Charging stations are an essential part of our day-to-day lives, whether it be for our phones, laptops, or electric cars. However, what if charging stations were free? This is the idea that business owners are starting to adopt in order to attract more customers. The most notable example of this free-charging strategy is Starbucks. So, what is Starbucks’ offering doing for the digital landscape?
A new way of selling coffee & its influence on marketing
Starbucks has been a leader in marketing, and they have always been innovative in their approach to sales. In fact, Starbucks is one of the best-known brands in the world. Recently, it has been focusing on introducing a new experience for its customers with its charge stations. They offer customers an opportunity to get their phones charged while they get their caffeine fix at Starbucks.
This new product is part of Starbucks’ larger goal to create a customer-centric experience that improves the customer experience at every touch point. This is because the company has realized that they can no longer rely on their product to sell itself. They have partnered with Duracell Powermat to install free charging stations in their Starbucks stores.
The main goal of this campaign is to help Starbucks compete with other coffee shops by giving people more reasons to visit them. This campaign will also help Starbucks maintain its position as the number one coffee chain in the world.
What Starbucks’ offering is doing for the digital landscape
Starbucks has been a pioneer in the digital landscape and has always been at the forefront of innovation. It is no surprise that they are rolling out a new program to offer people free Wi-Fi and charging stations.
Starbucks is an iconic brand that has been around for more than 50 years. The company is known for its coffee and its popular cafes. It offers a wide range of products and services to customers at different price points. It has been working on enhancing its digital experience. How? By integrating technology into its stores, such as free Wi-Fi, mobile ordering and payment, etc. This is in order to make the customer experience more seamless and convenient for everyone who visits Starbucks across the world.
In 2018, Starbucks introduced a new charging station in all of their stores which was designed to provide power for laptops, phones, tablets or any other device. The company’s CEO, Howard Schultz, believes that “free wireless internet access and power outlets will become as commonplace in American life as Wi-Fi.”
The company has been experimenting with mobile ordering and payment for years now. In fact, Starbucks was one of the first companies to launch their own mobile app back in 2009. They have also partnered with Apple Pay and Google Wallet to create an easy way for customers to pay for their drinks without having to stand in line or carry any cash or credit cards on them.
Is the offer of free charging a competitive strategy?
The answer to this question lies in whether there have been any measurable effects on customer numbers as a result of the offer.
The offer of free charging at Starbucks has not had any measurable effect on customer numbers so far, according to a report by Bloomberg. Hence why this strategy cannot be considered as a competitive advantage. This may be because there are other companies that are also offering free WiFi and power outlets. Such as McDonald’s, Dunkin’ Donuts, and Panera Bread.
The offer of free charging by Starbucks is not a competitive strategy in itself. It is more of a public relations strategy to get more people to use the company’s products and services. But it does make them more competitive in the market.
Why all coffee chains should offer free wireless internet and charging stations to customers
The current technology advances have made it possible for people to work from anywhere, anytime. This has been a huge factor in the growth of the “coffee shop culture”. People are now working from coffee shops on a regular basis. This is an opportunity for cafés to gain customers.
A survey from Deloitte found that as many as 44% of Americans said that they would be more likely to spend time at a coffee shop if it offered free wireless internet. Offering free wireless internet and charging stations would not only attract more customers. But also provide a better working experience for them.
It is hard to find a place where you can work on your laptop or phone without worrying about the battery life. Many people have missed important emails or phone calls because of this. With free wi-fi café and charging stations, you can be more productive while enjoying your favorite drink or snack, and Starbucks knows exactly how to take advantage of this!
Conclusion
The concept of free charging stations is not new by any means. However, it has become increasingly popular among businesses as an effort to increase customer traffic and revenue. The reasoning behind this is simple. People will come into a store if they know they can charge their phones or laptops while they shop.
Starbucks is one of the most recognizable brands in the world, with over 33,000 stores in 78 countries. With such a large customer base, it is not surprising that Starbucks would want to offer customers an enhanced digital experience.
This is a genius marketing campaign that is not only providing convenience to the customer but also making them feel good about what they are doing. It’s generating buzz to say the least.
The company has understood that there are many other factors, such as environment, service, and convenience which are more important for consumers when they are deciding where to purchase their coffee. Starbucks is not just looking at free charging stations as a way of making money. They are also looking at it as a way of marketing their product to customers who are always on their phones.