Starbucks’ Canadian customers can now pay for their order faster than you can say “tall vanilla soy milk latte.”
Starbucks Canada launched a mobile payment program – it claims it is the largest one in the country – on Tuesday. All its stores are now equipped with scanners that can read 2D bar codes, which interacts with the Starbucks Canada App, a free app available at the iTunes Store for download for any iPhone device.
In addition to being able to pay for their Starbucks order from their iPhone, Canadian customers can now also check and consolidate the balances on their Starbucks Cards and reload their account with any major credit card using the app.
Tired of writing down colleagues’ Starbucks orders to schlep with you on your coffee run? The app also allows users to store customized orders, locate nearby store locations and monitor their status within the company’s new loyalty program – My Starbucks Rewards – that launched in October.
Victoria Laszlo, associate marketing manager, digital at Starbucks Coffee Canada, told Marketing the goal of the app program is to build on customer loyalty and drive customers to Starbucks stores.
“It’s the full 360 interaction of how our customers interact with us,” she said. “It enhances the customer experience and makes it seamless.”
The mobile payment platform rolled out south of the border at the beginning of the year. During an earnings call last week, the company said it has processed more than 20 million mobile payment transactions. “We’re excited for the potential and possibilities here,” said Laszlo.
Starbucks Canada has been using Facebook and Twitter to get the message about the new app out to its customers, said Laszlo, and is looking to roll out mobile payment across the Android and Blackberry early next year, she said.
