When Howard Schultz, founder of Starbucks, decided to leave, the company was already at its peak with 3,500 branches. The new management decided to expand without considering the company's identity and culture.
In 2007, with the economic crisis, the company's problems stockholder database began to become increasingly apparent. So much so that Howard rejoined the company .
He began visiting coffee shops around the world one by one to experience it, and that's when he realized that many things had changed.
The employees were overwhelmed and began to neglect the customers. The relaxed atmosphere had practically disappeared, so he realized that the crisis was masking poor management.
Thus, Howard understood that he needed to return to his identity, his values, and his culture. He therefore decided to halt the expansion and focus on improving the user experience by enhancing the atmosphere with appropriate furniture and pleasant music.
The coffee machines were also modified to spread aromas throughout the café. The logistics strategy was also improved to ensure stock levels were maintained.
In this case, returning to the roots is what ensured we emerged from the crisis and reached the top again.