Popular coffee chain Starbucks is installing a payment system in iPhone app form to more than 700 of its branches across the United Kingdom and Ireland, following a very successful roll-out in the United States.
The Starbucks payment app for the iPhone and iPod Touch will be launched on January 5th next year and will allow customers to pay for their ordered items via their smartphones. The company rolls out this service aiming to reduce transaction time by 10 seconds, which does not only provide convenience to the crew, but also the customers.
“Customers want to be served quickly, but fewer want to use cash. We wanted to find a way for them to pay in the quickest way possible,” explains Starbucks United Kingdom and Ireland’s Brian Waring. “Because our customers want it, we have created our own custom-built mobile payment technology rather than waiting for the near field communication technology which is currently not widely available. We’re always thinking of new ways to add value to our customers and give them more reasons to choose Starbucks.”
The app also eliminates the need to remove users’ Starbucks cards from their wallets, as it can be linked with the app. This means that customers who use the app can still get freebies and the like.
One of five people in the country does not use cash to pay for their purchases, and the app aims to provide people another way to pay.
via: Foodbev
