Hello to all of the great mystery shoppers who frequent this board. My name is Daniel Price. I’m currently a Scheduler and Special Projects Manager with Customer Impact. We strive on being one of the best MSC’s for shoppers to work with, and we work to achieve that through many avenues, including the utilization of what our shoppers want in a MSC and trying to implement it to the best of our abilities when we can. While we specialize in restaurant and retail, we also have done work among many different avenues, including smartphone based-audits, and Customer Impact is always looking for ways to get better and improve internally. I truly believe it is our availability every day of the week via phone and email that sets us apart from many MSC’s. We want the entire mystery shopping process to be a good experience for everyone involved, therefore we think it is important to always keep open lines of communication between shoppers and our staff.

I’m posting this today to learn from what I believe is the best possible resource to gain insight from when it comes to mystery shoppers. The many folks who participate in this forum represent the most dedicated and best mystery shoppers in the country. This is evident because you have sought out an internet forum to be able to discuss the industry and gain valuable feedback about other companies as well as share your own opinions and advice. What I want to do more than anything with this post is just get to know a little more about what types of things you all look for, value, don’t like, etc. in mystery shopping in general.

I’ll start by just listing some questions. You don’t have to answer them all, but any and all feedback is appreciated. I’ll monitor the thread as long as it stays active as well. If you have any questions of us, we encourage that too. Obviously keeping in mind you ICA’s, I’ll answer as much as I can on the board. I also encourage you to PM me on here, or email me at dprice@customerimpactinfo.com any time you have questions, in regards to specific shops of ours, or questions about the industry in general.


1) What type of contact do you prefer about jobs in your area? Phone, email, text, etc? Are there any types of contact you absolutely don’t like at all?

2) How much is too much in regards to emails, calls, etc? At CI, we try to keep a limit on how many emails we send out so as to not bombard the shopper, but we realize sometimes it still feels that way.

3) Do you like company facebook pages or twitter accounts, and do you follow them? If so, why? If not, why not?

4) Do you make it known to friends/family that you are a mystery shopper? Why/Why not?

5) Do you refer people to become mystery shoppers? Do you take advantage of referral programs that offer bonus pay for referring shoppers who complete shops? Why/Why not?

6) What do you look for in shops? Are you looking for purely a monetary value, or are you looking for the value of a nice meal, reimbursement at a retail outlet, you like, etc?

7) When you think of your favorite Mystery shopping company, what comes to mind? The type of shops they have available to you? The company/employees themselves? The pay?

8) What things about mystery shopping companies annoy/frustrate you the most? Whether it be scheduling, required dates, editing procedures, guidelines, etc. (I hope I can help answer many questions here).

9) What things about schedulers or the scheduling process do you like or dislike the most?

10) What things about editors and the editing process do you like or dislike the most?

Here are some CI Specific questions and/or SASSIE specific questions that I’d like to ask as well.

11) Are there any ways we can improve the guidelines for our shops? Would you like to see the format changed at all? If so, how?

12) What do you think about the email you receive from the scheduler once you are assigned as hop? Would you like to see more information, less information, is it too busy/cluttered? Do you actually read it all, etc.?

13) What do you think about the reminder to save your report that pops up every 30 minutes? Is there a way other MSC’s do this that is more efficient?

14) Is there something we can do to remind shoppers to keep an eye on their email/voicemail when their shop is completed but not yet finalized? Sometimes, a shopper will not respond to our questions regarding pending shops until it is too late for the client.

15) When something urgent comes up and you need to contact someone, is there any method of communication we do not offer that you’d like to see available?

16) What do you think of our report scoring system? Are there any changes you would like to see made to that system?

17) What do you think of the email feedback that you receive from the editors once they have looked over your report/ Do you think they are too detailed? Not detailed enough?

18) Is there anything you wish you had known when you were first starting out as a mystery shopper that a company did not tell you? If so, what?

19) If you are registered with CI, would you be interested in a shopper newsletter that is sent via email once a month from our company higlighting any new additions, new shops/clients, changes to our system/improvements, and general news including links to our weekly blogs?


I’ll have more to add as well. At this point, I also want to encourage you to ask any questions in your responses that you think I may be able to help answer, explain, clarify, etc. Since we use SASSIE, I’m happy to attempt to answer any questions you may have about SASSIE issues and give an answer to help explain any questions you had with that. Shoppers and MSC’s have to work well together to ensure the results the client demands, and I hope that we can all gain some productive things from this thread and continue to grow.

Thanks for taking the time to read this, and I look forward to your answers to the above questions, and answering any questions you have! And again, email me or PM me at any time with specific inquiries.

Daniel Price
Customer Impact, LLC.
dprice@customerimpactinfo.com

"If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself."
-Henry Ford

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/05/2014 06:58PM by dprice.

1) What type of contact do you prefer about jobs in your area? Phone, email, text, etc? Are there any types of contact you absolutely don’t like at all?

Keep it local. email that tells me there is work available in my state is useless. Type of job, filtered by my location, is gold. email tends to get lost among all the garbage from incompetent schedulers. Texts do not get lost currently, but it is only a matter of time before intellishop figures out a way to ruin that, too.

3) Do you like company facebook pages or twitter accounts, and do you follow them? If so, why? If not, why not?

NFW I would ever sign up for a mystery shopping company social media account. Even if you say it will be kept confidential, I don't know that Facetwit will not change the rules tomorrow and let everyone with access to google know I'm a shopper. I would welcome a newsletter via email.

5) Do you refer people to become mystery shoppers? Do you take advantage of referral programs that offer bonus pay for referring shoppers who complete shops? Why/Why not?

I do refer in the spirit of helping others. The bonuses offered by most companies is a joke.

6) What do you look for in shops? Are you looking for purely a monetary value, or are you looking for the value of a nice meal, reimbursement at a retail outlet, you like, etc?

Overall value and time commitment. From sign up through editing and getting paid.

8) What things about mystery shopping companies annoy/frustrate you the most? Whether it be scheduling, required dates, editing procedures, guidelines, etc. (I hope I can help answer many questions here).

misleading and/or patronizing ads. Repeated ads for the same job each time the bonus creeps up two dollars. Incompetent editors.

Here are some CI Specific questions and/or SASSIE specific questions that I’d like to ask as well.


13) What do you think about the reminder to save your report that pops up every 30 minutes? Is there a way other MSC’s do this that is more efficient?

Make it auto save every few minutes. 30 minutes is too long.

14) Is there something we can do to remind shoppers to keep an eye on their email/voicemail when their shop is completed but not yet finalized? Sometimes, a shopper will not respond to our questions regarding pending shops until it is too late for the client.

The same way you make a hormone. I clearly remember every time I have not been paid for a shop.

15) When something urgent comes up and you need to contact someone, is there any method of communication we do not offer that you’d like to see available?

being able to text a question in the middle of dinner would be nice.

16) What do you think of our report scoring system? Are there any changes you would like to see made to that system?

You should flush it and make your own. Nobody takes a Sassy score seriously after the first few dozen shops.

18) Is there anything you wish you had known when you were first starting out as a mystery shopper that a company did not tell you? If so, what?

19) If you are registered with CI, would you be interested in a shopper newsletter that is sent via email once a month from our company higlighting any new additions, new shops/clients, changes to our system/improvements, and general news inclu

I'll play....

1) What type of contact do you prefer about jobs in your area? Phone, email, text, etc? Are there any types of contact you absolutely don’t like at all?

Routine: email Urgent and bonused: phone Urgent and not bonused: Not at all

2) How much is too much in regards to emails, calls, etc? At CI, we try to keep a limit on how many emails we send out so as to not bombard the shopper, but we realize sometimes it still feels that way.

If I get a second email for the same shop and there is no change in fee ... that second email was too much. If prices are going up to try to find someone willing to do it, at least get 15 minutes between them. I had a company send me 13 emails in an hour about the same shop with no change in terms. Not good.

