Like cockroaches when the lights turn on!!!
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Yes, that is very funny, indeed. And that was a reveal shop? What about a shop where you hope noone knows your identity and they're going out of their way to present a very ideal place as soon as you enter the premises? All throughout your stay, everyone is scampering to serve you and make the place presentable. You come out of the washroom smelling like the cleaning fluid they just bathed the toilet with. Everyone smiling until their face hurt. 
I believe you are supposed to gas up, park the car, use the restroom, then go back to the car and get the LOA and return to the store. Once they see a clipboard and camera they know you are the shopper.
The only glitch in that sequence is the restroom timing. Even if you have very small digital camera or use your cell phone, which some MSC's don't allow, sometimes the restroom is so small that the shot has to be taken from outside while holding the door. Or if the restroom is pristine, a rarity, you're in and out in a few seconds.
I think the sequence should be changed to: gas, park, product, LOA, picture of uniform or counter, check for drugs, porn and credit aps, then restroom. But what do I know?
The only glitch in that sequence is the restroom timing. Even if you have very small digital camera or use your cell phone, which some MSC's don't allow, sometimes the restroom is so small that the shot has to be taken from outside while holding the door. Or if the restroom is pristine, a rarity, you're in and out in a few seconds.
I think the sequence should be changed to: gas, park, product, LOA, picture of uniform or counter, check for drugs, porn and credit aps, then restroom. But what do I know?
@LIJake wrote:
I believe you are supposed to gas up, park the car, use the restroom, then go back to the car and get the LOA and return to the store. Once they see a clipboard and camera they know you are the shopper.
Since the OP did not mention which MSC, maybe they could tell us which gas station client. Of the several different MS/Reveal gas station shops that I do, you ALWAYS have to do the restroom portion of the visit BEFORE the reveal. For the exact reason mentioned in the OP's post; they won't be able to clean up the restroom before you can take the photos.
@LIJake wrote:
The only glitch in that sequence is the restroom timing. Even if you have very small digital camera or use your cell phone, which some MSC's don't allow, sometimes the restroom is so small that the shot has to be taken from outside while holding the door. Or if the restroom is pristine, a rarity, you're in and out in a few seconds
That is when yoga works to your advantage. I can contort my body into some interesting positions to accommodate the Teeny Tiny Bathroom Syndrome. I kill some time in the restroom by washing my hands and then moisturize to prevent dryness.
Most of the ones I do say to observe the restroom before the reveal, but they don't say to take the pictures. They imply the pictures should be taken after permission is given. But after a while I learned to go ahead and take the pictures anyways. I have had employees say they will need to check with the manager before granting permission, and then sneak into the restroom to clean it up; or an employee asking/telling me to wait to take the pictures until they have a chance to clean. Taking the pictures first avoids having to deal with these issues. But mostly, it cuts down on my time at the location. It never fails that one inconsiderate customer will go into a single-use restroom and take forever, or a deserted station all of the sudden gets a flood of customers who prevent shots in the larger multi-stall restrooms.
They do not "instruct" you to use the restroom. They want a picture of it. I can't pee on demand anyway.
I act like a normal customer, get gas, go inside, grab a snack, go back to my car and leave the pump area. Unless there is a long line of cars waiting for the pump.
I then park my car and head in, give them the letter and head to the restroom.
I act like a normal customer, get gas, go inside, grab a snack, go back to my car and leave the pump area. Unless there is a long line of cars waiting for the pump.
I then park my car and head in, give them the letter and head to the restroom.
@apercu, which brand of gas station? Do not name the MSC.
@apercu wrote:
They do not "instruct" you to use the restroom. They want a picture of it. I can't pee on demand anyway.
No one is telling you that you have to actually use the restroom. It is not like you need to pee and leave your scent as POV!
@Sybil2 wrote:
@apercu wrote:
They do not "instruct" you to use the restroom. They want a picture of it. I can't pee on demand anyway.
No one is telling you that you have to actually use the restroom. It is not like you need to pee and leave your scent as POV!
Stop giving Maritz ideas!!
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Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.
The male shoppers are used to marking their territory so they may have a leg up on some us.
So funny! Thanks for the much needed laughter today! 
I gas up, used the RR (take my RR pics) and pick up my $1 item. I return to the car, park it and return with the LOA. After presenting the LOA, I take the employee picture, and then I say I am going to take pictures of the location and I will be back to take pics inside. Usually there is only one employee on site so if anything, he is the only one holding the bag.
While the men has one leg up, I find that the female employee dress like they just spent the night out. and have not been home yet., unless they are middle easterners. They are dress more appropriate.
While the men has one leg up, I find that the female employee dress like they just spent the night out. and have not been home yet.
, unless they are middle easterners. They are dress more appropriate.
Let me get this straight. You go inside to make your purchase, outside to get your paperwork, back inside to give them paperwork and take one photo, back outside for exterior photos, back inside to take the rest of the pictures then back outside to leave?
Bear in mind I don't do gas audits for the company that seems to have most of them, but this seems like an awful lot of trips. When I did them regularly I was inside twice. First for the purchase and again to present the LOA and take all the interior shots. Before going outside again I would let the employee(s) know I would be finishing up outside and thank them for their time.
