The newly launched Starbucks Card is proof that the worldwide coffee chain listens and responds to its loyal customers. With 213 branches in the country to date, Starbucks has permeated the consciousness of most Filipinos whether they like it or not.
When it first opened in the Philippines in 1997, the coffee chain’s branches were clustered in Manila and other first-tier cities. Now, they have branches as far south as General Santos City, Davao and Cagayan de Oro and as far north as Baguio City. Because of this, it has won its share of fans who make it a point to get their coffee fix at their favorite branch at least once a week.
“The card’s primary purpose is as a rewards card because that’s the feedback we’ve been getting from our customers. They want to be rewarded for their loyalty to the brand that has been operating in the Philippines for the past 16 years,” Emmanuel T. Lopez, chief operating officer of Rustan Coffee, the authorized licensee of Starbucks Coffee International Inc., told Inquirer Lifestyle.
Customers can avail of the card by visiting any Starbucks branch and loading a card with a minimum of P300 that they can then use to purchase any Starbucks item whether beverage, snack or merchandise. However, when they use the card to purchase any handcrafted beverage,
250-gram bag of whole bean coffee or 12-pack Starbucks VIA Ready Brew, they will earn one star.
Once they’ve reached a certain number of stars, they will be entitled to a Grande handcrafted beverage, a 250-gram bag of whole bean coffee or a 12-pack Starbucks VIA Ready Brew.
“The secondary purpose of the card is as a stored value card. When they go to Starbucks, they don’t need to bring cash. Whether they keep a small balance or a large balance, cardholders don’t need worry about having cash or not,” Lopez said.
A third option for the Starbucks Card and one that wasn’t initially considered was as a gift card. For birthdays or the Christmas holidays, customers can load new Starbucks cards with a minimum of P300 and then give them as gifts to coffee drinkers.
“We plan to come out with cards with seasonal designs. If you want to collect them, you can actually have several cards under one account,” Lopez said.
Registering your card online at www.starbucks.ph/card has two main benefits, the more important one being the chance to transfer any balance or rewards to a new card should you lose your bag or wallet containing the Starbucks Card. Customers with registered cards will also receive a complimentary Grande handcrafted beverage instantly and a slice of cake every year on their birthdays.
“It has been our mission to continuously uplift the Starbucks experience and exceed customer expectations. We believe the launch of the Starbucks Card will nurture our relationship with our most loyal customers and build a deeper connection with new customers.
“Our hope is to continually innovate; this is just the beginning,” Lopez said.