3) Do you like company facebook pages or twitter accounts, and do you follow them? If so, why? If not, why not? Absolutely not. How can we maintain our anonymity as shoppers while announcing to the world that we are?

4) Do you make it known to friends/family that you are a mystery shopper? Why/Why not?

Family, yes. Close friends, sometimes. Acquaintances, no. Reason: people don't keep other people's secrets very well.

5) Do you refer people to become mystery shoppers? Do you take advantage of referral programs that offer bonus pay for referring shoppers who complete shops? Why/Why not?

I only referred one friend in my area, because she was desperate for work after her husband died, and I was willing to share my territory with her. Otherwise, I discourage anyone in my area who brings up the subject, tell them how much work it is to get a free burger.

6) What do you look for in shops? Are you looking for purely a monetary value, or are you looking for the value of a nice meal, reimbursement at a retail outlet, you like, etc?

For me it's money. I do a few dining shops but very rarely. I can't pay the light bill with a steak.

7) When you think of your favorite Mystery shopping company, what comes to mind? The type of shops they have available to you? The company/employees themselves? The pay?

I'm probably one of few who couldn't name a favorite. (I kind of like About Face but that's because they don't have the same shops month in and month out -- they're probably the only company whose emails I open even if I don't have time to shop in the next week, just to see if they have something new.) I want money. My favorites are companies who pay well and appropriately for the effort required.

8) What things about mystery shopping companies annoy/frustrate you the most? Whether it be scheduling, required dates, editing procedures, guidelines, etc. (I hope I can help answer many questions here).

I've seen some really poorly edited instructions, including one where a paragraph cut off in mid-sentence, leaving me to guess and wonder what they meant. I had one ding me for not capitalizing "Teller" in a report, and the instructions themselves alternated either capitalizing or not capitalizing. I don't appreciate hypocrisy. Don't hold me to a higher standard than they hold themselves.

9) What things about schedulers or the scheduling process do you like or dislike the most?

Insulting offers from one company's foreign schedulers. I can't understand them anyway and then they think $3 should induce me to drive 85 miles to do a $5 fast food shop. Don't insult our intelligence. If I say I need $50 to go to a certain town, I don't want to hear how much you'll appreciate it if I do it for $10. I'm not in this for appreciation and my car doesn't run on gratitude.

10) What things about editors and the editing process do you like or dislike the most?

Naming "numerous grammar and spelling errors" and not telling us what they were. I have come to the conclusion that some editors can't spell, so if they think it's "wierd" and you spell it "weird" they think the shopper is wrong (hey, it's i before e, isn't it?).

Here are some CI Specific questions and/or SASSIE specific questions that I’d like to ask as well.

11) Are there any ways we can improve the guidelines for our shops? Would you like to see the format changed at all? If so, how?

I've never done a shop for you so I don't know (I keep looking but you never have anything in my area that I can do at the time.)

12) What do you think about the email you receive from the scheduler once you are assigned as hop? Would you like to see more information, less information, is it too busy/cluttered? Do you actually read it all, etc.?

If there are any special instructions, put them at the top of the email in all caps. I recently took an emergency shop for another company where the guidelines said "any day, any time they are open" in one place, "report within 12 hours or by midnight" in another place, and then I got a phone call at noon asking why I didn't report it by noon like the instructions said. Huh? Yup, I found it, down near the bottom of the email and buried in a paragraph on the shop recap page -- "must report by noon." The store opened at 10 and was 100 miles away. I planned to get there by 3 and report it by 7. They let me do it on my schedule, but a lot of anxiety could have been spared by putting that abnormal condition up front, in fact it should have been in the subject line of the email offering the bonus. So the answer to "do you read it all" would be "not if I've done the shop before." I do refresh myself on the shop flow requirements before every shop, even if I've done 100 of them, just to be sure nothing changed.

13) What do you think about the reminder to save your report that pops up every 30 minutes? Is there a way other MSC’s do this that is more efficient?

I appreciate that notice. It's easy to get distracted and lose track of time. But an auto-save feature would be better.

14) Is there something we can do to remind shoppers to keep an eye on their email/voicemail when their shop is completed but not yet finalized? Sometimes, a shopper will not respond to our questions regarding pending shops until it is too late for the client.

I wouldn't know. I check my email probably 50 times a day unless I'm traveling. In those cases I would say call or text, but that's just me.

15) When something urgent comes up and you need to contact someone, is there any method of communication we do not offer that you’d like to see available?

I would like to see contact information in the shop documentation. A phone number. Answered by a human being. Right now. Even on the weekends and evenings. I think this would go at the top of everyone's wish list. We get a lot of posts in the forum where someone is desperate to get hold of a scheduler on a deadline and can't find a number.

16) What do you think of our report scoring system? Are there any changes you would like to see made to that system?

I haven't done any shops for you yet.

17) What do you think of the email feedback that you receive from the editors once they have looked over your report/ Do you think they are too detailed? Not detailed enough?

I haven't done any shops for you yet.

18) Is there anything you wish you had known when you were first starting out as a mystery shopper that a company did not tell you? If so, what?

That there are grace periods. New shoppers stress themselves into a lather worrying about filing a report 5 minutes after the deadline. Would be nice to know that an hour or two late isn't going to get us thrown out. Anytime I have been late I email the scheduler before the deadline so at least I'm on record as working on it.

19) If you are registered with CI, would you be interested in a shopper newsletter that is sent via email once a month from our company higlighting any new additions, new shops/clients, changes to our system/improvements, and general news including links to our weekly blogs?

Maybe. But not if you continue not to have work in my area.


edited for readability ... edited again for spelling readability wrong.......



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/05/2014 09:28PM by dspeakes.

1) What type of contact do you prefer about jobs in your area? Phone, email, text, etc? Are there any types of contact you absolutely don’t like at all?

Email

2) How much is too much in regards to emails, calls, etc? At CI, we try to keep a limit on how many emails we send out so as to not bombard the shopper, but we realize sometimes it still feels that way.

The same shop more than once every day or two. Most annoying are multiple emails for shops hundreds of miles away from the zip code I have provided with every registration I have ever done.

3) Do you like company facebook pages or twitter accounts, and do you follow them? If so, why? If not, why not?

I think they are absolute nonsense and completely unprofessional. You have a web site. Use it for your communications. I check job boards at websites and have neither the interest nor time to go 'follow' you and 'like' you and all that junk somewhere else.

4) Do you make it known to friends/family that you are a mystery shopper? Why/Why not?

Some, not others. Many folks perceive mystery shopping as being a scam due to the emails they have received (which are scams), I am not interested in educating them otherwise.

5) Do you refer people to become mystery shoppers? Do you take advantage of referral programs that offer bonus pay for referring shoppers who complete shops? Why/Why not?

Sometimes, but never for bonus pay etc. My professional background indicates that if I am doing a referral I am willing to stand behind the person referred. If I see a need and a likely fit I will suggest it.

6) What do you look for in shops? Are you looking for purely a monetary value, or are you looking for the value of a nice meal, reimbursement at a retail outlet, you like, etc?

a) a company that does not seem to feel the need to threaten shoppers with dire consequences
b) a company that puts together intelligent questionnaires that aren't just make work
c) a company that is professional enough to pay their bills in a timely fashion
d) a company that works WITH shoppers rather than having shoppers work FOR them
e) now as to the shops -- pay must be commensurate with the work and expectations, whether that is in the form of fees or reimbursements that are useful to me. The window for performance must be wide enough that there is no question whether I am an ICA or an erstwhile employee. The shop must have some basic interest for me.

7) When you think of your favorite Mystery shopping company, what comes to mind? The type of shops they have available to you? The company/employees themselves? The pay?

It is a combination of nice folks to work WITH, quick and civil editing where questions raised are not just 'proving that the editor is doing his/her job by questioning everything'. Fair pay and payment according to the terms agreed upon when the contract was consummated.

