How to verify that the job was not submitted to the client?

Hi,
I did a very labor extensive shop for Bare which took a lot of time and receipts to complete. Then they asked me for additional information three times. I responded to them in timely manner. Suddenly, they sent me email that they won't send my job to a client, because I didn't submit it in 24 hours.
I don't believe them and think they sent my work to a client and decide to skip my payment. They required me to spend $124 out of pocket and submit a lot of receipts and pictures with it.
How can I find out if my work was sent to a client or not?
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Did you not respond to a request for additional information within 24 hours, or was it the initial report that was submitted late?

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/27/2015 12:37PM by isaiah58.
It seems like you choose the MSCs that does not like to pay you. Do you have a problem? What are you doing wrong? When you put out that type of money on a shop, that MSC should be on speed dial until I do get paid.
Why do you want to verify the MSC used your report? Why don't you return to the Retail store to see if changes were madegrinning smiley. There must have been a problem with your report if they have to keep asking for more information.:confused smileyconfused smileyconfused smiley
I don't know of any way you can find out if your work was sent to the client. My best guess is it was not sent to the client. It sounds like Bare was trying to get more information so they could submit it but for some reason were not able to put together the report they needed.

You might take a careful look at the information they requested to determine if they asked for three completely different sets of information or if they were asking about the same set of information all three times. Concentration on the same information means they weren't getting what they needed in the first and second inquiries. Asking for different types of information means you missed providing three different sets of information they wanted. Either case creates a problem for Bare. Three requests for information may mean there was something significant lacking in the report from the beginning.

Although it's possible an MSC will use an unpaid report as you're suggesting, I believe that seldom happens. More likely there is a real issue and it's important to figure out what went wrong on the shop and report. If you will provide us with more information on your their inquiries we may be able to be more helpful.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.
Excellent advice from Mary. Please write again and tell us more details and maybe we can help you figure out what went wrong.

Having worked with Bare since 2008, I feel sure your report was not used without payment. And,three requests for additional information is a lot, and it seems to indicate something was not right with your shop and report. I would not worry about the report being submitted. I would concentrate on figuring out what I had done wrong so I could learn from it.
I didn't receive the first email for additional information for this shop and was not aware of their request. I responded to second and third request immediately.
The only question they were asking the wrong time on the receipt. It is not a retail, but restaurant. The employees do the same mistakes over the years and continue to work there. The bartender gave me two receipts with different times for the same transaction. I provided these copies and explained to them what I could. I can't respond why bartenders do what they do though.
Receipt timings do not always show the current time. I have seen this in personal and mystery shopping. It would be a shame if shoppers were dinged for register errors...

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu
And it is how I feel. I found the wrong time on one of 6 receipts! at home when I was writing my report about 3 bars observations. But I had a second receipt showing correct time after I paid for the drink order in 2 min. It was provided to Bare International. But after all clarification they choose to use an excuse about 24 hours submission and don't pay my $124 expenses and $80 fees. I worked for them for 8 years and it is last shop I did for them.
I get a lot of receipts that have inaccurate timing. I'm not understanding why you had two receipts for the same transaction with two different timings. If I were editing that would stop me in my tracks and I'd need more information.

I know you can't explain what the bartender did, but since he handed you two receipts I'm curious why you did not use the one you considered most correct as to the timing. Did you get two receipts with the same transaction number but different timings? Or did you get two receipts for the same item with a different transaction number and different timings?

It sounds like Bare was making an effort to work this out but went past the time they could submit to the client. I would give them the benefit of the doubt and assume they hit their deadline and slid past it. I would also try to figure out why my report and answers to their inquiries did not satisfy their requirements.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.
I looked at the receipts again and see that they had different tables and different transaction numbers too, but the same item. The bartender gave wrong receipt and correct one too. This shop was so overwhelming to do that when I scanned the receipt, uploaded it and found out the time didn't match, I thought it is not big deal and the company might want to know about bartenders mistakes. Then when they start to question time I scanned and provided second receipt with correct date, time and my name on it. Bare still asked me the same question why bartender gave me that receipt.
You say you have been shopping for BARE for 8 years----->Is this your first issue with them? confused smileyconfused smiley

How do you get 6 receipts for three observations? As for the mind set of the bartender, he just gave you two receipts for a drink or drinks. You scanned the wrong receipt in your report and did not mention or explain it, until MSC questioned you about it. At that point, you scanned the second receipt. Now the MSC has two receipts for one observation. This sounds like a Bar Integrity shop. So whose integrity is on the line---->yours or the bartender?

