Hi....I have run across an issue with Service X and thought I would post it here and see what others think. I recently accepted two shops with Service X of local shoe stores that had bonuses attached - one was for $5 and one was for $10. Today I received an email telling me these bonuses had been pulled due to the scheduler's mistake in offering them to begin with and would not be honored. Given that the bonuses would total to $15 - I find this less than honorable and something that personally makes me want to run far and wide from this MSC. I could see if the bonuses were $150 - I could understand a large mistake being pulled after offering some token bonus as an apology - but pulling a small amount like this seems very shady and cheap and unethical to me and if I'm wrong, so be it. This is how my gut sees it.

I will say that the scheduler has been generically professional but also rubbed some salt into the wound by saying she'd like to work with me on these shops after glossing over the pulled bonuses. I'd avoid Service X like a plague going forward, but I understand that YMMV. What bothers me here is the implication that it's OK to change the terms of the shop at close to the last minute - I'm not OK with this at all. (The shops would have been this upcoming Friday and Saturday). What do you all think here if I may ask? The world is not going to end here and I'm not going to devote my life to recooping the pulled $15 in bonuses - I've asked to be cancelled from these shops and won't go near them or near Service X at this point. I just wanted to know what others thought of an MSC that would pull bonuses in this way towards the last minute? Thanks for any input.

I would not think this was any different than if the client cancelled the shop due to business reasons. But in this case, the bonus was cancelled. Who made the determination for the bonus in the first place? Did that person not have the power to authorize it? In my case, I would not cancel the shop "but" if it were a really horrible company, that I had nothing but problems with, I might consider it.

For the record, ServiceX was pretty good to me but I can count on one hand how many shops I did with them. I guess this is a personal choice (by you) to cancel due to not getting the bonus pay promised. In all honesty, if these assignments were not that far away, I would have completed them but remain alert with the next bonus offered, confirming the bonus would remain and that person had the ability to authorize it.

I've never had a bonus pulled and if I did I'd be plenty annoyed. I don't blame you for bowing out or for taking a break from the company.

On the other hand, if the scheduler didn't have authorization to offer the bonuses, his/her hands are tied unless they want to cover the difference out of their own pocket. Chances are, you're not the only shopper on the project who was impacted by the decision. A scheduler pointed out to me recently that a $5 bonus on each of the shops she was trying to fill for that 2 week period added up to $450, and this was for a local company.

So, I guess I'd be inclined to cut the scheduler some slack and follow through on my commitment, knowing that we all make mistakes. I would hope to be offered the same slack if I had made an error and had to reschedule.

Interesting. I'm going to watch this thread because I think others will have good insights. But for what it's worth, here are my thoughts:

-Pulling a bonus before the shop has been completed is a bummer, but not unethical in my opinion. You're still free to accept or not accept the jobs based on the new rate (and the new information about how the MSC and scheduler conduct themselves). If the job was worth it at (for example) $25 but not at $15, then I think as long as they allow you to cancel without penalty, you have a fair situation. A bummer, for sure, but no more of a bummer than for example a shop with a plum bonus being cancelled a few days before you were supposed to complete it.

-It may actually be an issue with the scheduler. I know if I were a scheduler with a company and I made a good faith offer of some small bonuses, then found out that I didn't have the authority to offer them, I'd try to work with the MSC to make some accommodations to the shoppers. If the scheduler did make a mistake and isn't very upfront about the pulled bonuses and the reason why her word isn't holding fast in this situation, I'd want to be careful in my future dealings with her.

I don't have a lot of experience with Service X, so I don't know whether this is out of their character or not.

I own Summit Scheduling, and as you are aware the scheduler works for me.

As she expressed to you, this was human error on her part. On Sassie systems when you copy a session from one month to the next, it retains whatever bonus might have been used at the end of the prior month. She simply forgot to take it off. As soon as she noticed the error, she emailed the shoppers and explained the situation. Since the shops cannot have been done yet anyway, this really hasn't cost you anything, so I am a little shocked at your deluge of emails, threats to start your own blog simply so you can discredit us, and constant threats of posting here.

Schedulers make mistakes just like shoppers do. She found it, she fixed it (DAYS ahead of time from when you would have done the shops), but you seem intent on crucifying her over it.

Do you not think this email is a bit over the top?
"I just forgot to add two issues - one is that if you care to view my thread as to your/Service X/Summit's behavior on www.mysteryshopforum.com, it is listed under the Mystery Shopping Company area. The other issue is that until I ascertain who is indeed responsible for this cheapness, pettiness, and shadiness, I will hold off on starting my stand alone blog in regards to this issue. Until I know exactly who is to blame for this unacceptable behavior, it would not be in the shopping public's best interest to launch this expose.

