A Brand Promise

A promise is a promise. I was always taught that I should keep my promises. Sometimes a promise is made with a simple "yes sir" or a handshake...more often today it's made with a contract.

So what happens when a brand makes a promise? What kind of agreement exists between the consumer and a brand? Should the brand keep its promise? And what happens when it doesn't?

All the buzz these days is about low customer satisfaction...how companies who can differentiate themselves through exceptional customer service will rise from the economic ashes once this inferno has been quenched. And then I read about Starbucks. I must admit that I used to spend way too much on lattes back when the economy wasn't so bad. These days I've definitely changed my buying habits, and typically only buy Starbucks coffee when someone else is buying; i.e. on business trips or charged on a gift card. I would still consider myself pretty brand loyal, but not enough to continue spending as much for coffee as I do for gas.

So...considering the kinds of promises Starbucks has made to its customers over the years, and the consistent rise in their prices, it seems they were betting they could trap so many of us in coffee euphoria that we would all continue funding our addiction regardless of the economic climate. If they could have actually carried out the brand promise consistently across their vast retail network, I might be one of those people scrimping every couch nickel for my precious caffeine fix.

We've probably all read stories about what Starbucks intends to do for each of its customers. Essentially, they want to create a unique coffee experience for every customer, providing a personal touch and making each customer feel the coffee love. That's their brand promise (as I iterpret it). So how many times has Starbucks delivered the absolute perfect experience to me? I can count them on one hand...although I've visited dozens of different Starbucks locations across the country. I can tell you my best experience...and I can tell you my worst experience. Which one do you think I talk about more? Let me share a recent positive experience at a local Fort Wayne Starbucks (on Lima Rd near I-69): the barista was incredibly friendly, she asked me what I was in the mood for. I was fighting a cold, so I told her the new berry tea looked pretty good. She offered to make some and let me have a sample. I liked it, so I ordered one. It took a little longer than it should, and although I wasn't in a rush she ended up giving me a grande cup of tea free of charge. She was empowered to deliver the brand promise.

But I WANTED to pay for that cup of tea!!

That isn't the first time I've ended up with free coffee for waiting a few extra minutes...I've received several apology cups (mostly from Chicagoland) in the past. But the warm greeting, the attention to my mood, the sensitivity to my time...it all delivered the brand promise. If every employee behaved that way, I don't believe Starbucks would be closing stores right now.