Business English Study (c) 2013

AUDIO 1
Starbucks – intermediate level. Howard Schultz is the founder of Starbucks, and he
changed the coffee drinking experience for millions of people around the world. His
background was difficult. He came from a poor neighbourhood in New York, but with
hard work and a strong vision he was able to start his business and become very
successful. During a trip to Italy in 1983 Schultz noticed great coffee shops on every
street. They were used as meeting places, and were a big part of Italy's social life.
He decided he wanted to build a company with a similar idea, and have friendly
coffee shops in cities across the world. He built Starbucks up to be a global coffee
shop chain, and in 2008 it had over 15,000 stores and $10 billion in annual revenue.
Schultz believes that his success is based on a set of key principles. Firstly, always
change things, improve and innovate. Secondly, Starbucks must represent more than
a cup of coffee. And thirdly, everything matters, always."

Audio 2
Why do so many people buy coffee at Starbucks? Some experts think it is because
the company sells great coffee, but Starbucks disagrees. It is not the coffee that
brings customers back, because you can get a great coffee at a cheaper price in
many of its competitors’ stores. The big attraction is the atmosphere found in
Starbucks. They all have comfortable seating, soft music and great service. The
customers can relax in a safe place, and Starbucks works hard to promote this
concept. Like McDonald’s, all Starbucks locations are designed in the same style,
and this creates familiarity and security for the customers. They are always trying
new ideas, like free Internet access and music for sale. The stores have also become
a place for informal business meetings. Why not meet over a coffee at a location that
you know will be friendly and stress free? This image makes Starbucks popular with
the business community. But you pay a high price for your cappuccino … in 2008 it
was as much as $5.

www.businessenglishstudy.com 8