Yours in exposing pettiness, cheapness, and shadiness,"



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/2015 10:56PM by Summit Scheduling.

Also, you neglected to mention that the scheduler offered to pay you those bonuses out of her own pocket to make up for her error.

@squireparty wrote:

Hi....I have run across an issue with Service X and thought I would post it here and see what others think. I recently accepted two shops with Service X of local shoe stores that had bonuses attached - one was for $5 and one was for $10. Today I received an email telling me these bonuses had been pulled due to the scheduler's mistake in offering them to begin with and would not be honored. Given that the bonuses would total to $15 - I find this less than honorable and something that personally makes me want to run far and wide from this MSC. I could see if the bonuses were $150 - I could understand a large mistake being pulled after offering some token bonus as an apology - but pulling a small amount like this seems very shady and cheap and unethical to me and if I'm wrong, so be it. This is how my gut sees it.

I will say that the scheduler has been generically professional but also rubbed some salt into the wound by saying she'd like to work with me on these shops after glossing over the pulled bonuses. I'd avoid Service X like a plague going forward, but I understand that YMMV. What bothers me here is the implication that it's OK to change the terms of the shop at close to the last minute - I'm not OK with this at all. (The shops would have been this upcoming Friday and Saturday). What do you all think here if I may ask? The world is not going to end here and I'm not going to devote my life to recooping the pulled $15 in bonuses - I've asked to be cancelled from these shops and won't go near them or near Service X at this point. I just wanted to know what others thought of an MSC that would pull bonuses in this way towards the last minute? Thanks for any input.

I think the opposite of you about the size of the bonuses. If the amount were $150 I would be angry and upset and I would think " this seems very shady and cheap and unethical to me." But $15? Give me a break. A $10 and a $5 bonus are not that big. I would probably cancel the shops because they were not what I believed they were when I accepted them. I would be glad they informed me BEFORE I did the shops rather than AFTER. (Allowing a shopper to do shops believing there will be a bonus and then informing her the bonuses are cancelled WOULD be unethical and shady and cheap). I would probably say "Oh, OK, thanks for letting me know you won't honor the $15 bonuses before I did the shops. Please cancel them" I wouldn't waste any time worrying over it.

I wouldn't spend any time worrying over $15. It simply isn't worth the time spent being angry.

Like SunnyDays, the number of shops I do Service X is a very low number.

@Summit Scheduling wrote:

Also, you neglected to mention that the scheduler offered to pay you those bonuses out of her own pocket to make up for her error.

Oooooh, this and the other Summit post add a lot more information. It's much better when you hear the whole story.

I don't know how to respond to this but to be honest. I was not offered the bonuses by the scheduler in any of our correspondence - this scares me a bit that this has been stated here when this in fact is not the case. At this point I believe it would be best for all concerned that I passed on these shops, and I am of the opinion that you would agree with this. So the problem is solved from that angle. My issue remains now that I was never offered these bonuses by the scheduler and it's a he said/she said now. For my part, the he said of this is that the bonuses were pulled. I did go a bit over the top and I'm not going to deny this - but the bonuses were never reoffered - the scheduler did try to patch things up a bit by saying she hoped to work with me on these shoe shops, I'll grant that much. But once again it is not true that I was offered the bonuses out of the scheduler's pocket. I have the emails sent to me from your scheduler (this has all been email only with no phone convos involved), and such has not been to this moment offered. I state this as members here will draw their own conclusions and I have issues with this bit of untruth (nicest way I can put it). For what it's worth this is my side of it and I'm sticking to it....I do appreciate the response, however, as it shows at least shoppers are worth being responded to by your company when things go public. Nicest way to end this that I can think of as I can't see any way to bridge this at this point - Best Wishes Going Forward. Certainly the world is not going to end over rescinding $15 in bonuses - my advice going forward is take a breather and think for a minute or two how this is going to look and how this is going to be perceived - especially since it is such a small amount of money (somehow the fact that the amount involved is under $20 makes it seem much worse to me). Once again, Best Wishes Going Forward.....

@Summit Scheduling wrote:

I own Summit Scheduling, and as you are aware the scheduler works for me.

Do you not think this email is a bit over the top?
"I just forgot to add two issues - one is that if you care to view my thread as to your/Service X/Summit's behavior on www.mysteryshopforum.com, it is listed under the Mystery Shopping Company area. The other issue is that until I ascertain who is indeed responsible for this cheapness, pettiness, and shadiness, I will hold off on starting my stand alone blog in regards to this issue. Until I know exactly who is to blame for this unacceptable behavior, it would not be in the shopping public's best interest to launch this expose.

