Lesson in Customer Satisfaction

Well, since they already made the coffee when you were there and you
did not know about the gift card thing being down they should have
probably either given you the coffee for free or for a reduced price
so you did not have to go begging your client for money. Like you
said what if you did not have a credit card? They would just throw
the coffee out if you could not pay for it.

After your suggestion they should have put up a sign. If people had
money to pay I am sure they would use the gift card another day. I
think they would be more angry with if they found out after they were
charged about the gift cards rather than before than the fact that
they are not affecting gift card that day.

The last part about them losing your future business was the only
thing wrong with the letter. That and getting money from your client
instead of paying with credit card. You are boycotting them because
of one bad experience. Also you said in one reply you would have gone
back if they gave it to you on the house. They should have given it
as a good gesture, not to win back your business.

I agree. Making a client pay for his own coffee is very poor customer
service. Next time, carry some money or a debit card. Using gift cards
for client expenses means you don't have much of a business plan.

I couldn't bear to read all of the responses, but if you're not in
sales and you're not in real estate, why did you have a "client" in
the car? Wouldn't he be expected to have cash in that case?

I looked through some of the replies here. I value my sanity too much
to read them all. One thing that kept popping up over and over, were
people ranting about the OP asking (and some claim,
"demanding") free coffee.

Did you all read the same letter I did? It's right at the top. Take
another look. Or have you, as usual, fabricated absurd claims to
justify heaping your derision on an OP?

There's a LOT of things wrong with this letter. Asking for a freebie
to which she may or may not be entitled, is not one of them.

Please, stick with the facts, and lose the drama.

You said you PLACED the card near the register? so you didnt tell
the cashier you had a gift card?placing it down doesn't define telling
someone. I think its quite rude when people place things and assume
the others know what they want. Why couldn't you have just handed it
to the cashier instead?Or why couldn't you have told the cashier it
was gift card when you placed it down? Maybe that could have avoided
the whole "Afterwards I was told it was down". It's called
communication,yes even a customer should use it, if you expected her
to communicate with you. It's only fair.


Second, I don't see how this was considered rude of the cashier
because you were told that the card service was down. Maybe they could
have had a sign up, but I don't take your side anything else, you seem
very rude.

They should have waited on the drinks before collecting for them. But
systems go down, that's a simple fact when you deal with machines.

And for the record, the only time you pay "interest" is if
you just pay the minimum every month. Not a smart thing to do. If
you run up a few thousand with your card and just pay the minimum you
actually end up paying 2 or 3 times more (depending on your interest
rate). The only smart way to use a credit card is to pay if off every
month. If you can't, you don't need whatever it is. Save the
overloading of credit cards for emergencies only.

I think I would have ate the credit card interest rather than making a
client for the coffee. Starbucks is going to start closing stores
soon, probably the reason for screwing people with gift cards. They
are over-priced and over-rated anyway. As much as I hate the place,
McDonalds has decent coffee. Thats where I go.

I'm kind of surprised that you weren't given a coupon for a free drink
of some sort. I'm a regular at several Starbucks and if I even have to
wait for an inordinate amount of time for my drink they give me a
coupon, unsolicited. And I'm always surprised by the coupon since I
usually don't think it is warranted in most cases.

They should have put out a sign to let people know that they couldn't
use the cards. The thought that they would lose business as a result
is faulty. The only business which they would lose would be that of
people who have no means, other than the gift card, to pay. That's
business they'll lose anyway since the system is down.

I wouldn't stop giving my business to Starbucks based on one poor
experience. You encountered one bad cashier, who may be new and
inexperienced. Or she simply may not be good at her job, or she just
made a mistake. To feel that an entire company, with a great many
other Starbucks stores, should be punished is a bit over-kill. Let
yourself be heard, recover from the mild humiliation, and forgive the
infraction.

~ Dave

PS. Next time you entertain a potential client, have some cash on
hand. :-)

think you should of been given free coffee this trip.

I personally charge everything and then just make one electronic
payment at the end of the month...but if you carry balances I can see
why you would not wish to charge the purchases.

