I know it's the end of the month, and schedulers are desperate to get shops done. I understand that. On Thursday, I got two emails offering large bonuses to do a pair of shops: one that was due by saturday and one that was due by sunday. I informed the schedulers for those shops that I *might* be interested in them, if they could accommodate a pair of requests for me.

The scheduler for the shop due on Sunday was good- she told me she would check in with her superiors to see if I could fulfill the request, checked back with me and said she could, and once I gave her the go-ahead, the shop was assigned.

On the other hand, at FOUR IN THE MORNING on Friday, the other shop was assigned to me with no communication. I told the scheduler that I "might" be interested in the shop, but never said I could do it- nor did the scheduler email me to let me know that my requests could be met, she simply assigned it to me. I was woken up on Friday with a call from ACL "confirming" if I could perform the shop- and this was already into the lunch period. I was flabbergasted, as I had never actually agreed to do the shop, and told the woman who called me (a third scheduler) that I could not do it on such short notice, as I had made plans for Friday after having not heard back from the scheduler. I was informed that the shop would be removed from my assigned list.

Later this evening, I got a call from the same scheduler confirming I could do the Sunday shop- which was fine and dandy, and I agreed, but I pointed out to her that the shop tat was erroneously assigned to me was not removed yet. I was told she would take care of it, and, thankfully, she did.

A half hour later, the other shop, the one I was planning to do on Sunday, the one I had already confirmed I would do, was removed as well. What trickery is this? It should be pretty simple to remove the shop I never agreed to do and keep the one I wanted to do. My time is valuable, and I'm doing you guys favors for pinch-hitting at the end of the month. Treat me with some respect, or I might not swoop in to help you at the last minute again.



TLDR version:
I get two shop offers for end-of-month shops. I inform the schedulers I might perform them, but I need special accommodations to do so. One of the schedulers jumps the gun and assigns the shop to me, assuming my expression of interest was a confirmation I could do it, and assigns the shop to me at four in the morning. A third scheduler calls me to confirm, and I tell her I never agreed to do the shop and ask to have it removed. It isn't removed until the scheduler calls again, but when it is, for some reason, both shops are removed, even though I legitimately did sign up to do one.

That's surprising. ACL has always been very timely in communications in my experience. Bonuses are few and far between though.

I have never had scheduling issues with them either and have been working with them for many years. But I am truly annoyed by their recent move to calling shoppers a few days before the due date to 'confirm' that they plan on doing them. That to me is just bloody overkill. If they have shoppers who flake, boot them as shoppers and stop ringing my phone! Almost invariably they call when I am trying to get something else done, so it is an exasperating interruption. Plus they have already emailed me a reminder. I've never flaked, I don't plan on starting now and I certainly don't need them to tie my shoes so I can go out and get my work done.

IMHO, it is just the human aspect. It is generally better to work with issues as they arise rather than as she did. I had a apartment shop that I was sent a voice recorder to use then return. I used it and then returned it. About 5 days later I get an email stating that I did not return the recorder and that I forfeited my pay for the shop as well as owed them . I sent them the documents I had gotten from the shipper that proved that not only had I sent it but that they had received it. I shared the information with them and gave them the deadline of the regular pay date to pay me for the shop. I did receive an email from them stating that they found the recorder... no apologies, ...nothing. Then, to be snotty, they mailed a check instead of electronic deposit. Needless to say I have done nothing more with this Texas apartment shopping goofball company.

Don

A Closer Look is based in Georgia. I did not realize it was an apartment shopping company. I have only seen mostly restaurants and hotels on their job board.

Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have never had scheduling issues with them
> either and have been working with them for many
> years. But I am truly annoyed by their recent
> move to calling shoppers a few days before the due
> date to 'confirm' that they plan on doing them.
> That to me is just bloody overkill. If they have
> shoppers who flake, boot them as shoppers and stop
> ringing my phone! Almost invariably they call
> when I am trying to get something else done, so it
> is an exasperating interruption. Plus they have
> already emailed me a reminder. I've never flaked,
> I don't plan on starting now and I certainly don't
> need them to tie my shoes so I can go out and get
> my work done.

Use google voice to manage your phone calls. Put in
their phone number and have it sent directly to voicemail,
and have a special greeting for them. You can have as many
different voicemail messages as you want based on incoming
phone number. Works wonders.

buteos Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> A Closer Look is based in Georgia. I did not
> realize it was an apartment shopping company. I
> have only seen mostly restaurants and hotels on
> their job board.

Yes, I suspect he has confused them with some other company. I have seen floor cleaning, gyms and hotels and even long ago a shoe place, but certainly the bulk of their business is restaurants.

Bonuses are few and far between for sure. I usually get text messages from them instead of phone calls. Sorry to hear about your experience.

I must admit i find the title of the post offensive: "control your schedulers". Are they dogs?

If we want to be taken professionally, we need to act professionally as well.