Yours in exposing pettiness, cheapness, and shadiness,"

I do indeed think that e-mail is WAY, WAY over the top. My question is: squireparty, did you really send that e-mail to Summit?

I don't think it would be in the shopping public's best interest or your own best interest to launch this expose regardless of who you determine is to blame. All it can do is make you look bad.

When I first quickly read this I thought the MSC pulled the bonuses after you did the shops. At that point Squire, I was in your corner. After reading the response from the owner of Summit Scheduling I re-read it thinking I missed a portion of your post and that the reference to the email was a quote. That wasn't the case but if you did send that email to the MSC then I agree with AustinMom that you are way over the top in your response. If indeed, you had the opportunity to cancel after the bonuses were pulled but before the shops were completed then you had the opportunity to accept or cancel. Your call. In no circumstances would I accept an offer of a scheduler to pay the bonuses out of her pocket. Just my opinion.

Well let's address your accusation of "untruths" - I am linking both the scheduler's email to you AND your response to her. [imgur.com]
I blackened out your name, although I'm sure you will turn around and say this didn't go to you.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/01/2015 12:05AM by Summit Scheduling.

wow, talk about burning bridges! I'm speechless. who has time to start a blog devoted to bashing a singlular msc over $15? Not me!

@AustinMom wrote:

@Summit Scheduling wrote:

I own Summit Scheduling, and as you are aware the scheduler works for me.

Do you not think this email is a bit over the top?
"I just forgot to add two issues - one is that if you care to view my thread as to your/Service X/Summit's behavior on www.mysteryshopforum.com, it is listed under the Mystery Shopping Company area. The other issue is that until I ascertain who is indeed responsible for this cheapness, pettiness, and shadiness, I will hold off on starting my stand alone blog in regards to this issue. Until I know exactly who is to blame for this unacceptable behavior, it would not be in the shopping public's best interest to launch this expose.

Yours in exposing pettiness, cheapness, and shadiness,"

I do indeed think that e-mail is WAY, WAY over the top. My question is: squireparty, did you really send that e-mail to Summit?

I don't think it would be in the shopping public's best interest or your own best interest to launch this expose regardless of who you determine is to blame. All it can do is make you look bad.

No wonder many MSCs have a very low opinion of MS'ers and this forum. The OP has shot himself in the foot since Summit Scheduling schedules shops for many MSCs not just Service X. And they know who you are IRL, not by a forum name.

@DareWright wrote:

wow, talk about burning bridges! I'm speechless. who has time to start a blog devoted to bashing a singlular msc over $15? Not me!

People with way too much time on their hands. Probably because they have been banned from several MSCs and now have extra time.

@Summit Scheduling wrote:

Well let's address your accusation of "untruths" - I am linking both the scheduler's email to you AND your response to her. [imgur.com]
I blackened out your name, although I'm sure you will turn around and say this didn't go to you.

OH SNAP!

The OP keeps bashing Service X but his issue was with an outside scheduling company. This actually might be a case of defamation of character for Service X and the scheduler with Summit Scheduling

Kudos to Summit for standing up for themselves here. Wish more companies (in general, not just MSC's) would do this when called out.

Wow. This goes to show that there really are two sides to every story, and both should be heard before judgement is passed. It looks like the OP overeacted with an emotionally charged rant over the loss of $15. Since the OP has burned bridges with not only Service X, but also any company who uses Summit Scheduling, I don't think the OP will have any more "problems" with assignments with Service X or Summit Scheduling any time in the near future. I see some deactivations coming.

I actually say Kudos to Laura for offering to pay out of her own pocket. That's a pretty honorable thing to do. I applaud it. It's first rate. Did she follow through with that? Just curious because that's a big hit and would say a ton about her character for sure.

Yes, there are always two sides. At the beginning, as I first read the post, my thought was going to be to call the company and talk to someone because I do actually believe that a bonus should not be pulled once a job is accepted. They are certainly able to be withdrawn before a shop is accepted. This is just my opinion and I would only upset (to any degree) if I had accepted a job and had a bonus withdrawn. Then, of course, Summit chimed in and that provided the other side. It was countered, but then Summit did the whammy by uploading the emails and that takes care of that. It does show we always need to be open and hear from both sides. The issue is real, but just like doing a shop, remaining objective is highly recommend. :}

The same thing happened to me this morning (same MCS, same scheduler) I received the e-mail saying the bonus was in error. I politely declined the shop and forgot about it. After reading this, I would like to add that she did not offer to pay me out of her own pocket.