I had given my Mom a 100.00 TJMAXX card for one of her Christmas
Gifts
this past Christmas. We had driven about 35 miles to Brentwood TN
store to shop the Saturday after Christmas. The store was packed with
shoppers. Over the intercom announcements were being made that said
"if you are planning on using a gift card we cannot take it today,
our
system is down."

Now had I been the manager in this store I would of made some percent
off coupons and given them to those guest that had gift cards or
perhaps everyone in the store at the time. My mom did not really care
it just gave her an excuse to return to shop. However I did hear
people grumbling over this announcement. Did they have gift cards I
don't know. I am guessing just by the sheer numbers of shoppers a few
did have them that day.

From a PR standpoint giving you a cup of coffee or two would of been
the correct thing to do. In my case I would of just charged it. I
NEVER carry cash! Their failure to try and correct the situation for
you has cost Starbucks a lot more than a couple of cups of coffee,
since you said you will not be back.

Having served in the food & beverage industry, the thing I would do
with the already made coffees would be to make a goodwill gesture to
the customer and hand them over. If she needed to, the cashier could
have said something about the customer's payment options in regards to
future visits, but those coffees were going to go down the drain
anyway. Why not turn it into a PR move? That her comment was about
the potential loss of business shows that this was not at all about
customer service - which is what I thought the post was really about.
It also displays a lack of training in tact.
We can debate until the cows come home (and it looks like we might) on
what the OP should have done, but the bottom line is, she doesn't work
for Starbucks. It's Starbucks that will get bad publicity from
customers unhappy over murky policy.

Excellent Starbucks employees at Farmington Hills Target

by Julie H. written to Target
Posted Mon January 21, 2008 11:45 am


I would like to compliment the staff at the Target store in Farmington
Hills, Michigan, specifically the Starbucks staff. Before starting my
shopping, I stopped by the Starbucks area to get a drink. I wanted to
pay for my drink with a Starbucks gift card, but their registers were
having trouble processing the gift card. It kept returning an error
message that the server was down (not sure whether it was the Target
or Starbucks server). After several failed attempts, I offered to pay
with cash or credit card. The barista told me not to worry, that my
drink was on the house since it was their error.

I continued my shopping and even stopped back by Starbucks on my way
out of the store to offer to pay if the servers were working, but the
barista told me it was complimentary due to the inconvenience.

This is an excellent example of customer service and it just goes to
show that a very small gesture such as a free cup of coffee can make
someone's day.

With her initial & brief email contact.The email start with " I am
very sorry to hear....
I just confirmed she had the right peron and if she and any questions
to feel free to email me.
I will let you all know if I hear more.

I think the reason so many people keep commenting on the credit card
option is that in your letter it sounds as though you simply didn't
want to use your credit card. From your letter:

(As I stand there stunned she says "If you don't have cash, you can
put it on your credit card." WHAT?! What if I did not have a credit
card? Even though I do, they CHARGE INTEREST on it! I don't want to
pay interest on my cappuccino! As I stand there deciding what to do,
my drink gets called out.)

I agree that it would have been thoughtful of them to inform customers
ahead of time, it probably just didn't occur to them since most
Starbucks purchases are a few dollars and it is probably unusual for
someone to have no other way to pay.

I don't agree that every time a retailer makes a mistake it should
require some sort of formal apology and free stuff for the "wronged
party".

Was you client someone you knew relatively well and could laugh about
the situation with you or did it cause problems or discomfort? From
your comments it sounds like it didn't impact your relationship.

I've gone to Starbucks with gift card in hand, only to be told their
giftcard machine is down. There was no sign. They simply told me and
apologized. I put it on my debit card.

I guess if I had not had any cash or debit/credit cards, I would have
left without my coffee.

Sure, a sign would have been nice. But worth all the drama listed
here? Definitely not. Sorry.

Let's pretend they did have signs posted on the doors. Then what?
You return to the car and sheepishly tell your client that you have to
go elsewhere for coffee, as all you have on you is gift cards. And
then you have to find another coffee shop for which you have a gift
card, because you left the house with no cash or debit/credit card.
Then your client either insists on giving you cash for coffee, or you
drive to another location so you can get coffee.

