Starbucks Success Secrets
Starbucks is undoubtedly the most popular coffee house in the world. This brand has gone from a small coffee shop to a worldwide network of institutions where everyone can enjoy delicious coffee.
Throughout its development, Starbucks has changed and improved, but only one thing has always remained the same – this is the unlimited love of its owners for coffee and their business. What exactly contributed to this brand success?
The main thing is communication
Despite the fact that coffee is a key product at Starbucks, the main emphasis is not on it at all, according to Howard Schulz (Starbucks CEO). Visitors appreciate this establishment, first of all, for the excellent opportunity to communicate with other people in comfortable conditions, be it a friendly meeting or business negotiations.
When the company conducted a marketing study about why people visit the Starbucks network, it was found that the availability of tasty coffee is not in the first place, although it is among the five most popular answers. In the first place, visitors put exactly the social factor – the possibility of pleasant interaction. The Starbucks team has devoted a lot of time to creating a promotional atmosphere inside the institutions. To make visitors feel comfortable, they created a maximum of conditions – comfortable furniture, a pleasant unobtrusive interior, free internet access, and a special layout of the rooms.
Since Starbucks coffee shops won the love of visitors not only as a place of rest, but also as a place to work (business meetings are often held in these coffee houses, and freelancers come there with laptops and start working), Howard Schulz came up with a definition for his establishments like ” third place “, that is, something between home and work.
“Our main goal is not just to feed customers. Our goal is to make our customers feel mentally comfortable inside Starbucks, ”Schultz says proudly.
Special coffee
Despite the above, coffee also plays a certain (not the last role) in the development of Starbucks. It all started with a small store in which three friends (the founders of Starbucks) were selling coffee beans of their own roasting. Howard Schulz joined the company later; however, he decided to maintain the established traditions regarding high-quality coffee and his own roasting of beans. In this regard, Howard Schulz had certain problems in the management of the company, which he was able to solve, while satisfying the visitors.
Thus, a proprietary method of obtaining coffee powder was developed, which was necessary to avoid the problem of exhalation of long-stored coffee. Also, at the request of customers, decaffeinated coffee and skimmed milk began to be sold in coffee houses, although the presence of these products somewhat contradicted the original concept of the establishment.
Starbucks does not bypass social responsibility, which is now so fashionable to talk about in large companies. Activities are based on the principles of fair production and fair trade, only adult and legal labor is used and all kinds of activities are supported in favor of environmental protection and ecology.
“Name” glasses
The idea to write the names of the people who ordered the drink on glasses and loudly pronounce them to the whole hall turned out to be simple and ingenious. Such personalization, personal appeal to each of the visitors is very appealing and causes a special sympathy for the brand. This idea was the one that makes Starbucks stand out from all other coffee shops.
Barista should communicate openly and benevolently with all visitors. This is almost officially recorded as his main job obligation. If a barista is the coolest specialist, but is not social by nature, they will not hire him at Starbucks.
When in the 2000s new, bulky coffee machines were bought at the coffee houses, and they began to close the barista behind the counter from visitors, the decision was immediately made to redevelop the bar counter so that the employee and customers had an open visual contact. Otherwise, such a barrier against the basic idea of Starbucks – “communication and communication again!”.
Starbucks Success Secrets
Bright room
In every Starbucks coffee shop, doors and windows are sure to look east or south. If the front of the room faces north, Starbucks never rents it, even if it is in the most advantageous location in the city. This is another fundamental principle of the institution, from which they never retreat.
“This requirement for the premises is based on the fact that it is much more pleasant for visitors to be in a bright room with well-penetrating daylight, but the light should not be blind in the eyes,” say the company managers.
