Starbucks takes a
holistic approach using responsible purchasing practices, farmer loans and
forest conservation programs. Starbucks is committed to buying and serving
high-quality coffee that is responsibly grown and ethically traded. It honours
this commitment through responsible coffee purchasing practices, farmer support
centres, loan programs and forest conservation efforts. When Starbucks buys
coffee this way, they believe that it helps foster a better future for farmers
and helps mitigate the impacts of climate change for the planet.
The My Starbucks Idea website, where
Starbucks does its business crowdsourcing, has been actively engaging customers
for over 4 years now. It encourages customers to submit ideas for better
products, improving the customer experience, and defining new community
involvement, among other categories.
Customers can submit, view, and discuss
submitted ideas along with employees from various Starbucks departments ‘Idea
Partners’. The company regularly polls its customers for their favorite
products and has a leaderboard to track which customers are the most active in
submitting ideas, comments, and poll participation. The site is at once a crowdsourcing tool, a
market research method that brings customer priorities to light, an online
community, and an effective internet marketing tool.
Experience
customization
Starbucks provides its unique experience
through programs such as My
Starbucks Rewards, personalized “signature” drinks, and localized store
experiences. Their social sites, in particular Pinterest and Instagram,
encourage users to share their Starbucks moments whether it be the return of a
favorite holiday drink or just an artsy coffee cup shot.
Taking
a stand
Giving consumers a charitable reason to buy
that steaming cup is beneficial for all. The takeaway from Starbucks is to know
your customer and tie that in with what matters in the world.
Starbucks
reflects a mission
Starbucks' mission is “to inspire and nurture the
human spirit “one person, one cup, and one neighbourhood at a time.” It believes lifting customers up will lead to more customer loyalty. Starbucks' ‘The Way
I See It’ quote campaign is a perfect example.