If you have been doing this for 8 years why is this shop, the one that overwhelmed you? You responded back to the MSC after the second attempt, which means you had already lost hours from the first attempt (usually 24 hours) so your "timely response" entered into the latter of 24 hour and now you submitted a second receipt with times and items different from the first. What is the MSC supposed to give the Client the first or the second receipt with the report? You had 6 receipts how does the MSC know which was the actual receipt? Your response was not come in a timely manner.sad smiley

This was not your first shop nor your first issue. You are far from a "newbie" status.smiling smiley When you have a large payout on the line, one should eat, sleep, and bathed by a electronic device until its shop is approved. You didn't get paid because you different respond with 24 hours then no matter what time was on that second receipt it costed you BIG.

It is easier for the MSC to reshop and use a more accurate report. Why use a report with questionsconfused smiley
If you choose not to shop for BARE anymore, so be it. Add this MSC to your list of MSCs that don't paysmiling smiley.
Move on and go after better and bigger shops.smiling smiley

Don't hate because I use emoli-conssmiling smileysmiling smileysmiling smiley
The bartender could have printed a duplicate receipt for one of your purchases and pocketed the cash out of the till at a later time. This could be why one of the receipts had a much earlier date and time stamp. Then when you received a second receipt for the second transaction, he did process it into the POS system.

If your doing an integrity shop, you need to watch his fingers dance on the POS screen and see if he's entering a new order, or printing a duplicate receipt. If you did not catch the receipt time stamp error and different table or stool numbers as well as errors in time, then there is reason for the MSC to doubt your observation ability during the shop itself.

If my receipts did not match and had any timing errors on them, or I saw what appeared to be a duplicate receipt on a cash purchase, I would be writing the real time the receipt was printed, and detailing this in the report in the first sentence. I'm surprised they were willing to go three rounds of questions with you. This shows they really tried to make your poor observations work, but were not comfortable submitting data that may not be accurate to the customer and had to re-shop the location before the deadline.

They did not save money by submitting your report. If the editor had to spend enough time on your report to edit it three times and still could not manage to get it acceptable to present to the customer, the editor wasted more time and effort trying to repair your shop than the cost of the shop. The scheduler probably needed to bonus the re-shop as they would be up against the deadline and the editor would then need to re-edit the new shop on the deadline as well.

Consider this an expensive learning lesson.
I have not worked for Bare:

1. It sounds like double dipping (I recently wrote about this here) where the bartender gives you two receipts but one of the receipts is not yours and he in effect tally's one drink on the register and puts one drink total in his pocket. I am not saying this is for sure, it just seems strange that you have two receipts with such strong time differences. (or you could have a confused, bad bartender, who grabbed the wrong receipt).Or even a register that is off but we all get those. I just simply report the time difference in my report.

2. I honestly don't think Bare or any of the other "ethical mystery shopping companies" gives your report to the client, denies your report, refuses to pay you for your report but Bare's client ends up using the report for FREE. I just don't see it. A fly by night company, maybe..... Bare or Market Force (as example) would not be in business very long, doing that to their most critical component of the business: Their mystery shoppers! smiling smiley
now I"m really embarrassed I posted on the wrong discussion. sorry

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/29/2015 04:15AM by wwin.
As I explained before they asked the same question 3 times. There was no 3 editing as you stated. They didn't want to accept the correct time supported by receipt. It was the only question.
There were no poor observation on my part watching someone fingers. The seats were on the coaches only not at the bar stand, nothing was seen from there.
But thank you anyway for quick unfair judgement -))
SOjo
I didn't get their first email. You could blame me forever, but I don't take responsibility for work of email system the company use.
Three bars: 6 transactions and 3 observations. Time, service. transactions, general observations and much more was in that report for each bar! It was overwhelming. In addition, I had to find a minor to go with me and observe these interactions too in addition to it. They contacted me and asked me to do it for them in last moment. I have limited time to read a book of instructions and find a minor for them.
P,

As you can see, the limited amount of information you are providing makes it hard for anyone to provide a good response.

Based on the post you just made, you are implying that you performed a 3 bar shop without fully reading, thus understanding, the requirements. In hindsight, you hopefully realize you should have not accepted an assignment you were not able to properly prepare for.

Based on the bar observations I have ever performed, you can not sit on couch or in an area where you can not fully observe everything going on at, on and behind the bar. I am pretty sure this is covered in the instructions, yes?

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson
Bar shops aren't for everyone. They are hard.
I'm getting $100 fee for one tomorrow night, and I will earn every penny.

You had to take a minor? Are you sure about that?
Maybe you meant someone who is between 21 to 27? I can't imagine they would want you to take a minor to a bar.
@pochutka wrote:

SOjo
In addition, I had to find a minor to go with me and observe these interactions too in addition to it. They contacted me and asked me to do it for them in last moment. I have limited time to read a book of instructions and find a minor for them.

Are you saying that you actually took a minor with you and allowed that person to order and consume alcohol? Surely I am misunderstanding you and Jasflamit is correct that the individual required was not a minor but someone of legal age. If you misunderstood the guidelines and actually took someone not of legal age, that would be a definite reason for your shop to be disallowed.

