Customer Service Essentials
April 13, 2011
Customer Service Project
Coffee Shop Observation
In small groups, you will visit the local branches of two well-known coffee shops: Dunkin
Donuts and Starbucks. You will have exactly $5.00 to spend in each location. For each coffee
shop, evaluate your customer service experience using the guideline below. Take notes after the
service interaction. Then, compose your observations into a 5-10 minute presentation, using the
“Coffee Shop Presentation Rubric” as a guideline.
Instructions

Two groups will leave the building at a time. One group will go to the Dunkin Donuts
and Starbucks on Summer St., and the other group will go to the ones by Boston
Common. Each group will divide into 2 groups of 3- one half will go to Dunkin Donuts
and the other half will go to Starbucks. You have a maximum of 20 minutes to conduct
your observations and return to Year Up. If you take more than 20 minutes, your
group will lose points from your presentation score.

The next two groups may not leave the building until the first two groups return.

You have exactly $5.00 to spend in each location. Any money you spend in
excess of this amount comes out of your own pocket. (You must decide as a group who
will get to spend the money. Remember, the important thing is to observe the customer
service experience).

Try not to be obvious about the fact that you are taking notes/rating their customer
service, so that they will treat you the same way they would treat any other customer.
Make mental observations during the service interaction and write down your notes
afterward.

When you return from your observation trip, you may begin to work on your
presentation. The second two groups can use the time before they leave (while they are
waiting for the first two groups) to brainstorm their perceptions of each coffee shop and
research background information about them.
Customer Service Essentials
April 13, 2011
Presentation Guidelines
As a group, you will create a PowerPoint presentation (using the skills you’ve learned in Tech
class), highlighting your observations of customer service at Dunkin Donuts and Starbucks and
making a comparison between the two. Your PowerPoint must include at least 5 slides, and
should take 5-10 minutes. Every member of the group should contribute equally to the
presentation (meaning each person should both create and present at least one slide).
Your presentation must include:
Background information: What is the mission statement of each organization? What is the
annual revenue of each? Do these organizations have stated service philosophies or customer
service guarantees?
Preconceptions: What preconceived notions did members of your group have about each chain?
Service experience: Tell us what you experienced and how it relates to specific areas of
customer service we have learned about in class. Use the observation form and presentation
rubric as a guide.
Comparisons: Make comparisons between the two coffee shops. How did the customer service
experience differ at each place? What was similar about them? How do your observations
compare to the preconceptions you had?
Conclusion: Try to summarize your presentation in 1-3 sentences. Based on your experience,
what conclusions can you make about these two coffee shops? What conclusions can you make
about customer service?
You will present your PowerPoint in class on Wednesday, April 20. Please email me the
PowerPoint before class on Wednesday. You will be graded by both your peers and the
instructor, using the rubric provided. Be prepared to answer questions and accept feedback at the
end of your presentation.