Just exactly what excuse was that. Sounds like you're the one making things up.

I won't share my story on here because Dave likes to threaten litigation.

It is wrong for the MSCs to threaten litigation. What they should do about internet bashing and bullying is jump right in there and sue the hell out of anybody acting out of vindictive spite and ill will. What kind of standards do we have that we tolerate this whiny crap?

Right on, Mary!

I don't know who atlash's identity, therefore, I am not able address their concern. If there is a legitmate issue, why not bring it out in the open and discuss it in full view of the mysteryshopforum community?

Becaue, Dave, you did, in fact, threaten litigation. I've spoken to you at length. Your solution was to sue me. So, I keep quiet, but it doesn't stop me from "acting out ofvindictive spite and ill will".

MDavisnowell, do you work for Dave? Because I highly doubt that anyone would be this much of a cheerleader for one comany. You defend his slow pay when virtually everyone else on this forum agrees that Dave slow pays. How is it possible that *most* people complain about getting deactivated for questioning the slow pay- even having a certain "tone" during a survey that Sentry asked for (as if this is the fourth grade and Dave is our teacher, scolding us on how to behave porperly), especially since this is pretty much an anonymous forum much like most everything else on the internet these days? I'm sorry, but I just don't buy that you are Dave's greatest shopper fan unless you work for him, or are actually him (it's easy to set up multiple user accounts on online forums, it's done all the time, just go read comments on HuffPo...)

HAHAHAHAHA! Me work for Dave? You've got to be kidding. I'm a 76 year old part time shopper and I shop for Dave and many other companies. As a matter of fact, I'm a fan of every one of my companies. I'd be a bitchin @#$%& to shop for anybody I didn't like, wouldn't I? You won't hear me whining about any of my MSCs because (1) I only work for MSCs I like and (2) I'm not dumb enough to work for MSCs I don't like. All of my MSCs pay me when they say they'll pay me or close enough for medical work. I'm not disorganized and desperate to the point that being paid one day late slams me against a wall. Sounds to me like what you need is a nine to five with a bunch of supervisors to hold your little old hand all day long. Then you can get paid every Friday at 5:01 P.M. If you want to be a big girl/guy and run your own business, you have to think like a business person. Oh, no, wait, that's not so. You can get a job and think paycheck to paycheck. I think they call that employment.

I think it's wrong for Dave to threaten you and I'm so, so sorry that happened. What he should do is go ahead and sue. I'm all for it and can't wait. I'm pretty sure the reason you backed off is because you are WRONG WRONG WRONG and you know you cannot win in court. If you thought you were RIGHT RIGHT RIGHT wouldn't you be in there slinging? Of course you would.

*slurps diet coke and munches on popcorn*

Ooo. Popcorn sounds *good*!

I like ice-water with mine.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/15/2014 08:30AM by StormCloud.

Mary- can I call you Mary? Obviously we have false impressions of one another, as you know not one whit about me, nor I you.

Dave can try to sue me all he wants, we live in litigous times. I have never broken my contractor agreement and I do not intend to.

This thread is about Sentry slow-paying. It is in fact a truth of reality that Dave does, indeed, slow-pay, one of the slowest in the industry. And judging by various comments here, my own experience as well as others I know personally, he takes his sweet time, and when people have tried to resolve their issues directly with him- or, rather, ask Dave why it takes so long- his response is to deactivate them. OR.... as he has also said frequently in the forum, that sometimes there are issues with processing checks from his clients. So, he would have us believe that all his clients frequently bounce checks to him, thus causing his issue with slow paying? HIGHLY UNLIKELY.

Dave defends the pay policy advertised on the website as between 30 and 60 days (which, anything beyond 30 days is ridiculous in and of itself), where the reality is that very frequently he pays as long as 70+ days and even up to 90 days after the shop(s) has (have) been completed.

All I know is that when I open my mailbox and I have three separate checks, each in their own separate envelopes and with their own separate postage, what immediately springs to mind is "sloppy accounting; bad business". Couple that with his constant defenses on this forum, where people have already dealt with him directly to no satisfaction (or just complete deacivation as a shopper, because he dislikes their "tone", another consistent theme with Dave), it's little wonder why shoppers come in here to vent.

Wanna know why Dave slow pays? Because his time is better spent trolling this forum and slapping down any form of dissent among the ranks than it is actually taking care of business and making his contractors happy.

Honestly, Dave should change the name of Sentry Marketing to "King Henry VIII Marketing" since he prefers pre-Victorian England where any criticism of the king and his precious throne was rewarded with immediate beheading.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/2014 11:09PM by atlash.

atlash

Threre is a lot of information in your post that is simply incorrect. I am posting for the purpose of correcting these inaccuracies.

I have never once posted in this forum that we have had issue processing checks from our clients. This is simply untrue and unsupported by any post on this forum or any other forum.

Our published policy is that we process payment, by check, up to 60 days after an assignment is accepted. In the spring, we expereicned several catastrophic failures of our accounting software and in some cases payments were delayed 10 - 15 days beyond our policy. The vast majorty of our shoppers were understanding of the situation. We have been considering moving assignment payments to direct deposit.

