Page 97 - The Starbucks Experience

PRINCIPLE 3

The idea behind the Surprise and Delight principle isn’t a new
one. In fact, one of the most famous commercial examples is
more than a hundred years old. In the late 1800s at the
World’s Columbian Exposition, Chicago’s first World’s Fair,
the Rueckheim brothers delighted young and old with their
unique confection consisting of popcorn, peanuts, and
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molasses. While Cracker Jack was a consistently popular
treat, its appeal increased dramatically in 1912, when a sur-
prise could be found in every package.
Businesses today are increasingly being challenged to pro-
vide the caramelized popcorn and peanuts as well as the
“prize.” Consumers want the predictable and consistent, with
an occasional positive twist or added value thrown in. Psy-
chologists who study happiness (the correct psychological/
research term is subjective well-being) often talk about the
82 importance of predictability for safety and security (the
caramelized popcorn, if you will), mixed with small incre-
ments of variety to offset boredom (the prize).
Unfortunately, many companies focus too much on the
basic ingredients and not enough on adding that extra some-
thing that differentiates them from their competition and
builds brand loyalty. Starbucks leaders, however, have made
a firm commitment to creating an experience of Surprise and
Delight in many areas of their business. Starbucks manage-
ment seeks ways to implement subjective well-being for cus-
tomers and staff—which, in turn, has a profound effect on
loyalty, community, and profit.

The Expectation Effect
When Cracker Jack made its debut, customers were truly
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surprised. But much has changed in a hundred years, and