Since I am signed up with various mystery shopping companies and mystery shopping job boards, I don’t keep track of any of them per se. Though I am signed up with about 50 or so mscs and often put in my profile with each company, to telephone me for any assignments they feel that I am qualified for, based on whatever is in my profile with that company, yet I list my preferred method of contact as email (when that option is available).

Now with that being said, I find it very annoying when I get calls from out of the blue, when a scheduler telephones me, saying they saw my profile, they have an assignment in my area, and to please call them back. Yet they NEVER say what the assignment is and they NEVER say how much does the assignment pay. So since I often have enough work on my plate anyway, I never bother returning these types of calls, since they often want someone within a few hours of them leaving a message. Whereas I want at least 2 days notice for any last minute shops, not 3 or 4 hours notice. GRRRRR!!!

I was just curios to know if other shoppers get these calls and if you mind or don’t mind calling the msc back to ask what the assignment is and how much the assignment pays . . . NOW wait for it. Wait for it Wait for it . . . (upon hearing their reply to what the assignment and pay is) and you politely tell them “No.”

So that is another reason why I don’t want to return those types of telephone calls, because what if you don’t like the assignment for any reason and don’t want to do it, yet you have the scheduler on the other end of the telephone line and have to provide them an answer.

So I was just curious to know what to other shoppers do in this situation? Have you found schedulers okay with you turning them down? If so, do those schedulers/companies ever call you again if you have turned them down at least once?

Wilson

To answer the two questions in your last paragraph, it's Yes and Yes. Most likely you are one of several shoppers who have been called. Answering the phone and not accepting the shop will not prevent them from calling you in the future. If I do answer the phone, I absolutely will not be guilted into a shop. I make apologies and thank them for thinking of me. Or, possibly the offer will be a good one and can fit into my schedule. Then, I accept and thank them for the call.

with me these are the times to ask for a bonus...
1. because they need it filled soon
2. because it is in your area

WestCoastWilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So I was just curious to know what to other
> shoppers do in this situation? Have you found
> schedulers okay with you turning them down? If so,
> do those schedulers/companies ever call you again
> if you have turned them down at least once?
>

i only accept assignments over the phone from specific companies. if i am called by a company which is not on my narrow list, i just tell them that i can't guarantee that i can complete the assignment, because i'm currently booked already with other assignments (whether i am or not). i only accept last minute assignments from specific companies that already provide a substantial portion of my monthly mystery shopping income. for example, i rarely accept assignments over the phone from a company which isn't already providing me with at least $100 of monthly income. i'll only break my back for certain companies that i'm already firmly committed to, and not others.

To the question in paragraph #1. No, I very seldom call back a scheduler. My main reason is that I know they are going down a list and most of the time, when I finally get them on the phone, they already have the shop filled. They there are the time when they don't have a clue who you are or why they called you. With no information as to what the shop is, I don't bother to call back.

Thank you Everyone. I appreciate the feedback, and this gives me food for thought. For sure, the information that you have provided to me will better help me handle calls like this in the future. Overall, I don’t get many of these calls . . . maybe about 1 every 3 months . . . yet they come out of the blue and catch me off guard. Yet more than anything, I just find it frustrating that they NEVER tell me what the assignment is and what it pays. GRRRRR!!! Just knowing that information up front in a message would motivate me to return such calls, if the assignment sounds doable and pays enough.

Wilson

WestCoastWilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thank you Everyone. I appreciate the feedback, and
> this gives me food for thought. For sure, the
> information that you have provided to me will
> better help me handle calls like this in the
> future. Overall, I don’t get many of these calls .
> . . maybe about 1 every 3 months . . . yet they
> come out of the blue and catch me off guard. Yet
> more than anything, I just find it frustrating
> that they NEVER tell me what the assignment is and
> what it pays. GRRRRR!!! Just knowing that
> information up front in a message would motivate
> me to return such calls, if the assignment sounds
> doable and pays enough.
>
> Wilson

there is one company that calls me routinely during the last week or two of the month offering me multiple shops in cluster areas. they are a bit far me to drive without a bonus, so i require a $10 bonus for each of these shops, which is about double their normal pay. but i'll do about 10 or 15 of them at the end of each month, simply because they could find no one else to do them. therefore, i let it be known to this particular company that i'm available to do the shops that they couldn't fill (only particular ones though). i just need that bonus. beyond that, i don't accept special assignments if it's not the last week or two of the month, and never ever without a bonus. if you know how to play the game, you can make an extra $200 at the end of the month, just by taking these shops that they make special calls for. they have to meet their end of month deadlines, so they pay more at the end of the month. i say that it is for travel time and gas, since they are farther than where i would go at normal pay.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 12/20/2011 05:43PM by vince.

