Ok, I am learning.....

I posted before how one shop went wrong in submission when a program I was instructed to download brought along a wrath of malware.

One shop, I never got an email stating that I had to correct something so it was denied.

Another I forgot the brands that the associate showed me

...and so on.....

Today I do a shop and as I was walking out to my car, I heard the CRUNCH of a wreck behind me. I threw my purse in the car and ran to assist. Both cars were kids driving home from school. There was shock, but I don't think there were any major injuries, thankfully. Paramedics arrived and I let them do their thing and left.

Now I am writing up my report and I can't find the brochure that the Associate gave me! It must have fallen out of my purse or something when I went to assist. I did include an explanation in my report. Hopefully it will work....and hopefully, I get the hang of this and can get things done without some sort of hitch!

Oh dear.

Well, you had to go assist at the accident. Some things just have to be done.

Are you in a one party state? If you can record your shops you won't need to rely on your memory so much.

Get a purse you can zip shut. Put any docs you get into the purse and zip it shut before you leave the location. That will preclude anything being blown out of your hand or falling out of your purse.

Take your questionnaire with you (in your car, not into the shop) and the moment you get back to your car, immediately drive around the corner and fill it out, every question, right then and there. Keep a stapler in your car and staple any docs you got to the report so they stay together and you don't mix up shops if you do more than one of the same kind.

Once you do a few shops successfully, you'll find your stride and will have a system of what order to do things in, how to store the documents, how to ensure you don't lose them. Some shoppers immediately photograph their receipts and business cards as soon as they get back to the car just in case they blow away. Not a bad idea to do both --photograph and staple -- just in case.

Always double check your address. Find the address on the building and make double sure you're in the right place. Always review your instructions (before you pull into the parking lot) just before you do the shop to be sure you in the right timeframe, at the right address, and know what you need to time, what you need to ask, and what you need to remember.

If you find you forgot to do something, by filling out the report right away you'll know it before you leave the area. You can go back on some pretext (need to use the restroom, think you dropped your cell phone or left your glasses) to make whatever observation you missed. I've called many a gas station when I've forgotten to ask what hours they are open.

The important thing is to do the report right away so you don't realize six hours later at home that you forgot to get the receptionist's name or description, or forgot to see what brands of cell phones were advertised in the windows, or whether the trash cans at a fast food restaurant were full.

You'll get better at it! You just need to set yourself up for some good successes and get your confidence back.

You'll be fine, lilbit! I'd much rather be known for compassion than for keeping track of a brochure. My bet is the scheduler and the MSC will be more than understanding.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/02/2014 07:10AM by bestofbothworlds.

The easier days are coming to you with experience, preparation and a a standard MS first aid kit in your car at the ready.

Every experienced shopper has had those kinds of things happen. Seems unfair to have them cluster like that, but you will find the road ahead smoother for getting those lessons behind you so soon! Deep breath; exhale slowly; smile and move forward.

Thanks, all. I'll hit my stride.

The shops, themselves, go wonderfully...it is always afterwards where things mess up. I started to take meticulous notes immediately after, but yesterday was a bit different.

After looking at the guidelines, again, it looks like I can get a brochure OR a business card. I tucked the card in my pocket, so it was safe!

Back to looking for more shopping gigs! Just wish I had more closer to me. I need to move!

As long as you're learning and improving you methods with each assignment, that's what ultimately matters.

You have to think outside the box on how to help you remember things, whether it's utilizing a voice recorder, smart phone, etc. Every person's unique with their methods.

For example, I'm in Colorado, so the recording laws actually help shoppers. I record most of my interactions with my cell phone, especially with new projects I'm not familiar with. Additionally, I utilize screenshots a lot on my iPhone to capture times and take notes on it as well. I love that Chrome has a built-in feature to print to PDF. Hence, I print out webpages listing information I need to know about the project, guidelines, etc. and make them accessible on my iPhone, to save some paper and have it at my convenience on my phone.

I wonder if I can record shops in Texas.

How would I do it? That would be helpful for those who want exact wording.

LilBit... Texas is a one-party consent state. So you can record without them knowing, because one party (you) consented.

There are phone apps and built-in dictaphone features on phones, but I've found them to not really be worth it, and too much of a risk. A digital voice recorder is best.

lilbit77 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wonder if I can record shops in Texas.
>
> How would I do it? That would be helpful for those
> who want exact wording.


Someone may have to back me up when I say that since Texas is a One Party Consent state, you should be able to legally record while you're on the shop without letting anyone.

I usually just stick my cell phone on record in my pocket.

I'll double check the law here in Texas and look into recording my shops.

Great tip!

Here is a site that tells which states only require one party (you) to consent and which require two party consent. Deleware should be added the the list of 2 party states, due to an abundance of caution, btw. [www.rcfp.org]

For more on the subject, there is a sticky thread in the New Mystery Shoppers' area here.

Another tip is to create a short list of cliff notes on your phone that YOU understand to make sure you don't forget specific requirements such as timings, things you need to observe, ask for, talk about, etc. I keep mine simple and type it in the Notes app in my iPhone. Once I believe I have a complete set of notes to keep my mind fresh when it's time to write the report, I screenshot my notes and file it for reference, along with my receipts, guidelines, etc.

I use Evernote. It has a voice note and photo note feature as well. Plus you can pull it up on a computer... it's cloud-based so it's tied to your Evernote account, not your device. Pretty nifty when I can take notes in the app on my phone, and pull up on the computer when I get home to type up my report.

