I'm 21 and I really only do age compliance shops though sometimes I might do a little more.
Last week a lady from a MSC I signed up for but never did anything with called me on the phone to ask if I could do a gas station that they really needed. Since it wasn't too far and a good amount ($40) was offered for it, I accepted it. I spent a lot of time reading and understanding all the documentation that came along with it, and I felt good going into it.

I had to give a reveal letter before starting to take pictures and when hand it over the guy who was rude from the start, says, "You cant be serious, we need a good score and we get someone doing a favor for their grandma." He then tells me I better not mess up. He proceeds to follow me all over the place and talks to me like I'm eight years old telling me certain things are not really a big deal when I start taking pictures until I politely ask him to leave me alone. He grumbles and leaves. Naturally, he refuses my taking a picture of him in his Abercrombie shirt and jeans.

I got the info I needed for the report and filled it all out and I even called the MSC and told them what happened and the person was super, super nice on the phone. I wonder though should I not be doing this kind of thing? Or did I just get a complete jerk my first time doing this and they will better in the future? It didn't seem like that difficult of an assignment if I could have had a little respect while doing it.

You got a complete jerk!

But shoppers of all ages occasionally get that sort of treatment.

Definitely a jerk. And women of any age deal with chauvinistic owners or associates speaking to them like they are eight years old.

Other than those shops that require a certain demographic, don't worry about the age thing. If it's something you enjoy and something that works for you, there's no reason to let one crabby employee ruin this for you.

I started right around the same age as you are now as a way to supplement the income from my part-time jobs while I was going to school. While this may never be a full time gig for me, I'm happy to dabble and was especially happy to have it as an option while I was going to school and really desperate for extra funds. That said, as you get more experience you'll find there are some shops you'll love and others that just don't work for you. Personally, I have to be paid a huge fee to put up with car salesmen but I know many other people have no problem with dealership shops. If running into ageism problems starts to become a trend for you on certain shops, you might find that those shops are only worth the hassle at a certain bonus amount.

Sounds like you just encountered a jerk.

Agreed that you got a jerk. I've done hundreds of gas station 'reveal' shops both with and without a 'mystery shop' component first. On several memorable occasions I have been harassed by the attendant or manager on duty. Their behavior just goes in the report with the other non-compliant things I find because at the end of the day they only do that when they KNOW they are out of compliance. Good, clear pictures of everything you find wrong goes a long way to get them to clean up their act or find another line of work.

You got a jerk ... and an idiot. He should have been doing just the opposite. Next time, smile sweetly and tell him, "My grandma probably would be able to overlook your attitude." And watch those A&F clothes get sweaty ;-).

Um, you're well-within right with the approach you took on the shop. I've come across disgruntled managers (and possibly owners) during reveal audits. I'm 26 now, but still look as young as 21. Any time someone treats me with disrespect, I keep them in check (but also keeping in mind my boundaries as an IC to the MSC).

I've dealt with hotels who realize that I'm a mystery shopper, but of course don't out me. If they want to be a baby about it; fine. I still report things objectively and within my guidelines according to the job I accepted for the mystery shopping company. Don't let it get to you and know who YOU work for. You work for the MSC, and not the client or store you're auditing.

Good luck and sounds like you've been on the right path, so far.

I did a revealed audit where the manager almost burst into tears. He asked me why I was there to do an audit when he hadn't even received the new promotional items yet. He told me they failed their last audit. He kept asking why I was scheduled for that day. I explained to him that I didn't work for his company but rather a company that was hired by his company and I just showed up when I was told to. He lamented for almost half an hour then finally realized I wasn't a sympathetic ear.

You ran into a horse's patootie. There's a gas station I've shopped where the manager was very much like that, at one visit he grabbed my paperwork right out of my hand and wouldn't let me leave until everything had been corrected. I told him I was calling the cops unless he cooperated.

You handled it right, don't let one anal orifice discourage you.

It's about experience not age, keep doing it if that is what you want to do.

One way to handle this situation: "Can I have your name please? Thanks Mr. X. So I am here as an independent evaluator and making notes of what I observe. Is this how you really want to treat me?"

You got a jerk. Don't let it discourage you. Some really nice fees come from doing gas stations and most of the folks are polite and friendly.

No Jessica, you are not too young and congratulations on handling this situation just right. The chances are the reason this shop was bonused is that the jerk treated the previous shoppers the same way. Well done.

