Starbucks’ Headquarters Gets Its Own Mobile Order-Ahead Store

Over the years, the Seattle-based coffee giant Starbucks has earned its wings as the go-to spot for morning drinks or afternoon pick-me-ups. It has become synonymous with great coffee, speedy service and a decent Wi-Fi connection.

While the company has continued to innovate by offering new mobile ordering services, it has run into the issue of adding confusion to its already in-store customers. People ordering via mobile on their way to work come in and sometimes grab the wrong coffee. With over 9 million mobile paying customers, the company is looking to enhance the mobile ordering experience while not interrupting the traditional in-store ordering.

To help alleviate this issue, Starbucks is testing out a new mobile-only coffee shop in its headquarters, which is one of the top three mobile-ordering locations in the country.

Starbucks’ chairman, Howard Schultz, commented on how the company plans to upgrade its stores to help with any mobile order and in-store order confusion. He said, “We’re going to redesign new stores and existing remodels to reflect the fact that Mobile Order & Pay, although in its nascent stage, is obviously going to be a significant part of the morning business.”

While Starbucks’ stock was down 6 percent last year, investors are hoping that this new approach will help bring the company back into an upward trajectory. In total, the mobile ordering system represents 7 percent of U.S. transactions according to last quarter’s earnings report which is a full three percent raise from the prior year.

With this new venture and the coffee giant’s new CEO, Kevin Johnson, the company is setting its sights on becoming a more technology-infused retailer. As a testament to this, Starbucks has already announced a Ford partnership for ordering drinks from inside the car and an iMessages gifting feature.