New technology will help Starbucks address one of the main consumer complaints from its customers: the long wait time for their coveted cup of coffee. A technological pilot, which began in several dozen stores in the U.S., has reduced the average wait time for a drink order by two minutes.
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Currently, orders are handled on a “first come, first served” basis, and the new algorithm launched aims to improve the management of orders at the counters and through apps. The new technology is also designed to better schedule the execution of orders received through the app, based on factors such as order complexity, in order to prevent customers from waiting outside for long minutes until their order is ready.
The company is also using technology to improve performance in other areas. In 700 of its stores, a pilot is underway to determine the optimal number of employees based on demand.
According to Starbucks, 75% of orders placed during peak hours at the stores tested were completed within four minutes or less, without delaying the execution of app orders. This result is approaching the desired wait time set by the company.
The company plans to expand the pilot to hundreds more stores out of the 10,000 Starbucks locations in the U.S. Starbucks told the Wall Street Journal that the positive results from this initiative will accelerate the rollout of the new technology.
The goal of the move is to improve sales and enhance the company’s image. The coffee chain is looking for ways to bring customers back to its stores amid declining sales in recent quarters. Many customers stopped visiting Starbucks due to the high prices of drinks and long wait times.
The company’s new CEO, Brian Niccol, said that Starbucks needs to improve its service speed, especially during the busy morning hours. Earlier this year, Niccol said that about half of the orders at stores required a wait time of more than four minutes, while the average wait for an app order was six minutes.
