Business Research Methods, 11e, Cooper/Schindler
1
>cases
In the very mature financial services industry, it is rare for a new financial product
to garner much attention, let alone be named one of BusinessWeek’s outstanding
products of the year. But what started as a way for Starbucks to add value to its
existing Starbucks Card program developed into a financial product that many
other institutions are interested in exploring. This case reveals the research that
was done to develop this new payment option for Starbucks customers.
www.starbucks.com; www.bankone.com; www.visa.com
>Abstract
>The Scenario
Starbucks Coffee Company is the leading retailer, roaster, and brand of specialty
coffee in the world, with more than 7,500 retail locations in North America, Latin
America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific Rim.1 It has long prided itself
on offering an enriched customer experience as much as on great-tasting, highquality
coffees. The company’s prepaid stored-value card, known as the
Starbucks Card, has been a tremendous success since its launch in late 2001. By
2002, Starbucks was looking to evolve the program. Colette Courtion, Director
of Starbucks’ global card services, indicates “We had been regularly enhancing
the Starbucks Card with new benefits for its ongoing use—like protecting the
Card’s balance and adding auto-reload [a process whereby the customer has his
or her selected credit card charged for reloading the Starbucks Card with spendable
cash when the Starbucks Card reached a predetermined level], but we
wanted to build on the Card’s success in a way that would reward our loyal
customers.”2
Similar to other businesses’ cards, Starbucks prepaid, stored-value card can
be used in its stores to purchase food, beverage and merchandise. Many
Starbucks customers reload their Starbucks Cards for ongoing purchases at
Starbucks. “The success of the Starbucks Card gave us the idea of creating an
entirely new payment product.” This new payment product would marry the
functionality of a Starbucks Card with the functionality of a major credit card.
“With a dual function card we could reduce the number of cards our customers
carry. It was also an opportunity to reinvent an industry that was mature and
saturated and make it relevant and unique to our customers.” Early secondary
research indicated such a product did not exist in the credit services industry. The
card would also be entry into Starbucks first formal loyalty program. “Consumers
expect rewards from their credit cards. But we didn’t want to be too prescriptive
with our rewards structure. If something is expected, it doesn’t feel special.”
Used with permission
of Pamela S. Schindler.
© 2006.
Starbucks, Bank One, and Visa
Launch Starbucks Duetto Visa
Business Research Methods, 11e, Cooper/Schindler
2
>Finding and Assessing Card and Bank Partners
Starbucks set out to see if it could stimulate interest in a new financial services
product in the mature credit services industry. “We didn’t want to offer a standard
credit card.3 We wanted to leverage the success we had already established with
the Starbucks Card and provide our customers with something truly innovative in
the market place. To do that, we had to find the right partners.”
The right partner would be one that could share the Starbucks vision and
make a commitment to offering the top-quality customer service that a Starbucks
customer had come to expect. “Starbucks is known for its innovation so we had
to develop a product that would truly surprise and delight our customers,” explains
Courtion.
Starbucks approached card services companies MasterCard, American
Express, and Visa. It conducted interviews with bank executives, visited call
centers, even listened in on phone calls to learn how each resolved customer
credit card problems. “Visa and Bank One shared our vision and excitement
about the new payment product, and our commitment to exceptional customer
service,” claimed Courtion. Visa and Bank One also brought extensive knowledge
of the credit card market and marketing expertise to the partnership. Visa cards
are accepted by millions of establishments, in more than 150 countries; one in
every eight dollars spent in the United States is spent with a Visa card.4 “People
who love Starbucks will love this card,” promises Carl Pascarella, president and
CEO of Visa USA.5 Bank One is the number-one Visa card issuer in the world,
with more than 52 million credit cards issued; it handles more than 1.8 billion
credit card transactions per year.6 “Bank One is excited to be working with
Starbucks to develop an innovative payment technology that makes life easier and
more rewarding for customers,” shares Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of Bank
One.7
>Concept Testing
Starbucks, Visa, and Bank One all have internal research operations. From
the beginning this was a collaborative research effort among all three companies.
