A C.E.O. Sells the Store

New York Times, March 1, 2008 — Women’s suits. Mickey Drexler has women’s suits on the brain.

It’s a Tuesday afternoon in SoHo in Manhattan, and Millard S. Drexler — Mickey, as he is universally known — is in a Madewell store looking for customers he can talk to. Mr. Drexler, as you may know, is the chief executive of J. Crew — a job he took in 2003 after being summarily bounced from the Gap, the company he had led for 16 years, transforming it in that time from an $800 million midsize retailer into a $14 billion Goliath. Madewell, which he’s visiting today, is a brand-new J. Crew offshoot that sells hip, casual clothes. It’s a little like the way Mr. Drexler started up Old Navy to offer clothes that were less expensive than the Gap’s.

This visit is not some stunt... continue reading

Starbucks Takes a 3-Hour Coffee Break

Starbucks temporarily closed stores as it retrained workers and tried to revive “the romance of coffee.”

New York Times, February 27, 2008 — At Starbucks stores across the country on Tuesday night, it was time for the corporate version of re-education camp.

In its campaign to revive the intimate, friendly feel of a neighborhood coffee shop, Starbucks orchestrated the closing of 7,100 of its American stores at precisely 5:30 p.m. for a three-hour retraining session for employees

Starbucks Retraining Strategy: Is It A Rash Or Brash Move?

REACTION TO THE UNUSUAL MOVE taken by Starbucks, to close for three hours next Tuesday for barista retraining is making for interesting dialog in the marketing world.

MediaPost Publications, February 22, 2008 — In particular, the entries on starbucksgossip.com make for lively reading, from current and former baristas, including one who asks: "Any baristas out there who resent this 'training session' or feel insulted somehow? As in, 'tell us something we don't know!' Unless entirely new methods of preparation are introduced, aren't you feeling like this is just a PR move? Somehow I imagine the three-hour training will be mainly a three-hour break."

Consumer Vigilantes

Memo to Corporate America: Hell now hath no fury like a customer scorned

BusinessWeek, February 21, 2008 — In the annals of customer service, 2007 will go down as the year fed-up consumers finally dropped the hammer. In August a 76-year-old retired nurse named Mona Shaw smashed up a keyboard and a telephone in a Manassas (Va.) Comcast (CMCSA) office after she says the cable operator failed to install her service properly. During her first visit to the branch outlet, the AARP secretary says she was left sitting on a bench in the hallway for two hours waiting for a manager.

Pace-Setting Zara Seeks More Speed To Fight Its Rising Cheap-Chic Rivals†

Wall Street Journal, February 20, 2008 — Zara stores have set the pace for retailers around the world in making and shipping trendy clothing.

Now Pablo Isla, chief executive of parent company Inditex SA, says Zara needs to speed up.

As rivals catch up, Mr. Isla is attempting one of the fastest global expansions the fashion world has ever seen, opening hundreds of new stores and entering new markets.

The Best And Worst Companies For Customer Satisfaction

Forbes, February 20, 2008 — When tumbling home values and high gas prices already have consumers spending less at stores, car dealerships and airline ticket counters, how does a company minimize the pain?

One way is to offer superior customer service, the better to compete for the fewer number of dollars out there, and set yourself up with loyal customers for the inevitable economic rebound. A new report finds a lot of companies like Wal Mart (nyse: WMT - news - people ) and Home Depot (nyse: HD - news - people ) seem to have a different plan.

New Borders more than just books

Concept opening today in Pittsfield Township mixes technology, entertainment

Detroit Free Press, February 14, 2008 — Borders' new concept store gives shoppers a lot more to do than browse books and drink lattes. The first of Borders Group Inc.'s future stores opens in Pittsfield Township today with a fresh, user-friendly approach to blending technology and entertainment. Want to publish your own book, but don't know how? There's a kiosk in the store's new digital center that walks you through it.

A Million Miles vs. a Few More Smiles

New York Times, January 13, 2008 — JAMES T. KANE, a corporate consultant on customer loyalty, has a news flash for his airline. “I hate you, and I tell everybody I hate you,” he says. “You could not pay me to get on your airline if I didn’t have to. The reason you think I’m a happy customer is I flew 178,000 miles on you last year — but that’s because I didn’t have a choice.”

Schultz Returns as CEO of Starbucks†

Founder Is Critical of His Company's 'Self-Induced' Woes and Promises Turnaround

Advertising Age, January 8, 2008 — Starbucks Coffee Co. has returned its No. 1 barista, founder Howard Schultz, to his former role of chief executive to perk up its sales and stock price.

Put Buyers First? What a Concept

New York Times, January 5, 2008 — My Christmas story — the one I’ve been telling and retelling these last 10 days — began on Friday, Dec. 21. It was early in the morning, and I had awoken with the sudden, sinking realization that a present I had bought for one of my sons hadn’t yet arrived.