![]() And according to Francis, reinforcement learning will continue to have an important role at Starbucks in many other applications going forward. Starbucks is currently testing this technology in its Tryer Center innovation hub in Seattle, with plans to roll it out soon. Eventually, customers will be able to explicitly opt in to recommendations that are even more personalized. These recommendations will be offered proactively on a digital menu display from which customers can order. “Using data for personalization is vital to our mobile app, and now we are leveraging data to improve our drive-thru experience.”īecause the technology does not have the individual order histories for drive-thru customers that are available for mobile app customers, it will generate relevant drive-thru recommendations based on store transaction histories and more than 400 other store-level criteria. “As an engineering and technology organization, one of the areas we are incredibly excited to be pursuing is using data to continuously improve the experience for our customers and partners,” says Martin-Flickinger. Now, Starbucks is looking to expand this technology to the drive-thru experience. I think that mission is so critical to how technology has to show up for us.” “And it’s centered around that customer connection in the store, the human connection, one person, one cup, one neighborhood at a time. “Starbucks is an experience,” says Martin-Flickinger. And while the recommendations are driven by a machine, the end goal is personal interaction. In essence, reinforcement learning allows the app to get to know each customer better. For example, if a customer consistently orders dairy-free beverages, the platform can infer a non-dairy preference, steer clear of recommending items containing dairy, and suggest dairy-free food and drinks. This personalization means that customers are more likely to get suggestions for items they will enjoy. Starbucks is delivering personalized recommendations to customers via its mobile app and, soon, its drive-thrus. ![]() “Just like their relationship with a barista, customers receive the same care and personalized recommendations when it comes from our digital platforms,” says Jon Francis, senior vice president, Starbucks Analytics and Market Research. Through this technology and the work of Starbucks data scientists, 16 million active Starbucks® Rewards members now receive thoughtful recommendations from the app for food and drinks based on local store inventory, popular selections, weather, time of day, community preferences and previous orders. Within the app, customers receive tailor-made order suggestions generated via a reinforcement learning platform that is built and hosted in Microsoft Azure. Starbucks has been using reinforcement learning technology - a type of machine learning in which a system learns to make decisions in complex, unpredictable environments based upon external feedback - to provide a more personalized experience for customers who use the Starbucks® mobile app. Making recommendations more relevant with reinforcement learning “Everything we do in technology is centered around the customer connection in the store, the human connection, one person, one cup, one neighborhood at a time.”Īt the Microsoft Build 2019 conference, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella recently demonstrated how Starbucks delivers its signature customer experience with new technologies. Their inventiveness and intellectual curiosity are matched by their dedication to enabling the Starbucks experience, and this is increasingly critical to how technology has to show up for us,” says Gerri Martin-Flickinger, Starbucks executive vice president and chief technology officer. “We have a world-class team of technologists engaging in groundbreaking innovation each day. With the help of Microsoft, Starbucks is creating an even more personal, seamless customer experience in its stores by implementing advanced technologies, ranging from cloud computing to blockchain. ![]() The process may look like a simple everyday scene, but it is carefully orchestrated to serve Starbucks’ more than 100 million weekly customers. ![]() Walk into a Starbucks store anywhere in the world and you’ll encounter a similar sight: coffee beans grinding, espresso shots being pulled and customers talking to baristas while their coffee order is hand-crafted.
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