8) What things about mystery shopping companies annoy/frustrate you the most? Whether it be scheduling, required dates, editing procedures, guidelines, etc. (I hope I can help answer many questions here).

Guidelines with conflicting instructions, outside scheduling, one day 'windows' when the visit is not for a specific event but just routine, slow pay. I won't even work with companies that decide they can 'dock' pay for some perceived offense. We contract for a specific amount and either the job can go to the client or it can't. Editors who tell you that there were 'a few grammatical errors' seemingly as a knee jerk without specificity and going back through my copy, I certainly don't see any.

9) What things about schedulers or the scheduling process do you like or dislike the most?

I abhor dealing with outside schedulers. My experience is that they are building their book of potential shoppers rather than getting the scheduling done and to cover their backsides they leave shoppers in 'pending' status even when they have awarded the job to someone else 'just in case' the shopper they gave the shop to flakes. I find especially noxious when the implication from an outside scheduler is that I can have the job I requested IF I do a piece of garbage job from another MSP they can't get scheduled for the money.

10) What things about editors and the editing process do you like or dislike the most?

Lack of communication if there is an issue. If I need to answer the 'no' both in a one liner at the question, in the section summary, in the unit summary and in the shop summary and missed answering it in one of those places, simply tell me where rather than some vague 'answer all 'no' responses'. And perhaps rethink the questionnaire because maybe you don't need my response to the 'no' in 5 different places.

I will leave the rest of your questions unanswered because after several issues with your schedulers and editors I have stopped working for CI and focus on other companies I can work WITH rather than FOR.

1) What type of contact do you prefer about jobs in your area? Phone, email, text, etc? Are there any types of contact you absolutely don’t like at all?

Email is good, phone is ok IF it is urgent...and if I don't/can't answer, leaving a message would be nice. If I'm on a shop, I generally leave my phone in the car.

2) How much is too much in regards to emails, calls, etc? At CI, we try to keep a limit on how many emails we send out so as to not bombard the shopper, but we realize sometimes it still feels that way.

There are a couple of MSCs that will send multiple emails for the same shops in a 1-2 hour period. That's way too much and will turn me off.

3) Do you like company facebook pages or twitter accounts, and do you follow them? If so, why? If not, why not?

Let's see, we are "mystery" shoppers. Why would I want to publicize what I do? That makes no sense at all. Likewise, MSCs that have, in bold print and all caps, MYSTERY SHOPPING ACCOUNT on their checks

4) Do you make it known to friends/family that you are a mystery shopper? Why/Why not?

A select few know. Most don't. Again, what part of "mystery" is not clear?

5) Do you refer people to become mystery shoppers? Do you take advantage of referral programs that offer bonus pay for referring shoppers who complete shops? Why/Why not?

No. I referred one friend who wanted to give it a try and the scheduler [verbally] promised me a fee. Things were on such a tight deadline, and I was jammed up with shops, that I forgot to get it in writing. Never got the fee.

6) What do you look for in shops? Are you looking for purely a monetary value, or are you looking for the value of a nice meal, reimbursement at a retail outlet, you like, etc?

I rarely do reimbursement only shops. You have a client I would love to do, but the outlay is a bit prohibitive, especially with the turn around time. Reimbursement only shops should have a faster repayment schedule.

7) When you think of your favorite Mystery shopping company, what comes to mind? The type of shops they have available to you? The company/employees themselves? The pay?

For me, it's a rather eclectic combination, and it's not the same for each company. Pay is a big part. But schedulers are also a key part of the puzzle. I had one MSC that the scheduler was upfront about not being able to offer a bonus, but they needed me to do a 500-mile route in one day. I did it for them. The next month, the schedulers gave me a 700-mile route with 40 shops, where I was able to make a good profit, for helping get them out of a jam the month before. But that requires trust to be established, and that takes time.

8) What things about mystery shopping companies annoy/frustrate you the most? Whether it be scheduling, required dates, editing procedures, guidelines, etc. (I hope I can help answer many questions here).

12-hour or midnight deadline, especially on fine dining where the consumption of alcohol is required. Extend the deadline to 24 hours.

9) What things about schedulers or the scheduling process do you like or dislike the most?

To quote from "Cool Hand Luke", "What we have here is a failure to communicate." You expect it from us, therefore we should expect it from you.

10) What things about editors and the editing process do you like or dislike the most?

Editors who don't know proper English. When a word, such as "Sales Associate" is capitalized in the instructions, I'm going to follow that format in my reply, and then I get dinged for it. If you don't want "Sales Associate" capitalized, then don't capitalize it in your instructions.

Here are some CI Specific questions and/or SASSIE specific questions that I’d like to ask as well.

11) Are there any ways we can improve the guidelines for our shops? Would you like to see the format changed at all? If so, how?

Be available to answer questions and, if you discover that you're being asked the same question a lot, then consider that maybe you need to clarify something.

12) What do you think about the email you receive from the scheduler once you are assigned as hop? Would you like to see more information, less information, is it too busy/cluttered? Do you actually read it all, etc.?

If there are any changes, capitalize them and put them at the beginning.

13) What do you think about the reminder to save your report that pops up every 30 minutes? Is there a way other MSC’s do this that is more efficient?

That appears to be something that is set in Sassie, therefore this question is a moot point. On the other hand, if that's the default and everyone is leaving it alone, an auto-save would be much easier.

14) Is there something we can do to remind shoppers to keep an eye on their email/voicemail when their shop is completed but not yet finalized? Sometimes, a shopper will not respond to our questions regarding pending shops until it is too late for the client.

Send an email if there is a question that needs clarifying, etc.

15) When something urgent comes up and you need to contact someone, is there any method of communication we do not offer that you’d like to see available?

Someone should be available to answer questions on evenings/weekends. Even if you rotate it among schedulers. Either that or else don't schedule shops for times when you won't have people available to answer the phone.

16) What do you think of our report scoring system? Are there any changes you would like to see made to that system?

I really don't pay that much attention to the scoring...as long as I'm paid and my ability to shop is not affected, I'm good to go.

17) What do you think of the email feedback that you receive from the editors once they have looked over your report/ Do you think they are too detailed? Not detailed enough?

I wonder if some of your editors know English.

18) Is there anything you wish you had known when you were first starting out as a mystery shopper that a company did not tell you? If so, what?

It would be nice to see a certain degree of honesty and not label all shops as "quick" or "easy".

19) If you are registered with CI, would you be interested in a shopper newsletter that is sent via email once a month from our company higlighting any new additions, new shops/clients, changes to our system/improvements, and general news including links to our weekly blogs?

A monthly newsletter would be good.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/05/2014 09:16PM by James Bond 007.5.

I second everthing that James Bond said!

dprice Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> 1) What type of contact do you prefer about jobs
> in your area?

I prefer email. Mine comes to my phone so I have constant access to it. Sometimes I can't reply if I'm driving though and a phone number included in the email would be fantastic. If someone calls me about a job they better be offering a hefty bonus.

> 2) How much is too much in regards to emails,
> calls, etc?

I think I get just about the perfect amount of emails from CI.

> 3) Do you like company facebook pages or twitter
> accounts, and do you follow them?

I follow some with a fake facebook account which I have locked down completely so nobody can see it. I haven't really found much use for it though.

> 4) Do you make it known to friends/family that you
> are a mystery shopper?

Nope, mostly because people have a big mouth and pretty soon everyone around will know I'm a shopper, which makes the actual shopping part slightly more difficult.

> 5) Do you refer people to become mystery shoppers?

Nope, see above

> 6) What do you look for in shops?

This is my income, so if I'm not getting paid I want something of value that I would spend money on anyway.

> 7) When you think of your favorite Mystery
> shopping company, what comes to mind?

The companies I work for the most have a large amount of shops, pay well, and pay quickly.

> 8) What things about mystery shopping companies
> annoy/frustrate you the most?

