CureMS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> My problem is the sometimes there is no scheduler
> listed and access to "help" is difficult, making
> it hard for me to email anyone.
> The one thing that I would ask for is for
> schedulers to include contact information in the
> posting.

Yes! Time wasted in fruitlessly searching for a way to ask a question, or even make an offer, pre-assignment, general yields a non-assignment. The anxiety in not being able to ask a question post-assignment generally yields no repeat assignment.

As an aside, perhaps motivated by seeing him actually walk his new talk through his emails which include his meticulous efforts to offer every means available for shoppers to contact him, and since I've been meaning to say it for some time, I must say that I feel some sort of Forum-family pride in seeing the scheduler that Dante is turning out to be. It's like having a hot-headed little brother grow up to be a well-loved, local school guidance counselor.

bestofbothworlds Wrote:
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> If a narrative says minimum 8-10
> sentences...please write 8-10 sentences. I have
> shoppers that write 2. -sigh- Missing descriptions
> is another.
>
> If a shop fee paid for 8-10 sentences, I'd be
> happy to comply. Don't expect me to write the
> Great American Novel for a $10 shop fee! *sigh*


ACL has $30 reimbursement shops in my area that they can't seem to get off the boards. I really like working for ACL, but I'm not spending 90 minutes writing a novel for $30.

Hoju Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ACL has $30 reimbursement shops in my area that
> they can't seem to get off the boards. I really
> like working for ACL, but I'm not spending 90
> minutes writing a novel for $30.

They are going to need to offer up some incentive before I am willing to write a heavy narrative for a $25 Burrito shop for two at a casual dining location. They like to throw up a nice dinner shop in the $100 range at the last minute, when I'm already booked to go to Five Guys for the same dining period. It never fails that I have a junk food shop on the books already when a good meal opens up with them.

Is it just me?

"They like to throw up a nice dinner............."

Yup. ACL is bulimic.

I'd like for the schedulers making contact to add a line on all messages: "Please respond only if available to do this job."

CureMS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> As for the subject of respoding to mass mail, I am
> like others. I don't want to contribute to
> filling an inbox when a scheduler really just
> wants to know who can do the shop.

I got 7 duplicate emails the other day from MCP the other day. All adressed to shoppers. I contacted the scheduler and their replay was they sent them out to every city on the list. That is filling my box and wasting my time because I have to check my phone at work for emails.
On the other hand I got a request from a scheduler at Ritter and replied and got a personal reply back. This seems to be the standard for this person.

yawarakai Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CureMS Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----

> I got 7 duplicate emails the other day from MCP
> the other day. All adressed to shoppers. I
> contacted the scheduler and their replay was they
> sent them out to every city on the list. That is
> filling my box and wasting my time because I have
> to check my phone at work for emails.
> On the other hand I got a request from a scheduler
> at Ritter and replied and got a personal reply
> back. This seems to be the standard for this
> person.


Those duplicate emailers are the worst. I've set many of them to junk in my mail app. I'll get to them when I get to them and they don't bother me.

Ritter has become my new favorite MSC. Responsive schedulers. Friendly and realistic editors. What more can you ask for (other than on-time payment).

Thank you (I think) elcarev68. I know from past experience what it's like to deal with a sub-par scheduler, and I genuinely enjoy being a scheduler.

For the most part, I feel GfK looks at the shoppers as assets rather than a necessary evil. I am proud to be scheduling for them, and really enjoy the shoppers who complete assignments for me.

I am very easy to deal with as a scheduler. If there is a problem or concern; communication is the best way to resolve issues and concerns.

elcarev68 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As an aside, perhaps motivated by seeing him
> actually walk his new talk through his emails
> which include his meticulous efforts to offer
> every means available for shoppers to contact him,
> and since I've been meaning to say it for some
> time, I must say that I feel some sort of
> Forum-family pride in seeing the scheduler that
> Dante is turning out to be. It's like having a
> hot-headed little brother grow up to be a
> well-loved, local school guidance counselor.

I have been shopping for a couple of years and it has really been a learning curve. There have been a few times I felt like throwing in the towel and quitting because the pay was aweful and time on computer filling in pages of information didn't seem worth it, There is light at the end of the tunnel-- I have discovered the connection with my schedulers to be invaluable. I only have been working with four or five companies up to this point and find that I am making more money now that i understand the process.

