Technology

Starbucks EMEA taps NCR to lower costs, optimize operations

Provided

November 22, 2021

In an effort to streamline its technology use and to increase visibility into store operations, Starbucks Europe, Middle East and Africa, which operates in 43 markets across the region, is partnering with NCR Corp.

"NCR transformed a complex web of suppliers into a single point of contact, future-proofing service delivery," Doug Baker, director of Technology Operations, Starbucks EMEA, said in a company press release. "The key for Starbucks is driving operational support of technology so our partners in stores can focus on other priorities. We have improved customer satisfaction while lowering costs and optimizing operations — it's a win-win."

The platform is made up of NCR's Digital Connected Services, which manages the technology Starbucks uses to run its business, and a dedicated, multi-lingual NCR service desk team that provides real-time monitoring, remote resolution, maintenance and reporting, said Dirk Izzo, president and general manager of NCR Hospitality.

"By providing wall-to-wall support 24x7x365, remotely monitoring technology in Starbucks stores, our team is able to spot a potential issue before it impacts commerce," he said in the release. "The goal is to know before they know and fix it before they care. That frees up Starbucks employees to focus on what they do best, a great customer experience."

NCR's Digital Connected Services, using Microsoft Azure with Azure IOT Edge, gave Starbucks increased visibility into its technology investments and boosted uptime, said Shelley Bransten, worldwide corporate vice president, consumer goods & retail industries of Microsoft.

"This has helped them to lower management costs, increase availability and drive greater revenue," she said in the release.