Seeking Feedback on Monterey Mystery Shopping

Anyone worked for them?

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“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton

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I've done 2 car dealerships for them over the past 2 months @ $25. Reasonable report forms, Prophet, self assign. I got paid really really fast. I like them.
Thanks, AM. I just saw something through a scheduler, and though I have known their name, I had never seen anything from them. Maybe I'll test the waters.

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“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
I can tell you that they're responsive. I haven't yet done anything for them, but have had occasion to communicate.

As AustinMom indicated, the pay is higher than some of the other companies do for the same type of shop. At least in my area, all I've seen is transportation.
I did one job for them last year and was paid within 8-10 days.Very fast pay.
I'm doing a motorcycle and a dealership later this week.I've found
them to be a really good company.and the report forms are reasonable.
Good luck !
I registered with them some time back. They seem only to have car dealership and motorcycle shops.
I did a car shop for them this week. It's my first with them. Don't know about payment speed or anything.
Wait till you see how fast they pay. You'll be sold. I really like this company, wish they had more here.
Warning: This User Has Been Banned or Is No Longer Active
Is that what its called "testing the waters", youre still in denial, get helpDo not test the waters while youre still on the dope Deedee shops Wrote:
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> Thanks, AM. I just saw something through a
> scheduler, and though I have known their name, I
> had never seen anything from them. Maybe I'll
> test the waters.
This member sound like Big George, right?, very disrespecful and annoy.
Isabel
Enjoy Life
seibahbah Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Is that what its called "testing the waters",
> youre still in denial, get helpDo not test the
> waters while youre still on the dope Deedee shops
> Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Thanks, AM. I just saw something through a
> > scheduler, and though I have known their name,
> I
> > had never seen anything from them. Maybe I'll
> > test the waters.


Can we get rid of this person? I'm so sick of seeing his random, useless comments.

As for the poster, it would appear to be you who is under the influence of some kind of illicit substance since you're the one attacking people without provocation.
If you will click on their name in the box next to their post you will find that they have been booted. Thanks Jacob!
I just signed with them after reading positive info. on this forum. I got a nice email welcoming me, and am awaiting work from them.

Live consciously....
You won't be sorry, Irene. I really like them, too bad they don't have more shops here in Austin. I would grab them all.
Christi, a quick way to find websites is to just google the company. You will find that legitimate companies usually come up promptly with a professional website to sign up.

Another way to find companies is to use the list of companies that is in the first post of the sticky thread in Mystery Shopping Company Discussion. Not all companies are there, but many if not most of the ones folks discuss are.
So glad that I've logged on to these conversations! Happy to read about Monterey,I will now open their E-mails and sign up for a shop. This comes at a good time 'cause I'm sick of Intelli needing "to confirm" the info written in my naratives. This phenomena is recent but nevertheless annoying as they deduct points from my score because they had to contact me ! Reading for comprehension is not some reviewers strong suit. Anyway, thanxs for the heads up!
These are the car, rv and motorcycle shops that AboutFace used to have. The client started his own mystery shopping company. He is totally trustworthy and really, really into what these shops give him. Coast to Coast schedules a lot of his shops. Most of the editors and schedulers that left AboutFace went to work for Coast to Coast just to follow this client.
I signed up for my first shop but couldn't get there because of flooding. I E-mailed Monterey via the Coast to Coast scheduler & was told that the next day was ok. Did the shop yesterday and resumed entering info adding on to the pre visit telephone call report. Midnight I stopped as my narratives were getting sloppy. This morning, still within the 24 hr. deadline , I tried to continue entering and hoped to submit. My almost completed report has vanished ! and I've not heard from the scheduler. Any advice?
Thank You Mert. I called the number. The recording identifies the number as "Pied Piper". I shot off another E-mail to C to C and am thinking of doing this every day until I get the answer they owe me.
Thank you both Flash and Mert.
I got a return phone call and a message from Ryan asking me to contact him at 800-471-0767. I did. He said that the scheduler can reinstate the info and that they do it all the time. Thank you guys! Now if only the scheduler would get back to me. I did not ask about Pied Piper.
I found out the hard way that Monterey is not a 24 hour, 12 hour, or even a 6 hour turn around company.
They are Midnight EST.

