Suggestion for Starbucks: Offer your cards in keychain format

I like how Caribou Coffee gives you a choice: a wallet card or keychain. Does Starbucks have a keychain-card in the works? Let us know, insiders. (Feel free to suggest other card improvements.)

Comments

[daniel]

buy 10 get one free, hell even 20, something

[MILWAUKEE STARBUCKS REBEL]

hmm.. I would like to see combo meals with little toys for children. How about free lattes on your birthday / anniversary / bar mitzvah / graduation?

[melina]

A "reduce/reuse/recycle" club membership, with more than a measly 10 cents off, for bringing in your own cup/mug/carafe and not creating more trash.

or just a brain implant chip. or a fingerprint scanner!

[simplehiker]

The world does not need any more stupid key fobs!

But the card does need more incentives. Free brew after so many coffee would just be a start. I love Melina's suggestion to give much greater reward for bring our own mug usage.

Which rat holes me to my new pet peve of them wasting a paper cup to make 4 shots of express then pouring the whole thing in my personal reusable cup.

I CARRY AROUND A REUSABLE MUG NOT TO WASTE THE STUPID PAPER CUPS!

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

If you go to the Apple store, you will notice that people carry around credit card scanners and stuff with them. I think that people should keep their Starbucks Card online and then if they come you can pretty quickly just have a smart card reader that receives it and deducts it quickly. Also, if you notice sometimes, the network has a slight delay however perhaps if there were subnets containing information where the Starbucks Cards are used the most often then I am sure the information could be processed quicker.
You walk into a Starbucks. The barista gives you a grande raspberry non-fat latte. You push your Starbucks Card embedded to the barista's reader. The price is deducted and you're out.
Also, I noticed that some restaurants here in Boston, you can IM your order and such ahead. Imagine if they just IM'd "grande non-fat latte" and then you just write the SN on the cup. Again the card reader is used and it increases the speed of the store.

[Jim Romenesko]

>>>>>I CARRY AROUND A REUSABLE MUG NOT TO WASTE THE STUPID PAPER CUPS!

This has happened on more than one occasion: I'll ask for a tall coffee in my personal cup. The barista will take a tall paper cup, pour coffee in it, then pour that coffee into my personal cup (and throw away the paper cup). So much for saving the environment with that reusable mug.

I have a handful of innovative customers who have put a hole punch through the corner of their cards and have our Starbucks card on a key ring with a bunch of other giftcards that they use at other businesses. Works nice and quick in DT. Have you seen Sonic's DT? You can swipe your giftcard or debit right after you order, pull to window, get handed a bag and off you go. Almost no interaction what so ever which is basically the point of going to Starbucks. You can get good coffee almost anywhere. You pay for the baristas to know you, make you feel elevated, and walk around with the green siren of status on your cup all day!

I make the drinks in paper cups when annoying and inconsiderate customers tell me that they have a personal cup at the DT speaker. Am I supposed to juts wait for them to get to the window to make their drink, and make every person behind them suffer? It throws off my groove. And I make a 'subtle' point to let them see me pouring their coffee out of the paper cup and into their personal cup. That they want me to rinse for them. And throw away some of their trash for them. And reassure them that, yes, they did get 10 cents off of their order.

i don't understand why a refill in a paper cup is just 55 cents but when they get a brew in their personal cup we just give them a 10 cent discount.

because it's the point that you previously paid your 1.50-1.80 for your coffee. or even for your latte...not that youre reusing a cup...

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

I think that is the best thing to do. I sometimes get a venti coffee and then two more refills so I get the most priced per unit. I also wait for the barista to brew me a fresh pot of coffee because I can taste subtle differences in the coffee. I can tell you how old the coffee is if I know which coffee is brewing because I carry cognotive flavor profiles. I can tell you how dirty a french press is and that it probably needs to be cleaned. Yes I do the Uncle Howie thing of "ideation" when I make myself a new drink, coffee blend and/or pastry pairing.

[PissedOffBarista]

More shit for people to fiddle with, screw up, and complain about? There's already enough plastic garbage in this world. Enough already.

[otter]

Any way the system can be streamlined, the better.

The typical morning commuter scene at any S'bucks is this: one gigantic line snaking through the store and pressing against the door, everyone stressed and huffy because they're becoming late for work; half the people are ordering their complex and time-consuming lattes and Frapps with customization questions while the rest just want a cup of drip coffee to go.

If there was a way to ring people up while still in line, shoot their order to the barista, and avoid the huge line at the registers during rush, I'm all for it.