You claim that receiving three checks on the same day with seperate postage is "sloppy accounting, sloppy business practices" on our part. The checks could have been processed in seperate batches and on seprate days. We use a bill payment service where checks are printed and mailed offsite via US Mail. Since we don't know who you are, we can't verify that this actually happened.

You are 100% correct in stating that shoppers have been deactivated based on the tone of their communication. This is no different than any other company in the industry. Shoppers deserve to be treated with respect and in a professional manner and it is completely appropriate for mystery shopping companies to expect shoppers to conduct themselves in a similar manner.

The only time that litigation has been discussed with a shopper is in connection to a potential breach of the Independent Contractor Agreement. The fact is that shoppers who present there issue in a pleasant and professional manner are usually satisfied with the outcome of the interaction with our company.

I monitor this forum becuase I like to stay connected with what is being posted about our company. We are hardly the only company to do so. I'm not the one hiding behind an anonymous screen name posting "snarky and cryptic" comments about our company.

I must say... There was a time when there was no love for Sentry in this board. Based in recent comments, it seems that the tide has changed, so perhaps Dave is making a difference by his posts.

Having said that, I still have no desire to work for Sentry. Unreasonable amount of work for what you get.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/17/2014 12:49AM by LindaM.

Whatever you say, Dave; you are always right, never wrong, and dissent among the ranks is simply not tolerated.

OK, MDavisnowell... You. are. Nuts! NO ONE ON THE ENTIRE PLANET WOULD LOVE A MSP COMPANY THE WAY YOU SEEM TO LOVE SENTRY AND DAVE. You are not 76 years old. You are a 50-60 something male MSP owner who is a big fat baby. And you are super stupid to think anyone out there would believe one thing you wrote. I have evidence that I was not paid on time. It's not a matter of needing the money, it's a matter of wanting to get paid what I have earned. Do you really think that Dave pays his schedulers in 90 days? No, they are the same slacks you accused 'atlash' of being - working pay check to pay check.

And at 76, and you're having to rely on Social Security and shop fees? Really? And you're poking others in the eye? Apparently, you did not plan for a decent retirement or you wouldn't be suplimenting your meager income this way. What happenes to you when you 'fakely' turn 80, can't drive anymore, have no teeth to eat your cheap burgers? You starve because you are stupid and did not save for retirement.

But, since you're really Dave, or his wife, or one of his flunkies, you are full of beans. No one appreciates your choice to pay late. I have lots and lots of proof that your website LIES about when you pay. I have screen shots of the dates of my shops from the Sentry site, and I have copies of the checks I received WAY past the promised 60 days to pay.

So there Dave, or 76-year-old person who did not plan for retirement. Go ahead and sue me! I have proof.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2014 07:59PM by guanadu.

And while we're truth telling about Sentry, I want to relate another absurd story: A good friend was doing shops for Sentry. He is the nicest, sweetest person you would ever meet. Well... He told me that he stopped accepting shops from Sentry because they pay so slowly and some of his shops had been a lot of money out of pocket. He hadn't done a shop for Sentry in about a month. Dave randomly emailed him and asked if he was still accepting shops with Sentry. He blind copied me and a few other friends who have had THE. SAME. ISSUES. WITH. SENTRY. AND. DAVE.... He answered Dave, saying that it was taking so long, up to 90 days, to get paid, that he was rethinking his shopping for Sentry. Dave thanked him for his cordial reply and then said, "I am deactivating your account." WTF Dave? He did not ask to be deactivated and until you have paid him all that you owe him, probably sometime around Christmas, then you SHOULD. NOT. DEACTIVATE. ANYONE.!!! Thankfully, he took screen shots, so he knows what he is owed. Dave admitted that his reply was cordial and then deactivated him. He just said that he was reevaluating the situation and Dave deactivates him. And one more odd thing about this whole scene. Why is Dave stepping out personally to contact someone about whether or not they are accepting shops? Doesn't he have enough to do? OR, COULD IT BE! That so many people have been deactivated or otherwise refuse to do Sentry shops, that they are getting desperate? Could it be? Doesn't matter for me or my friends and based on Dave's poor attitude regarding all of this, nothing will change.

The only issue people have is that they pay LATE. Why not change that Dave? WHY. NOT.? You go on and on about trying to make your contractors happy. Just pay them within 45 days. It is THAT. EASY. DAVE.!

OH HELL NO.

"And at 76, and you're having to rely on Social Security and shop fees? Really? And you're poking others in the eye? Apparently, you did not plan for a decent retirement or you wouldn't be suplimenting your meager income this way."

This thread is about SENTRY MARKETING. This is NOT a thread to attack Mary or how she lives her life. I'd love to know who you think you are to dictate how others live their life. With people living longer due to medical advances, and the cost of living rising, many people went through their retirement fund, which they believed would be more than sufficient to see them through their lives.

I commend her for being resourceful and turning to mystery shopping to supplement her income and maintain a quality of life, rather than relying on welfare. I commend ALL mystery shoppers for doing that!

