Starbucks Improves Drive-Thru

The coffeehouse chain revamped the customer experience at the drive-thru window.

August 19, 2016

SEATTLE – Starbucks sales have been a bright spot in an otherwise rather lackluster quick-service industry, driven by its concentrated focus on its drive-thru, QSR Magazine reports. Five years ago, the company’s drive-thru wasn’t anything special. The turnaround began with an audit of its drive-thru service, which led to implementation of specific changes to improve the customer experience.

Starbucks initiated a Customer Operating Zone Improvement (COZI), pioneered by the King-Casey firm, to figure out what should be done to change its drive-thru. The first thing Starbucks Tackled was to think about the approach and entry, order and pickup/pay, plus exit, of each drive-thru.

The company identified how it could provide its drive-thru customers with the same in-store experience. Here’s how Starbucks accomplished that: Digital baristas, mobile ordering and branding. The digital barista is a large digital screen that connects customers with baristas who are filling their order, plus allows for promotions of bakery items and suggested add-ons. Customers enjoy seeing and interacting with digital baristas on the screen.

The mobile ordering support system allows customers to use their phone to pay for orders both in store and at the drive-thru. The branding alerts customers to which stores have drive-thrus, helping them find how to enter and use the service. These changes have catapulted Starbucks drive-thru into a customer favorite, which has boosted its overall bottom line.

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