Johnson, a former tech exec, said when he took over in 2017, he obviously expected scale and complexity to be two of the company's biggest challenges but also undestands that technology will figure into the 49-year-old company's success for the next 50 years. He spoke, for example, about how over the past five years,
"In thinking about the two transformative elements of modern-day retail, it begins by creating unique and relevant experiences. If you can't create a customer experience in your brick-and mortar store, an experience that goes beyond convenience, you're just another node in the supply chain," Johnson said in the blog. "And that in-store experience must then be extended to a digital mobile relationship."
He believes in the need to balance the need for convenience with the need for connection. The future winners in retail, he said, will be the businesses who do both well.
"This age of unparalleled digital connection has brought with it an age of unprecedented human disconnection. While technology has done many wonderful things, it's also changed behaviors in a way where people don't interact with one another nearly as much, which is unhealthy and I think is contributing to a global epidemic of human loneliness. I believe we are just beginning to see and understand the implications," he said. "And I realize that serving 100 million customers a week at
Then came his "hold my coffee" moment.
"Technology has done so much positive for the world, but it has contributed to some unhealthy outcomes as well. When it comes to enhancing human connection and enabling people to be present and feel a part of a community, I believe technology, if used in responsible and thoughtful ways, can also be the enabler of freeing up people to be more human and better serve humanity," Johnson said.
He began talking to store managers and baristas about tasks that reduce the amount of time they have to really connect with each other and with customers in store — what was keeping them busy or isolated in the back room — and invited them to share their ideas about ways
"Our partners know best what's working, and they have great ideas about fixing what's not," Johnson said. "Everything we are doing is really to try to put them in the best position we can and to give them time back to connect more with each other and customers. That's what makes a job more rewarding."
Johnson thought about how to best serve those customers who want to relax in the stores as well as the millions in a hurry who place mobile orders and hustle in to pick up their drinks. What parts of the
"At
The blog goes on to ask if "smartphoning is the new smoking" and if artificial intelligince can lead to more human interaction.
With rates of loneliness, depression and suicide on the rise, Johnson spoke with
"Human interaction is essential — as essential as food. We cannot thrive as human beings without connection," said Davidson, who also believes tech can combat lonlienss.
"I love his vision," he said. "To see an organization like
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