So having a sign up really wouldn't have changed or improved things.
Or would you have still expected free coffee?

That sounds a little inconvinent, but it's a wise idea to keep a 10
dollar bill in your pocket for just in case. But I agree, they should
have had perhaps a sign. I think it would be smarter just to use the
credit card instead of asking your client, that way you wouldn't give
the client a bad impression.

Because if it is, you're pretty pathetic. Jeez!

Diane,
I see where you are coming from when you say that everyone is
missing the point, you are referring to the intent of your letter. You
are right, the point of the letter is not about the options of payment
open to you, it was the fact that your Pre-paid Gift cards were not
going to be accepted at that time.
The topic brought up by the other posters is just plain curiosity
as to why you would ask your client for money rather than use the
credit card. It is a question beyond the intent of the letter and was
made to simply satisfy everyone's curiosity. It is completely optional
to answer, if you do not feel like replying, then dont. Though the fun
of this web site comes from being able to ask the OP questions about
the situation.

Geez, give the guy a break. He has a valid point. How difficult
would it be to hang up a sign stating that their system is down? You
say it was against Starbucks' policy, well what do you think he was
complaining to corporate about?

that you have become so fixated on your "point" that you have actually
convinced yourself of it's validity.

Pete says we have to play nice, so I will stick to the facts.

You state:

It is such a SIMPLE solution:
1) apologize
2) hang up a temp sign
3) AND/OR comp my coffees

So I will address each of your 3 issues:

1)For what? The machine was down - it's inconvenient to be sure, but
no different than if they had run out of your favorite kind of coffee.
Unfortunate and annoying, but certainly not worthy of an apology.

2)As Greg (aka Mr Helpful) stated below, it is against Starbuck's
policy to hang printed/home made signs in the door. They are a
corporation that is VERY into their branding and their "look."
Whether YOU feel it is a silly rule or not is irrelevant and just
because you feel that it's OK to put a sign on the door to let people
know they cannot take gift cards is rather self-absorbed of you.

They don't tell you how to run YOUR business (as you have told a
number of commenters here that how you run your business is none of
theirs!), so why do you feel you have the right to tell them how to
run theirs?(& over a seemingly TRIVIAL issue, I might add)

3)COMP YOUR COFFEE?? BECAUSE THE SYSTEM WAS DOWN AND THEY FAILED TO
PUT UP A SIGN?????

If there is one thing the commenters around here get irritated about,
it's letter writers (OP's) who write letters demanding that they be
comped for some perceived injustice (no working gift card machine)
when, in reality, the injustice was brought about by their own hand
(your inability to have a backup payment option)

Apparently you have done an excellent job of convincing yourself that
you are right and they are all wrong because not only are you STILL
here arguing with them, but you refuse to entertain the possibility
that maybe, just maybe, you don't deserve anything for this incident.

Sounds like this was a learning experience for you. Next time you'll
be prepared with cash and/or a debit card to pay for your purchase
regardless if the gift card system is down. Even if the merchant card
machine is down and cannot take a credit card. Be prepared with cash.
I've walked into places when the machines were down. Fortunately
they were able to tell us before we placed our order and I had plenty
of cash with me. I understand your frustration with Starbucks. Did
you ask to speak with the manager?

While it is an inconvience for their gift card machine to be down,
things happen. It is for this reason you should carry some extra in
your wallet/purse at all times. Didn't your parents teach to you be
prepared.

What is more embarassing charging your credit card or asking your
important "client" for cash to pay for your coffee.

If I was your client, I would be dropping you since it looks like you
can not even afford to pay for coffee.

No. I'm sorry.

I don't buy all of this. I'm not trying to call you a liar, but I
have some serious issues with this.

You carry $80 in gift cardS and a driver's license but nothing else?
Point #1 I have a hard time with. What an odd collection of things to
tote around.

