Dear Starbucks,
We live a long way from any of your branches, so a handy bribe for encouraging my children to visit their grandparents is a visit to the Starbucks which has recently opened just around the corner from their house.
Last August, on our much-anticipated visit, we recited our order, only to find that my thirteen year old son was unable to enjoy his favourite Strawberries and Crème Frappuccino because this particular branch had run out of cream. Downhearted, he was persuaded by his sister to settle for mango and passionfruit flavour, but after a couple of sips, declared it a poor substitute.
As a long-standing customer, I consoled him with the fact that an e-mail to your customer service department would almost certainly be answered with a kind word and a voucher for a free muffin, so when we got home, we trawled through your website until we found a form that seemed to do the job. Together, we filled in the details and crossed our fingers for a speedy reply.
I am sorry to report that, to date, we haven’t heard a dickybird from you. I sincerely hope that this is merely an oversight and that you didn’t simply decide that a youngster’s loyalty wasn’t worth nurturing. A respected organisation such as yours, must appreciate that children are your regular customers of the future, and that you alienate them at your peril.
This week, alone in our local Costa coffee, I enjoyed a cappuccino complete with a stencilled coffee bean floating on the froth, and very nice it was too. Under the circumstances, I would urge you to remember that other coffee shops are most definitely available.
Yours sincerely,
Mrs J Tripp
hmmm the problem here I guess is that you haven’t had a response from Starbucks rather than the fact you didn’t get a free muffin for your child?
I’m sorry to say this as I always complain when I feel their has been an injustice.. but I think you are actually the problem here, you are instilling into your son than just because something was not available to him, it gives him a right to get something free because of it.. i.e. because he couldn’t get his favourite drink you advised him that an email of complaint would generate a result, rather than making him understand and accept that not everything in life is easily accessible.
As you approach Christmas, will you continue to instil this behaviour when he goes to PC world to buy an ipod and find it has sold out in the Christmas rush and complain to said PC world and ask for compensation, as poor Johnny feels let down?
I don’t mean to sound sarcastic as there is a real issue here, far deeper than an incorrect coffee flavour and that is your son, he needs to understand that not everything in life comes at a simple request, how will he deal with the real world if he cannot take little let downs such as this?
Of course on the upside of all that… there is never an excuse for any company not to write back, even if it is to say sorry… I certainly do not believe that every complaint deserves a free muffin…
i have my arm in plaster following an operation last week and was not feeling well today.I entered one of your shops which is situated in Huyton Village, Liverpool 36. Upon orering my latte i dropped a brand new ten pound note on the floor as i was struggling. The cashier picked it up and shouted the person served before me, I told her it was not their money but mine and she did not believe me, i had the receipt from the bank to say I had just drew money out, I had to sit in the shop and drink (my most enjoyable) latte and feel intimidated by the cashier who made it obvious she did not believe me. I can assure you I am an honest person, I deal with over 1,000 people a week in my job in a hospital where some leave their belongings including money in purses and phones by mistake on the chair.These personal things are kept by me or one of my colleagues and we later on phone them when we can.
I will not be going back into your shop there again so you have lost a valued customer.
At 4:20 in Phoenix az me my wife and son just got out of the movies.My wife said she had the urge for some Starbuck coffee.So we went to the Starbucks at the Esplanade.My wife ordered a ice coffee and my son had a bagel. After about 10 min my wife said it should have been ready.When I went to the young lady at the register, Ashley she had my son bagel on the counter next to her never called us.When I went to the guy that was making the coffee I asked him was April coffee ready, his reply was I don’t know. As I look down on the counter her coffee was sitting there, no one called us.These actions were very unprofessional at best.I will be visiting it again and again taking notes and cell phone on record.(Lawyer)