Photo attributable to scottfeldstein
Starbucks has outlined a 5 point plan to bring customers back to stores of the Seattle-based coffee company. But new espresso machines, a new coffee blend, and loyalty rewards will not lead customers back in droves.
The one thing that Starbucks has to do to bring back customers is….(drum roll please)…
FREE WIFI
In February, Starbucks announced that it would be updating its WiFi offering. They’re switching from Tmobile to AT&T. Some people will get free wifi as a result. Those who possess a Starbucks card will get 2 free hours of Wifi a day (and then it’s $3.99 an hour). AT&T broadband and U-verse customers will get unlimited free wifi.
That’s nice, but it’s not enough. I can go to Panera Bread, Caribou Coffee or any number of local independent coffee shops to get free wifi.
What Starbucks offers that these other shops doesn’t is convenience due to its many locations. But in the shopping area closest to me, there is a Panera, Caribou Coffee, and Camille’s Sidewalk Cafe that offer free wifi while Starbucks doesn’t.
If I want to head downtown, the options increase. All of the alternatives offers good coffee, and I don’t think Starbucks can come up with a blend powerful enough for me to interrupt my productivity to enjoy.
Having said that, I have gone to Starbucks twice this week. I’m not anti-Starbucks. I do like their coffee. But they have certainly lost a good portion of my business when I need a wifi coffee shop.
This thing has 2 Comments
I’m totally with you on this one. And let me add that Barnes & Noble, McDonald’s and everybody else needs to do it too. The business model where retail stores charge customers money to access the internet is dead in the water, and customers will vote by going somewhere else. At least I will!
I have always wished for a Wi-Fi revolution at Starbucks. When they sent me an e-mail about their new comment site, http://mystarbucksidea.force.com that was the first thing to come to mind.
I certainly wasn’t the only one to make that request, so I voted for everyone who brought it up. The main Wi-Fi suggestion is in the number two slot on the page’s most popular and most discussed list. I would encourage you to go vote (if you haven’t already).
I also think it will be interesting to see how this plays out. The AT&T/Sbux deal is out all over the internet, but customers are still voting for unlimited FREE Wi-Fi. Will Sbux listen, or will they continue to keep a tight control over this precious commodity?
Unfortunately, I’m fairly certain they won’t lose much business or sleep over not offering free Wi-Fi.