Pickup Point - Discussion

[A_M]

Re: Pickup Point - Discussion

I buy and pay at the same time. Regardless of the beans; no funds in paypal = no buy beans.

I have not spoken to my wife - As it would be an impost on us/her.


BUT If push comes to shove and we need a pick-up point or else in Qld...

I think itd be a shame to lose the pickup points, particularly at the places where they are working well

LAST DITCHED OPTION.

If need be I can collect from teh Airport; post a notice and set a pick up date...

The problem is - Those that might be late / scatter brained / could not make it for some reason etc Have the option of following up and collecting at another time.

A way to manage non collected items and ongoing late arrivals would need to be sorted out and communicated. Otherwise some buyers may be not so impressed with me

I would expect THIS TO BE THE EXCEPTION rather than the rule and trust me, the Bean Nazi is worse when the wife has a lump of wood in her hand.

NOTE: There may well be other CSs and or Sponsors who would like to opportunity and Veneziano Caffe in Qld may have their own thoughts / options that need to be considered.

[Daveze]

Re: Pickup Point - Discussion

I think itd be a shame to lose the pickup points, particularly at the places where they are working well (which, unfortunately, doesnt seem to include mine). If nothing else, it gives me an excuse to head in to West End for coffee and lunch outside of my normal haunts.

I dont know if it would aid much but would you consider pushing the delivery dates out by a week? I would think it might release some of the pressure to chase late payers with the current urgency and most of us would have enough of a bean buffer that we could survive that extra week. Its a little self serving, because Ive been one of the late payers, mostly because a mix of not understanding the urgency required and being a general scatterbrain.

[Andy]

Re: Pickup Point - Discussion

(Phew... tried to split from the original thread and it turned pear-shape. I think its fixed now.)

Ok, where were we?
Pickup points.

Please dont snipe at each other. The problems with pickup points is that it was never an exact science, I dont know when it suits pickup points to get their beans and have just used best guess to try and make this work.

The idea behind pickup points was that freighting beans around is expensive ($3+/kg for express post) and this would allow CSrs to get beans moved around at a much lower price.

It was also originally a social event, a chance to meet-up with fellow CSrs and share tips and tricks.

It seems that most pickup points are now just a way of getting cheap freight and the social aspect is all but gone. Which is the real problem here I think. If CSrs all turned up to a pick up point on the scheduled arrival day then nearly all the problems we have seen in the last few months would not have happened.

Dribs and drabs turning-up at someone elses workplace creates more work for them then everyone fronting at one time and sorting the beans between themselves.

Melbourne works well. Anyone who doesnt appear at the scheduled time/date have to pay to frieght their beans direct.

Perth works really well as it has retained the social get together aspect and is on a single day, at a specific time.

Hobart works well as Simon is a gun!

Sydney(s) all work pretty well as Dennis and Chris post when the beans are available for pickup and sometimes have the "social thing" happening too. Pedro is pretty easy going but a little out of the way so the volume shipped there is low.

Adelaide seems to work ok, but Mark doesnt get to post very often leaving a random CSr to find the beans are there and post it up here.

Queensland is not working very well at all. Lost items (most months), staff not knowing about the beans, and a large volume of beans arriving in a busy business for lots of individual pickups.

Currently we send beans everywhere at $1/kg and I pay the difference (which is a lot!). Obviously Tassie and Perth have the biggest subsidies but all pickup points enjoy freight for less than it actually costs me to freight it.

One of the changes over the last year or so is that we have managed to haggle pretty good bulk freight prices so for most of Australia you can ship large orders direct to your door using Star Track Express or Australia Post e-parcel for a little more than the pickup point price.

This means that most people are just getting beans sent direct now and the volume at the pickup points is lower than it was. In fact for some pickup points in the last few months we have sent express post direct to the CSrs as the volume wasnt there to justify the bulk freight.

Add to that the huge time sponge (and bum ache) it is for me to chase late payers every month, the expense of replacing and (re)freighting missing beans and the cost of subsidising freight and you can see that Im seriously thinking about just dropping the pickup points all together.

