Ultimately, are people in need just a source of friction?

A recent article has helped me pinpoint the reason why cash-based interventions make me hesitate.

In an article about customer loyalty programs, Robbie Baxter explains that one of the benefits of the Starbucks card is that, by allowing users to order and pay for their coffee by phone prior to collection, it removes almost all of the friction in the buying process. But what’s the friction that she’s talking about? It’s actually the element of human interaction.

Read the full article here