My number one complaint is schedulers. If I send an email inquiring about a particular shop, I expect a reply. Not in 10 minutes, but by the next day would be appreciated. The companies I work the least far are the ones that are the least responsive. And when I get a reply, I would like it to be intelligent. If I send an email to a scheduler and another person in the company schedules that shop, please forward the email instead of giving me an incorrect answer. Or replying but not answering the question that I asked.

> 9) What things about schedulers or the scheduling
> process do you like or dislike the most?

See above. Also, being quick on the assigning would be great. I once applied for a CI shop when I was travelling. It was a take out shop for a chain that I had done several of in my home town. Sat there for 3 days before I finally cancelled it as I was driving by the place when I got to my destination.

> 10) What things about editors and the editing
> process do you like or dislike the most?

Don't really have any problems with editors or editing. As long as I turn in the shop and I get paid, it's all good. If my work is not up to par I would appreciate feedback on what is wrong, otherwise, no problems.


> 11) Are there any ways we can improve the
> guidelines for our shops?

I think your guidelines are great

> 12) What do you think about the email you receive
> from the scheduler once you are assigned as hop?

see above

> 13) What do you think about the reminder to save
> your report that pops up every 30 minutes?

I agree with the autosave suggestion

> 14) Is there something we can do to remind
> shoppers to keep an eye on their email/voicemail
> when their shop is completed but not yet
> finalized?

I keep an eye on mine constantly as long as I'm awake. Some of us don't really need the reminder.

> 15) When something urgent comes up and you need to
> contact someone, is there any method of
> communication we do not offer that you’d like to
> see available?

Again the txt option would be nice.


> 16) What do you think of our report scoring
> system? Are there any changes you would like to
> see made to that system?

As long as I know how to improve if any of my reports aren't great, I couldn't give a rat's behind less how it's scored.


> 17) What do you think of the email feedback that
> you receive from the editors once they have looked
> over your report/ Do you think they are too
> detailed? Not detailed enough?

Never had any problem with CI editors.


> 18) Is there anything you wish you had known when
> you were first starting out as a mystery shopper
> that a company did not tell you? If so, what?

Can't really think of anything.

> 19) If you are registered with CI, would you be
> interested in a shopper newsletter that is sent
> via email once a month from our company
> higlighting any new additions, new shops/clients,
> changes to our system/improvements, and general
> news including links to our weekly blogs?

Most definitely



I will add one more thing. I know this is a result of the client wanting more bang for their buck, but as a travelling shopper, please, please, please, please get some restaurant shops than can be done alone. Most travelling shoppers travel alone and as a group probably have a higher ratio of higher rated shoppers*. By never allowing single person shops the client is immediately disqualifying a huge amount of shoppers. Shoppers that would have a higher probability of submitting a higher rated report and shoppers that would be more likely to bring a fresh perspective to the client's reports as they're not being done over and over by the same pool of shoppers. Right now I am travelling and will be in areas where I could do some of the large chain of upscale restaurants that you have. Many times executives who travel would eat in this chain alone and I imagine the client would love to get the feedback from that demographic. Just one example of where a single person shop could help.


*because I know this statement will cause a stir let me explain. There are many, many, many wonderful and exceptional shoppers who do not travel. My point is that most of the shoppers who do travel are good because they would not be able to get so much work if they were not.

1) What type of contact do you prefer about jobs in your area? Phone, email, text, etc? Are there any types of contact you absolutely don’t like at all?

Email, don't like texting, it isn't necessary most of the time. It's dangerous if you're driving, and we don't have time to pull over everytime we get a text.

2) How much is too much in regards to emails, calls, etc? At CI, we try to keep a limit on how many emails we send out so as to not bombard the shopper, but we realize sometimes it still feels that way.

One email daily, calls are usually not necessary and another waste of time.

3) Do you like company facebook pages or twitter accounts, and do you follow them? If so, why? If not, why not?

Do not follow and it's ridiculous to advertise if you are a mystery shopper. Keeping a low profile is essential for success.

4) Do you make it known to friends/family that you are a mystery shopper? Why/Why not?

I can count on one hand the number of people who know I do this. See no. 3

5) Do you refer people to become mystery shoppers? Do you take advantage of referral programs that offer bonus pay for referring shoppers who complete shops? Why/Why not?

The highest referral fee I have seen is $10. Again, ridiculous. Who in their right mind is going to refer someone and decrease the amount of shops available.

6) What do you look for in shops? Are you looking for purely a monetary value, or are you looking for the value of a nice meal, reimbursement at a retail outlet, you like, etc?

At the present time I am in it because I need the money and secondary income. Like Dpeakes above, I can't pay a bill with a steak.

7) When you think of your favorite Mystery shopping company, what comes to mind? The type of shops they have available to you? The company/employees themselves? The pay?

Good schedulers, decent pay for the work, no more than 30 days for payment.

8) What things about mystery shopping companies annoy/frustrate you the most? Whether it be scheduling, required dates, editing procedures, guidelines, etc. (I hope I can help answer many questions here).

Confusing guidelines, guidelines with errors, too narrow of a window to do the shop, rude editors, overseas anything.

9) What things about schedulers or the scheduling process do you like or dislike the most?

See no. 8

10) What things about editors and the editing process do you like or dislike the most?

Unprofessional, some editors take their feelings to work. They will nit pic and be rude.

Here are some CI Specific questions and/or SASSIE specific questions that I’d like to ask as well.

11) Are there any ways we can improve the guidelines for our shops? Would you like to see the format changed at all? If so, how?

Your guidelines are clean and concise most of the time. I will not take most of your shops without a bonus because the pay is too low for the work.

12) What do you think about the email you receive from the scheduler once you are assigned as hop? Would you like to see more information, less information, is it too busy/cluttered? Do you actually read it all, etc.?

I read all emails. I don't have any complaints on yours.

13) What do you think about the reminder to save your report that pops up every 30 minutes? Is there a way other MSC’s do this that is more efficient?

Every ten minutes would be better, ideal would be autosave.

14) Is there something we can do to remind shoppers to keep an eye on their email/voicemail when their shop is completed but not yet finalized? Sometimes, a shopper will not respond to our questions regarding pending shops until it is too late for the client.

Nothing that you aren't already doing. A professional mystery shopper is going to do that without an email. I would recommend not using the shoppers that don't.

15) When something urgent comes up and you need to contact someone, is there any method of communication we do not offer that you’d like to see available?

No

16) What do you think of our report scoring system? Are there any changes you would like to see made to that system?

The scoring system is fine in my opinion.

17) What do you think of the email feedback that you receive from the editors once they have looked over your report/ Do you think they are too detailed? Not detailed enough?

I appreciate feedback so I know where the problems are. Your systems seems fine to me.

18) Is there anything you wish you had known when you were first starting out as a mystery shopper that a company did not tell you? If so, what?

There isn't a good answer to this question. When a shopper firsts starts there are going to be mistakes. It's a learning process.

19) If you are registered with CI, would you be interested in a shopper newsletter that is sent via email once a month from our company higlighting any new additions, new shops/clients, changes to our system/improvements, and general news including links to our weekly blogs?

A newsletter would be wonderful.

1. I prefer emails. Easier to look at on the computer at home and on the road and to respond to when you can. I really dislike phone calls because often I'm in the middle of a shop and can't take the call, then playing phone tag, etc, etc.

2. I don't mind a daily email of shops open in my area or a mass listing of emails in the country but have some in my area. I do not want repeated emails listing shops that are no where near me.

3. I do not like Facebook or Twitter for Mystery Shopping. I live in a relatively small town and if I am "liking" MSC all the time, word gets around and no more "Mystery" shopping. Also, being on the road shopping, it takes a LONG time to look at every MSC Facebook page. I prefer to keep postings on your websites.