Maybe going forward it makes more sense that CSrs can get together with another local and place an order together to keep the frieght cost down?

I really dont know the answers at the moment but I do know that "user pays" would be fair to everyone and far less burden on me.

[AlexTom]

Re: Pickup Point - Discussion

jham66, Id be pretty surprised if there isnt a resident CSer at Veneziano, I think they even have two company logins that they could use.

But I agree, if theyre getting a coffee sale or two per enquiry it cant be too heartbreaking to have snobs in asking about beans.

Cheers

Alex

[jham66]

Re: Pickup Point - Discussion

The people who are saying the beans have arrived are equally at fault as the people who are saying that they havent arrived, just their "harassment" has had a successful result.

Every time I go to ask about my beans I spend money, if this is something the pick up point doesnt want then they need to have a good look at their business strategy!

Also if I were chasing a "cheaper postage option" I would choose to have the beans delivered to my door. I have spent in excess of $60 for two beanbay orders, with the third only costing three macchiatos.

In summary:

Perhaps someone should be designated as the person to herald the arrival of the beans at places like Veneziano(Brisbane) where there isnt a resident CSer.

[A_M]

Re: Pickup Point - Discussion

I have been accused of harassing the pick-up point before and have not responded due to the over-the-top and assuming first "warning".

I understand where youre coming and i know sysiphus meant no harm but the bottom line is that if, like me, one wants their beans quickly they should pay the postage.

If one wants to save the money and use the pickup points generously provided by Andy and those who facilitate it at the other end, then they need to understand the turnaround time and have some patience.

Apologies if that sounds overly harsh but Andy makes the delivery options crystal clear each month so were all going in with our eyes open, noob or not.

If the Sponsor / Pick-up place does not Ack as to the beans being on site...  (if most other states have stated BEANS on site - One has to assume OLD can not be that far off)

Then it falls to SOMEONE, that at some point in time one has to ask  :

In addition, if the said person who is approached  - Then aspires to look like a stunned mullet - Then where does that leave one ?

To ask further or to wait until an old timer turns up and chats to some one out back to get the real story OR another staff member who knows what is going on, steps up puts things right.  

Does one leave and return another day with fingers crossed or what  ?

I feel for the Vs and their staff, but understand that when some one turns up for their beans... A mullet look does not inspire conference.

Yes I can buy at other times and have a direct delivery, Yes I can buy from others (and do), BUT I also enjoy the thrill of the chase at BB time for that special bean  ;D  

I would also expect that I should not have to keep making repeated trips, 2 or 3 weeks post BB  to find when or if it has arrived...

[JJJ]

Re: Pickup Point - Discussion

I have been accused of harassing the pick-up point before and have not responded due to the over-the-top and assuming first "warning".

I understand where youre coming and i know sysiphus meant no harm but the bottom line is that if, like me, one wants their beans quickly they should pay the postage.

If one wants to save the money and use the pickup points generously provided by Andy and those who facilitate it at the other end, then they need to understand the turnaround time and have some patience.

Apologies if that sounds overly harsh but Andy makes the delivery options crystal clear each month so were all going in with our eyes open, noob or not.

[jham66]

Re: Pickup Point - Discussion

In my excitement I thought Id give Veneziano a bell to see if the order had arrived yet... and the bloke I got through to had absolutely no idea what I was talking about.

So, for the record.. who should one ask to speak to there? Is there a secret passphrase ("I do not like burnt beans and steam")? Is there a secret handshake when I walk in?

Cheers!

I dont know how many times Andy has said this, but DONT keep asking "Are we there yet?" with respect to the arrival of beans at the various Pick-up Points. When the beans have arrived, a post from the various generous people and businesses will appear here stating that fact.

Alternatively, a fellow CSer visiting a Pick-up Point will probably post in here that the beans have arrived - In the case of a business premises, this does not necessarily mean they are ready for collection though, as it may not be convenient for the business.

