I recently completed a shop at a hotel and got feedback from the editor indicating that I might not be paid/reimbursed because I did not follow the guidelines. However, I feel that the editor is mis-interpeting the shop instructions.

This particular client operates several different hotel brands. Some offer a complementary breakfast buffet and others have a table service breakfast restaurant. Either way, the shop requires several photos, and one of the photo requirements is: "2 of the guests’ UNEATEN entrees (at full service locations) OR 2 of the continental breakfast."

The location I shopped had a continental breakfast buffet, so I took two photos of buffet setup, not of our own plates. I did this for a couple of reasons. First and foremost, I've done 5 other shops for this combination of MSC and client with the exact same requirement in the guidelines. I've never photographed my own plate at a buffet location, and no editor has ever mentioned it before. Second, photographing the buffet setup gives the client actionable information about the guest experience. A picture of my own plate just tells the client how I arrange my own food. Third, if they wanted photos of my own plate at a buffet location, why make the distinction between location types at all in the photo instructions? They could have just required 2 pictures of the guest's uneaten breakfast and been done with it.

I replied explaining my case. The editor, after re-reading the instructions, was only willing to acknowledge that it's possible to see how I made the mistake I made, and that the shop might still be rejected and not paid/reimbursed.

If so, this would be my first rejected shop in over 5 years of mystery shopping. I can't imagine denying several hundred dollars in reimbursement for a situation where I was told to provide 2 photos of the continental breakfast and that's exactly what I did. The only other feedback provided by the editor was that I submitted a "well written and detailed report."

Before I escalate this, I wanted to see what others felt about the instructions and my interpretation. Am I crazy to think that the editor is reading things wrong?

CapitalJay, I completely get your point, and I think you are absolutely right. I'll just let you know that I am doing this shop soon and am going alone. I emailed the scheduler and asked if I have to provide two pictures of the continental breakfast and he/she said yes. That I should get two different plates of food. It's a continental breakfast! They are being sticklers for following the instructions to the letter (without thinking it through). I think you'll be paid because I think the client will be satisfied. Apparently, the client has never had a problem with you before, so this sounds more like an editor problem.

If I had done the shop, I would err on the side of caution and take photos of both the buffet and my plates. It's a good idea to take extra photos on these types of shops. Good luck, I hope the situation works out in your favor

To me the instructions clearly read that you are to take pictures of two plates of food. It is not up to your interpretation of how you feel the shop should be directed (ie. "gives the client actionable information about the guest experience." You do not know why the client wants a photo of their food. It could, for example, be for checking the quality of the food in detail. Who knows why.

I do see your point - but I would always follow the instructions to the letter. It seems they made it pretty clear.

However, I hope that they don't dock you the entire stay because of that - and don't imagine that they would....but please keep us posted!

I would have taken pictures of the plates of food.

What mystifies me is the editor who told the solo shopper to take pictures of two different plates of food! I always shop solo and have seen those instructions. I take one picture of my plate of food and have bever been challenged by an editor. Please name the MSC for that one! It's worth following up with the head scheduler for clarification.

"2 of the guests’ UNEATEN entrees (at full service locations) OR 2 of the continental breakfast."

I would have made the same mistake, thinking that a photo of the continental breakfast meant the buffet. haven't done a hotel shop in a few years, so have not encountered any of the photos yet.

So, what if you selected a single item on a plate for your continental breakfast? Would a photo of that be helpful to the client?

I'm with you, OP. The instructions were ambiguous, and I would have followed the same thought process as to what would benefit the client. I find it insulting that the editor referred to your choice of action as a mistake.

Email the scheduler. She is really nice.

Walesmaven,

Here is the email exchange. I was thinking better safe than sorry. I left in the name of the company since you asked, and we haven't named the client.

You only have to order for yourself. There is no need to take pictures of any additional entrees J You can take two pictures of two different items if you have them (like a plate with eggs and bacon and another with toast).

Xxxxxxxxx
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From:
Sent: Wednesday, June 25, 2014 6:39 PM
To: Xxxxxx
Subject: Re: Reservation Confirmation #83706629 for xxxx

Hi Xxxxxxx,

I am doing this shop alone. The guidelines call for two pictures of the continental breakfast (or room service entrees). Is it okay for me to do this alone, and do you then still need two pictures of my breakfast?