4. Close friends and family, yes, but not so much extended family.

5. I have referred other people to MS'ing, but as of yet, I have not received any bonus pay for doing so, even though there are programs for some of the people I have referred. I don't know if that is a lack of tracking on the company side or if they just have not sent out pay for that yet.

6. It varies what I am looking for, but mostly the most money I can make for the least amount of time involved. I have a set figure of what I need to leave my house for the day, whether that is 1 shop or 6 shops. That factors in travel time, time to do the shops and reporting time. I do have some shops I do that are pure reimbursement, but those are only for things I would purchase already--or the shop fee is pretty low but covers what I normally spend. I did a shop today that has a so-so fee but the reports are really long and full of narrative. I picked up the shop because I knew I was going there today anyway so I might as well get paid for it. If I could do 10 shops a day like the sporting goods app shop I did for your company, I'd be thrilled!

7. As for the MSC, it is a mix of all of the qualities you mentioned but mostly, pay compared to time involved and how easy they are to deal with. I have very little time for editors that come back and ask for further information that was not on the original report, for example, and will only do shops for them if they are highly bonused. I suppose this could be in 6 or 7, but shops that have 2 or 3 parts to the shop, phone call, then an email and then the shop I rarely take.

8. Most frustrating I mentioned above, editors that are too picky or ask for information that was not asked for in the original report. Minor annoyance would be applying for a shop and not hearing back from the company for several days, by which time you have accepted other jobs and have to withdraw that application. It looks bad on our "record" but the way the industry works, you can't wait several days for a reply.

9. I really like the self-assign jobs that clearly list the fees and what is expected of the shopper. Some companies don't tell you how much the fee is until after you accept the shop or the information about what is expected during the shop is so little that you have no idea how much time it will take, etc. I really like schedulers that realize you have gone out of your way for them to compete a shop they NEED done..and then come back to you later with some well paying shops that don't make it to the boards .

10. I've mentioned the editor issues already. I would add though, if you get a comment like "a point was taken because of a spelling error or grammatical error", please tell me what that was so I can watch for it in the future.

11. I can't be much help here because you have only had one shop in my area that I've seen. Maybe that could be an improvement, get more shops in my area .

12. Emails from schedulers are fine as long as they aren't in 12 different colors with odd boldings here and there and are clear and to the point. The automated emails when you've accepted a shop are fine and if there is something different with a shop, a follow-up from the scheduler is great. I don't need one for every shop though.

13. The reminder is great for shops that take 30 minutes, but maybe extend that time to 45 minutes so more often than not, you won't have to save the report then. It would be REALLY nice if it would just save and stay where you are and not flip back to the "submittal" page and then you have to go back into the report.

14. That is a hard one, responsible shoppers should just know to do this. I suspect some companies do a 'test' of this--no evidence, just my experience, where they contact a new shopper for "additional information" and see how long it takes to respond and if you do well on that, your "standing" with the company is better. It might have just been coincidence, but when I was a new shopper, I had several companies contact me after my first shop for "more" information, but that information was in the report or I needed to "re-upload a photo" or something. It was the only time I heard from them about those issues...

15. I don't know what you have available for contact but the scheduler's email and a phone number to contact someone in the shop guidelines is very helpful!!

16. Scoring system, I like it. It's good, quick feedback on how your reports are received by the company.

17. I haven't had to file a report with you yet, love the app shop .

18. One thing I was unsure of as a new shopper is what the actual time frame was to complete a shop. I thought that if you said you would have it done on the 17th, you did the shop on the 17th and while that is the case sometimes, it's not always the case. If there is a window in which one can complete the shop, make it clear.

19. I would be interested in the newsletter to see what it had to say.

Hope this helps! I probably should proofread this, but it's quite the book .

Everyone is so forthcoming in their responses. I stopped reading the question after number 4. However, I will admit to a few things:

1) I don't care if you are asking for states not near me - if not close I delete - I understand that it is a bulk email

2) I look at the $$ first, the details second

I will drive 200++ miles if the $$ is correct. Even at my own expense. I just picked up a shop today that paid virtually 000, but it was something I was extremely interested in.

To each, his own.

I answered first and then read replies----YES to the single diner options...and don't make me spend an hour there when the service is good and fast and it only takes 30 minutes or so .

OMG! I prefer MUCH shorter posts. This whole Q&A thing... Each question could have been its own thread which would have been much easier to read and follow.

Maybe James Bond 007.5 can get a few articles out of these questions for the Mystery Shopper Magazine.

Rather than answer the questions, I'm going to give you my thoughts on those areas important to me.

Emails or phone calls are good but only if the person on the other end speaks English fluently and without an accent so strong I don't know what they are saying.

Scores and feedback are good only if specific examples are provided. Otherwise they are a source of irritation to the point I may not take another job from your company for a very long time (Think Intellishop).

I just returned from a rural route that covered 700 miles, 16 shops, and 34 hours. During that period of time I had Internet access for approximately 1.5 hours. Exactly one report got done on the road. The rest waited until I got home. Many were 24 hours late. Not one MSC threatened to not pay me. That is because I only work with schedulers who are not asses. There are several shops on the boards for that route that I could have done but I refuse to do. Those schedulers will end up paying three figures to get them done because they are asses and like to threaten and show who is boss.

And I will not take any shop ever they requires a report in less than twelve hours. I'm never on the road for less than 18 hours and I will not be dinged by those companies that want you to drive to the middle of nowhere for six bucks and have your report in within six hours.

I quit working for MF despite $500-$800 a month checks from them. Why? Because I got a nasty email from Patricia telling me that using my gps-set camera to snap a photo at the beginning of a shop and end of a shop was not the appropriate way to record time. The only "appropriate" way is to write it on a piece of paper. In other words, if you're so freaking old that you belong in a retirement home, I don't want to have to deal with you. I'm in my mid50s and I keep up with technology. I despise backwards companies and employees.

For the more positive side, I love casual dining shops I can do by myself or with a guest and don't have to order alcohol. I also love outlet and retail where I get to purchase something and keep it. I don't do return shops because I hate them.

I like grocery shops but am doing less and less because at my age I feel stupid asking which apples to use to make apple pie. If they came up with believable scenarios I would not mind.

As to reports and platforms, I prefer Sassie. My only pet peeves are redundancy and questions that don't fit. It's ridiculous to have to answer it all in yes and no format and then repeat it in a narrative--often several times as they ask the same question three different ways.

And finally, when I see something egregious on a shop, I want to be able to report it whether the client asks or not without being made to feel stupid. For example, I did a Sonic shop in which they lost the key to the women's restroom. A month later it was still lost. A month later still opened up the men's room for me and there was dried semen on the floor, urinal and wall.

At another Sonic, the cashier accepted my money and then immediately scooped up the limes for my drink with her bare hands, reach into the cup and squeezed them. She then added the ice and Sprite and reached into my cup with her bare hands again to pull the limes to the top over the ice. I do not care if it is asked on the report or not. it's going in the report and belittling me for putting in there will not deter me. It will only cause me to quit working for you and file a report with corporate and the health department.

Do I sound grouchy? I'm not. I just believe in what we do and I do it because I really detest poor customer service. I don't believe all MSCs are in the business for the right reasons. Some of the MSCs need to be shopped. I suspect some of their clients would be shocked at realty versus reports. I know I'm not the only one who feels low score and assignments are sometimes based on not sugar coating the truth.

BTW, sorry for the typos. I will correct them when I'm not using an iPad.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2014 01:06AM by whiterosie.

That's one I would go for -- please give us a box for "Did anything happen on this shop that you think we should be told about?" The MSC can decide if the client sees that box or not, but at least let us tell you about it within the form, instead of making us bother the scheduler with it.

1) What type of contact?

Emails - they come straight to my smartphone and I can reply immediately and save to a folder.

2) How much is too much in regards to emails, calls, etc?

More than one a day about the same assignment is too much. The exception is when the fee has been changed.

3) Do you like company facebook pages or twitter accounts, and do you follow them?

