Introduction
Starbucks, which has thousands of stores both nationwide and internationally, is unquestionably among the most well-known coffee chains in the world. There are many factors that contribute to its uniqueness and, therefore, create a loyal customer base. However, similarly to any business, Starbucks can still make improvements to its business and customer experience, despite its success. Thus, although the corporation thrives in product variety, ambiance, and delivering a distinctive experience, it must enhance its customer service, sustainability efforts, and menu development.
Elements That Drive Starbucks’ Success
Quality Coffee
First, it is essential to start with factors that contribute to Starbucks’ success. Among the most fundamental aspects that make Starbucks unique is the quality of its coffee. Starbucks guarantees to roast the beans to perfection, providing the most outstanding quality in each cup. To make sure the coffee matches the firm’s high standards, a team of professionals from the company evaluates it (Starbucks, n.d.).
Customer Experience
The second characteristic that sets Starbucks apart is the customer experience. Customers at Starbucks may expect a distinctive experience. Customers are encouraged to rest and relish their coffee since the firm has made each of its locations seem warm and inviting. Warm lighting, cozy furnishings, and soothing music all contribute to the businesses’ distinctive and inviting ambiance.
Free Wi-Fi
Furthermore, Starbucks provides free Wi-Fi, which draws in professionals and students who want to work or study while sipping coffee. Lastly, Starbucks offers a wide range of items in addition to coffee. Tea, hot chocolate, and smoothies are just a few of the many beverages that the business sells, along with sandwiches, pastries, and cakes. Thus, the company strives to accommodate all of its clients’ demands, including those who have dietary restrictions.
Areas for Improvement
Environmental Practices
However, there are additional areas that need improvement to retain their clients. First, Starbucks has taken steps to become more environmentally friendly by committing to decreasing waste, providing reusable cups, and using ethically sourced products (Starbucks, n.d.-c). However, it is noteworthy that there is still potential for development. Starbucks should adopt more eco-friendly procedures to allay concerns regarding emissions, such as using renewable energy and minimizing plastic packaging.
Menu Innovation
The second area for improvement in Starbucks involves menu innovation. Starbucks is well-known for its recognizable beverages, such as the Pumpkin Spice Latte, but the menu could use more variation. Starbucks may draw in new clients and keep its devoted fan base passionate about new products by experimenting with different tastes and ingredients.
Customer Service
Customer service is the third area where Starbucks can do better. Although the business takes pride in providing a leading customer experience, some locations can be criticized for excessive wait times, uncleanliness, and impolite employees. To guarantee that every customer is treated with respect and given a high-quality experience, Starbucks could think about investing in more employee training and improved staff management.
The Implementation of CRM
Lastly, businesses aiming to better customer connections, boost productivity, manage data, and improve reporting can benefit from a variety of CRM solutions. A CRM system should be a top priority for any company hoping to expand and thrive in the competitive business environment of today.
Types of CRM
The most popular kind of CRM utilized by enterprises is operational CRM. It focuses on optimizing and automating customer-facing operations, including efficiency in sales, marketing, and customer care (Shanthi, 2019). CRM that focuses on the analysis of customer data in order to gather insights and enhance the customer experience is known as analytical CRM (Shanthi, 2019). Businesses may use these CRMs to study consumer trends, preferences, and behavior.
Finally, CRM that focuses on enhancing cooperation amongst a company’s many departments is known as collaborative CRM. Businesses may use this kind of CRM to exchange client information and facilitate communication across several departments, including sales, marketing, and customer support (Shanthi, 2019). By giving firms a single perspective of customer interactions across several departments, collaborative CRM aids companies in improving their customer experience.
The Starbucks CRM
As for Starbucks, the foundation of the company’s CRM system is customization, and it is similar to the analytical type of CRM. The Starbucks smartphone app allows users to personalize their beverages, place orders in advance, and receive rewards by creating an account (Starbucks, n.d.-b). The mobile app gathers information on user preferences and utilizes it to provide tailored promos and recommendations.
Furthermore, the Starbucks Rewards program is a crucial part of the business’s CRM system. Every purchase a customer makes can earn them points that can be exchanged for free beverages, food, and other benefits (Starbucks, n.d.-b). The CRM system at Starbucks also has a tool for gathering customer feedback. Customers can give feedback through a variety of methods provided by the business, such as in-store surveys, a smartphone app, and social media.
Conclusion
Hence, the company needs to enhance its customer service, sustainability procedures, and menu innovation even if it excels in product diversity, atmosphere, and unique experience. On the one hand, the business tries to satisfy every request from a customer, even those who have dietary limitations.
To keep their customers, they still need to make some other changes, including diversifying their menu, making their goods and packaging more environmentally friendly, and developing staff training programs to improve the quality of their customer service. Starbucks’ CRM is comparable to the analytical form of CRM in that customization is the system’s core component.
References
Shanthi, R. (2019). Customer relationship management. MJP Publisher.
Starbucks. (n.d.-a). Culture and values. Web.
Starbucks. (n.d.-b). Rewards. Web.
Starbucks. (n.d.-c). Striving for a sustainable future: Starbucks Coffee Company. Web.