When I started my independent law practice about 9 years ago , I did not have the audacity of renting an office in Mumbai. I remember spending hours at Starbucks. I had my favorite corner and my favorite big table. I used to usually visit the shop by 5 pm and stay there until midnight. With one Macchiato, I used to sit there like a queen. I recall answering innumerable client calls, closing deals, raising invoices, drafting multiple agreements and legal documents, all in a coffee shop. When I reminisce about the initial phases of my career, I just cannot move on without giving due credit to Starbucks. Over the months, I had made good friends with the staff there as well. If I missed my visit for a few days, I remember the staff calling me or asking my husband about my whereabouts. (My husband is a Starbucks fan even today.) Just like me, there were a lot of other people who visited the store almost daily. I have met so many people with varying interests and professions over the years at Starbucks, that eventually Starbucks was more than a coffee shop for me. It was just like home. I have met writers, directors, book enthusiasts, entrepreneurs trying to build their startup, models meeting casting directors and the list is endless.
Now that I have my own space and with increased work pressure I seldom get a chance to visit Starbucks. But whenever I do, I do not miss the opportunity. The scene at the store has now entirely changed. Not many come there, to chill or just for having a cup of coffee. Almost everyone who comes here are young, dynamic and enterprising youngsters working on their laptops, trying to make their mark in the competitive world. As you look around, almost on each table you see a meeting happening.
It has now become a great place to network. You meet like minded people, who often end up motivating you, even without you knowing it. If I ever feel too bored or too lazy to work, I just step towards Starbucks. In no time, I am back on track. And surprisingly, you see the same visuals at every store.
If we get into details and evaluate what is so different about Starbucks, which other coffee shops do not offer? I know at least a dozen coffee shops offering better coffee, yet, I do not see the same crowd there. So what is it that Starbucks is doing differently?
It is offering an experience to its consumers. The warm and friendly staff, the ambience, and setting a culture which aims at creating a small community. Entrepreneurship, at the end of the day, does not merely aim to sell a product, it sells you an experience. Despite being at least 25% more expensive than its competitors, it still manages to attract the crowd. Starbucks has truly understood what it means to connect with your audiences. Coffee has become a mainstay in our global culture. It connects people from the same neighborhood as easily as those thousands of miles away.
Isn’t it amazing, how a mere coffee shop can become an ultimate hangout place for people of all ages? In my opinion, the way Starbucks has worked on customer experience is phenomenal. The way a company thinks about customer experience has a profound impact on the business as a whole. Consumer facing businesses need to literally obsess over customer experience. “A happy customer is loyal too”. Acquiring a customer who will advocate for your brand and eventually boost your revenue is the best expense a company can do.
