50岁的明星CEO布莱恩·尼科尔上任第一周,就承诺要带领星巴克恢复往日的荣光。曾经的星巴克无处不在,是许多顾客的“第二客厅”。
尼科尔被誉为“善于扭转局势的奇才”,他在快速休闲德州-墨西哥菜连锁餐厅Chipotle任职的六年多时间里,成功帮助其实现复兴。他表示,星巴克全球39,000多家门店应该回归本源,提供定制的优质咖啡,让顾客可以在店内消费。
他在一封发送给全体员工的公开信中总结了与员工的多次对话。他写道:“我们有一种共同的感受,那就是我们已经偏离了核心。我们将重新专注于星巴克一直以来的独特之处:成为一家热情的咖啡厅,人们可以在这里聚会,我们为顾客奉上由技艺精湛的咖啡师手工制作的最优质的咖啡。”
尼科尔新官上任便立即开始行动。上任第二天,他就已经开始着手解决他所发现的公司业务存在的问题,并简要概述了公司的战略方向。
相比之下,他的前任拉克斯曼·纳拉西姆汉在2023年3月接任之前,接受了近六个月在职培训,而且一个月后才公布了他的首份战略概述。
作为星巴克两年内的第四任CEO,尼科尔的上任正值该连锁咖啡厅风雨飘摇的时候。
纳拉西姆汉在不到一年时间内,三次下调了公司的财务目标,并且在他的任期内,公司连续两个季度同店销售额下滑。
为了刺激销售,星巴克早在8月份就推出了其备受欢迎的秋季主题南瓜拿铁,此举被许多人认为是绝望的标志。
布莱恩·尼科尔扭转局面的计划
尼科尔表示,他在初期将主要专注于解决美国门店存在的问题,这令创始人霍华德·舒尔茨感到担忧,因为美国门店贡献了大量全球利润。
在星巴克的本土市场中,消费者通常有很多选择,在他们每天通勤的路线上就有多家方便的连锁咖啡厅,可以在上班途中买一杯咖啡。
星巴克的商品价格更高,因此需要通过体验与竞争对手区分开来,然而最近,星巴克的顾客因为不满纷纷开始疏离该连锁咖啡厅。
星巴克60%以上的关键早间客流量来自应用程序用户,但该公司最近承认,有很大一部分用户取消了订单,因为他们抵达当地的星巴克之后还要经过漫长的等待。
相反,尼科尔希望消费者提到该连锁咖啡厅,就能联想到欢乐的情绪和人与人之间的联系,以及美味的咖啡,他认为在这方面有许多改进的空间。
尼科尔写道:“在一些地区,尤其是在美国,我们的表现一直差强人意。我们的服务感觉像是交易,菜单的内容过多令人不知所措,产品不一致,等待时间过长,或者取餐过程过于混乱等。”
专注于人与人之间的联系并不新鲜;这种品牌主张源于舒尔茨的愿景,纳拉西姆汉也曾强调这一点。
星巴克业绩下滑
但尼科尔的前任为了将等待时间缩短几秒钟,将服务过程进一步工业化,降低了“作为星巴克核心”的咖啡师发挥的作用,并让顾客的体验变得更像是在麦咖啡(McCafé)。
为了追求更大的回报,星巴克还偏离了其销售咖啡的本源,越来越专注于含咖啡因的软饮料,因为软饮料的利润率通常更高。
最后,总部位于西雅图的星巴克曾经起诉加入工会的员工,因为这些员工呼吁支持被卷入以哈战争的巴勒斯坦人,现在它必须采取措施重新赢回流失的顾客。
星巴克曾试图澄清,它反对滥用其品牌,但当时,它已经遭到了进步的消费者的抵制。
目前,星巴克的股价在过去五年没有上涨,因此董事会在8月解雇了纳拉西姆汉,立即生效,结束了他不到18个月的CEO任期。
尼科尔的任命得到了投资者的普遍认可,这也让公司为了吸引他从Chipotle加盟星巴克所开出的8,500万美元基于绩效的签约奖金(包括现金和股票)显得非常合理。
现在,投资者正拭目以待,看看尼科尔重新建立消费者与星巴克这个品牌之间的情感联系,能否比纳拉西姆汉更有成效。
尼科尔承诺:“我们将让星巴克回归其取得成功的本源。”
目前无法联系到该公司对此事进一步置评。(财富中文网)
译者:刘进龙
审校:汪皓
50岁的明星CEO布莱恩·尼科尔上任第一周,就承诺要带领星巴克恢复往日的荣光。曾经的星巴克无处不在,是许多顾客的“第二客厅”。
