Consumer Behavior - Starbucks

Running head: CONSUMER BEHAVIOR: STARBUCKS CORPORATION

Consumer Behavior: Starbucks Corporation

Luiza Neff

American InterContinental University

January 16, 2011

Abstract

There are a lot of factors that affect businesses nowadays including the economical factor. However keeping the customers happy always brings companies more profit. Caring for the customers will always make them come back and make another purchase which increases competitive ability of the company. Happy consumers will also make great referrals to their friends and families. Starbucks is one of the companies that have success in their business by keeping their customers always happy. However the company has some disadvantages that need to be improved to increase the volume of customers and to make them come back.

Consumer Behavior: Starbucks Corporation

Starbucks Corporation was established in 1971. Starbucks is a coffeehouse business that operates in more than fifty countries. The company’s mission is “To inspire and nurture the human spirit - one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time”. (Starbucks Corporation) One of the key factors that influence the company’s success is the art of handling customer complaints. One of the main rules in Starbucks is “customer is always right”. It is very hard to follow that rule because sometimes there are awkward customers coming in to the stores. For that reason the company has great training for their workers. First of all, the corporation hires only managers with extensive experience and appropriate education level. Vice-president recruits passionate people who love coffee: “We want people who enjoy what they are doing and for whom work is an extension of themselves”. (Starbucks Corporation)

First two to four weeks employees receive twenty four hour training where they learn the company’s history, how to prepare the drinks, get information about the coffee, customer service, retail knowledge and how to make the perfect cup. Customer...