I have completed numerous shops for intelli-shop. I find they have different editors who have different thoughts. One shop was for a higher price car in which I was to brouse for 5 minutes. I broused for 7 minutes , and went into showroom and had to ask office staff for assistance as all sales people were with potential customers.
In my report I was critized for brousing outside for 7 miniutes. I am a former business man and if we were busy then that was great as long as I had scheduled enough staff.
If a shopping firm has more than 1 editor then there should be guidelines that editors should be required to follow.

This company talks with forked tounge. They say that you must get a business card. If you do not the shop is invalid, You are responsible for the salesparson's ommision. You are to ask them to take their time and lose a rotation spot but you are instructed not to ask any questions about features. The client wants to know what they will offer without prompting.

If you ever bought a vehicle you ask questions If they mention a feature and do not elaborate and you are interested you ask them to tell you more. The client forbids you from acting like a natural shopper as you can not ask questions You get the boot without getting a business card as they want to get back into rotation as quickly as possible.

Beware! ask for a business card. "Do you have your business card. I want to jot notes and know who gave me the information." It may sound like you are asking for them to bid on the sale and that is what you should do. Warn them if they low ball you when you come back for the price3 quoted you will not buy as you can not trust them. Now you got them thinking you are a serious buyer that will not be screwed.

irish guy Wrote:
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> I have completed numerous shops for intelli-shop.
> I find they have different editors who have
> different thoughts. One shop was for a higher
> price car in which I was to brouse for 5 minutes.
> I broused for 7 minutes , and went into showroom
> and had to ask office staff for assistance as all
> sales people were with potential customers.
> In my report I was critized for brousing outside
> for 7 miniutes. I am a former business man and if
> we were busy then that was great as long as I had
> scheduled enough staff.
> If a shopping firm has more than 1 editor then
> there should be guidelines that editors should be
> required to follow.

Guidelines for editors?

First editors should have an idea of why a company would want a "fly on the wall" to observe their operation.

I am an entrepreneur. I originated three successful companies. I have other business activities I am involved with that employ the principles I operate my companies with. I have integrity.

I am retired, but I do mystery shopping to give back the feedback people gave me that made me successful. I also do it for the gas money to get to the beach and the "free" food which really is not free you have to do a report.

I would not be involved with a company where the editor sent me a copy of the narritive that was submitted. That report was pure fiction as the editor was not in attendance and did not make any observations. The editor did not want to send a "negative" report. The sugar coating was amazing. I do not fictionalize reports, that is fraud! That editor had no idea that business people need to know if they are to keep what is good and fix what is necessary to fix to keep customers coming back.

Intellishops as I wrote previously set guidelines that made it impossible to get a true report. If the shopper does not ask the salesperson to explain a feature the company does not know the depth of the salesperson's knowledge or ability to elaborate and demonstrate on the features. The guidelines prevented evaluators from asking questions. Who buys a $50,000 vehicle without asking "How does that work?" "Tell me more about that feature you mentioned." They know you are the mystery shopper. I do not know if the editors knew I could not ask questions as they asked me about things the guidelines prevented me from asking!

You have stated this before. I was just paid by Intellishop for a video new car job. I most certainly did not stand there like a stone. While I allowed the associate to lead the conversation, I was involved. Obviously they have that all recorded and I still received a 10. I have never left a car dealership without being offered a business card. That include those 15 minute shops where you are just getting a little bit of pricing information.

Piled Hip Deep, PHD Wrote:
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> This company talks with forked tounge. They say
> that you must get a business card. If you do not
> the shop is invalid, You are responsible for the
> salesparson's ommision. You are to ask them to
> take their time and lose a rotation spot but you
> are instructed not to ask any questions about
> features. The client wants to know what they will
> offer without prompting.
>
> If you ever bought a vehicle you ask questions If
> they mention a feature and do not elaborate and
> you are interested you ask them to tell you more.
> The client forbids you from acting like a natural
> shopper as you can not ask questions You get the
> boot without getting a business card as they want
> to get back into rotation as quickly as possible.
>
>
> Beware! ask for a business card. "Do you have your
> business card. I want to jot notes and know who
> gave me the information." It may sound like you
> are asking for them to bid on the sale and that is
> what you should do. Warn them if they low ball you
> when you come back for the price3 quoted you will
> not buy as you can not trust them. Now you got
> them thinking you are a serious buyer that will
> not be screwed.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You have stated this before. I was just paid by
> Intellishop for a video new car job. I most
> certainly did not stand there like a stone. While
> I allowed the associate to lead the conversation,
> I was involved. Obviously they have that all
> recorded and I still received a 10. I have never
> left a car dealership without being offered a
> business card. That include those 15 minute shops
> where you are just getting a little bit of pricing
> information.

I do not know how you can be "involved" if you can not ask questions or ask for clarification of a feature or benefit. The guidelines clearly state you must listen only. The client wants to know what the sales person gives you without prompting.

Again, it is my SUGGESTION that you ask for the business card up front so ou can "take notes on the back of it" and get that requireemnt out of the way as they will reject your shop if you do not upload an business card.

As with any SUGGESTION I offer, take it or leave it.
>
> Piled Hip Deep, PHD Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > This company talks with forked tounge. They say
> > that you must get a business card. If you do
> not
> > the shop is invalid, You are responsible for
> the
> > salesparson's ommision. You are to ask them to
> > take their time and lose a rotation spot but
> you
> > are instructed not to ask any questions about
> > features. The client wants to know what they
> will
> > offer without prompting.
> >
> > If you ever bought a vehicle you ask questions
> If
> > they mention a feature and do not elaborate and
> > you are interested you ask them to tell you
> more.
> > The client forbids you from acting like a
> natural
> > shopper as you can not ask questions You get
> the
> > boot without getting a business card as they
> want
> > to get back into rotation as quickly as
> possible.
> >
> >
> > Beware! ask for a business card. "Do you have
> your
> > business card. I want to jot notes and know who
> > gave me the information." It may sound like you
> > are asking for them to bid on the sale and that
> is
> > what you should do. Warn them if they low ball
> you
> > when you come back for the price3 quoted you
> will
> > not buy as you can not trust them. Now you got
> > them thinking you are a serious buyer that will
> > not be screwed.

Hey Piled,

I will admit, right off the bat, that I have felt sort of iffy about Intelli. I had a problem with one of their schedulers/editors in the past, but I have also done some fun shops (they have some really fun ones!!) and have enjoyed them, too. It's kind of a toss up!

You said if anyone had any suggestions, you'd entertain them, and I had a few where it comes to interacting with the sales agent without asking questions. I agree with you, this is very limiting, but I had a thought as I was reading your comments. If, instead of thinking of our jobs in terms of fact-finding by going in to see what kind of information we can mine, and doing it by-- this is the best way I can think of to say it-- bludgeon the poor sales person with a battery of questions, what if we think about it in terms of pure agreement.

For example-- the sales person is showing you the brand new X-Type Model and X-Type Make. They say it has a state of the air ejector seat. Instead of asking the first question that comes to mind, "Won't I be cut to ribbons as I'm shot out of the roof?" what if I say, "Oh! That's interesting..." leaving room for the agent to keep talking. They fill in the dead space with, "Don't worry. You won't be cut to ribbons when you're shot out of the roof," and then show you the brand new, and very high tech, sun roof. "Ah hah!" you say.

We go for positive acknowledgements, but leave the dead air for the sales person to fill.

I don't know, it was just a thought. =)

Sending the best,

Jen