Devoted to customer service and the principles of exceptional customer services

Maria,

Thanks for the link. I think many people are in the "wait and see" mode to see what stopping the Starbucks assembly did.

Hi, Maria! It's a unique move for Starbucks to close for three hours to have a meeting. In fact, for me as a customer, I appreciate it that a company is taking time out to address the issues that are affecting me. But then again, you're right! It's still a wait and see thing. Let's just hope for the best and that Starbucks can bring back their glory. :)

It will be interesting to see how successful and consistent the deployment will be. It is relatively easy, if expensive, to produce a set of messages, posters and slogans to promote the "new birth", but Starbucks has a gazillion franchise outlets, many being staffed by people on a low wage, so the ability to be able to roll this one out consistently will be a real test. The customer will judge on how they are treated, not how the poster suggests they should be treated. Remedial action is always more problematic and expensive because you have the added problem of asking staff to break bad habits (what's their motivation to do it? what happens if they don't?) it has been a product, you could argue, of corporate greed and customer neglect. They have franchised too freely and allowed quality relative to the growing and (let's face it) fresher, funkier and cheaper competition, to fall. The good thing is that the customer is teaching them a lesson in free market dynamics

I picked this one up from a BBC article about a month back and blogged about it here

http://blog.capablepeople.co.uk/blog/CustomerRelationshipManagement/_archives/2008/2/1/3499351.html

In that blog I noted that in March at their AGM a set of 5 bold innovations would be unveiled. A strategy to resurrect the brand. I hope this is just the appetizer, as the terms "bold" and innovative" are not fitting these moves just yet

It will make a good case study for us consultants if it works, in fact it will make a good case study if it doesn't work, but I struggle to generate as much sentiment and fondness for Starbucks as you guys. From the outside looking in (wholly as a customer) all I see is a company taking emergency remedial action in the face of a largely self-inflicted rapidly sliding market position. I'm not sure they have too many choices and, unfortunately for them, in the world of coffee shops, the customer now has plenty of choices

A great one to watch and learn from nonetheless

Maria,

The Starbucks case is utterly fascinating. Can they reinvent at such a bloated size? Hmm. I talk to small companies all day about creating Experience Design like the best of the Big Boys, and about the agility that makes a total refocus easier if you are smaller. Most of the giants either have Experience Design right from the start or are out of luck if they've lost touch. If they pull off a meaningful turnaround there will be books, not just blogs, written about how they do it. Thanks for continuing to follow it.

On a lighter note, a local cafe I frequent has a sign at each door, which says that if I experience any problems, I should contact their franchise hq right away. This makes me anxious. Problems? Why are they expecting problems? Are there problems I don't see?

I've decided it's just part of that franchisor's quirkiness, but, an Experience Design note to you business owners: it does make me spot little flaws in my visits that I never noticed before the sign went up.

Regards,

Kelly

Hi Everyone!

Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. Starbucks is a huge company and it's going to take some time to turn things around, if indeed they are truly committed to doing so. It has made for an interesting case study!

On a side note...Kelly, I see your point about expecting problems. However, I think it's ok to have some kind of contact info posted if a customer just wants to make a suggestion or comment.

Maria,

It's all in how you phrase it. "How are we doing?" or "Give us a comment or suggestion" are oh, so much more positive than "Let us know right away if you experience any problems." You'll get complaints with both tactics, but my local place doesn't even ASK for compliments.

What, if I enjoyed myself you don't want to know?

Eeeek!

Regards,

Kelly