Bear in mind I don't do gas audits for the company that seems to have most of them, but this seems like an awful lot of trips. When I did them regularly I was inside twice. First for the purchase and again to present the LOA and take all the interior shots. Before going outside again I would let the employee(s) know I would be finishing up outside and thank them for their time.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
I try to take all of my required interior photos right after the reveal but that is not always the best management of my time. If there is only one employee and a very busy store (which a lot of mine are), I always let the customers go first. Instead of wasting time standing there, I will go outside and take my outside photos. If I see that the store activity has died down a bit, I will run back inside to take the photos during the quiet time.
As far as taking the extra steps back and forth, I love it, I love watching my FitBit numbers increase. I actually walk around the whole perimeter of the gas station for my outside observations like perimeter lights and signage. Gas station employees have told me that other inspectors stay in their vehicles. You can miss a lot sitting in a car. I like the extra exercise.
As far as taking the extra steps back and forth, I love it, I love watching my FitBit numbers increase. I actually walk around the whole perimeter of the gas station for my outside observations like perimeter lights and signage. Gas station employees have told me that other inspectors stay in their vehicles. You can miss a lot sitting in a car. I like the extra exercise.
@Sybil2 wrote:
I try to take all of my required interior photos right after the reveal but that is not always the best management of my time. If there is only one employee and a very busy store (which a lot of mine are), I always let the customers go first. Instead of wasting time standing there, I will go outside and take my outside photos. If I see that the store activity has died down a bit, I will run back inside to take the photos during the quiet time.
As far as taking the extra steps back and forth, I love it, I love watching my FitBit numbers increase. I actually walk around the whole perimeter of the gas station for my outside observations like perimeter lights and signage. Gas station employees have told me that other inspectors stay in their vehicles. You can miss a lot sitting in a car. I like the extra exercise.
I have to agree. I can only remember one time (out of thousands) where I actually stayed in my car and it was in, by far, the worst possible neighborhood I've ever been in. Nearly all pictures were taken from my car and I high tailed it out of there within minutes. I was shocked that they accepted the report. It was the one time I was genuinely fearful for my life (and also the only time I was ever propositioned while working).
On top of that, I can also only remember one time where I've actually presented a LOA. I generally just walk back in and say "I'm here for your (brand) audit" and they all say "All righty!" Except once... which was fine. I'm not printing out a ton of LOA's if they're not even looking at them. Screw that.
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Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.
Seriously, nobody cares that you're offended.
Exercise is all well and good. However, my priority is efficiency and time. With the time saved I can walk around the woods near my home or at the zoo rather than try to get a few extra steps in on a dirty gas station parking lot.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
For most places, I carry the LOA in my pocket and present it right after my inside purchase. The extra trip to get the LOA makes little sense to me. (The only exception is when I have to put on my vest and get my guidelines for the photo.) I take the inside photos, go to my car to make notes and drop off my purchase, take the outside photos, and then go back in to thank them and let them know they can turn off the outside lights if it is one of those stations.
So you would rather stand inside the store waiting for all the customers to make their purchases and turn in their umpteen lottery tickets that need to be scanned by hand than to walk outside and continue with the audit? That does not sound too efficient to me. I am not walking around the parking lot just for the exercise; it is part of the inspection. And I have an hourly goal of meeting a certain amount of steps.@LisaSTL wrote:
Exercise is all well and good. However, my priority is efficiency and time. With the time saved I can walk around the woods near my home or at the zoo rather than try to get a few extra steps in on a dirty gas station parking lot.
@Sybil2 wrote:
; it is part of the inspection. And I have an hourly goal of meeting a certain amount of steps.
Sybil, just curious since I just got a fitbit and now I am checking my steps regularly....how many steps do you do in the average mystery shopping day not including perhaps extra ones you might put on just for yourself? I would guess this is another perk of mystery shopping vs working in an office.
@sandyf, I don't have average mystery shopping days. I work a FT job and MS on the same days which are Monday thru Thursday. I usually reach 10,000 steps (aka 5 miles) around noon, give or take an hour or so. I don't sit in an office all day; I have an active job. My FitBit has hourly movement goals of 250 steps which is actually nothing, But it is a good reminder to "get moving" when I am sitting in front of the computer working on images and reports.
Sybil, for someone so full of themselves you have no problem being obtuse when it suits your purposes.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
Okay, bgriffin. I mean, LisaSTL. Since you yourself said, "Bear in mind I don't do gas audits for the company that seems to have most of them," I'm not sure why you are questioning the methods of people who do successfully perform them on a regular basis. And what works for one person will not necessarily work for another person. We are throwing out ideas here.@LisaSTL wrote:
Sybil, for someone so full of themselves you have no problem being obtuse when it suits your purposes.
I wonder if fitbits register if one is on rollerblades... Hmmm
My original comment was in response to general auditing processes not to the exceptions. Just because I will not work for one company doesn't mean I haven't completed hundreds of gas audits and even more audits of other businesses.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
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