尼科尔被誉为“善于扭转局势的奇才”,他在快速休闲德州-墨西哥菜连锁餐厅Chipotle任职的六年多时间里,成功帮助其实现复兴。他表示,星巴克全球39,000多家门店应该回归本源,提供定制的优质咖啡,让顾客可以在店内消费。
他在一封发送给全体员工的公开信中总结了与员工的多次对话。他写道:“我们有一种共同的感受,那就是我们已经偏离了核心。我们将重新专注于星巴克一直以来的独特之处:成为一家热情的咖啡厅,人们可以在这里聚会,我们为顾客奉上由技艺精湛的咖啡师手工制作的最优质的咖啡。”
尼科尔新官上任便立即开始行动。上任第二天,他就已经开始着手解决他所发现的公司业务存在的问题,并简要概述了公司的战略方向。
相比之下,他的前任拉克斯曼·纳拉西姆汉在2023年3月接任之前,接受了近六个月在职培训,而且一个月后才公布了他的首份战略概述。
作为星巴克两年内的第四任CEO,尼科尔的上任正值该连锁咖啡厅风雨飘摇的时候。
纳拉西姆汉在不到一年时间内,三次下调了公司的财务目标,并且在他的任期内,公司连续两个季度同店销售额下滑。
为了刺激销售,星巴克早在8月份就推出了其备受欢迎的秋季主题南瓜拿铁,此举被许多人认为是绝望的标志。
布莱恩·尼科尔扭转局面的计划
尼科尔表示,他在初期将主要专注于解决美国门店存在的问题,这令创始人霍华德·舒尔茨感到担忧,因为美国门店贡献了大量全球利润。
在星巴克的本土市场中,消费者通常有很多选择,在他们每天通勤的路线上就有多家方便的连锁咖啡厅,可以在上班途中买一杯咖啡。
星巴克的商品价格更高,因此需要通过体验与竞争对手区分开来,然而最近,星巴克的顾客因为不满纷纷开始疏离该连锁咖啡厅。
星巴克60%以上的关键早间客流量来自应用程序用户,但该公司最近承认,有很大一部分用户取消了订单,因为他们抵达当地的星巴克之后还要经过漫长的等待。
相反,尼科尔希望消费者提到该连锁咖啡厅,就能联想到欢乐的情绪和人与人之间的联系,以及美味的咖啡,他认为在这方面有许多改进的空间。
尼科尔写道:“在一些地区,尤其是在美国,我们的表现一直差强人意。我们的服务感觉像是交易,菜单的内容过多令人不知所措,产品不一致,等待时间过长,或者取餐过程过于混乱等。”
专注于人与人之间的联系并不新鲜;这种品牌主张源于舒尔茨的愿景,纳拉西姆汉也曾强调这一点。
星巴克业绩下滑
但尼科尔的前任为了将等待时间缩短几秒钟,将服务过程进一步工业化,降低了“作为星巴克核心”的咖啡师发挥的作用,并让顾客的体验变得更像是在麦咖啡(McCafé)。
为了追求更大的回报,星巴克还偏离了其销售咖啡的本源,越来越专注于含咖啡因的软饮料,因为软饮料的利润率通常更高。
最后,总部位于西雅图的星巴克曾经起诉加入工会的员工,因为这些员工呼吁支持被卷入以哈战争的巴勒斯坦人,现在它必须采取措施重新赢回流失的顾客。
星巴克曾试图澄清,它反对滥用其品牌,但当时,它已经遭到了进步的消费者的抵制。
目前,星巴克的股价在过去五年没有上涨,因此董事会在8月解雇了纳拉西姆汉,立即生效,结束了他不到18个月的CEO任期。
尼科尔的任命得到了投资者的普遍认可,这也让公司为了吸引他从Chipotle加盟星巴克所开出的8,500万美元基于绩效的签约奖金(包括现金和股票)显得非常合理。
现在,投资者正拭目以待,看看尼科尔重新建立消费者与星巴克这个品牌之间的情感联系,能否比纳拉西姆汉更有成效。
尼科尔承诺:“我们将让星巴克回归其取得成功的本源。”
目前无法联系到该公司对此事进一步置评。(财富中文网)
译者:刘进龙
审校:汪皓
In his first week on the job, 50-year-old star CEO Brian Niccol pledged to restore Starbucks to its former glory when the ubiquitous coffee haunt served as a second living room for many of its patrons.