Thanks!

I am a picture-obsessive shopper. I would have taken pictures of my plates, just to be safe.

What flips me out here, is your scheduler is saying you might not be paid. How much money are we talking about here? (if I am not being too nosey)

The majority of the people at this MSC is kind and polite. Only a few editors are strangely difficult and will "downgrade" your status to see less desirable shops. My guess is you will be paid without any issue.

Instructions are worded poorly if they want the plates. Seems to me they want 2 pictures
of the plates of food if a server serves it and a picture of the free
buffet if the location has that. That is the only way to interpet
the instructions directly. I see no grey area.

Thanks to everyone who has weighed in with your helpful thoughts.

Interestly enough, as many times as I've read these same guidelines and have done this same shop, it never even dawned on me that the photo requirement I cited referred to my own plate. It just seemed obvious to me that photos "of the continental breakfast" meant food on the buffet. No editor had ever corrected me on it before, even on the shop where I explained in the notes that I was unabe to get very good photos of the buffet because of a steady flow of guests blocking my view.

That said, it was quite informative to see how many of you read the instruction and thought it meant something different than how I took it. It's a lesson in considering all possible ways to interpret shop guidelines and inquiring about (or planning for) any potential ambiguity.

After reading some of the feedback here, I'm starting to think that, like my prior assignments for this client, my shop will probably be accepted and reimbursed as usual etc. If not, I'll escalate the matter and see what comes of it.

Consistent with most of your experiences, almost everyone I've worked with at this MSC has been very friendly and helpful over the years, and I would expect that the issue would be resolved profesionally.

Either way, I'll update here with the outcome.

If you need to escalate just remember to be polite. You can catch more flies with honey than with vinegar.

Interesting information. I'm about to do my first shop ever for ACL tomorrow, a restaurant shop with a guest. I'll be sure to take extra pictures of anything I'm not certain what they mean. I was contacted by one of their people to coach me and I'm taking her phone number with me. If I have an "oh no" moment during the shop I'll try to call her for clarification.

Hope it works out for you. I would interpret those instructions the same way you did, but would not fault a shopper who went the other way. It's not really clear if they mean the "continental breakfast buffet" or "the continental breakfast you put on your plate." I could see a shop being rejected just as easily for taking pictures of your muffin and coffee and not taking a picture of the variety offered on the buffet.

In the email response, though, it was clearly worded that you needed two plate pictures.

No, it really wasn't clearly worded at all for the situation of the continental breakfast. "You only have to order for yourself. There is no need to take pictures of any additional entrees J You can take two pictures of two different items if you have them (like a plate with eggs and bacon and another with toast). "

You only have to order for yourself. (i.e., you don't have to order for a phantom guest that you didn't bring with you)

There is no need to take pictures of any additional entrees. (Entree is the main part of the meal -- the eggs, not the toast. One picture of one entree will suffice if you are dining alone.)

You *can* take two pictures of two different items *if you have them*. (Two pictures is nice, but optional, if you dine alone.)


I don't see anything in there saying two pictures are required if only one is dining. And it indicated nothing about what to do if you are not "ordering" but merely helping yourself to the buffet -- and that was OP's situation.

Finally, emails from the scheduler do not replace the instructions, which said, take photos of "2 of the guests’ UNEATEN entrees (at full service locations) OR 2 of the continental breakfast." (Note that entrees is plural and breakfast is not.)

The term "continental breakfast" does not state it refers to uneaten (pretty hard to take a pic of something after it has been eaten, actually) plates of food. It could either refer to the continental breakfast the guest chose for himself, or could refer to the entire continental breakfast offering. The scheduler's email does not clarify what to do for continental breakfast situations since it refers to food that was ordered from a menu.

The instructions were unclear, and the email response did not cover the part that was unclear.

I wonder how many people are thinking "pictures of the buffet" because that's what most ACL hotels ask for? I've done a lot of the ones that ask for photos of the buffet, I've done 2 or 3 of these that want your plate of food, I've never had any problems determining which was needed.

