Good morning, Starbucks fiends
There are two things most of us do every morning: grab a cup of coffee and make the dreaded morning commute. In areas where public transportation and parking availability are lacking, Lyft has become a favorite to answer the problem of the dreaded commute.
Starbucks has long been a favorite to answer the task of getting coffee into your system as soon as possible, while on-the-go. Now Starbucks and Lyft have teamed up to make your morning commute awesome.
Starbucks + Lyft = love
Starbucks just announced a multi-year partnership with Lyft to reward drivers and attract new customers. All Lyft drivers will have the option of becoming My Starbucks Rewards® (MSR) gold level members. Lyft drivers and riders will have the opportunity to earn MSR loyalty Stars redeemable for food and beverages at participating Starbucks stores.
Starbucks stated this alliance would build on the digital ecosystem and strengthen both companies.
Adam Brotman, chief digital officer for Starbucks, stated, “With Lyft’s presence in 65 cities across the U.S., where we also have Starbucks serving the same communities, we knew this collaboration would benefit our partners, Lyft’s drivers as well as our mutual customers who are already coming to Starbucks and using Lyft services. This is a great win win. Our digital loyalty ecosystem can help strengthen Lyft’s ability to attract and retain customers, while at the same time accelerating the incrementality of redemption of rewards.”
Lyft drivers will also be able to receive Starbucks eGifts cards from customers using the Lyft app and looking to thank their driver in a more personal way.
There could be more news coming
Additionally, Starbucks and Lyft will explore the possibility of bringing a convenient and cost-effective transportation service to Starbucks and Lyft partners looking for reliable transportation to and from work, especially in areas where public transportation doesn’t exist, or match current work schedules. This will likely be rolled out in a one test market to understand partners’ interests and determine the program’s long-term viability.
In addition to the new collaboration with Lyft, Starbucks recently announced deals with Spotify and The New York Times; both introduce this new opportunity for Starbucks loyalty program members to earn Stars through purchases made with other companies. This seems to be Starbucks new agenda for introducing more people to their rewards program, while helping other businesses boost their sales as well.
