MSC says, "You goofed because our sticky note was wrong."
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I'm pretty sure I would be done with the scheduler AND the MSC.
This is one of those situations where they are technically correct, but it's not a very good way to do business. That's how a scheduler or MSC may win battles but lose the war.
Edited to add: I would love to know who the MSC is and if the scheduler works for them or is an independent scheduler.
There are two types of people in this world: Those who can extrapolate from incomplete data.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/2014 06:31PM by LJ.
Edited to add: I would love to know who the MSC is and if the scheduler works for them or is an independent scheduler.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/19/2014 06:31PM by LJ.
You have to read the guidelines including the sticky note AND review the report. Many times there are questions on the report that are not even mentioned in the guidelines. I don't know why they do it this way; maybe to weed out the less-detailed shoppers. Or to just aggravate us.
I would not do the shop over. I'd say that I'm sorry, but I'm just totally booked up, too bad about the misunderstanding the first time around, better luck to both of us next time, thanks anyway for the opportunity for the do over. Then I'd check how I felt about it in a week or a month or a year and go from there.
Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.
I feel your pain, but...yep, shoulda read the survey too. That said, a good MSC would offer at least partial payment on the oops shop since they were partially to blame, AND a full payment on the successful redo. On second thought, a good MSC does not make confusing errors like that in the first place. 
I'm with MD on the best course of action. It just feels so wrong, however, for an MSC to effectively say, "And since you'll be reading every bit of our instructions to you, we expect you to find our mistakes and not allow them to jeopardize your shop."
It's good practice to read all materials and then email for any clarifications. I'm always shocked at the contradictory information in the different materials of some companies. I feel your pain and probably would not return to the client unless the pay is good and the location is close.
It is true. I had a shop. It said it was a Job Search assignment. There was no Job Search at the location. The guidelines said "Donation" but the front main page said Job Search. The paperwork was for Donation Shop. Using my best instinct (the MSC was closed on the weekend), I performed the shop as Donation, received high praise and was paid for the shop, along with an apology for the paperwork error.
When you are in doubt and there is no-one to contact, (and you won't be out hundreds of dollars....) follow your best instinct by deciphering erroneous papework. The worst that could happen, is that you are asked to re-shop, if the error is on the part of the MSC
When you are in doubt and there is no-one to contact, (and you won't be out hundreds of dollars....) follow your best instinct by deciphering erroneous papework. The worst that could happen, is that you are asked to re-shop, if the error is on the part of the MSC
what company? i would NOT work for them again
When I read the OP's comment about the report, I read it as: "one of the radio buttons what stuck on the OTHER scenario."
I don't think that would have triggered me to question the MSC about it. Since most reports are not live until they can be completed, and I generally don't wait until the last minute to read the report, I think I would have viewed the radio button as being defaulted to the other scenario and I wouldn't have questioned it.
I'd still like to know which company so that I can consider if I want to work for them.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/20/2014 06:18PM by DRJ.
I don't think that would have triggered me to question the MSC about it. Since most reports are not live until they can be completed, and I generally don't wait until the last minute to read the report, I think I would have viewed the radio button as being defaulted to the other scenario and I wouldn't have questioned it.
I'd still like to know which company so that I can consider if I want to work for them.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/20/2014 06:18PM by DRJ.
Well
almost ALL guidelines will say that the STICKY NOTES take precedent over the generic shop guidelines and to follow the STICKY NOTES.
I will add I had this EXACT Same situation recently.
Three days before the shop date I emailed the scheduler and asked for clarification- NO RESPONSE!
Two days before the shop date I emailed the scheduler- NO RESPONSE!
Day before shop day I emailed the scheduler- NO RESPONSE!
On the shop day I emailed the 4 schedulers I knew from the MSC and said I needed URGENT clarification.
What response did I receive???????????????
2 said the sticky note takes precedent and follow that.
2 said the guidelines are what I should follow.
Who do you listen to??
No matter which way it went the MSC was in a position to screw me over
(SHOP WAS ACCEPTED WHEN I FOLLOWED STICKY NOTE)
almost ALL guidelines will say that the STICKY NOTES take precedent over the generic shop guidelines and to follow the STICKY NOTES.
I will add I had this EXACT Same situation recently.
Three days before the shop date I emailed the scheduler and asked for clarification- NO RESPONSE!
Two days before the shop date I emailed the scheduler- NO RESPONSE!
Day before shop day I emailed the scheduler- NO RESPONSE!
On the shop day I emailed the 4 schedulers I knew from the MSC and said I needed URGENT clarification.
What response did I receive???????????????
2 said the sticky note takes precedent and follow that.
2 said the guidelines are what I should follow.
Who do you listen to??
No matter which way it went the MSC was in a position to screw me over
(SHOP WAS ACCEPTED WHEN I FOLLOWED STICKY NOTE)
It sounds lick you were in a sticky situation.
Sorry just couldn't help myself.
Sorry just couldn't help myself.
Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.
DRJ Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When I read the OP's comment about the report, I
> read it as: "one of the radio buttons what stuck
> on the OTHER scenario."
>
> I don't think that would have triggered me to
> question the MSC about it. Since most reports are
> not live until they can be completed, and I
> generally don't wait until the last minute to read
> the report, I think I would have viewed the radio
> button as being defaulted to the other scenario
> and I wouldn't have questioned it.
