Arguably the most well-known loyalty program is the coffee card.
Buy nine, get the 10th free or permutations thereof.
My local @Fergus is my daily ritual coffee Joyalty* Moment of Magic.
The coffee is perfect (for me).
They know me, my red reusable mug and my preference (3 shot skinny latte), which is always made with care and consistency.
The team are always so friendly and graceful under the morning caffeine fix pressures.
The year of the gifted coffee
On January 1, 2024, I decided to participate in a personal 12-month experiment, gifting my 10th free coffee to the next person in line.
However, my specific twist on this was I wanted to do it anonymously.
I did not want to know who the ‘gift of coffee’ was given to.
To do this, I needed the support of the café owner David, his barista and the service team, all of whom would be gifting the coffee on my behalf.
They all willingly agreed.
About 50 weeks since this started, and as of December 9, 2024, 31 coffees were gifted by David and his team.
The 31 giftee’s have been surprised and delighted or as I say, received a Joyalty* Moment of Magic.
This has been interesting and revealing process for me.
As soon as I handed my completed ‘9 coffees for 10th free’ card to the team asking them to gift the free coffee, I would make a dash for the door and did not look back.
I did not know who received the gift.
I did not see the joy and delight of the person receiving their coffee fix for free.
However, the team at Fergus did tell me on occasion of the OMG moments and surprise of those customers who were the random recipients of the gifted coffee.
At a personal level, I realised that the act of giving, no matter how small, can have an impact on those directly receiving it and on those who loved sharing the gift.
I wonder sometimes what impact it would have if all we need to do is find a small way to add a Joyalty* Moment of Magic to the lives of the people around us.
Giving in silence
As 2025 begins, I reflect on the impact of this year-long experiment.
The gifting of a free coffee without knowing the giftee has had a sustained impact on me, on those who helped me give and those who have been receiving.
- It reinforced my belief that small, intentional acts of kindness can have profound impacts - not only on the recipients but also on those who facilitate and witness them.
- What can you do to create a Joyalty* Moment of Magic? Whether as an individual or a business, consider how you might integrate generosity into your daily interactions. Even the smallest gestures can make a world of difference. A compliment, a smile, a handwritten note or, yes, a free coffee!
- Let’s reimagine loyalty, not just as a transaction, but as a celebration of the connections that bind us together through Joyalty* Moments of Magic.
As 2025 is now upon us, what can you do to gift a Joyalty* Moment of Magic?
(Joyalty* Moments of Magic = Your customers’ feeling of maximum joy and delight from one or a series of Moments of Magic (MoMs) delivered by your business)
Thank you to David and team at Fergus for being the team behind the ‘The year of gifting the 10th free coffee to a stranger’
