Starbucks! Coffee and Craft that Won Hearts Globally

Starbucks, the iconic coffeehouse chain, has grown from a single store in Seattle to a global phenomenon, captivating coffee lovers across the world. Beyond just serving quality coffee, Starbucks has excelled at creating a strong brand identity and a memorable customer experience. This success can be attributed to their customer-centric approach and their dedication to internal marketing, which places great emphasis on nurturing and engaging their employees.

Brand contact planning process

A brand contact planning process is essentially a strategy that helps support a brand and the relationships it has with its stakeholders and consumers. This process has stages, and Klopper and North (2011:161) suggest basic steps that can help any brand.

Brand contact planning stages: How does Starbucks do it?

Stage 1: All points of contact

Starbucks understands the importance of an extensive brand contact inventory and adopts an "outside-in" approach to identify all points of brand contact. They consider the viewpoints of consumers and stakeholders to gain insight into how and where brand interactions occur.

Product Contact Points:

Starbucks consistently showcases its logo on all product packaging, reinforcing its visual brand identity and creating a strong association with quality coffee.

Service Contact Points:

Starbucks places significant importance on hiring, training, and rewarding its employees to ensure that they create a consistent and enjoyable experience for customers. Friendly and motivated staff play a pivotal role in maintaining the brand's customer-centric image.

Stage 2: Primary brand contact patterns

Starbucks' primary brand contact pattern revolves around service contact points, as these are the main channels through which customers interact with the brand to purchase their coffee. The primary brand contact patterns become essential to Starbucks' sustainability, brand cohesion, and equity. The brand management team recognizes these patterns as core to key stakeholder groups, shaping the overall brand experience.

Stage 3: Most important brand contact points

Using the "outside-in" consumer viewpoint, Starbucks evaluates each contact point's strategic influence based on five key variables:

First Contact Point: Starbucks prioritizes creating a positive first impression through welcoming atmospheres, friendly staff, and an aromatic coffee experience.

Last Contact Point: Starbucks aims to leave a lasting positive impression by bidding customers farewell warmly, offering loyalty cards, and encouraging repeat visits.

Frequent Contact Points: Consistent experiences at frequent touchpoints, like interactions with coffee baristas, establish and reinforce the brand's identity in customers' minds.

Impact Contact Points: Starbucks identifies impactful touchpoints, such as their loyalty program, which encourages repeat purchases and fosters brand loyalty.

Resonant Contact Points: Starbucks resonates with customers by creating a connection through touchpoints like the "mystarbucksidea.com" platform, allowing customers to contribute ideas and feel valued.

Stage 4: Brand contact cohesion strategy

Starbucks has successfully developed a cohesive brand contact strategy that ensures the fulfillment of its purpose and the consistent communication of its identity and values at each touchpoint. The brand's goal of creating a "third place between home and work" for human connection is effectively achieved through this strategy.

Stage 5: Managing the brand contact cohesion strategy

Starbucks recognizes the vital role of employees in shaping the brand experience. CEO Howard Schultz acknowledges that building the Starbucks brand starts with their people, not consumers. The brand has implemented a comprehensive training and engagement program to ensure employee alignment with its values.

Employee Training and Engagement:

New employees undergo extensive training, including a history of the brand, social responsibility, the coffee production process, and the brand's values and vision. Starbucks invests in its employees' development, creating a sense of unity and value by referring to them as "partners."

The Leadership Lab:

Starbucks takes its employee engagement to a whole new level with the "Leadership Lab," a remarkable experience that immerses employees in the coffee production process, fostering emotional connections between employees and the brand.

Internal Marketing, A Starbucks Quality

Internal marketing plays a pivotal role in the brand contact planning process at Starbucks. It is a strategic approach that focuses on engaging and aligning employees with the brand's purpose, values, and vision. Internal marketing is important for employee engagement because it acts as the bridge that connects the brand's vision with the actions of its employees.

Importance of employee engagement

Employee involvement in internal marketing leads to improved customer service. When employees are motivated and committed to the brand, they prioritize customer satisfaction. Exceptional customer service fosters positive emotional connections with customers, resulting in a positive brand perception.

Employee involvement in internal marketing initiatives contributes to the development of a strong brand culture within the organization. A positive brand culture translates into a cohesive workforce that shares a common vision and is driven by the brand's purpose. This shared culture further enhances the brand's external perception.

In conclusion, Starbucks, a brand known for its customer-centric approach and effective internal marketing, has successfully built a strong brand contact process through employee involvement and brand alignment.