Overview

Costa Coffee is a multinational coffee brand owned by The Coca Cola company. It has over 4,000 store locations worldwide.

Costa Coffee’s traditional store formats made it hard for them to tap into the urban commuter’s on-the-go needs. They approached Method to help them take a human-centered approach to creating the best possible in-store experience for a new mini-format store designed to deliver high quality coffee in an experience that feels fast without being forced and inhuman.

Using our product accelerator service, we rapidly developed and prototyped concepts that enabled Costa Coffee’s new mini format to stand out in a crowded urban commuter market, delivering a uniquely Costa experience, all in 5 weeks. We delivered the service model, as well as actionable, tactical recommendations and principles which they used as decision-making tools to execute their new ‘mini’ store proposition globally.

The first Costa Mini branches are now operational in South East London and Shanghai.

Offerings

Prototyping
Research & Insights
Service Design

“Working with Method was a pleasure from start to finish. They understood our problem quickly and were responsive to the constraints of the project. They tailored an approach that answered the questions we needed most and delivered with consistent and infectious energy. Great balance between the creative, strategic, and commercial. Thank you!”

Connie Emerson, Head of Global Store Propositions & Design, Costa Coffee

Improving the experience through spatial prototyping

Approach

There is a big difference between operational speed and the customer’s perception of speed. Focusing solely on 'fast' does not produce the best possible customer experience and can compromise customer engagement.

Our lean, sprint based approach enabled us to rapidly test ideas and solutions with target customers using role play, observation and in-depth interviews. We created environmental ‘wireframe’ mock-ups of the new store proposition, addressing the interplay of both physical and digital touch points and the impact of human traffic.

Differentiation with a human touch

A key question explored: when does digital make sense and when should a human lead? Our research found that digital was great to augment the user experience but handing customers their coffee with a smile and eye contact while repeating the order added a critical element of human interaction – showing care and reassuring the customer that they were receiving the beverage they ordered.

The end result - an experience that delivers the perception of speed, creating a truly convenient, human experience.