I know a large number of real estate agents as well as other sales
people and they would step in front of a bus before asking a client
for any amount of money. Which leads me to believe that "client" is a
loose term when you use it.

Every sales person I know pays for EVERYTHING with a credit card for
tax purposes. I know you're aware that the interest on the coffee is
another write off.

Sorry. Too many things here don't add up. Even if this is 100% how
you describe it, you still need to share some of the blame.

I sincerely hope Starbucks, or just about every retailer, is tuning
into this exchange. Many good lessons; lots of excellent advice and
suggestions.

I sincerely hope Starbucks, or just about every retailer, is tuning
into this exchange. Many good lessons; lots of excellent advice and
suggestions.

Credit cards only charge interest on the balance that you have not
paid. If you had used your credit card it would have saved the
embarrassment of asking the client for money and you could have paid
an extra $10 on your next bill (tax deductible anyway), and you would
have been charged no interest.
If their system is down it is out of their control. Often in retial
when the system is down, it may be up in 15 minutes so posting a sign
really doesn't do much. The only thing I could see is if they posted a
sign by the counter, but how would that change the situation of you
asking the client for money, or having to use a credit card? If a sign
was posted you still could not use the gift card.

For the love of pete, stop with the inane cut-and-paste responses. No
one said you have to respond to everyone here with the same insipid
comment over and over and over. It got old with the third use.

We got the point. We just disagree with it. Next time, carry a $10
bill or a debit card or something. Stop blaming Starbucks. Frankly,
I'm surprised that someone who's self-employed would leave the door
and go meet with a client with nothing but $80 worth of gift cards and
a driver's license. It shows poor judgment, a lack of planning and
awareness of the possibility of emergencies (what if your car broke
down or got a flat tire and you needed to call a tow truck?).

I'd comment, but.....

I'm sure I am MISSING THE POINT about the ALEADY-PAID-FOR cards.

Diane C.,

Some random thoughts here.

While I do not suggeest using a credit card for frivolous purchases if
you had you would only pay interst if you don't pay down your balance
monthly.

I don't see how you think the cashier would have know you were going
to use a gift card until you presented it.

As for asking your client to cough up the cash.. that is on you for
not having a backup plan.

I've always told my kids and othjers that would listen....rat hole
away $25 in your wallet and a spare key to your car just in case.

The explanation about them not wanting to put up a sign is weak I must
admit.

I wonder what the manager would have said.
BillR.

I think she could have mentioned it before she made the drink. It
wouldn't have been that difficult for her to do.

That had to be embarrassing having to ask the client for money. I
probably would have swapped him the cash for the gift card to use in
the future for the inconvenience of him having to give you the cash.

You HAD a credit card on you. YOU decided not to use it. If I had been
your "client" I would have told you off for taking me to get coffee,
then forcing me to pay.

Dont be so cheap.

A large number of transactions at Starbucks involve the use of
Starbucks cards especially, as Pete points out, in January when folks
redeem cards they received during the holidays (December is, by far,
the busiest month for Starbucks card sales).

Starbucks discourages the use of handmade or computer made signs
within their stores by managers. The procedure for handling this kind
of situation is for the cashier to notify every customer BEFORE
ordering that they temporarily cannot take Starbucks cards. They
don't "shout" that information...they simply say it in a normal voice.
They end up not having to say it to every customer because most of
the customers in line will hear it, especially if it's repeated.

This gives the customer the information they need. If genuinely
conveyed with empathy by the register partner, it can even turn a
potentially negative situation into a win for both the customer and
Starbucks. For instance, if the customer doesn't have any other form
of payment, register partners are given the freedom to comp the
customer's drink. Not only do they have that freedom, they are
encouraged to do so. In fact, I know of some Starbucks where
everyone's drinks were comped during a temporary machine outage.

It appears the register partner badly mishandled this situation...the
result was an extremely dissatisfied customer who has now broadcast
her dismay to a much larger audience. Satisfied customers tell three
friends...angry customers tell 3,000. I think we just saw that
principle in action.

