We are starting to get a lot of ICA violations as well. Since we are discussing Best Buy audits, it violates both the company's ICA and our forum guidelines to name the MSC. isscd04 and IJJ, please go back and edit your posts and remove the company name.

It has been a great magnet for all the negative Nellys and people who don't seem to read or comprehend other's posts all that well.

Can a mod delete this topic, my original intention was not to discuss whether or not people like to do them but help those that do, do them but the off-topic conversation has consumed the original intention of this post

But on a side note while this topic is still here:

1. The MSC does have a help phone number that you can call while you're performing the audit. I've needed to call it on three separate occasions and have not had an issue reaching the person right away. The MSC also as of just this month has an emergency text line for all of their shops. I have not tried the emergency text line because I haven't had the need to. I do take offense to people claiming there is no way I could get the audit done in the time I say unless I'm cheating. I have never cheated or lied on any audit I have ever performed. But this type of audit is not about speed but about approach. If you approach each area properly you can find quicker ways of getting it done. Like planos for instance. I no longer do planos into the app cause that takes too long. I do planos on a piece of paper and take quick pictures where I know theres an issue and then log on the paper "pic 1" "pic 2" etc so i know which pic corresponds with which incorrect set. Ad set I don't do in the app either. Since best buy sqitched to the small iphone sized telxon guns I put that right in my breast pocket set it to price audit have the ad in my hand and when i find something circle it in the add and scan it. If its wrong I take a quick picture if its right I move on. Usually the sku is right in the ad but if its not i write the sku right next to it on the ad. Then I input into the app later. Pricing accuracy should seriously not be taking anyone that long. You walk around with the telxon gun and scan stuff....that is it! I walk quickly through each section and just beep, beep, beep...scanning whatever up and down the aisle. If it buzzes I stop take a quick pic and move on....but thats all pricing accuracy is....I don't see how that could be taking people longer then 30 minutes and that would be long. Functionality is by far the longest part of the audit but I already explained what I do here. I ask for the IDIL log first! Then I go through the IDIL log inputting any devices that I need to audit that are in the IDIL FIRST. Then i hand back the log. Now when I do functionality I never need to check the IDIL log again, if a device is working then great I just need to select the brand, then its yes, yes, no, no, yes (unless theres fingerprints) and move on to the next. I don't see how inputting a working device could take anyone longer then 20 seconds. If I come across a device that isn't working then I know already it's not in the log. Then all I have to do is select brand, take a quick pic, enter the sku, describe what's not working and move on. Non-working devices do take about a minute to log. I'm not saying these audits are easy but if you approach the audit methodically it's much easier to get done

Thats BS you can nit fo in 10 min. Ive been doing for 6 years.... Hello, if you do in 10 min you are not doing correctly, and yiu know what yoyr doung, we all do....

@manemmy956 wrote:

Thats BS you can nit fo in 10 min. Ive been doing for 6 years.... Hello, if you do in 10 min you are not doing correctly, and yiu know what yoyr doung, we all do....

What?

Am I correct in figuring these audits require a lot of time on your feet? Due to bad back issues, I can't stand for long periods of time, so any shop or audit that includes such physical demands is not for me. I'm so glad certain gym shops no longer require a workout component, as I can't do that, either.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/14/2016 12:42PM by proudlyshopping.

@1JJ wrote:

Can a mod delete this topic, my original intention was not to discuss whether or not people like to do them but help those that do, do them but the off-topic conversation has consumed the original intention of this post

No, threads are very, very rarely deleted here, and then only in the case of extreme abuse or something illegal. And, even then, usually only individual posts are moderated but not completely removed. Welcome to the world of forums, 1JJ. We have a lightly-moderated forum, and we actually prefer that freedom. But topics rarely stay where they were intended. You could actually edit your original post to change the subject of the thread, but why bother? Some readers will take the help offered and others won't.

Great idea for a topic. Too bad it brought out so much negativity.

I really appreciate all of the comments in this topic and the creation of it. I came to the forum specifically hoping to find something like this! I have my first audit tomorrow. Unfortunately, I have my one-on-one just hours before I am to report to my location, so I cannot even access the app to preload anything!! I think I have picked up some good suggestions considering I might not have a MC40 readily at my disposal. Thx!!

@spicy1 wrote:

And when you're stuck in the field, who are you going to call?

GHOSTBUSTERS!

@1JJ wrote:

Can a mod delete this topic, my original intention was not to discuss whether or not people like to do them but help those that do, do them but the off-topic conversation has consumed the original intention of this post

A mod is not going to delete this entire thread. Just because you started the thread does not mean that you own it. Sometimes threads head in a different direction than intended. Welcome to life.

Also, I plead with you (1JJ) to start writing in paragraphs, When I see blocks and blocks of text like yours, I just skip over to the next post.

ETA: I wrote my post then read AustinMom's post afterwards. I did not mean to duplicate her words. Kinda funny how we basically said the same thing. I added my thoughts on paragraphs though.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2016 01:15AM by Sybil2.

Then you dhould get one. You just admited you did functionality then sat down for the next 90 minutes filling in report. Helo do you hear yourself. OMG, there is no sitting down time, are you kidding me, please, do not fall for this BS. Drop the mike im out a here.