vince Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WestCoastWilson Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Thank you Everyone. I appreciate the feedback,
> and
> > this gives me food for thought. For sure, the
> > information that you have provided to me will
> > better help me handle calls like this in the
> > future. Overall, I don’t get many of these calls
> .
> > . . maybe about 1 every 3 months . . . yet they
> > come out of the blue and catch me off guard.
> Yet
> > more than anything, I just find it frustrating
> > that they NEVER tell me what the assignment is
> and
> > what it pays. GRRRRR!!! Just knowing that
> > information up front in a message would
> motivate
> > me to return such calls, if the assignment
> sounds
> > doable and pays enough.
> >
> > Wilson
>
> there is one company that calls me routinely
> during the last week or two of the month offering
> me multiple shops in cluster areas. they are a
> bit far me to drive without a bonus, so i require
> a $10 bonus for each of these shops, which is
> about double their normal pay. but i'll do about
> 10 or 15 of them at the end of each month, simply
> because they could find no one else to do them.
> therefore, i let it be known to this particular
> company that i'm available to do the shops that
> they couldn't fill (only particular ones though).
> i just need that bonus. beyond that, i don't
> accept special assignments if it's not the last
> week or two of the month, and never ever without a
> bonus. if you know how to play the game, you can
> make an extra $200 at the end of the month, just
> by taking these shops that they make special calls
> for. they have to meet their end of month
> deadlines, so they pay more at the end of the
> month. i say that it is for travel time and gas,
> since they are farther than where i would go at
> normal pay.


Thanks Vince, this is GREAT information to know, it will help me in the future:-)

Wilson

WestCoastWilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks Vince, this is GREAT information to know,
> it will help me in the future:-)
>
> Wilson

you're welcome. just remember:

1. end of the month time (last two weeks).

2. require special bonuses. $10 each maybe.

3. cluster areas are best (multiple shops that can be done in the same area on the same day).

It is my preferred method of contact. I can take the calls almost anywhere/any time. (If they email, I might find when I get home that the assignment has been given to someone else.) I can ask pertinent questions such as "Do you have anything in Nearby Town?" and "Can you increase the bonus?" They can explain something that shoppers usually have trouble with on that shop. I now have a personal contact and can call that scheduler personally when I suddenly find out I'm going to that area and have time to do that assignment again. I have received more than one call out of the blue because a company unknown to me needs someone for a one-time assignment outside their usual geographic area.

WestCoastWilson Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Since I am signed up with various mystery shopping
> companies and mystery shopping job boards, I don’t
> keep track of any of them per se. Though I am
> signed up with about 50 or so mscs and often put
> in my profile with each company, to telephone me
> for any assignments they feel that I am qualified
> for, based on whatever is in my profile with that
> company, yet I list my preferred method of contact
> as email (when that option is available).
>
> Now with that being said, I find it very annoying
> when I get calls from out of the blue, when a
> scheduler telephones me, saying they saw my
> profile, they have an assignment in my area, and
> to please call them back. Yet they NEVER say what
> the assignment is and they NEVER say how much does
> the assignment pay. So since I often have enough
> work on my plate anyway, I never bother returning
> these types of calls, since they often want
> someone within a few hours of them leaving a
> message. Whereas I want at least 2 days notice for
> any last minute shops, not 3 or 4 hours notice.
> GRRRRR!!!
>
> I was just curios to know if other shoppers get
> these calls and if you mind or don’t mind calling
> the msc back to ask what the assignment is and how
> much the assignment pays . . . NOW wait for it.
> Wait for it Wait for it . . . (upon hearing their
> reply to what the assignment and pay is) and you
> politely tell them “No.”
>
> So that is another reason why I don’t want to
> return those types of telephone calls, because
> what if you don’t like the assignment for any
> reason and don’t want to do it, yet you have the
> scheduler on the other end of the telephone line
> and have to provide them an answer.
>
> So I was just curious to know what to other
> shoppers do in this situation? Have you found
> schedulers okay with you turning them down? If so,
> do those schedulers/companies ever call you again
> if you have turned them down at least once?
>
> Wilson


I have never had a problem with schedulers be upset with me turning down shops. If I can't do it when they need it, then they have to call someone else, or work around my schedule. I have had several schedulers to work around my schedule just because they know the shop will be completed correctly.

Good luck. Talk to the schedulers, they are trying to do a job the same as the rest of us. By ignoring them, you may be setting yourself up as a noncaller or nonscheduler.

Thanks Vince, Sandra Sue, and GACryptic, this is very good information to know, it will help me in the future. Thanks so very much for your input and advice. It is greatly appreciated:-)

Wilson