I notice Diane posted the same response to several people. And she's
right... Starbucks should have posted that gift cards were not being
accepted that day, due to "system" problems. And the response of "No
we can't. We would lose business" was out of line.

However, the points that people have made are also valid. Not
carrying cash is foolish. Starbucks or no, I can't imagine
intentionally not carrying any cash.

I also can't imagine a business person (I presume Diane is a real
estate agent by her "handle") not being able to pay off their credit
card each month, thereby avoiding fees.

I also think that the comments about the weather are irrelevant and
Diane's response (that if it were summer she wouldn't be complaining)
makes her look bad. Why? Because if this is a letter about a lack of
signage, the season would be irrelevant. So would her reason for
being there (client). So would credit card interest charges.

While Diane's complaint is valid, I think she went overboard in this
letter. A simple "Please post a sign when gift cards aren't accepted"
would have been enough. All of the rest of this is, at best, fluff.
At worst, it makes me wonder if "No we can't. We would lose business"
was really said or if Diane is making things up in an further attempt
to make her case seem so dire. Lastly, the comments about the zip
code (presumably to show how rich people are there?) are unnecessary.

I agree that there should have been a sign posted about not accepting
gift cards. It is something a customer should be made aware of prior
to ordering. If a customer actually has no other form of payment, I
wonder what they do with the order? Throw it away? That doesn't
sound very smart to me.

You should have stuck to the facts in your letter. Something like the
weather has nothing to do with your complaint. You have a point, but
unfortunately it's lost in all the drama and unnecessary information.

Many of the comments below reflect reasonable "precautions" anyone may
want to take to address unexpected turns in customer satisfaction, but
I do think its fair to be disappointed with Starbucks in this
circumstance, as they spend an enormous amount of money and resources
in promoting and extolling the benefits of gift cards. Moreover, I do
think it's reasonable to expect Starbucks to provide some level of
"heads-up" to customers to preempt any potential embarrassment or
inconvenience...especially in January, when the redemption level
probably hits a high. Thanks for sharing your thoughts, and thanks to
the commenters for providing constructive feedback and suggestions.

- Pete, Founder, PlanetFeedbac

Here's something I just thought of! Just GIVE me the coffees on the
house. Then I would be here singing the praises of Starbucks. That
would be great advertsing for $5.89!!!

would you rather they yell out "Sorry our system is down, you cant use
that here!!" in front of the other customers? You'd then write a
letter complaining that they embarrassed you. I think waiting until
you got to the counter is reasonable.

Hmm something does not sound right here. I would think that you would
have a company credit card of some sort and I would think since this
is a company expense you could write it off...

In this kind of weather the unforseen happens....computers go awry and
POS (Point of Sales) terminals might not work....gotta expect the
unexpected....

At least at all Starbucks they honor the gift cards. At Duncan Donuts
a good number of them don't honor the gift cards so you need to be
prepared.

They lost your future business? I'm thinking you lost someone else's
business by not being prepared. Who goes out and about without a
billfold? OR at least an ID, a debit/credit card, or even just $10?

And the barista likely didn't see the gift card in your hand -- she
was looking at your face.

Starbucks does not control the weather. It is unimportant in this
complaint.

Starbucks employees can't read minds. They do not know how you will be
paying. Employees do not always look to see what customers have in
their hands.

Some stores do not allow the posting of signs that aren't sent to them
from corporate. That may have been the case.

And as others have stated, the only way you'll get charged interest on
a credit card is if you don't pay the balance in full every month. Do
you have a check card you could've used?

I hope the impression you left on your client was worth the few cents
you might have had to pay in interest.

and the reply is the best laid plans of mice and men.....

I have a credit card. It charges interest. I have never paid
interest in 20+ years, though my monthly purchases average $700.
That's $170,000 of the bank's money I have used at a cost to me of
precisely ~$0~.

If you are entertaining clients, I recommend that you keep a credit
card that you can keep with a zero balance, so unforseen situations
such as this don't throw you for the loop this incident did. If a
credit card is impossible, what about carrying some cash? If you are
going to entertain clients, surely you need something in your pocket
more than a Starbuck's gift card.