Starbucks thought the idea of a dual-functionality card might be confusing. Bank
One and Visa shared that concern. “We wanted to know if customers could
understand the value proposition of the dual functionality,” shares Ajay Gupta,
senior group research manager for Bank One. They tested the idea of a dualfunctionality
card with four focus groups, using the services of an independent
moderator. They chose Seattle and San Francisco, both with good Starbucks
coverage, for the focus groups, which involved two major groups of Starbucks
customers who owned a credit card: those who used the Starbucks Card and
those who did not. The purposes of the groups were to determine how well
customers understood the dual-functionality concept—a credit card and storedvalue
card in one—identify areas requiring more clarification, and assess the
appeal of monthly rewards and how they might be delivered. “The focus groups
helped us refine the concept, and define what might comprise the ‘surprise and
delight’ features of the card,” explains Gupta. “We learned that the concept of
Starbucks-BankOne-Visa-Launch-Starbucks-Duetto-Visa
Business Research Methods, 11e, Cooper/Schindler
3
dual functionality was difficult for some to grasp.” Being able to effectively communicate
the value proposition of the card would be critical to the success of the
program. From one group to the next, the research team refined the value proposition,
until the participants understood they would need to carry only one card,
not two. “Once they grasped the concept,” shares Gupta, “while some thought it
was a great idea, others were not as receptive to the concept. They were not so
sure that it would replace a current credit card in their wallet.” Overall, the
findings from the focus groups were used to refine the concept and to restructure
the communication of the idea to minimize confusion.
Beyond dual functionality, Starbucks initially had two objectives for the focus
groups and later for the quantitative studies to follow:
• Brand Fit—Determine whether any negative connotations associated with
past credit card experiences would have potential negative
impacts on the Starbucks brand.
• Benefits—(1) Determine whether the customer valued the instant rewards8
feature of the Duetto Visa card:
o Could Starbucks explain the feature so that it would be
compelling enough for a Starbucks Duetto Visa card
holder to use it rather than another card that promised
perceived greater rewards, such as airline miles or hotel
stays.9
(2) Determine if the planned give-back-to-the-community
component of the new payment program had value to the
customer.10
Focus groups were followed by several quantitative studies. The first was a
product functionality study through an online survey, with participants recruited
from an online panel. The same groups as for the focus groups (Starbucks customer—
user of Starbucks Card; Starbucks customer—nonuser of Starbucks
Card) were used, and the sample size for each subgroup was between 200 and
400. The objective of this research was to understand which one of two credit
card concepts (the dual-function version or two separate cards) consumers
preferred. The survey was designed to determine the concept’s appeal and
future-purchase likelihood, impact on the Starbucks brand, barriers to card usage,
and specific attribute importance ratings. This study measured quantitatively the
level of understanding of the dual-function card using the refined value proposition
developed through the focus groups.
Once Starbucks and Bank One decided to proceed with the dual-function
card, a product optimization study was conducted. This second online study
comprised the concept evaluation/optimization as well as volumetric forecasting
measurements. Again, the same parameters were used to stratify the sample, but a
slightly larger sample size was used. The research addressed the following
objectives:
• Estimate “take rates” and usage for the new Starbucks card
• Determine the impact of different card features/benefits including the
“surprise and delight” features.
)
Business Research Methods, 11e, Cooper/Schindler
4
• Profile the most likely applicants for the Starbucks Duetto Visa based on
demographics, Starbucks usage behaviors, and other targetable
characterisitics.
