Quick—what’s the first thing you think of when someone says the word “Starbucks?” Coffee? A comfortable place to meet? The color green? A highly successful global business?
Have you thought about Starbucks being an example to follow, not only in business, but in normal life?
This concept was brought to my attention a few months back. I stopped by the local Starbucks and was standing in line when I noticed a magnet to the left of the sales counter that said, “Be welcoming; offer everyone a sense of belonging.” Although it was intended for the partners (employees), I asked Sarah, the store manager, about it. She explained that the magnet encapsulated one aspect of the company’s business philosophy. Then she went to the back of the store and returned with a small booklet. Known to Starbucks partners as The Green Apron Book, it was an employee manual in miniature. After reading it that afternoon, what impressed me the most was the absence of rules. In their place were suggestions, goals, and the empowerment to make every customer’s experience a memorable one. It was at that moment that I realized the significance of Starbucks’ philosophy—not only for business, but for life in general.
Not everyone has access to The Green Apron Book, but Joseph Michelli’s book The Starbucks Experience is an excellent alternative. In it, the author shares five distinct principles that, if implemented, can transform a company (or an individual) from the inside out.
Since Starbucks is not a franchised company, it is able to create a predictable experience for the customer. Part of this lies in the store layout, the coffee drinks, the music, and the people working there. In fact, the people are so critical to the business philosophy that the company treats them incredibly well (health benefits for those working over 20 hour/week, for starters). In turn, they work hard, are knowledgeable about their main product (coffee), and will sometimes go to great lengths to make a customer’s experience memorable.
To the people of Starbucks, everything matters—from the farmers growing the coffee beans used to the environmental impact of using paper cups and sleeves. Complaints and criticisms are addressed head-on, responsibility for errors is taken, and opportunities to learn and improve as a company are seized. Sometimes predictability is thrown out the window in favor of surprises, such as free samples. As a result, the company and its store partners are able to leave a positive impression on the communities they are in, despite Starbucks’ nearly ubiquitous presence.
In addition to business concepts and principles, Michelli provides numerous real-life examples of how the Starbucks philosophy works. These stories are well worth the price of the book. From baristas devising a unique way to serve drinks at their flagship location in Seattle to a training method used to help partners create the Starbucks experience for customers (it’s a game), the Starbucks way is shown to be both distinctive and effective. Michelli includes both successes and failures, providing a refreshing change of pace as well as proof that the largest coffee company in the world sometimes makes mistakes.
Although The Starbucks Experience is geared for businesses, its ideas can also be powerful for the individual desiring to make a difference in life. One of the central tenets of the Starbucks way is relationship building. Anyone can add coffee grounds to water and call it a drink. But the relationship that is built between barista and customer, over time, can transcend coffee and pastries. Likewise, humanity was not meant to live in a vacuum or on a deserted island. We crave relationships and will acquire them as best we know how. This is only natural, considering that God created people in order to be in an active relationship with them. Perhaps churches and other business organizations should take a good look at the value of relationships to Starbucks, because they’re obviously heading in the right direction.
I can think of no better example than one Halloween when I stopped by a Starbucks on the way home. The cashier addressed me by the character’s name I was dressed up as; the barista did the same when the drink was ready. That cup (with “Mr. Wonka” written on it) remains on my desk as a reminder of the importance of relationships and turning an ordinary experience into an extraordinary one.
Joseph Michelli has done us a valuable service by writing The Starbucks Experience. You would be well-advised to order your favorite coffee drink and read the book for yourself.
