If you’ve popped through the drive-through for a morning cold brew lately at Starbucks, you might have noticed something new… handwritten notes that add a bit of magic to your day.
After the coffee giant saw four consecutive quarters of declining store sales and a staggering decrease in quarterly per-share profit, they’re hitting reset. The Starbucks experience, the “third place” that once defined it, had slipped. Wait times grew longer, mobile orders became chaotic (one of us may have begrudgingly abandoned their drink a time or two, so we didn’t walk in late to work with a latte in hand 😅), and the in-store experience felt rushed and transactional.
The problem? According to Brian Niccol, their new CEO, Starbucks drifted from its core.
“Our stores have always been more than a place to get a drink. They’ve been a gathering space, a community center where conversations are sparked, friendships form, and everyone is greeted by a welcoming barista. A visit to Starbucks is about connection and joy, and of course great coffee.”
By trying to be everything to everyone, they chased convenience, automation, and speed at the expense of quality and connection. They lost sight of their “why,” and the cost was high: A diluted brand experience, frustrated customers, and a drop in loyalty. Here’s where “Back to Starbucks” comes in, which is all about realignment, not reinvention. The handwritten notes, comfy furniture, condiment bar, and other monikers of years long gone are Niccol’s effort to revitalize the high-quality coffee house experience and genuine human connection that made Starbucks, Starbucks in the first place. He’s going back to the core.
Starbucks’ experience is what many companies face during periods of expansion: when you stretch too far from your foundation, the cracks start to show.
We see that in hiring, too. Without clarity on why a role exists or how it ties back to the company’s core, the risk of a mismatch grows.
When we partner with a business, we purposefully carve out time in the partnership process to dive into the “why” behind the hire. We know the risks of hiring without a purpose can be significant – misalignment with company culture, increased turnover, disruption to team dynamics, damage to brand reputation, and missed opportunities for growth. These are the hidden costs of moving forward without this understanding.
Our best partnerships start with these questions. Not to slow things down, but to make sure what’s built will last. Going back to the basics might not feel flashy, but it is often exactly what is needed.
Until next time,
Your Spherion South Central WI & Northern IL team