@manemmy956 wrote:

Thats BS you can nit fo in 10 min. Ive been doing for 6 years.... Hello, if you do in 10 min you are not doing correctly, and yiu know what yoyr doung, we all do....

Sorry but I do not speak drunkenese.

Some people can organize their time better and understand POG's and how to navigate through the store in the most efficient way. You can get the audit done in less than 5 hours, correctly and without cheating. But stay there the required time limit. I usually go through each section and verify my work.

Do not accuse people of cheating just because the audit takes you longer. I do several sections in one department before moving on to the next one. For example, you walk into the Home Theater Department. You already know the back page of the Ad has televisions to check, and if your randomly selected items that are in that department for the pages within the Ad, check those, too. Start at one end check your Ad and your soundbars along the way. Check your energy guide tags. If one of your POG's was for that department, do it, too. Then do your price accuracy scan, then your downstocking scan. You can clearly see if there were any trip hazards or dusty shelves, while in that department and if there was a fire exit. Maybe one of the Big Joe lifts were parked there, so check the safety log. I made myself a check list a long time ago, to keep track of these things.

You are supposed to walk around with the Core Blue tablet in your possession, signed in to the IDIL. You were supposed to take a photo of that screen once you signed in, as proof of same. Yes, you can look at the incidences and see if any of your functionality items are listed. But the reason you are supposed to walk around with the tablet is so the associates do not run and enter items they know should have been entered prior to the audit. So, since you are supposed to upload those incident entries as proof of whether they had them entered or not, I take a photo of any incident relevant to my functionality sections. Then I am ready to upload them on my tablet.

I could go on with how easy it is to be organized and save time, but some people just do not get it. We all have our areas of expertise. One last thing, as far as entering, all that typing of descriptions, etc., I type very fast and accurate, but I also use the voice command on my iPad and dictate what I want entered in a particular field. This saves time, too.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2016 09:54PM by purpleicee.

@CANADAMOMMY wrote:

Actually there was a full moon this week. Do you not have a calendar? ...

@LisaSTL wrote:

... Is there a @#$%& full moon or something?

Actually the last full moon was on January 23rd and the next will be on February 22nd. Neither of those dates are "this week". Of all the nonsense on this thread, I'm not sure why this is the one that annoyed me the most. Probably because if you're going to be intentionally snarky, you should at least be right. Otherwise you just look like a tool.

Ok, everyone can call it a night now.

Edited by moderator to remove personal attack

Thank you purpleicee. We organize how we do the audit differently but it can be done in less then 5. But I do have to say as far as the IDIL log goes; the stores have more then one core blue tablet. Each store has at minimum two, but I've seen stores with as many six. So holding the tablet wouldn't prevent someone from entering items because they can just grab another tablet. The way I do it by getting all of the logged incidents right away actually deters what you mention more in my opinion because now if anyone does try to do what you said it doesn't matter because I already checked.

@Sybil2 wrote:

Ok, everyone can call it a night now.

Edited by moderator to remove personal attack

How can it be considered a personal attack when I was referring to myself? The Sensitivity Police need to take a chill pill!

Quoted: "But the reason you are supposed to walk around with the tablet is so the associates do not run and enter items they know should have been entered prior to the audit".

That's not the reason. You are not there for that reason. Nor is it for you, or anyone, to think that way. You're there to report and not analyze. That's why they have rules you have to follow; and following these rules causes you not to possibly be done in five hours.

If there are 50 tablets, you need to start at the starting point of your choice; say at the ipads or in the Samsung store. Then, you must enter every tablet as you encounter them; physically, linearly. Then, when you run into one that is not functioning, at that point you need to check the log to see if it's been reported.

Those are the rules and the reasons you cannot just enter all items in the idil at the beginning of the functionality test.

If you are entering all of the non functioning items, especially in all 5 functionality areas, all at once at the beginning of the report then it looks as though there is an electrical short in clusters in all of your stores.

If you are entering all of the non functioning items, especially in all 5 functionality areas, all at once at the beginning of the report then they are allowing you to break the rules out of desperation to have them completed!

I did not say I was entering the items in the IDIL log at the start of my audit. I said I take photos of those entries that are relevant to my functionality areas, so I can be ready to upload them. But I also check all items anyway, those are the instructions. And something could be in the log that actually works. Sometimes it just takes a little technical 'know how' to get a device up and running. Sometimes a cable is not plugged in all the way, etc.

And if you read the question in that section, question 5.03, it states: "Were you able to use the vendor password or did a store employee have to log you in?" Since I have never had a problem with the vendor password my selected answer to that question states: "Vendor password worked, and I was able to complete the functionality audit without an escort"

Full moon or not, you walk around with the tablet.

To 1JJ: I know there are multiple Core Blue tablets that sync together, but once you log in and photo what you need, you know which items were already therein. Plus the log has a time/date stamp if they entered something from another tablet while you were there. I then upload the corresponding photo, if necessary, when I come to that device, if it still is not working. But I do understand your way of doing this part. Not arguing with you at all.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2016 02:34AM by purpleicee.

I have passed the quiz, waiting to do background check and drug test (had problems with the website). I would like any advice you could give..I have a windows tablet(Surface Pro 4), but android cellphone(Samsung Galaxy Note 4). If this works out well, I will let this job buy my next tablet. I am afraid of technical malfunctions.