The turnaround wizard who revived the fortunes of Chipotle during his more than six-year stint at the fast-casual Tex-Mex chain said the 39,000-plus Starbucks stores around the world needed to return to their roots, offering tailor-made, high-quality coffee that consumers can enjoy on the premises.
“There’s a shared sense we have drifted from our core,” he wrote in an open companywide letter, summarizing numerous conversations he held with staff. “We’re refocusing on what has always set Starbucks apart—a welcoming coffeehouse where people gather, and where we serve the finest coffee, handcrafted by our skilled baristas.”
Niccol is hitting the ground running. Already on his second day at the company, he is addressing fundamental problems he sees in the business and giving a brief overview of its strategic direction.
By comparison, predecessor Laxman Narasimhan had nearly six months of on-the-job training before taking over in March 2023, and only presented his first strategic overview a month later.
As Starbucks’ fourth CEO in two years, Niccol takes over at a turbulent time for the chain.
Narasimhan cut the company’s financial targets three times in less than a year and presided over two straight quarters during which same-store sales fell.
To prop up sales, Starbucks introduced its hugely popular, autumn-themed pumpkin spice latte as early as August, a move that many viewed as a sign of desperation.
Brian Niccol’s plan to turn things around
Niccol said his initial attention will be devoted to fixing problems in its U.S. stores, a concern for founder Howard Schultz, since it makes up the bulk of its global profits.
In Starbucks’ home market, consumers are typically spoiled for choice and often have several convenient coffee chains along their daily commute where they can buy a cup of joe en route to work.
A brand that charges premium prices, therefore, needs to differentiate itself through its experience, and lately, Starbucks customers have been turning their backs on the chain in frustration.
More than 60% of its critical morning traffic comes from app users, but the company admitted recently that a material share are canceling their orders because of excessive wait times upon arriving at their local Starbucks.
Instead, Niccol wants consumers to associate the chain with emotions of joy and human connection, along with great coffee, and here he sees plenty of room for improvement.
“In some places—especially in the U.S.—we aren’t always delivering,” Niccol wrote. “It can feel transactional, menus can feel overwhelming, the product is inconsistent, the wait too long or the handoff too hectic.”
This focus on human connection is nothing new; it’s a brand claim harking back to Schultz’s vision, which Narasimhan also emphasized.
Starbucks’ slump
But Niccol’s predecessor industrialized the process further to shave seconds off wait times, diminishing the role baristas long held as the “heart of Starbucks” and turning the experience into more of a McCafé.
In a hunt for greater returns, Starbucks has also strayed from its coffee roots, focusing more and more on caffeinated soft drinks, where it can often earn higher margins.
Finally, the Seattle-based chain has to win back customers lost after it sued unionized employees who called for solidarity with Palestinians caught in the crossfire of Israel’s war with Hamas.
Starbucks sought to clarify that it objected to the misappropriation of its brand, but by that point, progressive consumers had started boycotting the chain.
With shares now no higher than they were five years ago, the board booted Narasimhan out of the company in August, with immediate effect, ending the tenure of its CEO after fewer than 18 months.
Niccol’s hire met with wild approval from investors, easily justifying the $85 million performance-based signing bonus in cash and equity Starbucks offered to lure him away from Chipotle.
Now, they will have to see if he’s more successful at reestablishing the emotional connection consumers once had with the brand than Narasimhan.
“We will get back to what made Starbucks, Starbucks,” Niccol pledged.
The company could not be reached immediately for further comment.