Starbucks Core Service

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Figure 2- The menu board of Starbucks

1.2 Order Taking

Once customers are ready to buy, the company accepts applications, orders, and reservations. The process of order-taking should be polite, fast, and accurate so that customers do not waste time and endure unnecessary mental or physical effort. Technology can be used to make order-taking easier and faster for both customers and suppliers (Lovelock & Wright, 2002).

Starbucks is often a very busy place, and things move quickly as the baristas try to serve customers as efficiently as possible. Orders are generally taken at one of the cash registers. The customers will be asked for their first name, which they should state clearly. The name will immediately be written on the drink cup and called out later at the “Pick Up” end of the counter when the drink is ready. Starbucks’ ordering process is made complicated by the fact that they use terms to describe drink size that are not used by other coffee vendors. Their terms for size are, from smallest to largest: Tall, Grande, Venti, and Trenta (for some cold drinks)(MyOvient.com, n.d.). Compared to other restaurant and cafe, the ordering process of Starbucks is unique. Other than that, the customers can place their orders through online.

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Figure 3- The barista wrote the name of customers on the drink cup

1.3 Billing

Billing is common to most of the services. Customers usually expect bills to be clear. Inaccurate, illegible, or incomplete bills risk takes dining disappointing customers who may, up to that point, have been quite satisfied with their experience. Billing should also be timely, experience with a mere click. because it encourages people to make payment faster. In some instances, billing and payment are combined into a single act. (Lovelock & Wright, 2002)

When the customers purchase the products of Starbucks, the billing and payment are combined in a single act at the cashier. As a well-known franchise, Starbucks’ billing system is good. As shown in the figure, the type, size, and price of the drink and even the tax (G.S.T.) is clearly stated in the bill.

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Figure 4- The bill of Starbucks

1.4 Payment

In most cases, a bill requires the customer to act on payment. Nowadays, customers expect it to be easy and convenient to make payment, including using credit, when they make purchases in their own countries, and while traveling abroad. There is a variety of options exist for customers to make payment (Lovelock & Wright, 2002).

When the customers want to pay for the bill in Starbucks outlet, they can pay by using cash, Starbucks Card, or Starbucks Card Mobile App. Paying by Starbucks Card is the most convenient way to pay. The customers just need to top up an amount of money into the card and they can use it to pay for the bill until all the credits in the card is used up. Besides, Starbucks Card Mobile App is a digital prepaid Starbucks loyalty card on the mobile phone.

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Figure 5- Starbucks Card

2.0 Enhancing Supplementary Service

The four enhancing supplementary service are consultation, hospitality, safekeeping and exceptions.

2.1 Consultation

Consultation is an enhancing supplementary service that involves a dialog to identify customer requirement and develop a personalized solution (Lovelock & Wright, 2002). As a new barista, they are provided tutorial or training from the experts in using the product of Starbucks. With this training, the new barista knows how to handle and understand the customers. The management of Starbuck research about the customer’s satisfaction and then offers objective advice about the promotion of the packages for the best result. To increase the long term of relationship of customer, Starbuck have created a community service. This community service is allowing Starbuck partners and customers to connect and tap into shared passions to provide a helping hand and create meaningful opportunities that can strengthen individuals and communities (Anon., n.d.).

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Figure 6- Community Service of Starbucks

2.2 Hospitality

Hospitality is related services should ideally reflect pleasure at meeting new customers and greeting old ones when they return (Lovelock & Wright, 2002). Starbuck stores will try ensure that their workers treat customers well. Courtesy and consideration for customer’s needs apply to both face-to-face encounters and telephone interactions (Lovelock & Wright, 2002). For example, when entering the Starbuck store, the barista will be greeting the customer before they take the order. They are various drinks to choose and also snacks to eat. The Starbucks store provides the best facilities in indoors and outdoors. In indoor, they provide best comfort seats and tables to enjoy the moment with the coffee. In outdoors, they offer weather protection to protect from raining and hot sun. They also provided free Wi-Fi and soft music to the customers for entertainment. The customers who drive car, they have special lane called Drive-Thru. The Starbuck store provide washrooms separately for men and women. The quality of the hospitality service offered by a firm can increase and decrease satisfaction with the core product (Lovelock & Wright, 2002).

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Figure 7- Starbucks Store

2.3 Safekeeping

While visiting a service site, customer often want assistance with their personal possession. In fact, unless certain safekeeping services are provided and some customers may not come at all (Lovelock & Wright, 2002). The packaging used in Starbuck is really good quality and there is no chemical included. The cleanliness of the Starbuck store is pure hygiene for the customers to enjoy their coffee. The baristas have their routine to clean the store. Customer can add some ingredient in the coffee like sugar, cinnamons, vanilla powder or chocolate powder and take straw to get the taste of they want to. The Starbuck manager cares about the preventative