Does anyone know a person that I can contact for MarketForce Theater/CFA that can talk to me about a concern I have? A manager or something would be excellent, or someone higher up in the company that can work with me. The "Help Desk" has not returned my calls in over a week now.

I recently completed a build and I was completely misled on the time it would take to complete. Some of the materials were missing, and I called so many times letting them know that it was a very difficult job. I informed them that the standee was damaged and missing parts, and that it was taking far longer than I was quoted for time - four times, in fact, more than I agreed to. I understand that these things take more time than projected, especially if you're not familiar with them, but for two people who are more than capable, it was a nightmare.

Whenever I did get in contact with someone, they were either dismissive about the situation or just plain rude, assuming I was trying to back out of the project.

In truth, I just want them to understand that my time is valuable, and that when I am immensely misled on the time it takes to do something, that hurts me financially, because I have to push back other jobs that I must do for the day. I took a hard blow completing this assignment, and I was spoken to as though I was entirely dispensable, and I just want to be heard. And yes, I do take it very seriously and consider it a theft of my time and services if I'm not reimbursed - I NEVER would have agreed to this contract if they had not provided me with a totally inaccurate assessment of the project up front. If they had told me it would take half the time it did to install this, I would have absolutely asked for more money or not signed off on the job at all.

But even if they can't pay me for my time, it would be nice if someone could at the very least understand? I'm running myself like a business because this is how I earn my living. I have to make the bills, and I have appointments and duties in life just like anyone else. I feel like my story should be heard by management, so that this does not continue to happen. And trust you me, this last month has put such a sour taste in my mouth, I will have to start turning down assignments with them until something is done.

And if nothing is done, that's fine. I'll share my story with other contractors and move on to better companies.

Agree. Some of these companies think the world revolves around them. They have no accountability, while we shoulder it all..MS's rise up! RISE UP!

There are so many merchandising companies which use you and lose you. I do most of my work for a company which does let you put in for extra time when the jobs go over. I document the exact reason why my job went over the time, with pictures, in an email, with a copy to myself and my manager. I save them all in a file for proof. I also save the original paperwork/planogram with all the corrections I have made. If I am not paid for my time, it is the last time I will do any work for them. I'm so tired of this low ball stuff. Poorly written instructions, planograms that have no relationship to reality, times that are a joke. I've started applying for jobs that have nothing to do with Merchandising or Mystery Shopping. The merchandising jobs that pay really well are so few and far between, I can easily do them with full time job. There are assignments that I am doing just to fill the time between the good jobs, I would be happy to cut them out of my week.

They refuse to call me/E-mail me back, so I'm pretty sure this is one of those cases that I just will not be going back to them. Or Rising Up as the case may be. My favorite assignments are no longer part of their program, now that they do strictly theater work, so it just isn't adding up for me to be treated like an old workhorse.

That company sounds really good, Cindy, and I'm glad you have had the fortune of running across them.

Update: They contacted me today about going back and installing parts that were not sent. But they refuse to answer any responses from me. A+

I think your talking about the Earth To Echo standee. That was a great puzzle. I did 2 of them with my wife. The second one took about half the time because we had it figured out already. They called me a few days ago to go install lighting on one that somebody else did but what they were paying probably would even cover gas, lol.

They called me to install the lighting on it, too, and oh my gosh I wish I could upload the angry voicemail they left me. Hoooo boy. Not the way to get me to do you any favors, that's for sure.

Now that is a truely persuasive person.
Like the graffiti on the outhouse wall says,
"If the only tool you have is a hammer, you tend to treat everything as a nail".
I wish I could hear the voice mail, I love to listen to idiots. (Only in short doses though)

I am not sure what the ages are of everyone here are but I used to get paid $42,000/ Annual to be a merchandiser +GAS..Crazy how they have degraded us.

In 1996 I made $26k as a team lead for Huffy Service First. It was 24 to 32 hours a week. I had benefits, pension, and got $25 a day for food when I was out of town, plus mileage. ( Small town, small market wages) Yes, life way was better then for merchandisers. While I can still find the $14- $16 an hour jobs, they are only for 4 hours every six weeks, or strictly on call work, Start now and work until whatever time they call it a day. No way of knowing what the week, or month will bring that way. I don't answer the phone for those anymore. Walking into a wasp nest of planogram problems, understaffed, no correct shelving, uncooperative store staff, just is too exhausting for me. That's why they are willing to pay well, the job is almost impossible.
The company that I was getting calls from for this kind of work seems to be having problems making payroll from what I have heard, so now I'm really not interested in taking that call!

charlotte68 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am not sure what the ages are of everyone here
> are but I used to get paid $42,000/ Annual to be a
> merchandiser +GAS..Crazy how they have degraded
> us.

It has been a very long time since I worked full time, but I was willing to accept lower wages in exchange for the flexibility of part time. The problem is that when I went part time, the companies I worked for still paid travel time and mileage. Now that is gone plus hourly rates have stayed the same or decreased - and they set the times they will pay for the visits, regardless of what actually needs to be done.

I used to gladly cover a "region", but now I feel like I lose money even covering the other side of town. I complete my work the way it is supposed to be done, even if it is undertimed (and that is often the case for one company). I see so many names come and go on e-mails and hear through the grapevine how they reported store visits for months yet never serviced them. They get paid for doing nothing while I get paid nothing for working. It's depressing. If they paid decently, they could find more decent employees.

I had to cover someone else's stores for the last two weekends. She hadn't done half of the programs, yet the stores were listed as all being done. So besides the program I was there for, I was fixing the other stuff. I did not not inform the DM, I don't want these stores, too far away, no drive time. I have had to follow cheats in the past, and it really angers me, trying to get a store compliant. Corporate did spot checks in 7 stores the were supposed to be done, they were not, and they told the person who had these stores to go back and do what she had already gotten paid for. She quit instead. I ended up in 7 stores, with management looking at me like I was the slacker. They offered me all the stores, but with those flat rate, 15 to 30 minute jobs, I can't afford to drive all over the city. I have my little route, 11 miles round trip that I do on my way top other things.

cindy55 Wrote:
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> She quit instead. I ended up in 7
> stores, with management looking at me like I was
> the slacker.


*shakes head*

Typical.

Yeah , that was the Earth to Echo standee, same thing happened with me here in MO. I did 2 of them and one , pieces were sent to theater but they could not find them. I got paid anyway. I made sure of it.