J.D. Power and Associates Reports: Friendly and Knowledgeable Staff Remains the Most Significant Driver of Satisfaction Among Specialty Coffee Retailer Customers

WESTLAKE VILLAGE, Calif., April 4, 2013 /PRNewswire/ -- For a second consecutive year, friendly and knowledgeable staff continues to be the key driver to achieve higher satisfaction among customers of specialty coffee retailers, according to the J.D. Power and Associates 2013 Specialty Coffee Retailer Satisfaction Report^SM released today.

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Now in its second year, the report measures overall customer satisfaction with specialty coffee retailers by examining five key factors (in order of importance): staff (34%), merchandise (23%), cost (18%), facility (14%) and sales/promotions (11%). Staff continues to be the most important factor in determining overall satisfaction.  

KEY FINDINGS

• The average checkout time at specialty coffee retailers is 6.3 minutes.
• Customers spend an average of $7.31 per visit to a specialty coffee retailer.
• Slightly more than half (52%) of customers say they "definitely will" recommend their specialty coffee retailer brand to family and friends.

In 2013, overall satisfaction with specialty coffee retailers averages 810 points (on a 1,000-point scale), an increase of four points from 806 in 2012.

"Staff friendliness and positive interaction with the customer are keys to achieving high levels of satisfaction," said Sally Lombardo, director of research operations at J.D. Power and Associates. "A specialty coffee retailer whose staff learns to master these skills may not only achieve high customer satisfaction, but also benefit from positive recommendations, customer loyalty and attachment to the brand."

The report finds that customers spend an average of $7.31 per visit to a specialty coffee retailer. The average amount of time customers spend in the checkout line is 6.3 minutes.

Specialty Coffee Retailer Customer Satisfaction
Among the seven brands included in the report, Dutch Bros. Coffee ranks highest in overall satisfaction for a second year, with a score of 824. Dutch Bros. also performs particularly well in the staff, sales/promotions and cost factors.

Following Dutch Bros. Coffee in the rankings are Seattle's Best Coffee (812) and Starbucks Coffee (811), both outperforming the industry average (810).

Customer Loyalty
Customer satisfaction with specialty coffee retailers may equate to customer loyalty, as 52 percent of highly satisfied customers say they "definitely will" recommend and "definitely will" repurchase their brand. In addition, 34 percent of highly satisfied customers indicate they are "highly" committed to their specialty coffee retailer brand.

Among Dutch Bros. Coffee customers, 56 percent say they "definitely will" repurchase and 58 percent "definitely will" recommend the brand to family and friends, both significantly higher than the industry averages (52%) and are the highest among brands ranked in the report.

"Dutch Bros. Coffee is exceptional at creating an experience that resonates with their high-intensity customer base, which results in their very high loyalty and satisfaction ranking," said Lombardo. "Being able to provide a hip, fun experience to customers with a local and unique feel helps Dutch Bros. Coffee continue to differentiate itself from its competitors year over year."

The 2013 Specialty Coffee Retailer Satisfaction Report is based on responses of more than 3,100 customers who purchased any product or beverage at a brick-and-mortar specialty coffee retailer in the 30 days prior to being surveyed. The report was fielded in December 2012 – January 2, 2013. Brands included in this report have revenue that exceeds $35 million and have at least 100 locations.

Power Circle Ratings Legend:
5 – Among the best
4 – Better than most
3 – About average
2 – The rest

About J.D. Power and Associates
Headquartered in Westlake Village, Calif., J.D. Power and Associates is a global marketing information services company providing performance improvement, social media and customer satisfaction insights and solutions. The company's quality and satisfaction measurements are based on responses from millions of consumers annually. For more information on car reviews and ratings, car insurance, health insurance, cell phone ratings, and more, please visit JDPower.com. J.D. Power and Associates is a business unit of The McGraw-Hill Companies.

About The McGraw-Hill Companies
The McGraw-Hill Companies, to be renamed McGraw Hill Financial (subject to shareholder approval), is a powerhouse in credit ratings, benchmarks and analytics for the global capital and commodity markets. Leading brands include: Standard & Poor's Ratings Services, S&P Capital IQ, S&P Dow Jones Indices, Platts, CRISIL, J.D. Power and Associates, McGraw-Hill Construction and Aviation Week. The Company has approximately 17,000 employees in 27 countries. Additional information is available at www.mcgraw-hill.com.

J.D. Power and Associates Media Contacts:
John Tews; Troy, Mich.; (248) 680-6218; [email protected] 
Syvetril Perryman; Westlake Village, Calif.; (805) 418-8103; [email protected]

Follow us on Twitter: @JDPower

No advertising or other promotional use can be made of the information in this release without the express prior written consent of J.D. Power and Associates.

SOURCE J.D. Power and Associates

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