I use Facebook only to keep in touch with family and friends that don't live close to me. I don't advertise what I do and I don't have time to be checking up on Facebook regularly.

4) Do you make it known to friends/family that you are a mystery shopper?

I do not. Several members of my family know what I do but I prefer to just say I do contract work through the Internet. I don't want to be put in a position where a friend sees me in a store and outs me by saying, "Hey, are you on a shop!?"

5) Do you refer people to become mystery shoppers? Do you take advantage of referral programs that offer bonus pay for referring shoppers who complete shops? Why/Why not?

I have only referred two people. The work is not for everyone and I don't want to increase the pool of independent contractors looking for work in my area. (After a couple of months, these individuals no longer shop. One called mystery shopping, "not a real job" and is reaching the end of her second year of being unemployed, and the other didn't enjoy it because of the technology.)

6) What do you look for in shops? Are you looking for purely a monetary value, or are you looking for the value of a nice meal, reimbursement at a retail outlet, you like, etc?

I shop for money. It is only on special occasions that I will accept an assignment merely for reimbursement.

7) When you think of your favorite Mystery shopping company, what comes to mind? The type of shops they have available to you? The company/employees themselves? The pay?

My favorite MSC's proofread their written communications, are readily available if I need assistance and pay appropriately and promptly.

8) What things about mystery shopping companies annoy/frustrate you the most? Whether it be scheduling, required dates, editing procedures, guidelines, etc. (I hope I can help answer many questions here).

Emails that include patronizing phrases such as "super easy and fun!" and/or grammatical and spelling errors frustrate me. This is B-to-B contact. I am a business too. Let's be professional. Write clearly so I know what's involved in the assignment and can determine if it's right for me. I also get frustrated with links that don't work within emails. There is one company that I no longer open their emails because the links do not open up to a job application page and locating their contact information is too time-consuming.

9) What things about schedulers or the scheduling process do you like or dislike the most?

Emails that don't explain what would be required of the shopper frustrate me. There is one company that has been sending me the same email about a telephone-and-visit shop with "no purchase required". A paragraph later it says "shopper must ship purchase to process a return." I emailed this company to ask for more information. I hadn't purchased anything. What would I send back as a return? I never got a reply (I checked my junk mail too - nada). I don't open emails from this company anymore. (This company is on the forum's list of MSCs)

10) What things about editors and the editing process do you like or dislike the most?

I don't have anything in particular to say about editing. I understand the editors are under a time-crunch so I don't expect detailed feedback - though in a perfect world it would be appreciated.

Here are some CI Specific questions and/or SASSIE specific questions that I’d like to ask as well.

11) Are there any ways we can improve the guidelines for our shops? Would you like to see the format changed at all? If so, how?

12) What do you think about the email you receive from the scheduler once you are assigned a shop? Would you like to see more information, less information, is it too busy/cluttered? Do you actually read it all, etc.?

I read it all. If it's included in that email I assume that it is important and I have accepted the responsibility of learning the content so I can do the shop properly. Please proofread it before sending it though. There have been far too many emails that say "Do this" and then in the report or guidelines it tells me to do the opposite. I have thought this must be from cutting and pasting new information into old guidelines to update them. I also feel that repeating the same information and highlighting it in blocks of color is not necessary. Please, please proofread them.

13) What do you think about the reminder to save your report that pops up every 30 minutes? Is there a way other MSC’s do this that is more efficient?

I like it. It's easy to save and I appreciate the reminder.

14) Is there something we can do to remind shoppers to keep an eye on their email/voicemail when their shop is completed but not yet finalized? Sometimes, a shopper will not respond to our questions regarding pending shops until it is too late for the client.

I think that a shopper that fails to respond is an individual that needs to get organized. I don't think this stems from a failing by the MSC. There is nothing the MSC needs to change. When the shopper loses a fee on an assignment, he or she likely won't make the same mistake again.

15) When something urgent comes up and you need to contact someone, is there any method of communication we do not offer that you’d like to see available?

No. I've had no trouble getting assistance when I needed it.

16) What do you think of our report scoring system? Are there any changes you would like to see made to that system?

A link to an explanation of it would be interesting but I don't have any problems with the report scoring system.

17) What do you think of the email feedback that you receive from the editors once they have looked over your report/ Do you think they are too detailed? Not detailed enough?

I like brevity in the feedback. The best feedback is getting paid for doing the job well.

18) Is there anything you wish you had known when you were first starting out as a mystery shopper that a company did not tell you? If so, what?

For the first six months I thought I had to choose a specific date for every job. It was later that I learned that I could sometimes apply saying "would be completed by (date)" which made setting up multiple jobs in a route easier to accomplish. I can't always do this but it was a huge light-bulb moment when I realized that it was possible on many occasions.

19) If you are registered with CI, would you be interested in a shopper newsletter that is sent via email once a month from our company higlighting any new additions, new shops/clients, changes to our system/improvements, and general news including links to our weekly blogs?

Yes. I am always looking to learn about this industry. However, if my inbox becomes unwieldy, I would like to have the option of "unsubscribing" from the newsletter.

I hope I have been helpful to you. This has been an interesting thread!

One more thing and that is social media. I got turned on to this type of mystery shopping when a Facebook "friend" put an ad for MF in a status. Ultimately, I stole a whole lot of his jobs, thus the reason I do not mention mystery shopping on mine. Very few people know what I do.

I "like" a few companies but I also like a couple thousand other pages and businesses, so it isn't giving anything away. I'm a relatively active Tweeter but my policy is to not follow anyone who won't follow me back. Thus I do not believe I follow any mystery shoppers or MSCs. However, if you want to follow me, I will follow you back. @iepoliticsnow. Just be prepared for local politics and animal rescue tweets.

When Intellishop's Sara Petersen signed up for Facebook and invited us to friend her, I did. But I forget to look at what she posts. I was a bit surprised that I had a lot of mutual friends with her friends, mostly in the animal rescue world. So I guess I'm not the only MS'er who does this so I can rescue and spoil 'em rotten. I only wish there were pet-related shops in my area. I could sure use a break on high-end dog food, etc. I have one higher-end grocery shop I do because they let me buy what I want so I buy large raw marrow bones for the $14 minimum purchase. My Boxers love me for it.

So, for another suggestion to the original question: PetsMart, PetCo., and any other large pet supply company would be a welcome addition. As to the social media aspect of it, I don't care one way or another. As active as I am with social media, it doesn't fit into this part of my life very well.

Schedulers

I dislike receiving phone calls asking for a favor in performing an "urgent" shop for a location 182 miles away. Especially when the pay is $14, the bonus was a sad, sad $4, and did I mention that it was 182 miles away? It's like some aren't even taking care to look through their database by zip code, and just decide "They're in the same state, I'll call them." It's a big state. I go out of my way for schedulers frequently, and scoop up low-pay, no-bonus, nearly overdue jobs for them when they ask, because most return the favor. But 182 miles away for $18, no reimbursement...it's insulting. Call me with relevant information.

I also dislike the misleading email titles. "Now with big bonus!" of $3? "Fun bank shop"... what's fun about asking for a loan?

Report Forms

Some MSCs include a box at the end, where you basically write what you liked, disliked, your feelings on the experience overall, etc. I've had my hand slapped for using words like "I felt" in this commentary. My whole report, I was objective, and you give me one spot to be subjective, and then reprimand me for it. I guess I'd rather the instructions for this part were clearer.

Editors

I have nothing but good things to say here. Most are wonderful and professional and accessible. You'll find some hyper-critical ones with some companies, but I just figure they're new and afraid of making a mistake, so they over-analyze.

Why I Mystery Shop

Hard to say. Mostly for reimbursement of fun shops, or shops that are already relevant to my life. The pay is a factor too. It has to at least cover the time I spend on the report, preparing for the shop. If the reimbursement is really generous, I'll take low pay.

