哈佛案例Starbucks504016p2

9-504-016REV:JULY10,2006________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ProfessorsYoungmeMoonandJohnQuelchpreparedthiscase.HBScasesaredevelopedsolelyasthebasisforclassdiscussion.Casesarenotintendedtoserveasendorsements,sourcesofprimarydata,orillustrationsofeffectiveorineffectivemanagement.Copyright©2003PresidentandFellowsofHarvardCollege.Toordercopiesorrequestpermissiontoreproducematerials,call1-800-545-7685,writeHarvardBusinessSchoolPublishing,Boston,MA02163,orgoto—electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recording,orotherwise—withoutthepermissionofHarvardBusinessSchool.YOUNGMEMOONJOHNQUELCHStarbucks:DeliveringCustomerServiceInlate2002,ChristineDay,Starbucks’seniorvicepresidentofadministrationinNorthAmerica,satintheseventh-floorconferenceroomofStarbucks’Seattleheadquartersandreachedforhersecondcupoftoffee-nutlatte.Thehandcraftedbeverage—abuttery,toffee-nutflavoredespressoconcoctiontoppedwithwhippedcreamandtoffeesprinkles—hadbecomearegularafternoonindulgenceforDayeversinceitsintroductionearlierthatyear.Asshewaitedforhercolleaguestojoinher,Dayreflectedonthecompany’srecentperformance.Whileotherretailerswerestillreelingfromthepost-9/11recession,Starbuckswasenjoyingits11thconsecutiveyearof5%orhighercomparablestoresalesgrowth,promptingitsfounderandchairman,HowardSchultz,todeclare:“Ithinkwe’vedemonstratedthatweareclosetoarecession-proofproduct.”1Day,however,wasnotfeelingnearlyassanguine,inpartbecauseStarbucks’mostrecentmarketresearchhadrevealedsomeunexpectedfindings.“We’vealwaystakengreatprideinourretailservice,”saidDay,“butaccordingtothedata,we’renotalwaysmeetingourcustomers’expectationsintheareaofcustomersatisfaction.”Asaresultoftheseconcerns,Dayandherassociateshadcomeupwithaplantoinvestanadditional$40millionannuallyinthecompany’s4,500stores,whichwouldalloweachstoretoaddtheequivalentof20hoursoflaboraweek.“Theideaistoimprovespeed-of-serviceandtherebyincreasecustomersatisfaction,”saidDay.Intwodays,DaywasduetomakeafinalrecommendationtobothSchultzandOrinSmith,Starbucks’CEO,aboutwhetherthecompanyshouldmoveforwardwiththeplan.“TheinvestmentistheEPS[earningspershare]equivalentofalmostsevencentsashare,”saidDay.InpreparationforhermeetingwithSchultzandSmith,Dayhadaskedoneofherassociatestohelpherthinkthroughtheimplicationsoftheplan.Daynoted,“Therealquestionis,dowebelievewhatourcustomersaretellingusaboutwhatconstitutes‘excellent’customerservice?Andifwedeliverit,whatwilltheimpactbeonoursalesandprofitability?”1JakeBatsell,“AGrandeDecadeforStarbucks,”TheSeattleTimes,June26,2002.504-016Starbucks:DeliveringCustomerService2CompanyBackgroundThestoryofhowHowardSchultzmanagedtotransformacommodityintoanupscaleculturalphenomenonhasbecomethestuffoflegends.In1971,threecoffeefanatics—GeraldBaldwin,GordonBowker,andZievSiegl—openedasmallcoffeeshopinSeattle’sPikePlaceMarket.Theshopspecializedinsellingwholearabicabeanstoanichemarketofcoffeepurists.In1982,SchultzjoinedtheStarbucksmarketingteam;shortlythereafter,hetraveledtoItaly,wherehebecamefascinatedwithMilan’scoffeeculture,inparticular,theroletheneighborhoodespressobarsplayedinItalians’everydaysociallives.Uponhisreturn,theinspiredSchultzconvincedthecompanytosetupanespressobarinthecornerofitsonlydowntownSeattleshop.AsSchultzexplained,thebarbecametheprototypeforhislong-termvision:TheideawastocreateachainofcoffeehousesthatwouldbecomeAmerica’s“thirdplace.”Atthetime,mostAmericanshadtwoplacesintheirlives—homeandwork.ButIbelievedthatpeopleneededanotherplace,aplacewheretheycouldgotorelaxandenjoyothers,orjustbebythemselves.Ienvisionedaplacethatwouldbeseparatefromhomeorwork,aplacethatwouldmeandifferentthingstodifferentpeople.Afewyearslater,SchultzgothischancewhenStarbucks’foundersagreedtosellhimthecompany.AssoonasSchultztookover,heimmediatelybeganopeningnewstores.Thestoressoldwholebeansandpremium-pricedcoffeebeveragesbythecupandcateredprimarilytoaffluent,well-educated,white-collarpatrons(skewedfemale)betweentheagesof25and44.By1992,thecompanyhad140suchstoresintheNorthwestandChicagoandwassuccessfullycompetingagainstothersmall-scalecoffeechainssuchasGloriaJean’sCoffeeBeanandBarnie’sCoffee&Tea.Thatsameyear,Schultzdecidedtotakethecompanypublic.Asherecalled,manyWallStreettypesweredubiousabouttheidea:“They’dsay,‘Youmean,you’regoingtosellcoffeeforadollarinapapercup,withItaliannamesthatnooneinAmericacansay?AtatimeinAmericawhennoone’sdrinkingcoffee?AndIcangetcoffeeatthelocalcoffeeshopordoughnutshopfor50cents?Areyoukiddingme?’”2Ignoringtheskeptics,Schultzforgedaheadwiththepublicoffering,raising$25millionintheprocess.TheproceedsallowedStarbuckstoopenmorestoresacrossthenation.By2002,SchultzhadunequivocallyestablishedStarbucksasthedominantspecialty-coffeebrandinNorthAmerica.Saleshadclimbedatacompoundannualgrowthrate(CAGR)of40%sincethecompanyhadgonepublic,andnetearningshadrisenataCAGRof50%.Thecompanywasnowserving20