As long as I was notified before I did the shop and there was no penalty for cancelling, I would just accept it and move on.

Wow, is the only word I can use to describe this situation, how you reacted and your post on the forum here. $15 in bonuses is not the end of the world. I honestly hope you can learn from this situation going forward.

The issue with your post is the way that you have presented yourself to many companies and their representatives who read this forum. Not just Summit Scheduling or Service X. Additionally, Summit schedules for numerous companies. This post and the unfortunate outburst of emotions involving such a minor amount of money could have a negative effect to your bottom line going forward.

I can understand that emotions can get the best of anyone. I've been guilty of this myself in the past. I've burnt my own bridges and believe I have learned from past mistakes, both recent and over the past two years.

That being said, I have had nothing but positive experiences with Judith, Summit Scheduling and Service X and I have immense respect for Judith speaking her mind.

If nothing else, Judith has ALWAYS been a straight shooter. Perhaps this issue could have been handled directly with her and this negative post could have been avoided. I would reach out to Judith directly if it were me.

Laura offering you the bonus from her own pocket is definitely a nice gesture (schedulers aren't made of money usually). I have done this on a few rare occasions when a company would not cover a requested bonus.

@squireparty wrote:

I don't know how to respond to this but to be honest. I was not offered the bonuses by the scheduler in any of our correspondence - this scares me a bit that this has been stated here when this in fact is not the case. At this point I believe it would be best for all concerned that I passed on these shops, and I am of the opinion that you would agree with this. So the problem is solved from that angle. My issue remains now that I was never offered these bonuses by the scheduler and it's a he said/she said now. For my part, the he said of this is that the bonuses were pulled. I did go a bit over the top and I'm not going to deny this - but the bonuses were never reoffered - the scheduler did try to patch things up a bit by saying she hoped to work with me on these shoe shops, I'll grant that much. But once again it is not true that I was offered the bonuses out of the scheduler's pocket. I have the emails sent to me from your scheduler (this has all been email only with no phone convos involved), and such has not been to this moment offered. I state this as members here will draw their own conclusions and I have issues with this bit of untruth (nicest way I can put it). For what it's worth this is my side of it and I'm sticking to it....I do appreciate the response, however, as it shows at least shoppers are worth being responded to by your company when things go public. Nicest way to end this that I can think of as I can't see any way to bridge this at this point - Best Wishes Going Forward. Certainly the world is not going to end over rescinding $15 in bonuses - my advice going forward is take a breather and think for a minute or two how this is going to look and how this is going to be perceived - especially since it is such a small amount of money (somehow the fact that the amount involved is under $20 makes it seem much worse to me). Once again, Best Wishes Going Forward.....

Situations ike this are exactly why there is a COIN list.

Sheesh. I am telling you all, unless you have been a scheduler, you have NO IDEA what kind of nonsense and blackmail a FEW shoppers will try to pull on you. The great majority of shoppers are good, hard-working people. What gets the attention of everyone is somebody like the OP.

I'm interested in hearing the OP's response, since we now saw the e-mail conversation. I noticed he/she hasn't responded after that. Yowza.

Since this horse has been discussed and beaten dead lets beat a dead horse. Service x is a reputable company and I have no problem with them. I have worked quite a bit with summit scheduling and they are one of the better scheduling companies out there IMHO. I feel that yes once a contract has been signed that to change terms (payment) is wrong. However due to the nature of our business things happen. Perhaps the OP could have handled it better and gotten a future lucrative shop (their famous chocolate shop) later in exchange. I was taught to be professionally even if the other person is not. I find in this case that Summit's Scheduler and Service X was nothing but professional.

I am against animal cruelty.

I was making a joke but since you wish to take it seriously sybil2 once the hose is dead they can't feel you beating it. nor grinding it into horse meat if you are into that. I am not.

Yikes. I thought that I was the only one with a deathly fear of live hoses. I always beat any hose I find to death.

@BuffaloNY101 wrote:

I was making a joke but since you wish to take it seriously sybil2 once the hose is dead they can't feel you beating it. nor grinding it into horse meat if you are into that. I am not.

@myst4au wrote:

Yikes. I thought that I was the only one with a deathly fear of live hoses. I always beat any hose I find to death.

@BuffaloNY101 wrote:

I was making a joke but since you wish to take it seriously sybil2 once the hose is dead they can't feel you beating it. nor grinding it into horse meat if you are into that. I am not.

When I first read this, I thought you said. "I thought I was the only one with a deathly fear of live horses!"