I love Customer Impact. I will be happy to reply

> 1) What type of contact do you prefer about jobs
> in your area? Phone, email, text, etc? Are there
> any types of contact you absolutely don’t like
> at all?

I have a prepaid cell phone so if you have to call I would prefer calls to my home number. If you email me a question, I would definitely respond and this would be my favorite avenue.
>
> 2) How much is too much in regards to emails,
> calls, etc? At CI, we try to keep a limit on how
> many emails we send out so as to not bombard the
> shopper, but we realize sometimes it still feels
> that way.

I don't mind the current number of emails you send out. You only have 1 account in my area though so that's probably why I don't get too many.
>
> 3) Do you like company facebook pages or twitter
> accounts, and do you follow them? If so, why? If
> not, why not?

I'm not on facebook but if I was I wouldn't follow because it would seem like it would give away the anonymity of what we do.
>
> 4) Do you make it known to friends/family that you
> are a mystery shopper? Why/Why not?

My immediate family knows. Maybe a couple of friends. I was asked too many questions once and someone decided to sign up with a company know for their easy shops. The visit was not accepted because they screwed up but couldn't understand it was their fault. Now I just keep my mouth shut.
>
> 5) Do you refer people to become mystery shoppers?
> Do you take advantage of referral programs that
> offer bonus pay for referring shoppers who
> complete shops? Why/Why not?

I do not refer people. See #4
>
> 6) What do you look for in shops? Are you looking
> for purely a monetary value, or are you looking
> for the value of a nice meal, reimbursement at a
> retail outlet, you like, etc?

I am looking forward to doing one of your fine dining shops once I get up the nerve. Usually, for the most part, I look for monetary value or something with a useful reimbursement, like groceries.
>
> 7) When you think of your favorite Mystery
> shopping company, what comes to mind? The type of
> shops they have available to you? The
> company/employees themselves? The pay?

Customer Impact is one of my favorite because they have nice schedulers who are responsive. Wish you had more in my area though.
>
> 8) What things about mystery shopping companies
> annoy/frustrate you the most? Whether it be
> scheduling, required dates, editing procedures,
> guidelines, etc. (I hope I can help answer many
> questions here).

I don't like the ones that don't let you self assign - ever. I put in an application to do a shop with one company. It sat for 2 days and I didn't hear anything. Then came the day of the shop and I finally cancelled my application because no one approved or denied it and I didn't have any contact info for the scheduler.
>
> 9) What things about schedulers or the scheduling
> process do you like or dislike the most?

see above
>
> 10) What things about editors and the editing
> process do you like or dislike the most?

Never had a problem with an editor for any company I have worked for so I don't know.
>
> Here are some CI Specific questions and/or SASSIE
> specific questions that I’d like to ask as
> well.
>
> 11) Are there any ways we can improve the
> guidelines for our shops? Would you like to see
> the format changed at all? If so, how?

I don't mind the format
>
> 12) What do you think about the email you receive
> from the scheduler once you are assigned as hop?
> Would you like to see more information, less
> information, is it too busy/cluttered? Do you
> actually read it all, etc.?

It's OK
>
> 13) What do you think about the reminder to save
> your report that pops up every 30 minutes? Is
> there a way other MSC’s do this that is more
> efficient?

I've seen where there is no timer - it just lets you enter the shop and submit when done.
>
> 14) Is there something we can do to remind
> shoppers to keep an eye on their email/voicemail
> when their shop is completed but not yet
> finalized? Sometimes, a shopper will not respond
> to our questions regarding pending shops until it
> is too late for the client.

Have a message pop up or an email automatically sent that talks about the reminder about being available for questions or however you want it worded.
>
> 15) When something urgent comes up and you need to
> contact someone, is there any method of
> communication we do not offer that you’d like to
> see available?

Never had to contact you with something urgent. I suppose if it's a weekend shop someone's email or a number to send a text.
>
> 16) What do you think of our report scoring
> system? Are there any changes you would like to
> see made to that system?

I always get 10s (maybe a couple of 9s) so I am happy.
>
> 17) What do you think of the email feedback that
> you receive from the editors once they have looked
> over your report/ Do you think they are too
> detailed? Not detailed enough?

Very polite
>
> 18) Is there anything you wish you had known when
> you were first starting out as a mystery shopper
> that a company did not tell you? If so, what?

Can't remember back that far.
>
> 19) If you are registered with CI, would you be
> interested in a shopper newsletter that is sent
> via email once a month from our company
> higlighting any new additions, new shops/clients,
> changes to our system/improvements, and general
> news including links to our weekly blogs?
>
I didn't know you had a blog
>

This is fantastic feedback. Shop2Live, yeah the post got really long but I figured I would just post it, and people could answer what they wanted or just give feedback on a variety of things.

- Glad to hear the positive remarks on a newsletter. It's something we would love to do. We post blogs weekly that range from help with getting shops, thoughts on the industry, good shopping experiences, etc. That can be found at [www.customerimpactinfo.com]. I hope you read and enjoy them!

- I completely understand where are lot of you are coming from as well, especially in regards to social media, etc. It's a tough industry to utlilize social media effectively, but we also want to have a presence out there for folks who do want to hear from us

- As shoppers, it completely makes sense that you don't want people knowing, or even to refer people. We offer a $15 referral bonus for anyone you refer who completes a shop with us. We try to offer the most competitive referral bonus in the industry in hopes that if we need help in a different town or something from where a shopper may live or shop, they may be able to help us if they ever see we are looking for help.

-More shops in your areas. I wish I could snap a finger and make it happen. As we continue to grow we want to have tons of shops in every area of the country so shoppers can all enjoy the different shops we have to offer.

-Single shopper restaurant shops. I hear you loud and clear on this. It's something we try to utlize with our client whenever possible, but ultimately it comes down to what the client requires. It is(and has been) noted, and we hope to provide more shops that a shopper can do solo on those.

-SASSIE related questions about forms/issues that may be on their end: While we can't just tell them to change their software, we can work with them to tinker certain things, and we always want to know what frustrates the shopper about using SASSIE so we can make it known, and maybe they can come up with something to help make the process easier for the shopper.

If any of you have questions, don't hesitate to ask them back. Maybe I can be of some help. I'll be checking in on the thread each day, and I hope to continue reading some great responses.

Daniel Price
Customer Impact, LLC
dprice@customerimpactinfo.com

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2014 03:07PM by dprice.

That's a real long survey not to have a fee attached. I'm not going to work it question by question but I'll tell you what I want in general from mystery shopping companies.

I want my notices by email. I want every email to contain a telephone number and an email address I can use for contact. If you've been trying to place a shop for a month, please don't head up your email with "NEW" shop. Don't tell me it's new if it's old and don't tell me the shop is easy. When I take a shop, I want you to send me a confirmation email every time. Again, I want it to contain a telephone number and email address for contact.

When you send me a notice on a shop, I want you to pay attention to what happens next. If you don't have self-assign on a particular shop (which is always preferred) it's your job to respond when I apply. You expect shops on time; I expect you to respond to my application within twenty four hours. If you drag your feet on this I'll stop applying because I won't have time for you. I know, I know, there are a million shoppers. I agree, but keep in mind I can get more work than I can do so step lively if you're interested. If you don't respond to my applications in a timely manner I'll quit messing around with you.

Not meaning to be harsh, but you did ask.

--------------------------------------------------------------

Mary Davis Nowell, sometimes doing business as Kiss My Grits. This is one of those days.