[LSM]

I no longer am employed at any type of Starbucks. I've left for other fields, however the above comment about lines to the door demonstrates inadequate staffing. If your SM is watching the deployment video, he or she should know with lines that long that someone should be taking orders from outside of the bar area. The deployment video shows a walkie and a headset. I worked at a licensed store so when our lines got that long we'd just do it by hand (no headset) and pass the sleeves to the barista and the person would wait in line to pay and the drink would be up by the time the payment was made.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

LSM
You are referring to the Cafe Line Program which I hear is going to be implemented in the higher volume stores. However, I will state that the part where you walk out and into the store to get orders is a non-standard Starbucks procedure which should be avoided until implemented by your field leadership, whether by your DM and/or RDO. Otherwise, CEASE and DESIST all non-standard Starbucks procedures forthwith.

Lsm,
We have lines out the door from 5:30 am to about 10:30 everyday of the week. We have five people on the floor please do not preach deployment we have allot of frelling customers at the store. We are efficient - we are a commuter store...lots of customers.

[CuteBarista!]

BSR...isn't part of your rebellion to overturn those standard Starbucks procedures?

i really really really wish the discount was more than 10 cents for the cups. i don't feel so bad now because my store is part of a pilot recycling program through a company called RecycleBank that will hopefully go company-wide at some point.

i hope. i hope. it's just so hard to get the douchebags to learn to recycle. sigh. Americans are so wasteful.

[NewShift]

Let's pause for a moment to consider. How difficult is it, really, to pull the Starbucks card out of your wallet/purse?

Just think about that for a minute.

Done?

Good.

Yeah, it's that easy.

Cheers!

[Rachelle]

I know we hate to put into effect any kind of idea from a different chain, but a certain low end donut shop has a completely separate line for drip coffees, as opposed to lattes, fraps, etc. I think it would definitely be a good idea.

[organic dopio]

I love the starbucks card. I think the key chain idea would only work if it is done with class not just some cheap cliche clutter to put on the chain. It must be well designed and aesthetically pleasing. Otherwise don't do it.

[LR]

I don't know. Any time I have had a card on my keychain, it's gotten broken or fallen off. My Starbucks card is always conveniently in my wallet. Like, convenient enough that while I am waiting in line, I can grab my wallet and pull out the card...in probably less than 30 seconds.

I suppose this is difficult for some people out there. I just don't see the need for more clutter. I suggest doing what an above post mentioned...use a damn hole punch and attach one yourself.

[otter]

A contactless keycard system (tap and go) would be a great way for people in queue to pay for their order without needing a full cashier --- let's say someone walks up with a handheld PDA device, takes my order, relays it wirelessly to the barista, I tap my card on their scanner and it debits my account. Done in ten seconds.

[NW Barista]

How about this...
Recyclable cards (I have been told that they are not) and RFIDs in the cards for a "tap and go" system.

[Becca]

Key-chain cards have problems because keys rubbing against the card can make it unreadable. We have discussed seperate lines ad nauseum. Giving people a contactless way of paying for their drinks eliminates the person to person contact that Starbucks prides itself on. Wait in line, pay with a card from your wallet, talk to the employees. Is it that hard?

[Gtown Barista]

Although it might be faster to use a minimum contact system when taking and fulfilling orders, that is not what Starbucks is about. Starbucks is about building community and getting to know our customers. Having little or no contact with the baristas would make Starbucks just like every other chain. And then what would be the point of paying $3 for a 12oz latte if you don't at least get some name recognition and friendly inquiries about your family?

[Legendary Service Wanted]

I don't want to wait in line, I don't want to fish a card out of my wallet, and I don't want to talk to Starbucks employees. I want coffee. Period.

>>>>Becca writes: Wait in line, pay with a card from your wallet, talk to the employees. Is it that hard?

[Pat]

I'd like a way to add a tip when paying with a Starbucks card. Right now the only way to give a tip is to dig out cash, which makes it a lot less convenient and thus less likely to happen.

I like to have just my keys on my keychain, so I'd stick with the credit-card form factor. But it would be a good option for some people.

[HopkinsBella]

RFID is so over-hyped. It works for some things really well, while being not-at-all practical in other cases. I hope that Sbux doensn't move to RFID *or* key tags. Key tags are really annoying.

Also agreed with Becca--the "let's find another way to solve the line problem" conversation is getting beaten to death. It's part of this weird self-centered mindset where we all expect to go places....and not have anyone else around so we can hog the service, not wait in line, etc. I'm guilty of it, too.

[otter]

Becca-- I totally agree that for most of the day, Starbucks is all about being a Third Place and Delight and all of that. If I went in for an afternoon break by the fireplace with my laptop and had to pay for my $4 treat with a RFID card, I'd head to Peets.

I'm just suggesting that a lot of harried commuters would welcome a way to get their drinks fast and get the heck out and couldn't care less about Surprise and Delight when they've got ten minutes to get to the office and the line's out the door.