Oh my, do we have a fledgling Cettie in our midst? Be careful troops, cetties are rare creatures and we mustn't cause them to bolt.

It won't be long until you have armed SWAT teams circling the post office you're shopping. Atta girl!

The best purchase I made for mystery shopping was a clipboard that you can open to store papers in. I bought it for $17 at staples and inside I can carry a small stapler, paper clips, my camera and timing device. When I am done with a shop I make my notes in the car, clip the receipt to the CPI, drop it into the box and I am on my way to the next shop.

Jot down notes on the shop when getting back to your car and keep with your receipt for the shops.

Even if you find you are in a two party state you can still utilize a recorder to make notes to yourself when you are in the restroom or even if you can duck behind something in the store where you are unseen. I have a small dvr that fits in a shirt pocket (wish I could find some more nice blouses with pockets but they seem to be out of fashion now) but I generally use a small bag that I sling over my shoulder to hold it. I am in a two party state. I read on the state website that if you are in a position where you can reasonably expect your conversation to be overheard by outsiders then two people do not need to say it is okay. To me it says that if I am in a public place like a restaurant where the people on the adjacent table can hear my conversation with the server it is okay to record but I would not recommend doing this unless you have asked a legal person. If I am in someone's living room having a one on one conversation it is not okay. It is much easier to make my comments in the restroom into my dvr than to try to write things down but it is a good idea to have a cheat sheet with you with the difficult to remember instructions written on it.

I use Evernote as well. For shops I am not familiar with, I will make a cheat sheet in Evernote. That way, I can pull it up on my phone, if need be. I will also download guidelines to Google Drive should I need to refer to them while on a shop I have not done before.

I live in a two-party consent state, so I don't have the luxury of recording my shops. However, I use my DVR to dictate narratives when I return to the car. So, when I get home, all I have to do is transcribe the dictation. This saves me a lot of time in filling out reports.

I always start my shop when I accept it. If it is a new shop, I print out the guidelines and questionnaire, and then read them over with 5X8 index cards. I note the reimbursed amount and time required in the left margin, and write in/out on the right (in case I have a senior moment and forget I need the start/end times). If timing is needed, I list what needs to be timed, if descriptions, I note "name, m/f, arrow pointing up for height, hair/style, glasses, etc. The guidelines go in a sheet protector with the index card(s) on top. I use a clip to hold the questionnaire on top of the protector sheet. I try to review the questionnaire before I leave the house and always the index card(s) in the car before I leave it. The guidelines/survey stays in the car face down, and the card(s) go in my purse. Juse before I reach the location door, I time stamp my "Smart Voice Recorder" app (Android) and begin to record (NV, 1 party state) the shop. I time stamp when I leave the location. If it is a shop I do repeatedly, I check the guidelines I have in one of many notebooks against the current. If it is the same, I do not print it out again. The questionnaire I printed out before the shop then goes in the printer as 2nd paper, and I print it out for my records. Old fashioned, but goes with the old lady shopper.

As others said, things happen (sometimes our own mistake and sometimes totally out of our control). I have been shopping since 2008 and the last major mistake I remember making myself was in 2012. I broke that "record" today. I just did a famous fast food shop and totally spaced that it was a phone shop. I always take the in person shops and took this particular shop because it had a bonus. The scheduler didn't mention it was a phone shop, but sure enough it is on the CPI and I totally spaced it. Funny thing is there were several infractions during this shop. I emailed the help desk to see if they want me to report the shop (I offered to redo it asap if they prefer). I have a feeling I am out the money on this one and it is my own fault

When I first started I had a few shops declined too. I've been doing it for about 6 years now and can't remember when I last had a shop declined or rejected. I also use a clipboard and I take a photo of the receipt as soon as I get to the car in case it flies out the window or whatever. I record a lot of my conversations as well as my memory is poor.

Anyway, hang in there and chalk it up to training. I used to think "Hmm well I'm not being paid for that job so that effectively just became a $15 training session" and I have no problem paying for training for a job when I know I'm going to get work from it.

Here is a map of one- and two-party consent states. If you are physically in a state doing a shop in the same state, the meaning is obvious. If you are in a dual-consent state making a phone call, it requires the approval of both parties regardless of what state you are calling. And if you are calling a dual-consent state from anywhere, both parties have to agree to be recorded. Some companies require approval of each employee as a condition of employment. A company can not agree for an employee without the employees written permission. Be particularly careful when doing competitive shops - there is no way that the original company could possibly have gotten approval from a competitor's employees.

I forgot to include the URL: [www.vegress.com]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2014 04:26AM by myst4au.

I agree with the approach of recording everything if you can -- I also try to Geoverify everything, and I try to take pics in any restroom I evaluate. This is mostly a matter of trying to develop the habits that might save me if, someday, I forget that one of these approaches was required, or if I'm ever questioned on details. Sometimes an MSC will ask for very detailed quotes and timings, and it's so nice to be able to double-check my memory or reinforce my gut when it's "ok, I'm about to get someone in trouble, am I really sure for sure they didn't at least say g'bye??"

Another approach I tend to take is to type out a checklist of 'to do' items on my laptop, and then I photograph the to-do list with my phone. I can always zoom in on the photo if the list is long, and having it on my laptop makes it quick to duplicate when I'm following the same scenario over and over for months at different locations (oh blue bank, your lack of creativity keeps me paid but not entertained!) To me this is easier than trying to type in notes on my phone or to move them from laptop to phone -- but I haven't tried the evernote approach.