Because I do the best I can in spite of circumstances sometime beyond my control to complete shops on time, and report them on time I often get calls from the schedulers for jobs not picked up at the end of cycles and with large bonuses as well. It is getting better as I get more organized and get to know the schedulers -- Looking for 2015 to Show Me The Money lol

" Your somewhere in the Future and you look much better than you do right now"

Merry Christmas Never give up!

One of my two all time complaints with schedulers/MSC's is that they do not include a live email address in their email to log into their company. Any email from a scheduler that has a live email address, I will immediately click on it and check out what jobs their company has available. When there isn't any live email address, I have to either find their company in my MSC's saved in my favourites or have to Google their company. When I have to look for them in my favourites, my email page drops off the computer when the MSC page opens up and I will have to log back into my email again and that is frustrating and time consuming. When I have to Google the MSC, that takes extra time and, in the MS world, time is everything.

My second complaint is not with the schedulers but with the MSC. There are still a handful of companies out there that do not offer an 800 number for the shoppers to call when needed. Every time I have to call a non-800 number, the long distance fees cuts into my small profit for the shop. The MSC's that don't offer an 800 number but offer the method of sending them an internal email to their Help Desk, usually never get back to you or take up to three days to respond to your request or problem. By then, the shop could be considered overdue!!

lots of misspellings on this thread........... just had to..NOT to be MEAN either!

I'm not overly tech capable. BUT if there is potential money attached, I'll figure out how to learn what I need to learn. I bought my first computer and digital camera when I decided to sell online. AND figured it out from there.

I panicked on my first sale and called Paypal, who had to walk me through what I needed to do next. The Paypal peep thoroughly enjoyed my ignorance. I was teased throughout the phone call.

My next plateau is getting a smart phone.

MDavisnowell Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'd like for the schedulers making contact to add
> a line on all messages: "Please respond only if
> available to do this job."


As a shopper, how do you benefit from this addition to the email?

I'm curious. Always looking for ways to improve.

niclinblue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One of my two all time complaints with
> schedulers/MSC's is that they do not include a
> live email address in their email to log into
> their company. Any email from a scheduler that
> has a live email address, I will immediately click
> on it and check out what jobs their company has
> available. When there isn't any live email
> address, I have to either find their company in my
> MSC's saved in my favourites or have to Google
> their company. When I have to look for them in my
> favourites, my email page drops off the computer
> when the MSC page opens up and I will have to log
> back into my email again and that is frustrating
> and time consuming. When I have to Google the
> MSC, that takes extra time and, in the MS world,
> time is everything.
>
> My second complaint is not with the schedulers but
> with the MSC. There are still a handful of
> companies out there that do not offer an 800
> number for the shoppers to call when needed.
> Every time I have to call a non-800 number, the
> long distance fees cuts into my small profit for
> the shop. The MSC's that don't offer an 800
> number but offer the method of sending them an
> internal email to their Help Desk, usually never
> get back to you or take up to three days to
> respond to your request or problem. By then, the
> shop could be considered overdue!!


Get a google voice number. Then you don't have to pay long distance fees.

SallyEmpireScheduling Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MDavisnowell Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I'd like for the schedulers making contact to
> add
> > a line on all messages: "Please respond only
> if
> > available to do this job."
>
>
> As a shopper, how do you benefit from this
> addition to the email?
>
> I'm curious. Always looking for ways to improve.

Because sometimes we can't tell if it was a personal email or a group email. Many shoppers like to respond to all personal emails. If a scheduler puts that at the bottom of an email it means as a shopper we know we don't have to feel like we should reply when we can't do the shop, and as a scheduler, you get less email to wade through.

On the first page of the thread we were asking if schedulers prefer us to respond with a "no" or if it clutters their inboxes. When mass email programs merge a shoppers first name onto the email we also cannot be sure if the correspondence is directed to us individually. Shoppers want to respond to emails directed to us personally. Responding unnecessarily takes time and since time is money, that's the benefit to the shopper.

SallyEmpireScheduling Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> MDavisnowell Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I'd like for the schedulers making contact to
> add
> > a line on all messages: "Please respond only
> if
> > available to do this job."
>
>
> As a shopper, how do you benefit from this
> addition to the email?
>
> I'm curious. Always looking for ways to improve.

COPYCAT!

