However, three possible problems Mr. Schultz had to be considered - would the company be able to support its staff with the same level of benefits in the future, given the large increase in the number of employees; would the company be able to retain employees if it made any move to lower its human resource costs by cutting down on benefits; and would Starbucks be able to maintain its small company culture, an important element in its past growth.
Besides that, Mr. Schultz also had to be considered other problems such as can technology be used as a tool to make the customer service experience better while not jeopardizing the customer's relationship with the barista; how should the company maintain brand consistency in the global marketplace without becoming institutionalized; and Starbucks's growth also has necessitated the need for more suppliers on a national and regional scale, and the number of its association partnerships continue to increase, can they be managed toward continuing excellence, with costs remaining competitive.
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