Customer Relationship Management Starbucks Corporation

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY This document included a survey about Starbucks. I went to a Starbucks on Xinhua road as a mystery shopper. Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) is an international coffee and coffeehouse chain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries. (starbucks, 2011) In this report I will tell you my experience of being a mystery shopper. I will analysis my scenario as a mystery shopper and what I did at the starbucks. I will describe starbucks’s customer service with my knowledge of Pet peeves and 14 factors of company culture.And also, I will suggest some solutions to improve the retail starbucks’s customer servise. CONTENTS Cover page†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 1 Executive summary†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 2 Contents†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 3 Introduction†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦4 Discussion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 5 Question 1†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 5 Question 2†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦8 Question 3†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦9 Question 4†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 11 Question 5†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 13 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 14 Reference list†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 15 INTRODUCTION Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries.That’s why I chose starbucks. Starbucks is still inadequate, still need to strengthen and improve. In this experience, I was very carefully to record every detail, and try to remember them. I believe that no matter how perfect management system they have there still has a loophole. This report will bring starbucks great benefits. I will analysis my scenario as a mystery shopper and what I did at the starbucks. I will describe starbucks’s customer service with my knowledge of Pet peeves and 14 factors of company culture.And also, I will suggest some solutions to improve the retail starbucks’s customer service. DISCUSSION Question 1 Explain about the retail store. You need to look for company’s information on internet. Starbucks Corporation (NASDAQ: SBUX) is an international coffee and coffeehouse ch ain based in Seattle, Washington. Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries, including over 11,000 in the United States, over 1,000 in Canada, over 700 in the United Kingdom, and over 150 in Turkey.Starbucks sells drip brewed coffee, espresso-based hot drinks, other hot and cold drinks, coffee beans, salads, hot and cold sandwiches and Panini , pastries, snacks, and items such as mugs and tumblers. Through the Starbucks Entertainment division and Hear Music brand, the company also markets books, music, and film. Many of the company's products are seasonal or specific to the locality of the store. Starbucks-brand ice cream and coffee are also offered at grocery stores. From Starbucks' founding in later forms in Seattle as a local coffee bean roaster and retailer, the company has expanded rapidly.In the 1990s, Starbucks was opening a new store every workday, a pace that continued into the 2000s. The first store outside the United Sta tes or Canada opened in the mid-1990s, and overseas stores now constitute almost one third of Starbucks' stores. The company planned to open a net of 900 new stores outside of the United States in 2009, but has announced 900 store closures in the United States since 2008. The company is named in part after Starbuck, Captain Ahab's first mate in the novel Moby-Dick, as well as a turn-of-the-century mining camp (Starbo or Storbo) on Mount Rainier.According to Howard Schultz's book Pour Your Heart Into It: How Starbucks Built a Company One Cup at a Time, the name of the company was derived from Moby-Dick, although not in as direct a fashion as many assume. Gordon Bowker liked the name â€Å"Pequod† (the ship in the novel), but his then creative partner Terry Heckler responded, â€Å"No one's going to drink a cup of Pee-quod! † Heckler suggested â€Å"Starbo†. Brainstorming with these two ideas resulted in the company being named after the Pequod's first mate, Starb uck.And also, starbucks’s logo had changed three times. The first Starbucks was opened in Seattle, Washington, on March 30, 1971 by three partners: English teacher Jerry Baldwin, history teacher Zev Siegl, and writer Gordon Bowker. The three were inspired by entrepreneur Alfred Peet (whom they knew personally) to sell high-quality coffee beans and equipment. The name is taken from Moby-Dick; after Pequod was rejected by one of the co-founders, the company was named after the first mate on the Pequod, Starbuck.From 1971–1976, the first Starbucks was at 2000 Western Avenue; it then was relocated to 1912 Pike Place, where it remains to this day. During their first year of operation, they purchased green coffee beans from Peet's, then began buying directly from growers. The Starbucks Center, Seattle. The company HQ, in the old Sears, Roebuck and Co. catalog distribution center building Entrepreneur Howard Schultz joined the company in 1982 as Director of Retail Operations and Marketing, and after a trip to Milan, advised that the company should sell coffee and espresso drinks as well as beans.Seattle had become home to a thriving countercultural coffeehouse scene since the opening of the Last Exit on Brooklyn in 1967, the owners rejected this idea, believing that getting into the beverage business would distract the company from its primary focus. To them, coffee was something to be prepared in the home, but they did give away free samples of pre-made drinks. Certain that there was money to be made selling pre-made drinks, Schultz started the Il Giornale coffee bar chain in April 1986. (starbucks, 2011) Question 2 Explain why you chose the retail store.Starbucks is the largest coffeehouse company in the world, with 17,009 stores in 55 countries. Yeah, it's rather unremarkable. Starbucks is everywhere. What is remarkable is how successful they are. I believe that no matter how perfect management system they have there still has a loophole. I go to sta rbucks not just as a coffee drinker, but as someone who was pleased with both the service, and quality of my request. The number of choices one has almost makes it impossible to be dissatisfied with whatever you get, and get this; you can have them make it over or how you want it specifically if you are dissatisfied.Starbucks has taken the opportunity that other small business haven't yet. This is why so many people drink it. It's