I want the "no" emails. I want to know that you are a serious shopper and a good communicator.

bgriffin Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SallyEmpireScheduling Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > MDavisnowell Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I'd like for the schedulers making contact to
> > add
> > > a line on all messages: "Please respond only
> > if
> > > available to do this job."
> >
> >
> > As a shopper, how do you benefit from this
> > addition to the email?
> >
> > I'm curious. Always looking for ways to
> improve.
>
> Because sometimes we can't tell if it was a
> personal email or a group email. Many shoppers
> like to respond to all personal emails. If a
> scheduler puts that at the bottom of an email it
> means as a shopper we know we don't have to feel
> like we should reply when we can't do the shop,
> and as a scheduler, you get less email to wade
> through.

Yeah but I don't want to write that many emails.

Yes, time is money.

So is establishing a rapport and building a relationship to be called on for future shops.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> On the first page of the thread we were asking if
> schedulers prefer us to respond with a "no" or if
> it clutters their inboxes. When mass email
> programs merge a shoppers first name onto the
> email we also cannot be sure if the correspondence
> is directed to us individually. Shoppers want to
> respond to emails directed to us personally.
> Responding unnecessarily takes time and since time
> is money, that's the benefit to the shopper.
>
> SallyEmpireScheduling Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > MDavisnowell Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > I'd like for the schedulers making contact to
> > add
> > > a line on all messages: "Please respond only
> > if
> > > available to do this job."
> >
> >
> > As a shopper, how do you benefit from this
> > addition to the email?
> >
> > I'm curious. Always looking for ways to improve.

Unlike a truly personal email, responding to a mass email is not an indicator of a shopper's professionalism or ability to communicate. I do this for a living. In order to have a life, I have to restrict my "work" hours. Meanwhile, I get 50 to 100 emails a day, seven days a week. The lion's share of those are mass job postings. Can you imagine how long it might take me to respond to each one?

Replying to a mass email doesn't make me a good communicator and if you saw the list of states I shopped in last year you would know I'm a serious shopper.

Sally, responding to all emails is not practical. That's why I would like to have an opening line of "Please respond only if available to do this job." That clarifies that you do not want a response. Since you do want a response, I suggest an opening line such as "Please respond to this email with either a yes or no." Either request works only if the shopper reads the email.

Please be aware, Sally, that a busy shopper totally booked up may not open your email and may delete it on receipt.
That is not a reflection on the commitment of the shopper to the jobs accepted or on the desirability of the work you offer. Good shoppers are as busy as they want to be and they pick and choose their shops. They do not accept every shop they are offered because it would be impossible.

Not opening emails and/or not responding to them when additional shops are not being accepted indicates efficiency rather than a lack of shopping skills. It's not possible to judge the quality of my work by whether or not I respond to an offer. Thank you for your post and your interest. I hope our comments have explained what we deal with on a daily basis as to the quantity of emails received and the problem we have with identifying personal emails as opposed to mass emails.

We can certainly go round and round couldn't we?

I guess these issues will never be resolved.

Let's just keep doing what works for us and we will be successful.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/21/2014 06:25PM by SallyEmpireScheduling.

Yes, we can go round and round. If I cultivated schedulers, I would probably have some that looked after me. And if I had schedulers who looked after me, I'd be sure to cultivate those relationships.

I'm going to tell you my favorite scheduler/shopper relationship story of all time. Years ago I picked up a new MSC who had picked up a new grocery store that had something like twenty locations in driving distance of me. I started doing these shops and I was the glory girl for two or three months, really stretching myself out to get some of them on the periphery of where I wanted to work. As soon as they got some more shoppers signed up, I was limited to two grocery stores per 90 day rotation, which meant eight grocery stores per year. So much for the relationship. I still pick up a store now and then, at my convenience and bonused. No more base rate work. Zero. I'm not wasting my two possibilities a quarter on a base rate shop. Their deal, not mine.

I know, I know, the MSC made the rules. That's the problem. The scheduler doesn't make the rules and the scheduler is usually temporary on any given project. The scheduler is working inside guidelines just like I am, and although I value the relationships I have with schedulers I know if the MSC steps in they can't do a thing for me. So yes, round and round we go.

Any intelligent scheduler could look up road conditions, and If I were a scheduler, I would keep notes on contractors who were reliable.
Ironically, some schedulers only value reliability, though.

Yes, the roads can be rugged here. Yes, driving distance can be lengthy around here, but it is disgusting to see a bad shopper "honored" on a certain web site, when I am quite certain he or she is a phony.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/21/2014 09:55PM by Mary Smith xoxoxo.

Disgusting?