Negative assignment reports

@AustinMom wrote:

I've shopped since 2008, and I've never had a single negative report rejected.

I have shopped for decades and the only ones I have had rejected have been negative. A friend's daughter manages the local fast food and she said that they routinely challenge a shop that negatively affects a manager's bonus. There are other companies that have a history of doing the same. That's great, AustinMom, that none of yours have been challenged. It does happen, though.

Now scheduling travel shops for the day after Christmas through mid-January.

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Oh, I did not say none had been challenged. I know it happens. I've been asked for more details, and I've been asked to describe myself and I have had shops verified by videotape. I'm not saying it doesn't happen. Negative reports do affect a manager's bonus and they sometimes affect an employee's performance review negatively, so negative reports are more likely to be challenged. I'm saying I have never had a single negative report rejected.

I've written my share of bad reports. The luxury brand men's clothing store where the manager and sales associates decided to have a loud argument at the cash desk resulting in all customers leaving (except the mystery shopper), the restaurant who served a clearly bad french fry in one guests main and had a hair in the other guests, the two phone stores where staff were so eager to sign me up they didn't even need ID, the fast food burger which looked like it had been in a horrible traffic accident (and the restrooms matched) and at a toy shop where the SA couldn't be bothered to help me even when I asked (the chain went belly up two days later) oh and the fast food restaurant where a manager in uniform practically blocked the entrance as I arrived, having a cigarette. I've also had jobs where I was given a wrong receipt or charged for the wrong things or too much.

I would say I've had a fair few, but I've never had any rejected and very rarely have been contacted to clarify anything or provide more details or proof. I write my reports as I experience them and hope the people or locations improve

- Nick
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Shopping the UK, Denmark and Sweden as well as elsewhere at times.

Negative reports are definitely harder to write. I'll bet they're harder to edit too. It's clear to us what happened in the shop, and how it deviated from what was expected because we were there, but if we left anything out, or described things in a weird order due to the order of the questions on the report, or any of a hundred other things, it might make the shop harder for the editor to understand and edit for the client.
If I mark "yes" to all the questions and describe in the comments a delightful experience where a server offers all the specials, attempts to upsell when appropriate and is friendly and efficient, the editor can probably imagine very clearly the flow of the interaction and the main points. But if there are lots of "no"s and indications that entire interactions were missing from the expected flow, it's harder to know what happened. I'm not surprised that negative reports require more follow up from the MSC. It's like that old saying about how happy families are all the same, but unhappy families are each unhappy in their own, unique way. I'll bet shops are like that: good shops are all basically the same, but bad shops are bad in very specific, unique ways that must be clearly described to the client.

Shopper in California's Bay Area

The only shop I've had rejected by the client was for a very positive report. It turned out the reason they did so well was because the server had decided I was the shopper and kept checking in with me so other staff members could catch me marking the time. The manager got wind of this and reported it to corporate (along with the name from my cc payment). I'm sure it was hilarious for the staff. Wonder if they were still laughing when they got the report from the second shopper at the end of a month when they thought they'd already been shopped.

We are all here on earth to help others....What on earth the others are here for I don't know.

--W. H. Auden

I also hate to write a bad report but I also realize the owner of the company has a right to know exactly what his or her employees are doing and that I need to be honest whether it's good or bad. I have determined that the employee decides what the report will be. I just convey that to the owner in my report.

Did one recently and it kept being kicked back to me for more info. The guy just stood there and said yes or no to my questions. He never assessed my needs or project. Were they wanting me to make this stuff up? I was left standing for 20 minutes before I was helped. He didn't even call for backup. The editor wanted to know more of what he said. I relied, yes or no. That was it. I don't do those big box stores anymore.

@AustinMom wrote:

I have to add to Lisa's experience. I've shopped since 2008, and I've never had a single negative report rejected. I will say that negative reports much more difficult to write. Lisa is absolutely on target when she states: "it is not an attempt to discredit the report or the shopper. It is the MSC's due diligence before sending a report that could result in disciplinary action. "

I've not been shopping nearly that long and have never had a shop rejected, but I had to report an employee who physically assaulted me for taking pictures of his department (meat and poultry) during a revealed audit.

Here's my (majorly shortened) response to "Please describe any additional comments about this shop that you would like to bring to our attention."

I would not feel safe doing this shop again. A fresh meat department employee (<redacted>

was present and was aggressive and rude. He followed me nearly the entire time I was in the store. I did my best to document what he said/did and just ignore him, but he became physical at one point and a security guard came and told him to go into the back. Some of what happened: While I was in the meat dept taking pictures, in front of customers, he said: "Relax man. Stop jeopardizing people's jobs." and "Stop being an a-hole." Then, as he walked away: "A--hole." ...

It continues on like that for 1200 characters (character limit of the field) with him asking customers to "get me" in the parking lot, etc. I was paid in full for the shop.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/2016 03:29AM by fuzzymo.

I wrote a report once where I was supposed to inquire about tablets. Every time I asked something along the lines of, "Can you tell me more about ___ tablet?" The employee responded, "Like what." None of the tablets were on and the associate said that people kept stealing the chargers so they quit replacing them. The employee was so rude and apathetic. The tablets were in a big warehouse store that I visit often and I have never seen him since I wrote the report. I didn't feel bad about it. He was a poor employee who would rather be on his phone than do his job. It wasn't my fault he got fired (or moved?). It was his.

I've never had a negative report rejected; however, I've been revealed as a shopper due to negative reports. When I report something negative, editors sometimes ask me to confirm what I have written which lowers my score by two points. Bummer.

I've done a few hundred shops covering a wide range of businesses, and the only flat-out negative report I ever submitted was regarding a bank inquiry. I inquired about a checking account and the dude I spoke with just wasn't interested in the conversation at all. Barely maintained eye contact, kept fiddling with a paper clip while he spoke to me, just ran off the basic info on each account, didn't bother to ask me about my needs / preferences, etc. He clearly failed at many customer service aspects, so I had no problem giving low grades for his performance and providing supporting details. There was no way in hell I'd want to open an account there based on his performance.

I don't think there are any Russians / And there ain't no Yanks
Just corporate criminals\ / Playin' with tanks

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/29/2016 04:59PM by retrodaddy.

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