How a Bag of Decaf Coffee Reminded Me What Great Customer Service Really Means

Yesterday morning started like a lot of mornings do: quiet, familiar, full of promise—until I realized I had no coffee. Which, for me, is somewhere in between a mild inconvenience and an existential crisis.

Thankfully, there’s a Starbucks just down the road. Walkable, even. But I was in a pre-caffeine haze, so I drove. I had one mission: get a pound of whole bean, certainly not-decaf coffee, and get back home to make it as quickly as possible. I even remember checking the label at the store, just to be sure. I was deliberate about it. Focused. This was not a morning to mess around.

Fast forward to this morning. I shuffle into the kitchen, still a bit groggy. My wife, Elizabeth—who’s also my partner at Cider House and generally just amazing—was already up. As usual, she’d made the coffee. I poured a cup, took a sip, and that’s when she gently asked, “Did you mean to get decaf?”

The horror. The disbelief. The caffeine-less coffee.

She wasn’t being critical—just curious. But suddenly everything made sense. The vague sluggishness. The sense that the universe was slightly off. I went over to the bag and there it was, in bold letters: Decaf. I could’ve sworn I checked. I did check. But apparently not well enough. And to be fair, I hadn’t had coffee before I went to buy the coffee. That might’ve been my first mistake.

Back to Starbucks (and the Unexpected Moment That Followed)

So I went back to Starbucks. Not angry. Not demanding anything. Just back to buy the correct bag of  (FULL-CAFF) coffee and move on.

When I got to the register, I casually mentioned it. “Funny story—I accidentally bought decaf yesterday. Totally on me. Just here to fix that mistake today.”

The barista didn’t blink. She smiled and said, “Oh, just bring that bag back in and we’ll exchange it for you.”

Wait—what?

I was stunned. I wasn’t returning it. I hadn’t even asked for anything. I was just making small talk. They couldn’t resell it. It would likely be tossed. And yet, the instinct was to offer a solution. To make it right, even though nothing had technically gone wrong.

And that’s when it hit me: this wasn’t just great customer service. This was a moment—one that built trust, loyalty, and something deeper than a transaction. This was what brand love looks like.

And more than that—it was a real-world example of the kind of moment that creates deep customer loyalty. It’s these simple, thoughtful interactions that build or reinforce a customer’s relationship with a brand.

A Long Relationship with a Green Apron

I’ve been going to Starbucks since the mid-90s. It’s been a familiar constant in different chapters of my life—through cities, seasons, and routines.

One of my favorite stores was the one I used to go to when I lived in Topanga. It was in Pacific Palisades, tucked into the community like a comforting corner of familiarity. My Rottweiler, Blanche—who was probably the girliest Rottweiler ever—absolutely loved sitting on the patio there. She’d watch the world go by and say hello to all her regulars. It became part of our daily rhythm, and over time, a hub for connection.

It’s also where I’d often meet friends, including actor and surfer John Philbin, who I’d become close with after we worked together on the original Point Break. It was one of those places where personal and professional lives blurred—in the best way possible.

Sadly, that location was destroyed in the Palisades Fire. And while it was just a building, it felt like losing a tiny piece of personal history. Places like that become woven into the routines that shape our lives.

Which is probably why moments like the one at the register the other day land so deeply.

The LATTE Method (And Why It Works Even When You’re Not Mad)

What happened at the register wasn’t random. Starbucks trains for moments like this. They use a structured approach called the LATTE Method—a customer service framework that helps employees respond empathetically and effectively in just about any situation. Here’s how it breaks down:

L – Listen

Employees are trained to give customers their full attention, without interruptions. It’s about understanding—not just hearing.

A – Acknowledge

Even when it’s a minor mistake (or not a mistake at all), Starbucks employees are taught to validate the customer’s feelings and experience.

T – Thank

Every interaction is seen as a chance to learn or connect. Starbucks encourages employees to thank customers for their feedback or patience.

T – Take Action

This is the part that floored me: the immediate, no-hesitation solution. Employees are empowered to fix problems on the spot.

E – Explain

Whether it’s explaining why the issue happened or how they’ll make it right, clarity and communication matter.

The beauty of the LATTE Method is that it’s designed for conflict—but it works even when there isn’t one. It’s not about defusing angry customers; it’s about making sure every customer feels seen and cared for.

Why It Matters

It’s easy to write off little things like this. A smile. A refund. A friendly tone. But these are brand-defining moments. These brand-defining moments can be just as impactful as any campaign or tagline, especially when they reinforce your identity and values—something we explore further in our branding guide for small businesses.

And Starbucks gets that. In fact, they don’t just train for empathy—they build it into the company culture.

Here’s what the data says:

• A 2022 Gallup study found that emotionally connected customers are 21% more likely to recommend a brand and 17% more likely to stay loyal.
• A 2023 Think Jar study revealed that 54% of customers walk away from brands due to a lack of empathy.
• 96% of consumers say empathy is critical in support interactions, yet 64% feel that companies have lost touch with the human element.

That moment at the register? It wasn’t about the value of the coffee. It was about being treated like a person, not a problem.

The Culture Behind It

Starbucks doesn’t just hand out a checklist. Their culture of openness and servant leadership empowers baristas to make judgment calls in real time.

According to internal training materials and organizational case studies, Starbucks:

• Encourages frontline decision-making through servant leadership—a model that flips traditional hierarchies and prioritizes employee well-being and autonomy.
• Builds empathy into the daily workflow through training that includes the LATTE method, bias awareness, and critical reflection exercises.
• Promotes innovation and collaboration at all levels, so employees don’t feel like they’re just following orders—they’re contributing to something bigger.

This kind of top-down empathy shows up at the register because it starts at the top. When employees feel trusted and valued, they pass that energy on to the customer.

What Small Businesses Can Learn

If you run a small business, you don’t need a million-dollar training program to build a culture like this. You just need to adopt the core idea: empathy isn’t just a feeling—it’s a strategy.

Here’s how you can adapt the LATTE method to your own world:

• Listen without distractions. Let the customer tell their story.
• Acknowledge what they’re experiencing—even if it’s just confusion or inconvenience.
• Thank them for speaking up. It means they care enough to help you improve.
• Take Action that actually solves the problem, not just soothes it.
• Explain the why—so they walk away understanding, not guessing.

When your team is empowered to act like humans first, and employees are encouraged to lead with empathy, customers notice. And they remember.

Small businesses can learn a lot by focusing on empathy-driven strategies like these, as we’ve explored in our 2025 marketing strategy guide

In the End, It’s Just Coffee… or Is It?

Let’s be honest. This whole story is about a $15 bag of beans. No big deal, right?

But it is a big deal. Because I left Starbucks that day with more than the right blend—I left with a deeper appreciation for how powerful small acts of care can be. For how culture shows up not in taglines or mission statements, but in moments.

And yeah, I got my caffeine fix. But I also got a masterclass in what it means to treat people like people.

That’s a brand I’ll keep coming back to.