Starbucks is already undergoing massive changes to win back customers - more are coming

Starbucks has undergone major changes in order to win customers back in recent months, and the popular coffee chain shows no sign of slowing down.

CEO Brian Niccol is reportedly set to announce further changes in order to improve customer experience, having already promised to make it easier to pick up drinks, make messages to customers more meaningful and ensure locations don’t run out of food.

Niccol became Starbucks boss in September last year, after previously heading up fast-food chain Chipotle, and has since pushed for more customer-friendly environments and better quality service – via increased worker training.

His work is already beginning to see returns, with The Wall Street Journal reporting record sales from the franchise’s holiday promotions and company shares up 16 percent so far this month.

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The outlet reports that Niccol will announce further changes Thursday.

He has already planned to expand the number of stores in the U.S., which has dropped by around 400 since last year. Last July, Niccol announced that work had begun on the prototype for a “coffeehouse of the future,” which will have 32 seats and a drive-through.

Such stores will be smaller and cheaper to build.

Niccol is also heavily focussed on positive customer experience, having already invested millions of dollars in fixing broken plug sockets in Starbucks stores across the U.S.

He now wants baristas to be welcoming every customer that walks through the door, with The Journal reporting that special training is being held this month to emphasize to staff the importance of things such as eye contact.

Starbucks expects workers to write meaningful messages to customers on its to-go cups rather than just one word expressions or smiley-faces, employees told The Journal. They should also hand over any orders with a smile.

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In July the company announced that it would scrap stores which are mobile-order and pick-up only because they are “overly transactional” and lack “warmth.”

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Niccol has also vowed to speed up service time, with orders for both in-store and drive-thru expected to be filled within four minutes. The company has also invested in new technology to help the process.

So far under Niccol’s command Starbucks has not raised its prices, with high costs being cited by customers as one of the main reasons for cutting back on visits, however he has not ruled it out – saying in October the company would be keeping an eye on reaction to any price hikes.

The Journal notes that despite Starbucks’s profit margins dropping last year, they may improve again in the coming year if Donald Trump ditches his significant import tariffs on coffee.

Last summer, when Niccol arrived at the company Starbucks had faced a downtick in sales from certain stores that has persisted for the last six quarters, though he remained optimistic of a comeback.

“While our financial results don’t yet reflect all the progress we’ve made, the signs are clear — we’re gaining momentum,” Niccol said at the time.