“We use a number of different standardized metrics when we test a concept,”
explained Gupta. Bank One is interested primarily in a participant’s likelihood of
applying and how the Starbucks Duetto Visa Card applicant envisioned using the
dual-function card. One purpose of this study was to understand the impact of
various features in driving application intent. “We wanted to know their sensitivity
to those choices,” shares Gupta. A trade-off technique was used to understand
the importance of the various features and the levels thereof in driving the purchase
decision. Bank One also wanted to know which feature offered the
greatest potential for “sales lift”—whether customers would not only apply for the
new card
Business Research Methods, 11e, Cooper/Schindler
1
>cases
In the very mature financial services industry, it is rare for a new financial product
to garner much attention, let alone be named one of BusinessWeek’s outstanding
products of the year. But what started as a way for Starbucks to add value to its
existing Starbucks Card program developed into a financial product that many
other institutions are interested in exploring. This case reveals the research that
was done to develop this new payment option for Starbucks customers.
www.starbucks.com; www.bankone.com; www.visa.com
>Abstract
>The Scenario
Starbucks Coffee Company is the leading retailer, roaster, and brand of specialty
coffee in the world, with more than 7,500 retail locations in North America, Latin
America, Europe, the Middle East, and the Pacific Rim.1 It has long prided itself
on offering an enriched customer experience as much as on great-tasting, highquality
coffees. The company’s prepaid stored-value card, known as the
Starbucks Card, has been a tremendous success since its launch in late 2001. By
2002, Starbucks was looking to evolve the program. Colette Courtion, Director
of Starbucks’ global card services, indicates “We had been regularly enhancing
the Starbucks Card with new benefits for its ongoing use—like protecting the
Card’s balance and adding auto-reload [a process whereby the customer has his
or her selected credit card charged for reloading the Starbucks Card with spendable
cash when the Starbucks Card reached a predetermined level], but we
wanted to build on the Card’s success in a way that would reward our loyal
customers.”2
Similar to other businesses’ cards, Starbucks prepaid, stored-value card can
be used in its stores to purchase food, beverage and merchandise. Many
Starbucks customers reload their Starbucks Cards for ongoing purchases at
Starbucks. “The success of the Starbucks Card gave us the idea of creating an
entirely new payment product.” This new payment product would marry the
functionality of a Starbucks Card with the functionality of a major credit card.
“With a dual function card we could reduce the number of cards our customers
carry. It was also an opportunity to reinvent an industry that was mature and
saturated and make it relevant and unique to our customers.” Early secondary
research indicated such a product did not exist in the credit services industry. The
card would also be entry into Starbucks first formal loyalty program. “Consumers
expect rewards from their credit cards. But we didn’t want to be too prescriptive
with our rewards structure. If something is expected, it doesn’t feel special.”
Used with permission
of Pamela S. Schindler.
© 2006.
Starbucks, Bank One, and Visa
Launch Starbucks Duetto Visa
Business Research Methods, 11e, Cooper/Schindler
2
>Finding and Assessing Card and Bank Partners
Starbucks set out to see if it could stimulate interest in a new financial services
product in the mature credit services industry. “We didn’t want to offer a standard
credit card.3 We wanted to leverage the success we had already established with
the Starbucks Card and provide our customers with something truly innovative in
the market place. To do that, we had to find the right partners.”
The right partner would be one that could share the Starbucks vision and
make a commitment to offering the top-quality customer service that a Starbucks
customer had come to expect. “Starbucks is known for its innovation so we had
to develop a product that would truly surprise and delight our customers,” explains
Courtion.
Starbucks approached card services companies MasterCard, American
Express, and Visa. It conducted interviews with bank executives, visited call
centers, even listened in on phone calls to learn how each resolved customer
credit card problems. “Visa and Bank One shared our vision and excitement
about the new payment product, and our commitment to exceptional customer
service,” claimed Courtion. Visa and Bank One also brought extensive knowledge
of the credit card market and marketing expertise to the partnership. Visa cards
are accepted by millions of establishments, in more than 150 countries; one in
every eight dollars spent in the United States is spent with a Visa card.4 “People
who love Starbucks will love this card,” promises Carl Pascarella, president and
CEO of Visa USA.5 Bank One is the number-one Visa card issuer in the world,
with more than 52 million credit cards issued; it handles more than 1.8 billion
credit card transactions per year.6 “Bank One is excited to be working with
Starbucks to develop an innovative payment technology that makes life easier and
more rewarding for customers,” shares Jamie Dimon, chairman and CEO of Bank
One.7
>Concept Testing
Starbucks, Visa, and Bank One all have internal research operations. From
the beginning this was a collaborative research effort among all three companies.
