Let’s take an example close to your instructor's home – coffee shops in Ellensburg, in central Washinton state. You can also reflect on this in your neighborhood/city as I suspect you may also have just as many coffee shops.

1. Make your best prediction as to how you think it is possible for that many of the same type of businesses (coffee shops, in this example) to exist so geographically close together? Hint: there is no one right answer here but several factors play a role.

The last census has Ellensburg at 18,666 population (2020). Yet there are more than 25 coffee shops in the town. Think about how this relates to a customer's experience and interactions (touchpoints) with a business. Using your knowledge of CRM so far, answer the following questions:

1. We don't always talk about this enough in this course, but how does culture play a role in customers' perceptions, experiences, and ultimately their buying decisions?
2. If you were a coffee shop owner/manager facing this type of competitive environment, what touch points and elements of product/service differentiation (e.g. 4 C's) would it take to make your place stand out from everyone else and ensure customer loyalty, retention and profitability? Explain three touch points and explain one for each of the 4Cs. Be specific and use realistic examples as much as possible.