[JW]

What about a system like Exxon/Mobil's Speedpass. Have it in the shape of a Starbucks coffee cup and just move it over the pad and bam! you pay for your coffee. But in my personal opinion, I like the whole CASH idea...you get to know the people...even possibly get discounts if they recognize you...and I read somewhere someone liked the cash idea so they could give tips. I never give tips unless I use cash...if I use my Starbucks card then too bad on tips.

We have some people in our store who leave their Starbucks cards in the tip jar. Usually there's only like 14 cents or maybe a dollar or two, but still. It looks a little funny though and we often get strange eyebrow-raised looks from other customers.

[KM]

In reference to the long long long lines -you've forgotten to mention those customers who wait in the lines and when it's time to pay - they are rummaging thru their wallet/purse for money and/or exact change!!! Talk about time consuming!!

[JW]

I always get out my money before even go in the store..so if my drink is 4$ something then I will get out a 5 and leave the change in the tip jar

[NewShift]

Legendary Service Wanted--

I'm sorry that us being friendly offends you. I suggest going to a local gas station, where the coffee is probably faster and probably also cheaper. Or, try some of our whole-bean coffees and brew at home. Any cheap coffee brewer will do just fine. But please don't get upset with us for trying to be personable. There are much more important things to be upset about.

Cheers!

"I'm sorry that us being friendly offends you. I suggest going to a local gas station, where the coffee is probably faster and probably also cheaper. Or, try some of our whole-bean coffees and brew at home. Any cheap coffee brewer will do just fine. But please don't get upset with us for trying to be personable. There are much more important things to be upset about."

Then why do the stores around here stick the nice, friendly people over making drinks & put the angry/creepy ones as the cashiers?
At one Starbucks I visit, the cashier is often an older woman who is at best short with the customers and frequently downright surly. Everybody's entitled to a grumpy day, but she just seems very unhappy all the time.
At another, there is a lady who after someone orders, she'll tell them that drink isn't as good as something else. I ordered a iced raspberry mocha one day and she asked if I meant a white mocha. I said no, I don't like the white mocha and she said told me I must've been confusing it with something else because it's better and I should switch. I said no thanks, I just don't care for it and she continued to insist that it's better, everyone else loves it and I should to. Even after I walked away, she continued to call across the store.

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

Yes, instead of having long lines at one Starbucks. Why can't we just build more Starbucks across the street from each other. Yes, I know some of you are laughing right now. However, I am not against the expansion of Starbucks that create the "Third Place" but I am against Starbucks that are just filled by apathetic employees (notice I didn't use partners).
Therefore, I think that I am able at my Starbucks to engage both the customers and the partners in the Starbucks Experience. A very good book that I read was the "Gospel According to Starbucks" and if I had to make an analogous statement, that book would be the Bible for the Starbucks Rebel Alliance because it emphasizes on how we should, our "ways of being."
Finally, connect with your customer as you make change or wait the transaction to go through the system. Its not that hard. Just say, "How are you today?" while you count the change and make EYE contact. Some of the customers say I should be a politician because of the way I exude confidence and presence, even when I am working. Most of the customers who do come in know my name because I know their name. Sometimes, I do not even need to tell them my name because apparently word gets around the area about "that barista at Starbucks who knows everyone's name." Little do they know that I am, the BOSTON STABRUCKS REBEL.

BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL
PRIMUS INTER PARES (FIRST AMONG EQUALS)
STARBUCKS REBEL ALLIANCE

[NewShift]

To the anonymous poster who replied to me-

Firstly, your post doesn't really have anything to do with the blurb you quoted from me. Not sure why you did that.

Anyway, I'm sorry that your local 'Bucks has an over-roasted darkening the blend. I've seen most of these types of people get weeded out after a few months. You'll notice (I hope) that good partners tend to stick around, and the partners who stick around tend to be good partners.

THIS IS NOT ALWAYS THE CASE!

Just thought I'd throw that out there before someone goes, "Well, at MY store there's this one guy..."

Yeah. I know. They happen.

Hope things get better for you, and that you can work up the courage to go ahead and sign your posts!

Cheers!

[NewShift]

Argh! "...over-roasted bean..." is what that should say! Gosh. And from someone with an English degree, no less.

Cheers.

[puss]

"I don't want to wait in line, I don't want to fish a card out of my wallet, and I don't want to talk to Starbucks employees. I want coffee. Period."

Find a drive thru.

Better yet, make it at home and put it in a travel mug.

