Starbucks Uses Social Media To Boost Image

Starbucks has turned to social media to improve their products, image and reputation. The company has created a sort of interactive suggestion box to solicit feedback from customers, employees and partners. The site an elaborate production and it is hosted at SaleForce.com. They could have achieved the same thing by using simple community building and rating software instead of the current expensive solution. Starbucks' problems are associated with its core business and I am not sure even the best social media technologies will solve them. The stock has taken a deep dive from $47 to new lows of $17 in light of serious competition from Peet's Coffee, McDonald's and Dunkin' Donuts. I have a suggestion start by lowering prices and spend the millions instead to reward frequent customers with a point of sale program like "Buy 6 and get the next FREE".