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Starbucks Tests Customer Loyalty Program in Denver

Starbucks is playing into my hand, let me tell you. I posted two articles recently on Starbucks’ re-branding efforts and how their efforts focus on retaining customers and their loyalty. Last week, I also included a link to the Starbucks Customer Feedback page where customers discuss their issues, ideas, and vote on them, and Starbucks posts responses to these customer-driven ideas. As I was browsing through the ideas last week when I was writing on whether or not I was in the minority of my lowly-held opinion on the Pikes Place™ Roast when I noticed that many customers were discussing ideas of official customer-loyalty programs Starbucks could implement.

 

The other day I found out that Starbucks is listening to their loyal customers and is test-marketing ideas to keep the customers fully devoted to the brand. In my travels, I have found that most coffee stores, chains and otherwise, do have a punch-card type of program and many customers on the feedback site were expressing these sentiments. In fact, more than 17,000 Starbucks “voters” believe Starbucks should implement a “Buy 10…Get 1 Free” program. Almost 2,000 “voters” believe that there should be a free birthday drink. Just launched in the Denver and Vancouver, British Columbia, Starbucks has introduced the Starbucks Gold Card program. Unlike the other Starbucks Rewards program (I’ll discuss this in the next paragraph), the Gold Card program has perks for birthdays and special family-and-friend discount days that have not been previously available.

 

Not to confuse the Gold Card program with the Starbucks Card Rewards program that offers free drink customizations (special syrup, soy, or the like), free tall brewed coffee with the purchase of a 1-pound bag of whole beans, free refills on same-visit brewed coffee, and up to two hours of free wi-fi through AT&T daily. All of these things are available if customers register their existing Starbucks cards.

 

Check out the “My Starbucks Idea” page and see what customers are saying they want for customer rewards. One blogger has 9,000 votes for a reward point system eligible for any purchase in the store, based on dollars spent.

 

I currently have three registered Starbucks cards. You see, I fell in love with Starbucks when I lived in the city before I was a mountain dweller. I’ve also purchased espresso pods for my personal barista (aka my husband) from Starbucks@home coffee subscription service, so I am on their email list. Earlier this summer, I received an email notifying me of another promotion Starbucks was implementing. If you’re a real Starbucks junkie, then I think it’s a great idea. Now that I live a distance away from a company-store Starbucks, I don’t know that I will benefit from this promotion. Of course, there are days that I can recall hitting Starbucks multiple times! Here’s the skinny on this promotion: visit your local Starbucks store in the morning and come back again after 2 PM for a treat: specially-priced $2 grande cool drink with your morning receipt. This particular promotion ends September 2.

 

Now, I’ve also read that there are other programs in other parts of the US, so if you travel, keep your ears and eyes open because you might be in for a treat.

 

If I was closer to a company-owned store and there wasn’t the threat of snow today, I’d hop in my car and see what kind of “rewards” were in store for me. Instead, I’ll have to make due with an Americano from my Starbucks espresso pod. I better go turn the machine on.