everywhere, convenient, and practical as a beverage seller. If you personally don't like the coffee, they have entire menu with things that are not coffe. I definitely love starbucks. It is a cool place to relax and hangout. I don't only order coffee there anyways. I love their pastries and lattle . I love how they give a calming aura. It gets my stress off. And really coffee is delicious depends on the taste buds of the person. Question 3Explain about your scenario as a mystery shopper and what you did at the outlet. I went to starbucks as a mystery shopp er for three times. For the first time,I walked into starbucks, the waiter said hello to me, and asked me what do I want to drink, so, I ordered a cup of lattle. The waiter asked me whether I need any dessert or not. I ordered a piece of cheese cake. And I paid for both of them, the waiter handed me my order. He smiled warmly and wished me a nice day. For the second time, I just sit here ,and didn’t order anything. Luckily ,they didn’t push me away.For the third time, I ordered a cup of Mocha Frappuccino, but I found a hair in it. I was very surprised and I told the waiter about it. He changed my drink to a larger sized one, and apologized to me . I was very satisfied with their service. Check points ?Number of employees in the store on entering: 3. ?How long it takes before the mystery shopper is greeted: 3 second. ?The name of the employees: zhangqin machao zhangwei. ?Whether or not the greeting is friendly, or if they didn’t greet the customer : the greeting is friendly. ?The questions asked by the shopper to find a suitable products: the answer is very good. The types of products shown (if they suggest too expansive products): they just introduce me some new product. ?The sales arguments used by the employee(if you felt sales pressure): no I didn’t felt any stress ,they’re all very kind. ?Whether or how the employee attempted to close the sale: they didn’t close the sale, they just handed your order default to close the sale. ?Whether the employee suggested any add-on sales: yes. ?Whether the employee invited the shopper to come back to the store: yes. ?Cleanliness of store and store associates: the store is very clean. ?Speed of service: fast Store appearance, and grooming/presentation: the decoration is very fashionable, and in order to meet the Christmas, Christmas decorations are everywhere. ?Was it easy to find the store in a shopping center or in a street ? : yes, it’s easy to find starbucks on Xinhua road. ?Ask them if there are any kinds of student discount program. Did they reply to you in proper manner? :yes ? Ask them if refund or exchange is possible when you’re not happy with the product. How did they respond to you? : food product can not change, they feel sorry about this, they ask me some questions about the food so that they can improve.Question 4 Describe the retail store’s customer service with your knowledge of Pet peeves and 14 factors of company culture. Pet peeves I think starbucks’s service is very good, most details do very well. I didn’t feel being ignore, because they say hello to me, when I came in . And also, I didn’t feel high pressure sales, they just suggest me sincerely . But the second time I do this report , I was disappointedly with the poor quality work, I found a hair in my cup, they do not very well about the cleaning. But they changed my drink to a larger sized one, and apologized to e . I was very satisfied wit h their service. In short, I was satisfied with the customer service. 14 factors of company culture ?Greeting customers: do very well ?Initiating conversation : do very well ?Sincerely complimenting customers: do very well ?Calling customers by name: I don’t know ?Establishing and maintaining eye contact: good job ?Ask for feedback: just so so ?Listening skillfully: do very well ?Say polite words: do very well ?Smiling: good job ?Using good telephone techniques: just so so ?Using appropriate touch techniques: just so so Enjoying people: do very well ?Being positive about selling: do very well ?Watching your workplace attractiveness: good job The good service with The old chairs and table, friendly barista, soothing music and the aroma of the coffee makes you feel relaxed and at home. Starbucks gives us the feeling of relaxation and belonging. We feel it because Starbucks is true to its values and it shows. And because we believed in what â€Å"Starbucks† offers us, we give value to it by being loyal. Question 5 Suggest some solutions to improve the retail store’s customer service.A few of the Starbucks coffees are not so bad but the problem is that they often sit for a very long time before being served. Usually, the better coffees are not available brewed. My biggest personal gripe with Starbucks is that they replaced all of the espresso machines with automatic versions over the past few years. The quality and strength of the espresso has gone down substantially and the price is no longer even partly justified since it no longer takes time, effort, or skill to make espresso beverages. most of their drinks have so much sugar and calories, and they have this fancy complicated lingo to place a coffee order†¦. hat should be so simple! I believe most people like Starbucks is because is in style! even though they don't really know what they are drinking. Starbucks should care more about our healthy! And also, the employees need to be more carefull. CONCLUSION That’s What They Serve. There’s no greater purpose in life than service to others. And indeed, Starbucks are one of those company who are living and being true to this famous line. In its book entitled â€Å"It’s Not about Coffee†, the author and previous CEO, Howard Behar, have mentioned that Starbucks is all about People.From their employees to its customers and suppliers, they give priority to people and relationships. And to prove it, they do not call their employees as â€Å"staff†, which most of us are being called by our bosses. Instead, they call all employees from below to top as â€Å"partners†. Because they truly believes that each and everyone is contributing to the success and growth of the Company. They believe that each and everyone can be a great contribution to an organization’s success, and the world for that matter. Amazing isn’t?And that reason alone is why a lot of people is giving back the value that this Company is providing them. (starbucks, 2011) Three Important Lessons From Starbucks ?If we have vision it creates magic. ?When we are sure of our value it creates direction and feeling on what we offer others. ?If we prioritize on people, we do not need to look for the reward and recognition, it comes to us. REFERENCES LIST http://www. starbucks. cn/ http://en. wikipedia. org/wiki/Starbucks http://www. ihatestarbucks. com/why. php