I’ve been a Starbucks Gold Rewards Member since 2018. Back when I went into a store to order, I kind of loved that my order would roll off my tongue to the barista - it felt like I was a real
“regular,” and I loved it even more when my local barista already knew my order. That really felt like I was a regular. But over the years, Starbucks encouraged regular buyers, like me, to order ahead with the app and while it’s efficient, it’s certainly less personal.
As a recent Wall Street Journal article pointed out “Why pay a premium for a drink made on an assembly line and without a barista’s smile?” On top of that, this drive to the app is alienating occasional visitors. As the new CEO, Brian Niccol described it “We’ve been focusing on Starbucks Rewards customers, rather than talking to all our customers.”
While it’s not the most obvious to compare the experiences of Starbucks and Jewish communal organizations, I find two important lessons from the situations Starbucks is addressing.
1) Making someone feel “seen and known” is a good way to build loyalty, but you have to keep it up and not take it for granted that the loyalty will last when you remove the personal touch.
2) Making things better for regulars should not come at the cost of alienating occasional visitors.
When considering the experience members and visitors have at your organization, can you say that you’re doing both of these things well? Are you fostering genuine connections with your members? Are you just as welcoming to occasional visitors as you are to regulars, with your language, your interactions, your signage, and your policies? Ensuring that people feel valued—whether they visit every day or just occasionally—is key to cultivating a sense of belonging that stands the test of time.
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