The idea that you may have actually taken a minor on a bar shop disturbs me to the point that I may PM some of the Bare employees who have participated on our forum before and ask them to comment on this thread.
@AustinMom wrote:

@pochutka wrote:

SOjo
In addition, I had to find a minor to go with me and observe these interactions too in addition to it. They contacted me and asked me to do it for them in last moment. I have limited time to read a book of instructions and find a minor for them.

Are you saying that you actually took a minor with you and allowed that person to order and consume alcohol? Surely I am misunderstanding you and Jasflamit is correct that the individual required was not a minor but someone of legal age. If you misunderstood the guidelines and actually took someone not of legal age, that would be a definite reason for your shop to be disallowed.

The idea that you may have actually taken a minor on a bar shop disturbs me to the point that I may PM some of the Bare employees who have participated on our forum before and ask them to comment on this thread.

Probably not neccessary. Based on the OP's own admission, they messed up 3 jobs and did not read the directions. Unless they are the only shopper in the database (unlikely), they won't be doing any more of these jobs. If they did in fact take a minor to the bar, a phone call from BARE is not going to fix that. Over and done. do we really need to be told not to take a minor to a bar? Wow. I guess some people do?

2 receipts on the same drink is very common. 1st one is a chit. 2nd one is the closed receipt. Just as common is getting no receipt. Time stamps are often wrong, but they are consistent. If the first one is off by 22 minutes, they will all be off by exactly 22 minutes. Pretty simple.
I've also noticed the wrong time/date stamp on receipts. I've also noticed that if a bartender uses a different register, I'll get a different timestamp. When that happens, I've made a point of taking a picture with my phone (on the sly) and then timestamping the photo.

As far as being out the $124, take it as an unreimbursed business expense on your taxes, because if you didn't get reimbursed for it, that is exactly what it is.
I have had issues with times on receipts on more than one occasion and there is not much you can do about it. I did however, start using GeoVerify for ALL of my shops. If there is a discrepancy, I can always give them the code as proof that I was there at the times entered on the report. Many MSC's have it on their portals, but don't require it be used. In this day and age, they all should. Machines are not always right.
Something similar happened with me. I cannot give an answer to your question, but what I did was went higher up in the company and ended up getting paid in full.
The mystery shopping companies make a lot of money especially when they don't pay their shoppers. If you have noticed, they give out enormous bonuses when they can't fill a shop. When they don't have to give out bonusues or pay their mystery shoppers their bottom line goes up. Do the figures!

All they have to do is find one error with your report and that's their excuse for not paying you. This happens especially with phone and audit shops. It's a common practice that editor's make you edit your reports over and over to perfection then they inform you they can't sumbit the report. If that was true way did they ask you to edit your report? The schedulers and editors know their absolute deadlines. They would have advised you from the start they couldn't use your report because it was past thier deadline. The mystery shopping companies say it's against policy to submit a report when they don't pay you but I don't believe them. They wouldn't have spent all that time having you edit your report if they weren't going to submit them and get paid. I don't believe there's a way to find out if your report has been submitted. If you find out please let me know.

I just completed an audit with 25 pictures. The editor found one picture that wasn't done properly. I disputed the claim and went back to the store and retook the picture. I showed her she was incorrect with her analysis. The editor and manager were so embarrassed to admit they were wrong they didn't pay me. I audited over 12 shops for them and the editor found errors with every shop. I stated to her I already deleted the photos and it would be too time consuming to go back and correct my mistakes. The problem is I didn't make any mistakes!

I forgot I had a backup system for my photos and sent her proof that all her comments/photo analysis were incorrect and I showed her my proof. The editor and manager didn't know how to react and continued to say I was wrong even though I had my intial photos that showed I was correct. I was paid immediately for all my audits without waiting like everyone else. Is that a sign of guilt? Of course I won't work for them anymore.

I haven't found out if they have been submitting these perfect shops we complete. I believe they do even though it's against policy. When they submit these shops and don't pay us they get to keep all the money and in some cases that's a lot of money. This happens often so their scamming large sums of money out of the mystery shoppers and are getting away with it. The mystery shoppers aren't taking action against the mystery shopping companies and that's why they continue with their practices of finding false errors and reasons they can't submit the reports so they don't have to pay you.
In 1969 the US Government had the technology to land on the moon but not the technology to fake it.

There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
I always wondered about that- with that said I have had great luck with Bare. I found them easy to work with.
The simple solution, and what editors for most companies do: adjust the timings in your report to match the receipt. As long as you are within the specified times for lunch or dinner shops, they do not care what the actual time was. The important thing is how quickly were you served. Some bars require the bartender to print a receipt initially to verify that the card you provided for the tab is good, then when they close out the bill, they print a new receipt.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/31/2015 03:31AM by kyninja.
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