Learn how Starbucks leveraged training to return to quality At the end of 2007, Starbucks was a company in crisis. In the prior 18 months, the stock price had tumbled more than 50% from its all-time high. After eight years, Howard Schultz returned as CEO in January 2008 to reverse the company’s fortunes. Schultz’s immediate focus was a return to quality. The chain closed all its company-owned US locations for three and a half hours on one afternoon in February 2008. The purpo