Starbucks' Big Shift: People Over Machines

Starbucks is making a big change. They are putting more money into their staff, especially baristas. This is part of a plan to bring customers back to their stores. The company recently shared its latest numbers. Revenue went up by 2% to $8. 8 billion. But, net income dropped by 50% to $384. 2 million. This is a big drop from what analysts expected, which was $551 million. The new boss, Brian Niccol, is trying to fix a sales problem that has lasted over a year. He wants to make the coffeehouse experience better. This means reducing wait times and simplifying the menu. He also wants to bring back the cozy feel that got lost when more business moved online during the pandemic. Niccol thinks investing in people is better than investing in machines. He said that putting more staff in stores helps improve service and drive more sales. So, Starbucks is slowing down the rollout of a new café technology system. This system was supposed to make things run smoother, but it seems people prefer human touch. The company has 361, 000 employees worldwide. Many baristas have complained about handling both in-store and online orders. Customers have also been frustrated with long wait times. To fix this, Starbucks is spending more on labor. This is part of Niccol's "Back to Starbucks" plan. But, it's coming at a cost. Store operating expenses went up by 12. 1% to $4. 2 billion in the last quarter. Starbucks opened 213 new stores in the second quarter. This brings the total to 40, 789 stores worldwide. But, the company is also looking at its global store portfolio. They want to make sure each store is doing well. After the earnings call, Starbucks shares fell by almost 7%. Niccol admitted the results were disappointing. But, he said his turnaround efforts will take time to pay off. Starbucks is also facing challenges from trade wars. Consumers are being cautious. This is affecting sales. Global comparable store sales fell by 1% in the second quarter. US stores reported 4% fewer transactions year over year. Plus, new tariffs will increase the cost of coffee beans. This could make things even harder for Starbucks.