>
I agree! This is a very subtle detail to catch. They really are penalizing you for not doing their copy-editing for them. I'd go over the schedulers head with this complaint. They may be conspiring with the editor to not reveal their screw-up. The company owner may be very interested to know the quality of information that is going out to shoppers and the inconviences that it is causing for clients in the form of delayed reports.
-------------------------------------------------------
> When I read the OP's comment about the report, I
> read it as: "one of the radio buttons what stuck
> on the OTHER scenario."
>
> I don't think that would have triggered me to
> question the MSC about it. Since most reports are
> not live until they can be completed, and I
> generally don't wait until the last minute to read
> the report, I think I would have viewed the radio
> button as being defaulted to the other scenario
> and I wouldn't have questioned it.
>
I agree! This is a very subtle detail to catch. They really are penalizing you for not doing their copy-editing for them. I'd go over the schedulers head with this complaint. They may be conspiring with the editor to not reveal their screw-up. The company owner may be very interested to know the quality of information that is going out to shoppers and the inconviences that it is causing for clients in the form of delayed reports.
It was Mystery Researchers. I think they just got this client from CORI since I've done the same shop for CORI, but with much better pay.
The scheduler sent me this message: "I understand the concern however this location needed to be shopped 2 times this month by two different shoppers. We notice when we changed the sticky note it changes them all." She then claimed that she sent an email telling me to email her for my scenario. That was not true. The original email said to check the shop log for my scenario. If changing the sticky note on one "changes them all" and they only had two visits, how difficult would it have been to double check their sticky note on the other visit? Fortunately, the shop is just down the street and I was able to go back in for a quick visit. I won't be working for them anymore since I don't have time to go over every inconsistency with a fine tooth comb for $15 and the scheduler made me pay for her error. I'll stick with Bare, CSE, Sales Quality Group and some of my other favorite companies.
The scheduler sent me this message: "I understand the concern however this location needed to be shopped 2 times this month by two different shoppers. We notice when we changed the sticky note it changes them all." She then claimed that she sent an email telling me to email her for my scenario. That was not true. The original email said to check the shop log for my scenario. If changing the sticky note on one "changes them all" and they only had two visits, how difficult would it have been to double check their sticky note on the other visit? Fortunately, the shop is just down the street and I was able to go back in for a quick visit. I won't be working for them anymore since I don't have time to go over every inconsistency with a fine tooth comb for $15 and the scheduler made me pay for her error. I'll stick with Bare, CSE, Sales Quality Group and some of my other favorite companies.
Mystery Shopper since 1998; Author of Make Money Mystery Shopping available on Amazon in the Kindle Store.
OP I think that you were right. You could re-shop it for $30 not $15. I'd never shop for them again until they had a $15 bonus on a shop to make it up to you.
I had almost similar experience. I was assigned three shops which were non existent or were not operationg yet and one shop which did not have any direction to indicate which one it was in the mall, since there were two of them. No telephone number or any sticky note to describe where it was. Since the mall was very far from me, I decided to do both. Reported only on one after getting additional information.
All were completed but I explained to the scheduler the time wasted looking for the non-existent locations since the telephone numbers were not answered or there were no telephone numbers at all. I told her, no more of these please because they were time consuming. She admitted that she had received many complaints from other shoppers about faulty addresses and directions. She asked me if she could send my email to the MSC. I agreed.
I'd forgotten the experience and applied to do a number of shops. I did not receive any confirmation for a long while. Then one shop was assigned to me. Remember, this is one of my favourite schedulers but she gave the shops to others except one. This was so irregular. Can't help wondering if somehow my email to her, sent to the MSC affected that decision. Was that something like, "No more soup for you because you complained."?
All were completed but I explained to the scheduler the time wasted looking for the non-existent locations since the telephone numbers were not answered or there were no telephone numbers at all. I told her, no more of these please because they were time consuming. She admitted that she had received many complaints from other shoppers about faulty addresses and directions. She asked me if she could send my email to the MSC. I agreed.
I'd forgotten the experience and applied to do a number of shops. I did not receive any confirmation for a long while. Then one shop was assigned to me. Remember, this is one of my favourite schedulers but she gave the shops to others except one. This was so irregular. Can't help wondering if somehow my email to her, sent to the MSC affected that decision. Was that something like, "No more soup for you because you complained."?
OP, I'm gonna go out on a limb and guess the scheduler. Does their first and last name both begin with a K?
IMHO, you just can't win when they make a mistake. I've caught mistakes, asked for clarification and gotten the attitude that I'm bothering them and "isn't it obvious this was just a mistake?" Depending on who it is, what it is, how big the mistake is and how much work I've got on my plate, I either give it one more shot or call it a day. If mistakes like that keep happening, I let it go -- not worth the hassle in the long-run.
Tone is important in both written emails and over the phone. I have brought mistakes (major mistakes, not typos) to the scheduler's attention usually by email. They have always been receptive and usually followed-up with a thank you email.
Sorry phishin, your limb broke. It was a scheduler who's first name is synonymous with a high end jewelry store.
Mystery Shopper since 1998; Author of Make Money Mystery Shopping available on Amazon in the Kindle Store.
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