Continuous "Are we there yet?" posts will only serve to put people off side so just be patient and keep monitoring this thread for collection information in your area.....

Thanks,
Mal.

Perhaps someone should be designated as the person to herald the arrival of the beans at places like Veneziano(Brisbane) where there isnt a resident CSer.

I have been accused of harassing the pick-up point before and have not responded due to the over-the-top and assuming first "warning". My method for checking if the beans had arrived was to go to their door, buy a coffee and chat to the barista. I dont think this would be a problem as I am not taking any time of their day and they are making profit of my eagerness to receive my beans.

I think seasoned long time CSers need to keep in mind that you are often talking to young members having their first interactions on the forum. Repeat questions plague forums, but they are the reason that forums grow. You ask a relatively simple question before you expand your horizons onto more complicated questions, processes.... and equipment :.

[Dimal]

Re: Pickup Point - Discussion

In my excitement I thought Id give Veneziano a bell to see if the order had arrived yet... and the bloke I got through to had absolutely no idea what I was talking about.

So, for the record.. who should one ask to speak to there? Is there a secret passphrase ("I do not like burnt beans and steam")? Is there a secret handshake when I walk in?

Cheers!

I dont know how many times Andy has said this, but DONT keep asking "Are we there yet?" with respect to the arrival of beans at the various Pick-up Points. When the beans have arrived, a post from the various generous people and businesses will appear here stating that fact.

Alternatively, a fellow CSer visiting a Pick-up Point will probably post in here that the beans have arrived - In the case of a business premises, this does not necessarily mean they are ready for collection though, as it may not be convenient for the business.

Continuous "Are we there yet?" posts will only serve to put people off side so just be patient and keep monitoring this thread for collection information in your area.....

Thanks,
Mal.

[A_M]

Re: Pickup Point - Discussion

Im sure that you could make a couple of broad guidelines for picking up the beans that should ensure its not too onerous.

There are enough sponsors etc in Brisbane metro area that should allow it to be managed without too much additional effort... And it also offers them to have the opportunity to have a slight blip in their trade on pick-up days etc.. As to CS members wanting a coffee or two at pickup time...

I would be way too much like the following clip and strike 3 2 would be all to common     As my conditions would be a bit stricter and I am also not as good looking.

Thus too much return traffic for Andy.... And that would not suit any one.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M2lfZg-apSA

[AlexTom]

Re: Pickup Point - Discussion

Sounds like a great way to have a semi-regular social snobs event AM.... good suggestion

Im sure that you could make a couple of broad guidelines for picking up the beans that should ensure its not too onerous.

Cheers

Alex

[A_M]

Re: Pickup Point - Discussion

So, for the record.. who should one ask to speak to there?

Send an email to Andy (andy@coffeesnobs etc) and he can let you know about that.

Yes... As above.

They have had a number of staff changes and many that were on teh ball have moved on for many reasons... KK and I sorted a whole mess out a few months ago and when I returned the boxes and teh sheet with teh details. The person smiled and pushed them into a corner in teh warehouse.

On a return visit a few weeks later teh person was no longer working there and a English / Scottish lass was doing her best and seemed to have a system in place of sorts. Not sure if she is still around.... Or what happened to the stuff I had sorted and left there!!!!

I was thinking of putting my hand up as a pick-up point - But many here seem to take weeks and come in dribs and drabs.. Not so easy to manage with that being the manner of pick-ups...

[flynnaus]

Re: Pickup Point - Discussion

So, for the record.. who should one ask to speak to there?

Send an email to Andy (andy@coffeesnobs etc) and he can let you know about that.

[sysiphus]

Re: Pickup Point - Discussion

In my excitement I thought Id give Veneziano a bell to see if the order had arrived yet... and the bloke I got through to had absolutely no idea what I was talking about.

So, for the record.. who should one ask to speak to there? Is there a secret passphrase ("I do not like burnt beans and steam")? Is there a secret handshake when I walk in?

Cheers!

[Andy]

Split this off from the other thread so we can discuss it.