The Starbucks Way
Prepared by:
James J. Messina, Ph.D.
5 Guiding Principles of
Starbucks
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Make it your own
Everything matters
Surprise and delight
Embrace resistance
Leave your mark
Listen and respond with a greater
awareness of opportunity
Principle 1: Make it your
own by the 5 Ways of Being
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
Be
Be
Be
Be
Be
welcoming
genuine
considerate
knowledgeable
involved
Make it your own by the 5 Ways of Being
1. Be Welcoming
Questions your customers have in meeting you
 Does this staff person care to get to know
me?
 Does this staff person remember me?
 Will this person take care of my needs?
 Do I matter?
 Am I invisible?
Make it your own by the 5 Ways of Being
1. Be Welcoming
Welcoming is:



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Offering everyone a sense of belonging
People feel they are a priority
People have their day brightened by being
involved with your service
Utilize your own style to create
this welcoming atmosphere
Make it your own by the 5 Ways of Being
1. Be Welcoming
Welcome people by name:
“Remember that a person’s name is to
that person the sweetest and most
important sound in the language. In
fact a person’s name may be his or her
most valuable possession”
Dale Carnegie
Make it your own by the Five Ways of Being
2. Be Genuine
To be genuine you must:
1.
2.
3.
Connect - person must feel heard- so listen to both
verbal & non-verbal cues from person you are
serving
Discover – go beyond the ordinary – you must have
a genuine desire and make the effort to exceed what
your client expects
Respond – do not just listen to clients, but take
action immediately based on what you hear- learn
from these experiences for future client interactions
Make it your own by the Five Ways of Being
3. Be Considerate
Be considerate of needs on a global level
Starbuck staff people are encouraged to
look beyond their own needs and consider
the needs of all other such as: customers,
potential customers, critics, coworkers,
other shareholders, managers, support staff,
farmers who pick the beans, vendors and
even the environment!
Make it your own by the Five Ways of Being
4. Be Knowledgeable
Be knowledgeable: love what
you do and share it with others


Add value to your efforts when you gain
work-related knowledge
Starbucks encourages their employees to be
fully trained and knowledgeable about
coffee
Make it your own by the Five Ways of Being
5. Be Involved
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
Be involved: Starbucks encourages
employees to be active in their stores, their
company and the community
Leaders encourage employees to go
beyond just doing their day-to-day job and
to instead invest attentive, creative, and
passionate energy – for a “Yes I Will”
attitude of service to others
Principle Two:
Everything Matters
Howard Shultz: “Retail is Detail” – all business
is detail – everything matters
Reflecting the highest standards by:
1. Ensuring the highest level of product quality
2. Excelling at customer service
3. Building a rewarding culture
Everything Matters
Everything & Everybody Matters!
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Store environment
Product quality
Training of Staff
Development of playful culture
Social consciousness
Developing a “felt sense” in stores
Acknowledging, celebrating, playing!
Principle 3:
Surprise and Delight


Customers want the predictable and
consistent with an occasional positive twist
or added value thrown in: The Cracker
Jack Principle – a surprise in every box!
That something different which
differentiates them from the competition
and builds brand loyalty
Surprise and Delight
How to Surprise and Delight
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Recognize that people anticipate & hope that
they will be dazzled!
Look for a need & then BAM-step in & fill it!
Most effective means are natural &
spontaneous
Delight results from unwavering commitment to
creating a trusting & comfortable relationship
Principle 4:
Embrace Resistance
Starbucks Values criticism
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
“A person only profits from praise when he
values criticism”
Learn to create business and relationship
opportunities when confronted with
skepticism, irritation or wariness
Embrace Resistance
What is Gained?
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You must distinguish between customers
who want concerns resolved vs. never stop
complaining or being satisfied
When concerns of critics are allayed they can
become ardent supporters
When errors are made: take direct,
responsibility & follow up with correct action
– 95% of dissatisfied clients will return if you
do so
Principle 5:
Leave Your Mark
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Starbucks believes that an important part of
their success is linked to the powerful and
positive impact that they have on their
communities
Social involvement is integral to their
leadership mission
They are committed to corporate
stewardship-staff, suppliers, communities
Leave Your Mark
Impact of Leave Your Mark
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People want to do business with, work for &
invest in socially conscious companies
Employee morale is 3 times higher in
community involved companies
By being involved in community based
activities employees grow in leadership
Value of the brand is linked to trust people
have for it
References
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Starbucks website:
http://www.starbucks.com/default.asp
Joseph Michelli (2007). The Starbucks
Experience – 5 Principles for Turning
Ordinary into Extraordinary. New York:
McGraw Hill