborhood Starbucks Sunday and there was no notice or mention of the closing, unlike the picture above. Monday, I stayed away from coffee, Tuesday I visited a locally owned coffee shop, and as I was driving by one of the Starbucks around 6pm, they were packed with employees.

Today, I visited both a locally owned coffee shop and a Starbucks. I don't think either drink tasted any different than the day before. People like me want more than a good cup of coffee from a coffee shop.

For more on the impact of Starbucks Tuesday evening, Click Here

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