Starbucks' communication with internal groundswell - keep consistence
I was so surprised when I saw this job today - Internal Communications Manager. Have you ever heard this?
With curiosity, I read the job description: "Develop and drive communications that engage and inspire corporate employees around the company's mission, Leadership Principles, launches, and other priorities". It is a position which link all the employees in the company to work together for the common goal.
Actually, this position in the company plays a very significant role. Nowadays, more and more brands realized that the internal groundswell is a great power, the progress of the company is made by the common effort from the employee. Like what is said in the book, "The employees ought to have a common goal: your company's success"(P255). At the same time the brands listening to and talking with the consumers, communicating with the internal groundswell cannot be neglected. Therefore, some measures are taken by some brands to communicate to the internal groundswell.
Starbucks can be a good example of regards the internal groundswell as an important element of the success of the brand. According to the text book, for the internal power, we also need to "listen first, talk with the groundswell, energizing, supporting and embracing." (P258) Starbucks followed these steps.
In the video, we know that Starbucks is using technology to connect every employee, partner as well as the consumers with each other. It is an action to empowering the internal groundswell. The technology provides every one a convenient way for connecting each other and a simple way for working and consumer. Every one can gather information in the community and through the tech.
"Having the right culture in place and an engaged management team is a good start, but it's not enough, especially if a key goal is to foster better communication and collaboration." (P265) Starbucks has a "right culture" of "one person, one cup, and one neighborhood at a time". When we look at the culture of the company, it emphasizes "culture inclusion, diversity ". And under this culture, Starbucks built the sustainable community for the consumers and employees.
Also, related training was given in time when black men was treated well in 2018. When the event happened, Starbucks thought from the internal to external, the CEO apologized, and held a training to educate the internal groundswell. In this event, Starbucks' CEO paid attention and spoke for this, the crisis was successfully solved finally, and the case showed that "Executive push and cover made the difference" (P250)
It is essential to pay attention on the consistence both internal and external. Starbucks regards the employees and the customers the same on importance. Or the internal groundswell can be a large power to resist what the brand would like to talk with the external groundswell. Additionally, Starbucks' doing this shows a strategy of consistence in IMC (Integrated Marketing Campaign), which is good for the image building.
Hi, Shiqiu. As a part of the stakeholders, employees will inevitably affect the interests of other stakeholders, including the audience. Therefore, many brands realize that the internal tide is a great force, and the progress of the company is the result of the joint efforts of employees. In fact, the communication between the employees of the brand is the same as that with the audience. The first step is to listen with honor, equality and tolerance. I think Tereza listed an American restaurant in her blog as a counterexample of disrespecting and not listening to employees. The employees of this restaurant posted their dissatisfaction with the enterprise on social media, which aroused the resonance of other audiences. Starbucks has done a very good job in this respect. It fully respects and listens to its employees and makes them unite as a big family. Especially, these employees are of different races and come from different cultural backgrounds, but they can still unite and work together towards the goals set by the company, which makes me prefer Starbucks brand culture even more.
ReplyDeleteThanks for your reply, Yi. You linked all the information and gather all the examples with critical thinking. I like your analysis. I agree the complain from employees can have a significant damage to the brand. It also happened in Haier, the company fired an employee who took a nap during the launch time, which led to a crisis for the brand.
DeleteHi Shiqiu，
ReplyDeleteThe issue of corporate social responsibility has led to the emergence and development of stakeholder management. Stakeholder management has an important impact on corporate performance and has become an important factor in the success of modern enterprises. I like your use of the Starbucks example to emphasize internal groundswell. Employees are the most important stakeholders of an enterprise. Modern enterprises must establish an "employee-centric" management philosophy. Starbucks is using technology to connect each employee, partner and consumer with each other. The internal and external consistency has greatly improved the image of Starbucks.
Yes, Yi, it is very important for brands to care the employees to create a good reputation in the society. It influence the public relations.
DeleteHi Shiqiu,
ReplyDeleteI am very glad to read your article. For the company, internal management is very important. For me, I am more concerned about the company’s environmental training. Environmental training is a way of making subtle adjustments to the company’s general and small environments and managing them to increase work efficiency, increase employees’ enthusiasm for work, and improve work quality. Kind of means. For the employees of the company, because they face the same job and the same assembly line for a long time, it is easy to feel tired, resulting in a decrease in work efficiency. The main function of environmental training is to promote the improvement of employees' enthusiasm and enthusiasm, thereby improving work efficiency.
Hi, Haoran, I agree with you that employees may feel bored when they repeat one thing again and again. So, there are activities in the companies nowadays to give the employees a feeling of fresh. And build their relationship with others.
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