A positive customer experience served with a dash of milk

Harris + Hoole coffee cup

If you've read my blog before you might have noticed that I'm a huge fan of Foursquare for discovering new places and Tuesday afternoon was no different. I had just met a friend near London Bridge and I really fancied a coffee so I opened up Foursquare on my phone and searched for nearby coffee shops. I was looking for something new and spotted Harris + Hoole located just around the corner on Tooley Street and then saw a tip that said "Download the iPhone app for a free coffee". Having just got back from three months travelling I am conscious of my spending so this sounded perfect!

I tapped on the website link in the tip and was greeted with a link to download either the iTunes or Google Play version of the H+H app (which was good because I'm an Android girl now!) and I installed the app. The first thing I saw was a welcome screen followed by a few more screens that gave me a quick intro to the app where I also discovered that I could choose pay with my mobile - things were just getting better and better!

Eager for my caffeine fix I happily went about setting up my profile and added a selfie from my photo library that would allow me to be recognised in store once I was checked in. I then selected and customised my favourite cup of coffee known within the app as "My Usual" which can then be used to automatically order your drink when you check in (flat white, medium sized, three shots, whole milk, standard temperature, no flavourings and certainly not decaf).

A selection of screens from the app

Upon my arrival at H+H I was greeted by the two lovely ladies who were working there. Now, I probably should have mentioned that I was sitting right next to H+H in More London eating my lunch whilst I was setting up the app and being a little bit over excited I had already tapped the check in tick to see what would happen. It said I was checked in to the coffee shop and I could go ahead and redeem my free coffee. It was probably another 10 minutes or so before I actually made it inside and when I showed them my phone they said "Oh, there you are!". Apparently I had flashed up on screen when I first checked in but at the time the shop had been full of men in suits none of whom matched my newly added profile pic! I explained that I worked in digital design and had a tendency to play around with things like this! My previous check in had expired so I checked in again and voilà "My Usual" was on its way.

We had a little chat about the app and the system and as the staff knew who I was they addressed by my first name. I was made to feel really welcome and, well, special as I was getting personalised service and a cup of coffee made just how like it.

The coffee itself was really great and it tasted so much better having just had a really good customer experience. This is the actual message that I sent to my friend as I was drinking my coffee which is basically a summary of this post:

"I just found a coffee shop on Tooley Street using foursquare, read a tip that said download their app for a free coffee, so I did and I created my profile and selected my fav coffee, customised exactly how you want, then I checked in when I got here and it ordered my coffee straightaway AND they all knew my name and welcomed me! How cool is that?!?!"

I went on to tell him that he should visit and sent him the link. I felt compelled to tell others about my good experience so they could experience it too.

The app also includes a map of H+H branches and a loyalty card which allows you to collect stamps and receive another free cup after six visits. Adding a payment card for future use was super easy and you can choose between manual or auto-top ups for convenience. The app is simple and not over loaded with unnecessary features. It knows what it is and it does it well.

So, if you want to do coffee sometime I know just the place!

Weekend in San Francisco

On a recent work trip to San Francisco I had the pleasure of a two day weekend in the city which was awesome! I'd had been just two months earlier for another work trip so I already had a rough idea of the layout of the city and I couldn't wait to get going. After a couple of days of bad coffee I was keen to uncover those little places that the locals head to so I used my trusty Foursquare app to locate some nearby coffee serving establishments. First stop on Saturday morning was farm:table located on Post Street where I had fabulous eggs on biscuits with bacon and Roast Co. coffee from Oakland California.

Like many of the food and coffee places in San Francisco farm:table uses Square Register to accept payments on an iPad and I was excited to try it out. I paid with a pre-paid cash card and it was easy. The printer wasn't working so I had my receipt emailed to me which was actually far more convenient as this way I couldn't lose it!

Next I took a bus all the way to the Golden Gate Bridge and beyond to Fort Cronkhite, a former World War II military post located in the Marin Headlands on the edge of the Pacific Ocean. That was the end of the line and I just stayed on the bus for the return trip (a bargain way to see the coast as it only costs $2 for 90 minutes of travel on the Muni bus network!). I got off at the south side of the Golden Gate Bridge and walked back over it and then kept going.

I walked all the way down Alexander Avenue, through beautiful and sunny Sausalito looking out to fabulous views of Angel Island and beyond. I continued via Bridgeway to the Marin City Bus Hub making a quick pit stop at Drake Avenue (well, of course!) where I waited for the Muir Woods Shuttle Route 66 – a 6 mile walk in the sun (I still have the tan lines to remember it by).

The bus took us up lots of narrow winding roads with glimpses of the coast teasing at every turn all the way to the gates of Muir Woods. As it was getting late I only had time to complete the 1.5 mile trail through the giant Redwood trees but I loved every step. The woods were so quiet and the air was so fresh. It just felt good to be there. I saw a lovely big fluffy owl (a Spotted Owl) sitting high up in the trees who also seemed to be having a jolly nice day.

Next, I took the shuttle back to Marin City and then another bus all the way back to Market Street for a spot of shopping before walking back to our base in Japantown which took a long, long time! By now I was exhausted but I made it over the road to Kippu Sushi where I didn't have sushi (I had chicken teriyaki, tempura and gyoza and beer). Then I went to bed.

Sunday morning saw another planning session on the Foursquare website. I then walked around the corner to Fillmore Street for breakfast at Janes. I had a huge portion of granola with yoghurt and fruit and a very tasty brewed coffee from Stumpton coffee roasters.

After a nice stroll Van Ness during which a man told me I had a body like a gazelle (!?) I took a bus to Lombard Street. It was so steep that my nose was practically touching the floor as I walked up it. I walked down via the "crookedest road in the world" past the stunning Victorian houses watching the cars attempt to navigate the eight tight hairpin turns. Another bus to one of my favourite districts The Mission (I really like getting buses) and then back to Blue Bottle Coffee on Mint Plaza for a refuel (discovered this the first time I was here).

A two day weekend meant that I had time for a gallery visit. SFMOMA was closed for expansion construction but there were plenty of exhibitions in various locations to choose from so I headed to the Contemporary Jewish Museum for the Beyond Belief exhibition which spanned 100 years of the spiritual in modern art from Piet Mondrian to Mark Rothko. I also had time to look around Beat Memories: The Photographs of Allen Ginsberg. The CJM museum is housed in a fantastic space and it was not too busy. Happy days.

Two more buses back to Japantown and a quick detour to see the "Painted Ladies" in Alamo Square park. I wasn't sure at the time what the name referred to but Wikipedia tells me that it is "a term in American architecture used for Victorian and Edwardian houses and buildings painted in three or more colors that embellish or enhance their architectural details." So there you go. They were rather pretty. Dinner Sunday night consisted of enchiladas and some more beer at The Grove on Fillmore Street. It was yummy.

And with that the weekend was all but over. I had a long three days ahead of me so I went back to our hotel and set my alarm for 5.30am (gulp!) ready for work.