Page 242 - The Apple Experience
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following points that Schultz made in his e-mail, and ask yourself whether
you would have considered these details to describe the decline in the
Starbucks experience that Schultz observed. According to Schultz, here is
where Starbucks had lost its way.
When we went to automatic espresso machines, we solved a major problem
in terms of speed of service and efficiency. At the same time we overlooked
the fact that we would remove much of the romance and theater that was in
play.
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The height of the new machines blocked the visual sight line the customer
previously had to watch the drink being made and for the intimate
experience with the barista.
The need for fresh-roasted coffee moved us toward the decision and the need
for flavor locked packaging … we achieved fresh-roasted, bagged coffee, but
at what cost? The loss of aroma—perhaps the most powerful nonverbal
signal we had in our stores; the loss of our people scooping fresh coffee from
the bins and grinding it fresh in front of the customer.
Stores no longer have the soul of the past and reflect a chain of stores versus
the warm feeling of a neighborhood store. Some people even call our stores
sterile, cookie cutter, no longer reflecting the passion our partners feel about
our coffee.
When Schultz returned as the Starbucks CEO, one of his strategic
initiatives was to reignite the emotional attachment with customers. “The
equity of the Starbucks brands was steeped in the unique experience
customers have from the moment they walk into the store,” said Schultz.
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He believed that stores can make emotional connections through the stories
they tell. And everything tells the story. “Ideally, every Starbucks store should
tell a story about coffee and what we as an organization believe in. That story