Thursday, March 20, 2008
Starbucks Tries to Become More Relevant
Starbucks has faced increasing competition as it increasingly has turned itself into a giant coffee machine. Where once baristas applied skill to get espresso shots to turn out the right way (or at least as right as you can get when your beans are overly roasted), now it's a push button land. And when coffee is the result of pushing buttons, of course a McDonald's or Dunkin Donuts can enter the market. Hell, it only requires buying the equipment. So CEO Howard Schultz has announced a series of steps to improve "the coffee experience," as reported by the Financial Times:
- Install lower-height automatic espresso machines so you can see the bored look in the barista's eyes.
- Add yet another coffee blend that is different from all the other ones the chain has sold.
- Buy a company that makes single-cup grinding and brewing machines for filter coffee and put them into select stores because, as you know, more things to look at or buy means better coffee.
- Provide extra ingredients and toppings to people who use the Starbucks purchase cards because that way your coffee becomes even more of a commodity.
- Start a social networking site to let people suggest ideas and vote on them, which doesn't sound all that tasty, but what do I know?
- Get into health and wellness food and drink, which probably means cutting the caffeine and, therefore, the coffee that they want to promote.
