Starbucks, who happens to be the largest coffee shop operator in the world, has certainly taken a fair number of steps in the past to make sure that they will remain on top of things where technology is concerned. In fact, we just talked about how the company’s mobile app will allow you to tip your baristas in a virtual tip jar, and this time around, it seems that Starbucks wants to make life even more convenient for you by letting you place a pre-order for your drink ahead of time at selected U.S. cafes.
Adam Brotman, chief digital officer at Starbucks, shared that the company is “actively working” on mobile ordering, which would let you choose your choice of coffee or food while you are still in line, or perhaps before arriving at the cafe, in a bid to up efficiency by speeding up service and saving time. It seems to be a feature that Starbucks customers have asked for in the past, with very little details revealed so far. Right now, Starbucks processes 5 million mobile transactions weekly, and intends to continue expanding and improving its rewards program as well as mobile apps in order to drive sales growth.
Considering how 58% or so of American adults own a smartphone as of January 2014 (Research from the Pew Research Center in Washington), there is vast marketing potential in this idea of pre-ordering your coffee. The thing is, will your coffee stand on the counter for an extra 10 minutes because of traffic that kept you at bay? That would not bode too well for your tastebuds, as lukewarm coffee is far from nice.