I recently did an arches shop.
I entered the establishment and there were two registers open and both had one customer at each register, both taking orders when I arrived.
The shop instructions state to enter the shortest line and start timing point #1.
As both registers were assisting a customer, I had no idea what line would be the first one to finish with the current customer. I randomly entered one of the two lines and started timing point #1 when I entered the line exactly as the shop instructions stated to do.
The MSC does not claim that my timing point #1 of entering the back of the shortest line was wrong.
No other customers entered the location during my shop.
There were only the two single customers at each register standing in front of me.
The line I chose to stand in took longer to complete the ordering process as the cashier was also acting as the expediter and placing the food on the tray for the customer ahead of me.
The second cashier finished taking the order of the customer that was being helped and was not expediting food and was now simply standing at an empty register with no customers and I was still standing behind the customer in the line I chose to stand in when I entered and both registers were serving one customer.
Knowing that timing is the most critical of importance to this client, I moved forward to the now empty register as soon as it was available and placed my order. Mind you, "Starting Point #1: When you arrive in the shortest line" was accurate when I entered the restaurant.
I moved from the line that was still assisting a customer to the line where the cashier was standing there now doing nothing and ordered my food as any other normal customer would do.
I was doing exactly what a normal customer would do, and I'm sure that if I didn't move over that the cashier would have waved me over. I was actually trying to make the "customer experience" as timing accurate as possible and as always had my cash in hand to hand to the cashier. I would never do anything to slow down a shop and even move my vehicle quickly in the drive-thru to give the restaurant the best possible score they are entitled to.
I'm sure that if I waited another 5 seconds, I would have been waved over to the now vacant register.
It's possible that another register could also be opened in a busier shop situation.
If I used timing point #1 according to the shop instructions, the timing would have been *LONGER* if I ignored the now open cashier. I could have ignored the now open cashier and my shop would be valid.
The shop was rejected for: "Caused a delay: Changed lines"
If you are forced to change lines for ANY reason, you *MUST* restart your timing point #1.
It don't matter of you stood in line for 3 minutes and a new register opened up and they waved you over to it.
Do not use timing point #1 from the line you started in. You *MUST* now restart timing point #1 when you enter the new line.
This is not spelled out in the shop instructions and is "implied". I received the following instructions from the top co-auditors at the MSC for this client. I will quote exactly the reasoning they gave me:
Yes, I know that I have most certainly outed myself here to the top co-auditors of this MSC's largest client that drafted the final reply to me, and I respect their decision. I will without a doubt follow this unwritten guideline going forward if they decide to forgive me for not reading between the lines.
Now, everyone else that reads this will know that there is a "gotcha" possibly that is not spelled out in the shop instructions.
I am not in the least bit upset and look forward to continuing working for this MSC and this client without any further issues. My timing points are accurate to the second and this was never in dispute. Just not timed according to the unwritten shop instructions about a new line opening up.
I understand that writing this into the shop instructions could actually make it more confusing.
Don't change lines unless you are *FORCED* to.
If you are called to another register, you damed well better have a way to restart your timing point #1 without beating on your phone or watch as it happens. You are now set up to out yourself as the mystery shopper.
I posted this at a possible determent to my shopping ability with this MSC, as I was not deactivated.
I feel that it was critical information for the thousands of shops that this exact scenario *WILL happen and then be disputed for other shoppers.
I am only posting this so as to not have another shopper have the same rejection.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/2015 08:46AM by scanman1.
I entered the establishment and there were two registers open and both had one customer at each register, both taking orders when I arrived.
The shop instructions state to enter the shortest line and start timing point #1.
As both registers were assisting a customer, I had no idea what line would be the first one to finish with the current customer. I randomly entered one of the two lines and started timing point #1 when I entered the line exactly as the shop instructions stated to do.
The MSC does not claim that my timing point #1 of entering the back of the shortest line was wrong.
No other customers entered the location during my shop.
There were only the two single customers at each register standing in front of me.
The line I chose to stand in took longer to complete the ordering process as the cashier was also acting as the expediter and placing the food on the tray for the customer ahead of me.
The second cashier finished taking the order of the customer that was being helped and was not expediting food and was now simply standing at an empty register with no customers and I was still standing behind the customer in the line I chose to stand in when I entered and both registers were serving one customer.
Knowing that timing is the most critical of importance to this client, I moved forward to the now empty register as soon as it was available and placed my order. Mind you, "Starting Point #1: When you arrive in the shortest line" was accurate when I entered the restaurant.
I moved from the line that was still assisting a customer to the line where the cashier was standing there now doing nothing and ordered my food as any other normal customer would do.
I was doing exactly what a normal customer would do, and I'm sure that if I didn't move over that the cashier would have waved me over. I was actually trying to make the "customer experience" as timing accurate as possible and as always had my cash in hand to hand to the cashier. I would never do anything to slow down a shop and even move my vehicle quickly in the drive-thru to give the restaurant the best possible score they are entitled to.
I'm sure that if I waited another 5 seconds, I would have been waved over to the now vacant register.
It's possible that another register could also be opened in a busier shop situation.
If I used timing point #1 according to the shop instructions, the timing would have been *LONGER* if I ignored the now open cashier. I could have ignored the now open cashier and my shop would be valid.
The shop was rejected for: "Caused a delay: Changed lines"
If you are forced to change lines for ANY reason, you *MUST* restart your timing point #1.
It don't matter of you stood in line for 3 minutes and a new register opened up and they waved you over to it.
Do not use timing point #1 from the line you started in. You *MUST* now restart timing point #1 when you enter the new line.
This is not spelled out in the shop instructions and is "implied". I received the following instructions from the top co-auditors at the MSC for this client. I will quote exactly the reasoning they gave me:
@ wrote:
An argument could be made that what you did actually shortened the time, but the Client needs to compare apples with apples when studying the metrics and analytics of all its locations. Changing lines is not allowed so the Client cannot have reports where the Shopper stayed in the same line and then some reports where the Shopper did not.
There is nothing specific in the paperwork that says, Thou shalt not change lines; however, it is implied.
Yes, I know that I have most certainly outed myself here to the top co-auditors of this MSC's largest client that drafted the final reply to me, and I respect their decision. I will without a doubt follow this unwritten guideline going forward if they decide to forgive me for not reading between the lines.
Now, everyone else that reads this will know that there is a "gotcha" possibly that is not spelled out in the shop instructions.
I am not in the least bit upset and look forward to continuing working for this MSC and this client without any further issues. My timing points are accurate to the second and this was never in dispute. Just not timed according to the unwritten shop instructions about a new line opening up.
I understand that writing this into the shop instructions could actually make it more confusing.
Don't change lines unless you are *FORCED* to.
If you are called to another register, you damed well better have a way to restart your timing point #1 without beating on your phone or watch as it happens. You are now set up to out yourself as the mystery shopper.
I posted this at a possible determent to my shopping ability with this MSC, as I was not deactivated.
I feel that it was critical information for the thousands of shops that this exact scenario *WILL happen and then be disputed for other shoppers.
I am only posting this so as to not have another shopper have the same rejection.
Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/03/2015 08:46AM by scanman1.