It sounds to me like he was trying to get you to falsify by taking advantage of your age/experience from his point of view. This will happen to you as you venture out in the world as a young female. Someone once tried to claim some old rusty scratches and dents on the side and rear of her car were caused by my daughter when she was your age. This woman I believe was trying to scare my daughter into agreeing to pay cash to fix her old dents rather then file a report with the insurance company. I drove down to the scene and when I showed up she did not back off. The woman never filed. I too ran into this attitude when I was in graduate school, looked very young and was doing work at my placement.
You stood your ground, took a mature attitude and did a great job. Don't worry about these "jerks" who try to embarrass you into bending the rules. He saw a chance to get a good score by belittling your intelligence and maturity.

Oh Sandy, I had the same thing happen to me although I was a few years older. I will admit my car door got away from me in a grocery store parking lot and did bump the car next to me. The woman was accusing me of causing some bad dings that didn't even line up with my door and had rust. I finally told her if she believed I had caused all that damage she should just call the police. When she kept arguing I left and never heard a word.

Thank you for all the feedback. If I just got a real bad apple this time around then I won't give up on doing this kind of assignment again. Sandy, that is what the lady from the MSC suggested to me when I called them about, that the guy in question was trying to influence and intimidate me. The assignment seems like something that would be easier the more you do it, and I really liked how the people at the MSC handled everything too.

OP
You got a jerk. If you like the compliance shops sign up with Northfork as they have a ton of them with good pay and bonuses.

I quit doing those because the pay was lousy for the time spent. Less than 5% of the employees will be jerks.

There is a specific brand of convenience store that has a revealed audit (different MSC). The employees are gross. They either call the owner on the phone and make me wait or they hit on me. I quit doing them.

My problem with those was that you can't see bonuses on their job board for shops that aren't within your determined "home" area. Makes it really hard for route shoppers.

Anyway - no way, you're not too young to be doing this kind of thing. If anything, you're in a great age because you can do compliance work. If it weren't for compliance, I wouldn't be paying my bills ;].



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/2016 05:24AM by AlexG.

Definitely not too young. I started mystery shopping part-time at 21 and full-time at 22. Sorry you got a jerk. As it's been mentioned, people like that will use anything they think will intimidate you, or he could have even been taking his frustration with his lack of preparation for the audit out on you.

Compliance shops are some of my favorites too because they are so quick and easy and tend to pay pretty well. It's good that you're trying other types of jobs, though! Personally, I am not comfortable with the revealed gas station audits (or unannounced revealed shops in general) because of my personality, not my age. But I did a handful of the big-box electronics audits when they first came out, and I was never treated any differently or condescendingly by the employees I interacted with, including the managers with whom I had to go over a summary and any major issues at the end of the visit. So I definitely think it was the person in your case, not the MS/auditing industry. Keep going!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/25/2016 05:45PM by RedRose22.

@BuffaloNY101 wrote:

OP
You got a jerk. If you like the compliance shops sign up with Northfork as they have a ton of them with good pay and bonuses.

Thanks, I do a ton with North Fork!

Definitely a jerk as others have written that to you. Sometimes in mystery shopping you will get these kind of people. I am glad your scheduler was nice to you. In this business you cannot take jerks seriously. Please develop a thicker skin. It takes time to understand that there are tough people out there. He would complain if he could about everything. Figure out a script that you will say if you come across this again.

That's the best way to respond.

i find that when i do locations with just service bays. the guys in charge can be rude, and rough around the edges. i've never had anyone give me a real problem, but wouldn't surprise me if it happens eventually. and i don't think you're too young to be doing the job, you just encountered a prick.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/2016 09:02PM by jay225.

Hmmm, I am starting to wonder if that is why they use us IC instead of sending their own managers to inspect these sites?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/26/2016 10:58PM by sbobgal.

I've been shopping since I was 18, and have found that MSCs really appreciate it because employees never expect ME to be the mystery shopper. Their attitude is much more genuine (and by that I mean rude)! There is no reason why you shouldn't be shopping - in fact, you may be a better shopper because you go undetected and aren't suspicious.

Good point - it's very true. The perception of the mystery shopper is NOT someone young!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/27/2016 04:19PM by AlexG.

@willshopforfood2 wrote:

I've been shopping since I was 18, and have found that MSCs really appreciate it because employees never expect ME to be the mystery shopper. Their attitude is much more genuine (and by that I mean rude)! There is no reason why you shouldn't be shopping - in fact, you may be a better shopper because you go undetected and aren't suspicious.

I agree with this 100%!

I am...um...depressed...because at 63, I am too old for a lot of dining shops. Of course, you are not too young. In fact, in an age when it is routine for people 18-20 to go to war, I think that certain laws need to be adjusted to lower age eligibility. The mayor of Chicago just managed to have the age to buy tobacco products raised to 21. That is good for compliance mystery shopping but it is seriously messed up for businesses as well as people who want to use such products and are under 21.

I am not endorsing tobacco use.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 03/28/2016 08:26PM by indy101.