1. I like the phone (if you have a bonus to offer).

2. Too many emails? How about 300 in one week? (multiple companies, multiple pleadings to do an urgent job).

3. Facebook? No way! How am I to remain anonymous with my face plastered on your page?

4. I don't tell anyone I mystery shop unless they ask. Only my immediate family knows I shop.

5. Refer people? I tell them to do it like I did, find companies A-Z. The hard way, just like I had to do it.

6. I'm looking for "easy" reports, little narrative and I scratch my head at repetitive questions?

7. Market Force is my favorite company. Easy reports, little narrative and solid pay every month into my bank.

8. What frustrates me the most? Asking for an assignment and having to wait 3 days to find out if I got the job.

9. I love all my schedulers and have no complaints.

10. Nitpicky editors annoy me. Editors who are not open-minded and think in one direction. Editors who have HUGE spelling mistakes on their guidelines. Editors who love to torture shoppers with delays, low scores, rude remarks, "holier-than-thou attitudes."

Here is one you did not ask: Those obnoxious 16 pages of rules highlighted in RED, threatening to deactivate, punish or remove the shopper if they do the "error in red" (ex. forget to get a name, a receipt, not asking enough questions, asking the wrong questions, etc.) You are not dealing with kindergarteners here. We are adults. To constantly throw in threats is just annoying and distasteful to me.

1) What type of contact do you prefer about jobs in your area? Phone, email, text, etc? Are there any types of contact you absolutely don’t like at all? If it's in my area, I prefer texts or emails. I work a regular 9-5 job and cannot answer my phone, which is why I won't do Maritz jobs.

2) How much is too much in regards to emails, calls, etc? More than once a day is too much.

3) Do you like company facebook pages or twitter accounts, and do you follow them? Nope.

4) Do you make it known to friends/family that you are a mystery shopper? My family and close friends know.

5) Do you refer people to become mystery shoppers? Do you take advantage of referral programs that offer bonus pay for referring shoppers who complete shops? I don't normally refer people, because I don't want them to take my assignments

6) What do you look for in shops? Are you looking for purely a monetary value, or are you looking for the value of a nice meal, reimbursement at a retail outlet, you like, etc? Any and all of the above. It depends on how lengthy the reports are. I won't do a reimbursement-only restaurant assignment for long, repetitive reports.

7) When you think of your favorite Mystery shopping company, what comes to mind? The type of shops they have available to you? The company/employees themselves? The pay? Again, all of the above.

8) What things about mystery shopping companies annoy/frustrate you the most? Whether it be scheduling, required dates, editing procedures, guidelines, etc. I hate msc that are unresponsive. I don't like assignments that aren't self-assign. I don't like msc that make you take tests for every single assignment. I hate it when editors give me a score that's not a 10 but yet won't tell me what I did wrong. I don't like it when I get emails for assignments that are 1,400 miles away.

9) What things about schedulers or the scheduling process do you like or dislike the most? Schedulers that don't respond, schedulers that send numerous emails daily about emergency shops yet offer no bonus. Schedulers that send emails stating the assignments are "fun" (no, they're not!)

10) What things about editors and the editing process do you like or dislike the most? Editors that don't tell me what I did wrong. If I get a 7, please tell me what I did incorrectly so that I can correct it in the future.


11 - 19) I'm not a shopper for the msc so I cannot comment.

I love this one! Pheobe70:

<5) Do you refer people to become mystery shoppers?> I don't normally refer people, because I don't want them to take my assignments.. "

I wanted to write this too!

I had neighbors who wanted my companies, and how to sign up? Why? So you can take my jobs in this area? Think again! lol....

I refer people. I'm not from this area so most of my friends are elsewhere. I'm pretty particular about who I refer, and only after I've trained them, am I willing to give up my MSCs. I don't want to be sending MSCs sub-par shoppers. They get enough of those who sign up on their own, I'm sure. I've been asked by a couple college friends for the names of my MSCs. They remembered that I'd done it back then, and wanted quick "easy" cash. I don't refer those people because I just don't get the feeling from them that they can be dedicated and deliver quality shops. I don't want my name dragged down with them. I've worked hard for my reputation as a dependable shopper, and would hate to send them people who flake or deliver half-assed work. That's just me, though. It depends on the person.

The only person I refer in this area is my neighbor, and it's a mutually beneficial relationship. The mail lady accidentally put a stack of my checks in his mailbox, and when he walked them over to give to me, he asked about them. I explained a bit about what I do, and he said "It sounds awesome, but a lot of work."

A few weeks later, my husband got called back into work on a night we had a dinner shop. My instructions were specifically to bring a male guest,, so I asked my neighbor to go. I was so worried he'd be nervous or obvious and blow it, but he was completely natural and caught all the observations other than timing. He's a natural, so I decided to train him. We did a few non-shops at local small restaurants, worked on his timing, and I made him write me narratives on each visit. From there, I quizzed him on what to do in less than ideal circumstances, and he did great.

He does all the bar shops in the area now. They're just not for me, so they were going unfulfilled. I was glad to refer him, and I've started referring him to other shops I get asked to do, that I don't want and will never want.

One more thought--for shops you "have" to have done TOMORROW, if you are sending a mass email to several people, please say so. If you address the email specifically to me then I respond only to find "someone else" got the job, that is not ok. I would rather have a mass email, stating so vs hiding that you are sending the offer out to several people.

I'm not going to respond item-by-item since the others have already done such a good job of it, and many appear to be on the same page. I do, however, appreciate the fact that you were willing to come here and find out how we feel.

RIMS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One more thought--for shops you "have" to have
> done TOMORROW, if you are sending a mass email to
> several people, please say so. If you address the
> email specifically to me then I respond only to
> find "someone else" got the job, that is not ok.
> I would rather have a mass email, stating so vs
> hiding that you are sending the offer out to
> several people.

That's never going to happen. The "WE NEED URGENT!" will always be sent out to 100's of shoppers. They can't say "We NEED URGENT SHOPS DONE, but this mail is going out to 450 shoppers."

Hi Daniel, I like CI. I have done a few shops for particular high-end restaurant in my area. Do you have few shops in that category? That was the only restaurant that I see so far, and there is a one year rotation each for bar and for the restaurant. The reimbursement is more reasonable now. My first shop, however, the reimbursement did not cover it at all. It specified 3 people for the shop, then went on to detail all the required items to order. We went over the reimbursement big time. The only way we can stay within the amount was to order only Chicken. I am sure you have a copy of their menu, but why make it difficult for the shopper when drinks and a required number of dishes are required? One company's scheduler actually told me to expect to pay out of pocket.

Another company, not CI, had instructions "not to order the 3 most expensive items". I looked at the short menu. The only items left are pasta and chicken. Needless to say, I would not shop for them again.

To answer your question, I shop mostly for reimbursements, high end restaurants and hotels that are worth it. I would love to get paid with fees too but I often overlooked them, as long as all expenses are covered, like parking, tips and taxes, and enough max reimbursement to cover the required number of items.

Do you have hotel shops? I have not seen any on your job board.

ShopperFun99,

One thing worth doing in a situation like that is to email the scheduler and request a bonus, before accepting the shop. Explain that the reimbursement is not on par with the average meal at that establishment, and ordering within your reimbursement limit may very well get you identified. I once had a shop at a high end steakhouse, but the reimbursement was so low that I wouldn't have been able to order anything other than chicken or a no meat pasta dish. I emailed the scheduler and explained that I couldn't accept the shop with the reimbursement being so low, as relatively no one other than a mystery shopper would go to a place reknown for $80 steak dinners, and both order chicken. One, maybe...both, no.

He emailed later that day, agreed, and offered a $90 bonus. I still came OOP, but the bonus made the trip a bargain.

The MSC typically don't have control over the reimbursement amounts. I thought they were set by the clients.

Yes, thanks, BBird, I do that now, I check the menu before going on the shop to see if the reimbursement is doable.

I did not know they pay $90 in bonuses. That's good to know. Sure would like to know what company, but that's ok if you cannot reveal it here. The reason I wrote that I overlooked fees is because they are usually in the zero to $20 range, sometimes a whopping $30 (and I am being sarcastic here). They are so low that I don't even pay attention to it. Instead, I concentrate on the reimbursement amount. But wow, $90 in bonus if you email the scheduler ! I should try that next time.