Sorry, I really am a 76 year old woman and I'm really not Dave or his wife. Sorry, I haven't been able to successfully retire. Sorry, I've quit working four or five times but I'm not any good at it. Sorry, I'm don't qualify as poor. When I was a child I was extremely poor but when I became an adult I put poverty aside. Sorry for disappointing you, but actually I'm comfortable. Sorry, mystery shopping lets me work when I please, keeps me better organized and alert, and lets me save more money. The more I leave behind for family when I go, the happier I'll be about going. Sorry, I'm a few pounds heavy but I'm not fat and my cardiologist said so. What is this preoccupation with fat? If you're fat, so sorry. Sorry about your payment problems, but I don't have them.

Your thoughts about my meager income are interesting. According to your reasoning, since you're a shopper you must have a meager income, and again, sorry about that. So sorry you're not doing better. If you're of normal employable age, you must not be qualified to hold down a job. Otherwise, surely you would have one. Unless, of course, you are independently wealthy. But then again, none of the affluent I've run across mess around with a mickey mouse job like mystery shopping. Exactly what's going on with you? I'm wondering if you're the one who's nuts. It sounds like for sure you don't have a grip on your rage and you probably need help with that. Have you heard about self control? Most adults have it, maybe you should get some.

Sorry about your problems with Dave. That's best handled one on one and not here. I can't help you. Sorry.

What a shocking personal attack on MDavisNowell and what a sad commentary on people collecting social security. Personal attacks have never been permitted on this forum. Rather than stoop to even answer such a down and dirty attack on someone who dared to get between you and the company you want to criticize, I have used the "Report" function to report your post to the moderators.

Rather than respond to the nastiness, I urge anyone else who is appalled by this vicious personal attack to vote against it by using the "Report" button. If enough forum members report that they find this noxious and unacceptable, I am hopeful the moderators will take immediate action.

Already did.

Already did. Sad that people can't supplement their income in a manner that suits their lifestyle without being attacked, judged, or shamed for it.

How are we supposed to take this, Dave?


Sentry Marketing
Posts:285
[ PM ]
[Toggle User Visibility]
Our policy is that we pay by check, 30 - 60 days after the assignment is accepted. If a shop was paid 75 - 90 days after completion, it is likely that the check was returned to us or there was another issue with processing of the payment.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/22/2014 08:47AM by Sentry Marketing.

Perhaps to PM, atlash.

Interesting little clique of forummers. No one jumped on mary when she directed this at me:

"Sounds to me like what you need is a nine to five with a bunch of supervisors to hold your little old hand all day long. Then you can get paid every Friday at 5:01 P.M. If you want to be a big girl/guy and run your own business, you have to think like a business person. Oh, no, wait, that's not so. You can get a job and think paycheck to paycheck. I think they call that employment."

I'm in no clique, atlash. I'm a loner to the core. Just because I happen to agree with others from time-to-time does not mean I'll back their play every time.

What Mary posted made sense. In the MS business, in any independent contractor arrangement, you should always allow for leeway in payment because no, it does not always happen like clockwork. The way that businesses pay businesses (and MSing is a business!) is very different than how they pay employees.

If clockwork payment is your goal, then I agree with Mary, get a job, don't get a business.

BBird0701- Dave did not say this in a PM, he stated it on this forum, just do a username search of Sentry Marketing.

atlash, I suggest one on one contact, direct to the MSC, if you do not understand the policy stated. If you're unhappy with Dave, why not move on to other MCSs whose policies fit your requirements?

Got a check last week for a shop I did in June. I don't shop for Sentry any more. I don't need the hassle.

atlash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> BBird0701- Dave did not say this in a PM, he
> stated it on this forum, just do a username search
> of Sentry Marketing.


Uhh... yeah, I deduced that from the fact that it was edited and included his post count and the toggle feature.

What I'm saying is, as Sentry payment schedules have been asked, answered, rebutted, and asked and answered over and over, and Dave always responds the same way to them, you can either a) take what he has said numerous times, and leave it at that or b) take it to PM and ask again.

I've seen over and over that he's posted that payment is done on a 30-60 day cycle, and if it took 75-90 days, then the check was returned, but.... I've pretty much always gotten paid by them 60-75 days after the shop date.

So, you can either nitpick or hash out the "30-60" day thing, or just note it on your calendar that payment is actually made 60-75 days from shop date. I've found that much easier than arguing about it, personally.

As I have plenty of other shop income, waiting an extra 2-3 weeks for my lonely 2-3 Sentry shops a month doesn't hurt me one bit.

No, I'm not him, I don't work for him as an employee, and I post under my own name. I work for him as an independent contractor. Why do you care so much?


atlash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> MDavisnowell, do you work for Dave? Because I
> highly doubt that anyone would be this much of a
> cheerleader for one comany......... I'm sorry, but I
> just don't buy that you are Dave's greatest
> shopper fan unless you work for him, or are
> actually him (it's easy to set up multiple user
> accounts on online forums, it's done all the time,
> just go read comments on HuffPo...)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2014 07:40PM by MDavisnowell.

atlash

If you have an issue, feel free to call or email me. My contact information is as follows:

dave@sentrymarketing.com
972-987-1696