OPEN THREAD conversation-starter: Any idea what this SBUX customer's beef is?

This is from the comments section on another topic:

I had a customer come in this evening to use a gift card because she "forgot to tell her brother she was boycotting Starbucks." I was attempting to inquire why, but all she gave me was "our HR person on 60 minutes rubbed her the wrong way." I tried looking up some clips, but didn't see anything out of the ordinary. Anyone might have an idea or leads? My co-workers and I are kind of curious because of how strange she was acting.

Starbucks' human resources veep is Kalen Holmes (photo above). Does she rub anyone the wrong way?

DISCUSS THIS OR ANYTHING ELSE STARBUCKS-RELATED -- including next Tuesday's "Blonde" coffee launch -- IN THE OPEN THREAD.

Comments

[James Connolly]

I'm pretty sure it had to do with the Kati Moore sexual harassment case that got settled a couple months back, and it was on 20/20 not 60 Minutes where they had video of an RD attacking Ms. Moore's parents during a deposition.

It wasn't a pretty scene to say the least, and I can't say I entirely fault someone for refusing to give the company money for that reason, though the case is now settled.

[Starbucks Gossip webmaster]

I just wanted to remind people who can't get enough of Starbucks news that there's a new Fans of Starbucks Gossip group on Facebook. You can find it here.

Also, consider following Starbucks Gossip on Twitter.

[I serve crazy ppl coffee]

1/3rd of Starbucks customers are insane and religiously take hard drugs.

[A Natural Blonde]

Really interested in early expectations about adding Blonde brewing to stores, new deployments? extra brewing? new procedures? new equipment?

[Tea Addict]

I realize this isn't "Hints from Heloise," but have any of you come up with a use for empty Tazo full-leaf tea tins? I always feel a bit wasteful and eco-destructive throwing them away.

[morningbecomes]

use as gardening pots/kitchen herbs...

[Faux BSR]

You can put your WEED in it!

[wdp]

one of my former co-workers collected tea tins and made candles inside them.

[Ian]

@A Natural Blonde:
No actual new deployment. The coffee cadence is increased two minutes (to 32 minutes for a full cycle) and Decaf is going to now be in an airpot. Also, now, rather than R1 doing all the brewing, it is also a team effort to keep up on it. There will also be a new "grind as you need it" effort.

@Tea Addict
I use mind to store various nicknacks and trinkets. I think I may have one storing some "emergency" funds.

[b]

@Ian
"grind and brew" as its known was introduced with BCA 3 years ago along with Pike. The new BCR specifically calls out assigning 1 person to the cadence and it not being a team effort.

[Waltie]

I believe it's 30 minutes for a "full cycle." That is, when you go down to one coffee, you set the timer for 30 minutes. That's what the book says, and you should have a new sticker that has the hold times to put on your brewer.

And, yeah, it's been grind before you brew for years.

Basically Blonde adds an extra coffee but no extra work, since the hold time stays at 8 minutes during the rush.

[Coffee Soldier]

In New England they are making us brew all 4 coffees all day long...so much for the pour over and the year we spend educating our customers about it...also can't wait till customers go 6 miles into NY from me and cannot get any coffee at anytime because they are not in New England and are going by the workbook standard of Noon time end for Blonde and Decaf but have available either in small batch or pour over....also can't wait to see a P&L in about 2 months to look at cost of coffee goods and then watch the higher ups scramble telling us to pull back...not to brew it all again!

[Anon]

its 30 for one but when you add in all 4 being brewed every 8 minutes the hold time becomes 32. Meh.

Not much of a change, just, more of the same with those air pots being kind of a pita.

[leccy]

On a totally different question, can anyone tell me if SBux in Australia does brewed coffee or just espresso? I've tried to get a 'regular' black coffee a couple of times and only been able to get an Americano which ain't the same!

[hangingonbyathread]

What do all the other managers out there think of the community service piece of this years scorecard? Our DM is now requiring all managers to attend all the volunteer events. Does a mandatory volunteer event even make sense?

[Melpomene]

Volunteering? When I worked at the company and volunteered on my own--the DM and RD always wanted me to a PR blitz campaign to make the BUX look good. Personally, I find my volunteering to be private and I don't want to promote it for personal gain like STARBUCKS wants. I think that defeats the purpose of volunteering. Its just like when they did that whole song and dance in New Orleans...and it was all Bull. Just pandering to the cameras.

[G-man]

technically, hold time on coffee has been lengthened by 8 minutes. If you hold on to a pot of coffee as long as the starbucks regulation tells you to, its there for 38 minutes. 8x4 (for the four 8 minute brew cycles) + 6 (the time you hold on to the batch while the replacement batch brews)

[ncsm]

I have never seen a coffee company spend so much time and effort on developing (and changing--and changing yet again!) a system for brewing coffee. For crying out loud Starbucks--you're not trying to send someone to the moon! It's coffee--just brew the damn stuff!

[curious]

does anyone know what the dm bonus requirements are?

[Melpomene]

Dms essentially get a cut of the SMs bonus. And on up.

[curious]

so if the sm's are hitting all of there stuff and get a bonus, then the dm gets a bigger bonus?

[just saying]

a larger percent but have to have ten SMs get it..

[happyasm]

@ waltie. Ny is also brewing all 4 all day. As for the community service being mandatory. I think its great. Has anyone read onward and all the great work SBUX did for new orleans after katrina

[Melpomene]

I read Onward. And I lived through the New Orleans PR ambush...I don't mind being mandated volunteering hours. I do mind a company using my volunteering to pander for PR. I also wish to volunteer at Planned Parenthood and apparently thats not on the list of approved volunteering. Volunteering should be personal and not be self-serving or corporate-serving it should be straight up for the greater good.

[Vancity]

@Melopmene

lol at trying to volunteer at planned parenthood.

gee I wonder why its not on a starbucks approved list.

No one is stopping you from volunteering your personal time away from work. But if you expect to volunteer under the Starbucks flag potentially with your partners and receiving the added benefits of sbux grants expect some rules.

you sound like a bitter, hopefully no longer employed bean :)

[Melpomene]

Vancity:

No. Unfortunately I am still an overperforming, underpaid SM who constantly is constantly asking too many questions much to my DM's dismay and my RD's entertainmnet.

[happypartner]

@Melpomene

Ive been reading through a few threads on this site. do you have ANYTHING positive to say?

If you hate your job so much then why don't you do your partners and customer a favor and just quit. Clearly you are over qualified for you position it shows by your need to ask so many questions of your DM (LOL by the way)

[Kate]

@ leccy

You can definitely get a brewed coffee but you have to ask for a brewed coffee. If you ask for a "regular black coffee" you'll likely get a long black - because that's what a regular black coffee is to most Australians ! :)