My first experience was disastrous; I did 2 back to back shops which were an hour commute on a toll road. After spending 4.5 hours doing the shops and commuting, I arrived home at 10PM, which was Midnight EST.
After I stayed up all night writing the long narratives, I did a "save as" thinking that was a viable way to save the shop reports -- Yes, I was new.

You know how this story ends...same way as marijaldm.


To give Monterey credit, where credit is due. Monterey offered to reopen the shops so I may re-enter the narratives. I chose not to re-write the narratives since it was during a time where I had other commitments, and could not spend time going backward. I had to take the hit, and move forward.

It took six or so months, but I got over my anger, and worked with Monterey again. This time fully understanding the deadline, and also knowing to write the narrative in word, then transfer to the report...

The shop was entered without issue, and my fee was paid quickly.
I'm only waiting for the bonus, which is to come from CTC. In fact, I just emailed CTC about the bonus, but haven't heard back.

All in all, I give a two thumbs up, and wouldn't hesitate to work for them again, as long as I was positive that I could complete the shop and enter the shop by 10PM my time, or get permission, in writing, to enter at a later date.

And, most importantly:

Never write narratives on the report....there's lots of Montereys out there, and it's never a pleasant surprise to find your hard work disappear.
...& the saga continues. I e-mailed the scheduler right away and thanks to Flash & Mert got in touch with Ryan by phone. Still no answer from scheduler. Called Ryan today. Que'lle surprise! I got an immediate e-mail from scheduler : another shopper picked up the shop and did it Sunday (yesterday)and Monterey won't be using my shop.

IN N.J. CAR DEALERSHIPS ARE CLOSED ON SUNDAYS.Such a deplorable lack of integrity.

I called Ryan at once. He wants any proof that I was told a 24 hour deadline he says it is midnight.
I've e-mailed the origional acceptance e-mail with the 24hr rule.His claim that they reinstate the shops "all the time" sure has been shot. I E-mailed the scheduler asking why and expressed my consternation that she plays so loose with contact info being used for dealership "follow up".I'm neither getting paid for the shop nor chatting with the sales force which so far is one receptionist, salesmen and a manager. Both of us have had our time wasted.


Anybody have any advice?
If you don't care whether you ever work for Monterey again or not, I would suggest calling the dealership and asking if they were open on Sunday. I would feed them some baloney about your son saying something about having been there as an excuse for not being where he was supposed to be and you were just checking. If they indicate they were not open on Sunday I would call Ryan and explain to him that you checked with the dealership and they were indeed closed on Sunday so you have no idea how a shopper could have done the shop as he indicated. I would then mention that if he would like an HONEST report on the visit he can reinstate your shop and you would be pleased to report it.
Marijaldm, you are articulate and I am certain will fight the good fight. Stick with the facts, keep emotion out of it, and remain cool-headed - as long as it takes. Fingers crossed that the MSP does the right thing.
Weeeeeeeeell, I've heard from the scheduler and she claims that it was a "typo". She meant to write Friday and not Sunday! Even if that were true she does not explain why she gave my shop away the next day. Pinocchio did not answer my question but said the shop was reinstated. I wrote back to thank her and that my ASAP had to be in the morning. You guessed it: I tried to enter it but the half completed shop is not there.

I did get a voice mail from Ryan. He is investigating and assured me that I would get paid regardless of the outcome because I did go to the location. His tone is so 180 degrees from the arrogance she displays. All in one company! I so need to believe that his is their prevalent corporate culture.
Thank you guys for your encouragement, it feels as good as getting a ten. Thank you all, and Flash,in NJ its the law that car dealerships are closed on Sundays.
A victory for the little guy!!! Marijaldm, that's excellent news, and thank you for sharing.
That sounds very promising Marijaldm! Is the scheduler a Monterey person or an outside scheduler? That may make a big difference.
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