Every coffee shop or cafe wants to emulate Starbucks highly successful loyalty program. With Starbucks 90-day active rewards customers at 75 million globally, and the most successful loyalty program in retail, driving about 50% of its business, who wouldn’t want to create a similar loyalty program to drive their food and beverage (F&B) business. In fact, there over 31.4 million Starbucks Rewards customers in the U.S alone.
Starbucks’ loyalty program, known as Starbucks Rewards, is a key component of the company’s digital engagement strategy, designed to enhance customer loyalty and increase the frequency of visits. While Starbucks has an in-house team that works on its digital platforms and loyalty program, the development and enhancements of such programs often involve collaborations with external technology and consulting firms to leverage specialized expertise in areas such as mobile app development, customer relationship management (CRM), and data analytics.
Over the years, Starbucks has engaged with several technology partners to evolve its loyalty program. For example, in its early stages and during significant revamps, companies like Oracle and Salesforce have been mentioned as part of the technology stack that supports various aspects of customer engagement and loyalty solutions. Oracle provides database and cloud services that could support the backend systems, while Salesforce is known for its CRM solutions that can be used to manage customer interactions and data.
Additionally, Starbucks has been known to work with digital experience companies to refine and enhance the mobile app experience, integrating loyalty features seamlessly for users. The loyalty program itself, in terms of its conceptual design and strategy, is likely a result of collaborative efforts between Starbucks’ internal teams—such as marketing, digital innovation, and customer engagement—and any external consultants or technology providers they might engage with for specialized services. According to many reports, Starbucks’ then-chief digital officer, Adam Brotman helped built its rewards program, which launched in 2009
However, specific details about the companies involved in the design or ongoing management of the Starbucks loyalty program at any given time are not typically disclosed in public records. This information might change as Starbucks continues to innovate and potentially partners with new technology firms to enhance its loyalty program and overall customer experience.
Starbucks’ approach to its loyalty program is a reflection of its broader strategy to stay at the forefront of digital engagement, using technology to create personalized experiences for its customers. The company’s success with its loyalty program is not just a testament to the technology behind it but also to Starbucks’ understanding of its customers’ needs and behaviors, and its ability to integrate these insights into its business model.