Starbucks thought the idea of a dual-functionality card might be confusing. Bank
One and Visa shared that concern. “We wanted to know if customers could
understand the value proposition of the dual functionality,” shares Ajay Gupta,
senior group research manager for Bank One. They tested the idea of a dualfunctionality
card with four focus groups, using the services of an independent
moderator. They chose Seattle and San Francisco, both with good Starbucks
coverage, for the focus groups, which involved two major groups of Starbucks
customers who owned a credit card: those who used the Starbucks Card and
those who did not. The purposes of the groups were to determine how well
customers understood the dual-functionality concept—a credit card and storedvalue
card in one—identify areas requiring more clarification, and assess the
appeal of monthly rewards and how they might be delivered. “The focus groups
helped us refine the concept, and define what might comprise the ‘surprise and
delight’ features of the card,” explains Gupta. “We learned that the concept of
Starbucks-BankOne-Visa-Launch-Starbucks-Duetto-Visa
Business Research Methods, 11e, Cooper/Schindler
3
dual functionality was difficult for some to grasp.” Being able to effectively communicate
the value proposition of the card would be critical to the success of the
program. From one group to the next, the research team refined the value proposition,
until the participants understood they would need to carry only one card,
not two. “Once they grasped the concept,” shares Gupta, “while some thought it
was a great idea, others were not as receptive to the concept. They were not so
sure that it would replace a current credit card in their wallet.” Overall, the
findings from the focus groups were used to refine the concept and to restructure
the communication of the idea to minimize confusion.
Beyond dual functionality, Starbucks initially had two objectives for the focus
groups and later for the quantitative studies to follow:
• Brand Fit—Determine whether any negative connotations associated with
past credit card experiences would have potential negative
impacts on the Starbucks brand.
• Benefits—(1) Determine whether the customer valued the instant rewards8
feature of the Duetto Visa card:
o Could Starbucks explain the feature so that it would be
compelling enough for a Starbucks Duetto Visa card
holder to use it rather than another card that promised
perceived greater rewards, such as airline miles or hotel
stays.9
(2) Determine if the planned give-back-to-the-community
component of the new payment program had value to the
customer.10
Focus groups were followed by several quantitative studies. The first was a
product functionality study through an online survey, with participants recruited
from an online panel. The same groups as for the focus groups (Starbucks customer—
user of Starbucks Card; Starbucks customer—nonuser of Starbucks
Card) were used, and the sample size for each subgroup was between 200 and
400. The objective of this research was to understand which one of two credit
card concepts (the dual-function version or two separate cards) consumers
preferred. The survey was designed to determine the concept’s appeal and
future-purchase likelihood, impact on the Starbucks brand, barriers to card usage,
and specific attribute importance ratings. This study measured quantitatively the
level of understanding of the dual-function card using the refined value proposition
developed through the focus groups.
Once Starbucks and Bank One decided to proceed with the dual-function
card, a product optimization study was conducted. This second online study
comprised the concept evaluation/optimization as well as volumetric forecasting
measurements. Again, the same parameters were used to stratify the sample, but a
slightly larger sample size was used. The research addressed the following
objectives:
• Estimate “take rates” and usage for the new Starbucks card
• Determine the impact of different card features/benefits including the
“surprise and delight” features.
)
Business Research Methods, 11e, Cooper/Schindler
4
• Profile the most likely applicants for the Starbucks Duetto Visa based on
demographics, Starbucks usage behaviors, and other targetable
characterisitics.
“We use a number of different standardized metrics when we test a concept,”
explained Gupta. Bank One is interested primarily in a participant’s likelihood of
applying and how the Starbucks Duetto Visa Card applicant envisioned using the
dual-function card. One purpose of this study was to understand the impact of
various features in driving application intent. “We wanted to know their sensitivity
to those choices,” shares Gupta. A trade-off technique was used to understand
the importance of the various features and the levels thereof in driving the purchase
decision. Bank One also wanted to know which feature offered the
greatest potential for “sales lift”—whether customers would not only apply for the
new card
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