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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
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