What Is Your “Gold Standard” Of Measure

At Starbucks, we knew that we sourced the best coffee in the world. Our corporate office work directly with farmers to buy their best crops. The roasters roast each type of coffee just the right amount to bring out the most intense flavor of that blend. The coffee shops grind and brew the coffee in just the right proportions to provide that flavor profile.

Perhaps Starbucks isn’t your preferred taste. But, one can’t deny the quality they put into the sourcing and roasting.

However, even with a large corporation like Starbucks, there are times when the process breaks down in-store if the baristas don’t follow the proper recipes and standards.

Nevertheless, we knew the coffee was the best in the world. It was our standard of measure.

It was a great way to talk about how we do the rest of what we did as a company. The in-store experience and merchandise had to be as high-quality as the coffee.

Having a standard set made it easy for all of us to talk about what the measure was. If something wasn’t up to par with our coffee, then it wasn’t good enough. Back to the drawing board we went.

It’s important to have a standard for your business. What is considered the best in your line-up? Maybe it’s the fact that all of your products are made in the USA, or maybe it’s the special cupcakes you make for the rush on Friday. Whatever it is, make it the standard for all other products and services. Set the bar high and you will find it easier to delight your customers at each touchpoint.

Let’s take a look at how to stand our from the crowd…