[bobby]

there have been many stores who've tried the drip express line.. the problem with that is that people don't read the sign, get in the wrong line then want a latte.
you then either have a)bad service - because they tell you to wait in another line; or b)angry customers behind, because the partner takes their order anyway..

they have stores that have self-serve coffee stations; but that would piss me off as a customer - i have to pay AND pour?...

and boston starbucks rebel: i don't think you were correct when you told that partner to cease and desist any non-regulated practices, especially if it adds to both speed times and legendary interactions...

how do you think deployment itself started? or the cafe-line person?

innovative managers and partners finding ways to fix problems come up with the solutions that then get turned into standard...
i know you hold the principals dear - so remember this one: 'entrepreneurial spirit and drive'... :)

[BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL]

New ideas should be sent through the appropriate channels. If the practice cannot be utilized or at implemented throughout the company then it should not be done. There are policies and procedures that are implemented for the sake of supporting the mission statement and adhering to the guiding principles of the company.
"Nihil innovetur nisi quod traditium est."

BOSTON STARBUCKS REBEL
PRIMUS INTER PARES
STARBUCKS REBEL ALLIANCE

pie pie pie mmmm pie

[grimalkin]

Over-roasted bean? Ha, I like that. I work with one...he's a little eccentric to say the least, but after 13 months, the rest of us have about given up on him being weeded out anytime soon. *sigh*

I took the anonymous one's comments to be meant as an illustration that not everyone is always friendly or personable, but I suppose I may've misunderstood.

Key tags are the devil. I hate them and shudder at the thought of inflicting more of them upon the masses.

Pie?? I could go for some pie...

[jf]

some people have these little keychain credit cards, and theyre too small to go through the card reader. SBUX cards hopefully would be designed to fit, but the things i've seen are so thin that the reader's little "ditch" they're slid through is deeper than the card.

[????]

Legendary Service Wanted: GET THE BUNCHES OUT OF YOUR UNDERWEAR...geez.

You should make your coffee @ home!!

[NewShift]

JF-

I've noticed this, too. I've also had people get upset with me when I had to punch in the numbers manually because the card wouldn't fit. (As an added bonus, my eyesight is pretty awful, even with maximum correction, so it's not easy to read the tiny print on those cards.)

The only two keychain-sized cards I have are for a couple of local grocery stores, and I actually keep them in my wallet anyway. I guess they're not for everybody.

I have a question for the anonymous poster about halfway up who said people sometimes leave Starbucks cards in the tip jar. I might be missing something here, but how do you distribute those as tips? As far as I know there's no way to cash them out...

Cheers!

[Newbie.S]

ok. if we had a keychain card then it wouldn't really be useful at all in a drive thru. Has anyone even considered that? not to mention we'd have to grab randoms' bulky keychains and handle that crap. I'll take a plain card thanks!

rebel- appropriately breaking the rules, and innovation are in the success profiles. nothing wrong with moving the line along as long as it fits in to the mission statement, which im sure it does.

[bobby]

mr. rebel - i'm going to have to double disagree with you this time.

in no way, shape or form does this company act in dictatorship about the innovation of new ideas that make things better..

it's not about breaking rules. it is about taking what you have and making it better.

there is ABSOLUTELY no rule in any manual that states you can't create new ways of doing things. there are standards yes, but if you decide that having a person working the cafe for 2 hours during peak is going to do good things for your business - you don't have to run it through corporate and gain permission... you do it.

and if it works, you send that idea along and see if it would work elsewhere.

we're not talking about 'well, at my starbucks i think it would taste better if we reduced the pumps by 1 per drink' thoughts. we're talking about using ideas to the betterment of systems.

someone pointed out that you were a shift - and while i see that you may have some great points, that lack of leadership courage makes me sure that you're not a manager, and probably shouldn't be - at least right now...

you seem to have absolutely no knowledge or even concept of how many of the great things you hold so dear today came about:
deployment, deployment maps, DCR templates, duty rosters, coffee masters, my store shines, hell even frappuccinnos came from partners who were trying to capture and enhance the starbucks experience, and make it the best it could be.

[burnt bean]

@grimalkin...ha! i could agree with you more about "of the devil" key chains. thanks for providing a laugh.

@CuteBarista!...what is this recyclebank program you speak of? we have yet to find a good way of implementing a recycle program at my store. for awhile, i was transporting gallon jugs to the recycle center, but now that i walk or bike to work, no one else is interested in taking up the cause :(

and please don't be too harsh on the above poster who'd like to come in, get coffee and not chat it up with us....part of legendary service is anticipating needs. (although we do need a few visits under our belts to know what it is you want!) some people aren't talkers. one of my favorite customers of all time is a fellow that comes in, card in hand, nods his head toward the brewer, receives his venti bold with room, and leaves without uttering a word. believe me, my manager was/still is(?) frustrated with me because he felt i wasn't exuding green apron behavior...but what is legendary service, if it does not consider what the customer desires most? (sorry to rant here. i'm a little sensitive to this subject apparently). more to the point, don't tell these customers to go elsewhere or brew at home! i love having these types of cats in our store! plus, i tend to be this customer myself. (insert sheepish grin)