The Experience Economy & My Case Study

The online article, The Experience Economy, authors Joseph Pine and James GIlmore, paint a timeline to when consumers were in an agrarian economy and making birthday cakes from scratch, to today's current economy where the consumer is immersed in an experience rather than a tangible product. The article compares the early years of the Experience Economy to what is today, and how consumers would outsource services they once performed to places such as Chuck E Cheese, Discovery Zone, etc. to how it is expected by consumers to receive more than just a product but an experience to go along with it.

I will be taking a look at how a licensed Starbucks Store inside a Marriott hotel is able to deliver that "Third Place" guest experience Starbucks promises to deliver consistently, while still upholding Marriott Hotels Service Standards of "Hosting Brilliantly".

As I sit in the lobby of the Marriott, I am adjacent to the Starbucks situated in the lobby in front of me. A large group of people walk pass as they hurriedly make their way to the Starbucks queue. The line is snaked in the lobby strategically placed as to not block the walkways for the copious amounts of people that walk through daily. I quickly noticed that no matter how many people get in line, everything was moving rather quickly. As soon as a group of people were in line, a group of personalized drinks came out. I was impressed by the speed of service and quality at that. Each Barista played an important role to help the line move and they did it with such grace and with a smile. One thing that was different about this particular Starbucks was that I wasn't able to enjoy the amenities of a typical Starbucks, one being their cafe. I was sitting in the lobby of a Marriott. However, despite the lack of a coffee smell or the toasted breakfast sandwich, there was an incredible sense of familiarity that this was undoubtedly a Starbucks.

Although I wasn't an overnight guest at the Marriott, I was treated as such by the time I walked through the lobby doors to when I left the property. I was greeted immediately by bell and valet staff. The front desk agent asked if I was checking in and inquired if I needed any help. She pointed me to the Starbucks in the lobby and wished me a great day. The lobby staff was even more helpful by cleaning the table I planned at sitting at and asked if I needed any assistance and even went as far as grabbing me napkins after I had ordered a breakfast sandwich from the marketplace. Needless to say, I was really impressed by the attentiveness from the staff from the bell men to the front desk agent.

In The Experience Economy article, Pine & GIlmore mention a second dimension of experience which is about the connection. This part of the experience economy immerses customers with their environment. An example used was "people viewing the Kentucky Derby in the grandstands." I can only imagine how these people might have felt from the excitement from all around them. I felt immersed in my experience with Starbucks from the lobby area and from Marriott with all the staff trying to help me. I felt as if I was on a stage while a show was going on and I was in the middle of it.