Quick Answers to a Few Ideas

 

As MSI has developed, a number of important themes have come through loud and clear in your ideas:  coffee quality and drinks, environmental / recycling issues, the wifi program, menu choices, loyalty discounts, food preferences, and quite a few others.  Specific ideas around each of the themes above are being evaluated.

But there are also a number of smaller issues that have easy answers that pop up frequently.   Today we're going to start a series of blog posts to help answer these in a centralized place and make it easier for the community to find the responses.

Here are three frequently posted ideas with quick answers:

- Create a 'log out' on Starbucks.com.   This idea comes up at least once per week.  The user usually comments that he or she has put in personal information to the website and wants to make sure they have "closed out" the page before leaving the computer.  I'm happy to report that Starbucks.com does have a log out.   Simply click "your account", located at the very top of every page and then click "Sign out", located in the "Your Account" section.  As part of the next Starbucks.com design this is going to be easier to find, but you are always two short clicks from logging out, even in the current version. 

- Please put a store in my city.    We thought about this one quite a bit:  we want to hear tips about potential locations, but MSI was not designed to track these down individually.  So we did something even better--we found a way for you to get in touch with the Store Development personnel in your area.  These are the people most likely to be able to take action on your idea!   Click for information on how to do this.

- I had a bad experience in my store.   MSI is a great place to talk about general store experiences and ideas that impact many or all stores. But similar to the idea above, we do not have the ability within MSI to track down responses to individual experiences.   However, hearing about such experiences is extremely important to Starbucks.  Please click here for an online form to submit your question or concern.  Alternatively, you may click here for a general contact us page, with phone numbers and online mechanisms for talking to Customer Service, Card Customer Service, Customer Relations, Warranty Services and other departments. 

What other ideas do you see frequently that you think have quick answers?

 

 



brodave
8/25/2008 10:56 PM

Matt,

Good to hear from you.

I think that rather than address and resolve the major Starbucks problems  you have given us an open field  hip-fake and sent us careening off into other bottomless Starbucks pits.

Nice hip-fake though.

mguiste
8/26/2008 12:04 PM

brodave, you know from our many conversations together about my desire for big actions and meaningful announcements.   You also know that I don't think we've nailed that yet.  But sometimes on this site we will address the smaller issues as well.  That shouldn't be taken as a sign that the bigger goals have changed.

Melody
8/26/2008 7:29 PM

Hi Matt,

Just a random thought I'm tossing out there, since this is a "quick answers" type area:

At MSI I notice quite a few idea-threads which essentially say something to the effect of "I have a great business idea for Starbucks that I wish to market to them."  

I am referring to those threads posted by contributors who wish to enter into some professional contractual agreement with Starbucks, and who sometimes don't even want to disclose their business ideas here at mystarbucksidea.com.

Is there any good 'quick answer' for those folks?

Let me know what you think!

Downtown Seattle Melody

UrbanVoy
8/27/2008 4:10 PM

How about a FAQ link on the left side menu of this site?

ArtM
8/29/2008 9:08 AM

Hi Matt, thanks for the update.

1.  Have a location where we can post problems with the website.  I found that I had to post it in the area "general experience" because I could not find anyplace else to post it.  Also perhaps you want a category for website suggestions?  Add it to the dropdown list?  (If it is there then I missed it.).

2.  Recently under ideas in action, a Starbucks employee posted an idea and described why Starbucks could not do it.  Fantastic!!!  Be honest.  Alas the website was broken in that area for a number of days and so I could not comment on this note (nor could I tell you it was broken because I could not find a place to do it... :-o)

3.  If you partially implement a suggestion, tell us WHY you can't go all the way.  Why does the BOLD drip coffee issue still fester?  Because you have never explained - as far as I can tell - why you cannot return to the days of offering mild/bold routinely as drip coffees.  YOUR FAILURE TO EXPLAIN is the really frustrating part.  This might not require a new software innovation, but rather, just a change in attitude.  Of course you could have a new section on "ideas on hold" or "ideas we cannot implement".  Let us know!

Thanks,

Art

boyzpop
8/29/2008 9:00 PM

Hi Matt

Put little manned booths or kiosks along the roads to work across America where I can buy basic coffee ultra quick. One choice, (plus cream/sweetener) one size, one price rounded to nearest dollar includes tax. Many, many more people will come to Starbucks instead of McDonalds, including me.

In a hurry  Boyzpop

brodave
8/31/2008 9:31 AM

Matt, Yes I do know that you and the MSI team are working on the major changes. It would be good if you could give us a list of the projects approved and in the process of being implemented. What drives us crazy is not  knowing if you are even considering "grand totals for repeat/similar Ideas" and whatnot.

I hope that you know from or ongoing dialog that my sarcastic posts are always done with a wink and a smile.  It is more productive to smile, laugh and have fun as we work together to improve the Starbucks experience.

I always appreciate and applaud your successes, small and large. Occasionally I also mention the shortcomings ;-)

UrbanVoy
8/31/2008 1:05 PM

Matt

I second brodave's request - can you share some of the road map with us.

brodave
8/31/2008 7:35 PM

Here! Here! Yes we need to know Starbucks road map. We understand that it is a plan subject to change, but at least we will then know that Starbucks at least has a plan.

Matt, incidentally, UrbanVoy is the only poster on this site that is nearly as astute as I ;-) This is remarkable in that I think that I am probably two or three times his age and experience level. It is even more remarkable in that I am for sure the most egotistical poster on this site |:-} I am getting too old and too grumpy so I probably need to pass the torch, so: Go UrbanVoy! Go!

UrbanVoy
9/3/2008 1:10 PM

brodave - ROFL. Thanks, though I am not nearly as astute as you. And  I think you're about 1.5 times my age and 10x my experience level.


Sign In to make a comment.

Ideas so far

Popular Tags

Archives