Help- Starbucks Problem

Question

I have to make a case study (this is my 1st one) about Starbucks. The central problem is Starbucks MARKETING. Essentially, Starbucks is struggling because it has lost its unique atmosphere.

I need 3 alternatives to the problem as well as 4 advantages & disadvantages for each alternative. I think I have 3 alternatives but I don’t know if they are good enough or will really solve my central problem from a MARKETING perspective (or if I have gone off track and answered a different problem).

*Please help me come up with some detailed ideas for alternatives & advantages/disadvantages and help me better the ones I have developed. I've been to Starbucks a few times before however I'm not as familiar with everything they offer (promotions/if they freshly scoop their coffee etc) because each Starbucks varies. I have done some research but it hasn't been very helpful because a lot of what I read isn't accurate. I would really appreciate your help, innovative ideas, and any useful incite into Starbucks. Thank you!

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My Alternatives:

1-Cleanliness/Hygiene- they should be more thorough in cleaning their machines, frequently clean tables, use gloves to serve food etc.

2-Improve their interior designs- make it more homely in ALL Starbucks with comfortable seating etc.

3- Commercials/Advertising- I know they haven’t done commercials because they don’t want to take the usual advertising approach, they want to be unique and keep a connection with customers by the way they have their store atmosphere, but I don’t think that it’s helping. I think by advertising and implementing the concepts of the “feel” they want in their shops will help attract ppl and keep that atmosphere going.

Please help me come up with some ideas for advantages/disadvantages. Also please feel free to critique my alternatives and help me come up with better more innovative ones. I am completely new to this and am having a hard time, I would appreciate any and all help. Keep in mind that I have to take this from a Marketing perspective, NOT a Financial one so coupons and lower prices won’t help unless I can incorporate it in a marketing strategy. Thank you!

Answer 1

market invloves image

the biggest problem is that mcdonalds was voted to have better tastign coffee than starbucks and at a cheaper price

it also no longer uses baristas that make the coffee from scratch - they use those little pods and no longer grind their beans on the premise- theyve taken a lot of shortcuts that we all liked starbucks not to have taken

family style seating wont change the atmosphere as they really have that   already.

advertisign :in my state they've done alot through the  newspaper media

Answer 2

One thing that causes Starbucks coffee to taste the way it does (and I mean this in a bad way) compared with local shops and even other coffee chains is that their "premium" beans used for "freshly" brewed coffee are roasted to a point far beyond what they should be, for three reasons: 1) the company thinks that this produces coffee that the consumers want, 2) nearly-burnt beans can be stored for an extremely long period of time, and 3) they've already been doing this for a long time, and so the flavor of those over-roasted beans has become part of their brand.

The special "atmosphere" of Starbucks is essentially the same as it would be for any other place that might simulate a busy market in the way it carries out its customer transactions: Long standing line, uneven lighting, noisy production, shouted jargon, and plenty of places to sit. I worked coffee for years and only left a year ago to go back to college. I've gotten the exact same "feel" in other coffee places, as well as in busy food establishments where there isn't a lot of room. The thing going for Starbucks (or that *used* to be going for Starbucks) as a place to go is that so many people (perhaps quite foolishly) see it as a "hip" place, or a place where they are likely to see/encounter attractive people. To some extent that's true, but only because people keep thinking so-- it's not a result of anything that Starbucks uniquely brings to the table. They're just lucky they started off that way-- and some locations aren't so lucky. They lose their perceived charm or just never really take off, and that's why you sometimes see dead Starbucks locations. The patron chain reaction just fizzles.

As the last answer mentioned-- yeah, the baristas of Starbucks have had a lot of their procedural wiggle-room obliterated by one-touch auto shot-grinding/measuring/tamping/pulling machines, but there're still room for personal style/quality to appear in coffee-making. Starbucks just needs to change a bit to appeal to customers who may be increasingly wary of being sold automated output.

BTW, "homely" means unappealing/nasty. "Homey" or "cozy" is probably what you're looking for. =)