For some reason, I seem to remember the ones that required a picture of the buffet to have had much more specific instructions.... something like a list of the pictures that included "the breakfast buffet offerings," or words to that effect. Others, were clearly to be of the untouched buffet food on my plate. BUT, we may be discusiing different clients of ACL, which may mean different wording was seen by each of us!

CapitalJay Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks to everyone who has weighed in with your
> helpful thoughts.
>
> Interestly enough, as many times as I've read
> these same guidelines and have done this same
> shop, it never even dawned on me that the photo
> requirement I cited referred to my own plate. It
> just seemed obvious to me that photos "of the
> continental breakfast" meant food on the buffet.
> No editor had ever corrected me on it before, even
> on the shop where I explained in the notes that I
> was unabe to get very good photos of the buffet
> because of a steady flow of guests blocking my
> view.
>
> That said, it was quite informative to see how
> many of you read the instruction and thought it
> meant something different than how I took it.
> It's a lesson in considering all possible ways to
> interpret shop guidelines and inquiring about (or
> planning for) any potential ambiguity.
>
> After reading some of the feedback here, I'm
> starting to think that, like my prior assignments
> for this client, my shop will probably be accepted
> and reimbursed as usual etc. If not, I'll
> escalate the matter and see what comes of it.
>
> Consistent with most of your experiences, almost
> everyone I've worked with at this MSC has been
> very friendly and helpful over the years, and I
> would expect that the issue would be resolved
> profesionally.
>
> Either way, I'll update here with the outcome.

I just want to say, that I really like your writing style, easy on the eyes

I give up on these shops. Kudos to anyone who does them. They require lengthy narratives - the exterior, the public places, the room, numerous photos, the check in, the request, the breakfast dining portion, the check out ... and for what? these are all low end hotels at the worst places.

Linda, I don't think $118/night at the Isle of Palms [SC] qualifies as "low end". I would name the specific brand but the MSC has already been named.

Then again, if you have the funds to support a "caviar and champagne" lifestyle, $118/night is probably "low end".



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2014 08:43PM by James Bond 007.5.

$118 a night is higher-end to me, although I know we have rooms here for $200-400 a night.

The most I would pay on a hotel shop a night, might be $150 a night, before I would get a bit nervous....

My average room cost has been $60-75. Not high end hotels but more your world famous motels that are nicer C*****t Inn Suites that have everything H******n seems to have

Yes, in fact, the last time a stayed in a room that was around $120 was for this MSC. Looking back on the last few months, all of my hotel stays have been between $350-$800...

I am doing this shop, and my room cost $349. Made the reservation three weeks ago.

Phoebe70 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If I had done the shop, I would err on the side of
> caution and take photos of both the buffet and my
> plates. It's a good idea to take extra photos on
> these types of shops.

Hindsight is often 20/20.

Chix Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> To me the instructions clearly read that you are
> to take pictures of two plates of food. It is not
> up to your interpretation of how you feel the shop
> should be directed (ie. "gives the client
> actionable information about the guest
> experience." You do not know why the client
> wants a photo of their food. It could, for
> example, be for checking the quality of the food
> in detail. Who knows why.
>
> I do see your point - but I would always follow
> the instructions to the letter. It seems they
> made it pretty clear.

I think that is the point that is being made. You read it one way and the poster read it another way..neither of you felt you were 'interpreting' the instructions and both of you feel the instructions are 'pretty clear'. As can be seen from the responders to the original post, people are divided in how they understand the instructions.

I feel the instructions regarding two plates only applies to the menu locations. My rationale is the 'OR' separates the two sets of instructions thereby making each instruction a unique directive. The second directive instructs the shopper to take photos as follows..."2 of the continental breakfast." There is nothing in that directive that indicates the MSC wants the shopper's choice of items selected from the continental breakfast. It says simply take two photographs of the continental breakfast. I read that to mean the MSC wants a panoramic shot including as much as possible of the choices available.

I would expect to read something along the lines of:
A. "2 of the guests' UNEATEN entrees (at full service locations) OR UNEATEN buffet selection (at the continental breakfast)." or
B. "2 of the guests' UNEATEN entrees (at full service locations) OR 2 of the guests' UNEATEN buffet selection (at the continental breakfast)."