Is GfK a one trick pony?
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They lost all of their other clients. I won't go near their current audit.
Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
The one and only assignment I completed for them was part of a blast email that they sent. No matter what I search, I get the one client as well.
i just did a job for them last week that was for a fitness club I think. While most of what I see listed is the one store's audit, they seem to have others from time to time.
I got an email from them asking me to download a specific app for a new project they've got coming up. I will check out the jobs when they get posted and consider downloading the app then if I'm interested in the jobs, but downloading an app doesn't take that long, so I'm not sure why they think people would want to do it well in advance for jobs they might not want to conduct.
The email made it seem like it's only being done in certain markets, like the San Francisco Bay area, etc.
The email made it seem like it's only being done in certain markets, like the San Francisco Bay area, etc.
Shopper in California's Bay Area
GFK only does audits according to all their jobs in the three States I've been looking at. If GFK's scheduling department send's me a email saying their jobs take "four to eight hours to perform" do we double their estimates to eight to twelve hours as realistic?
I got something from them recently about seeing if I were interested in some new project. But I don't remember the details. Probably because I didn't really read it thoroughly and deleted it....
I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
What did GFK do to loose all their past clients, this puts to rest Shoppers thinking Mystery companies are making a fortune off their backs. Companies have to remain lean to survive pressures or they end up like GFK with only one client nobody wants to do the audits for. What was GFK like to work with, getting bad vibes when nobody says anything good about them.
I don't think staying lean is helping them. Being cheap with contractors can cause a couple of problems. The most obvious is assignments sitting until they are past due to the client. One not as obvious is the low fees result in more cases of poor work product from contractors. Poor work means sending in another auditor to get it right. Put yourself in the position of the manager who has to be involved in the audit process after you get your second or third auditor in just a couple of weeks. The client has been told the MSC uses highly qualified and trained auditors. Multiple redos proves that claim is bogus.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
If I was a manager having to do a audit two or three times because their people were incompetent, I would blow my stack and call Corporate begging to fire them! Staying lean only works if your able to serve your clients, if audits are hanging on boards for months, they need to face the facts their business model is broken. How long did previous clients accept shoddy practices before they decided to move to a more realistic mystery company willing to provide consistent service?
I used to do a phone shop for GFK. They also had an appliance shop and some other shop, plus the audit. So I used to see four kinds of shops with GFK.
When I compared the shops I realized that except for current audit shop, the other three shops were all about products for the same electronics manufacturer. So I think the electronics manufacturer was the client in all three cases.
I think they must have lost the contract for the electronics manufacturer because all I have seen since the first of the year are the audits.
When I compared the shops I realized that except for current audit shop, the other three shops were all about products for the same electronics manufacturer. So I think the electronics manufacturer was the client in all three cases.
I think they must have lost the contract for the electronics manufacturer because all I have seen since the first of the year are the audits.
@junk1958 wrote:
I used to do a phone shop for GFK. They also had an appliance shop and some other shop, plus the audit. So I used to see four kinds of shops with GFK.
When I compared the shops I realized that except for current audit shop, the other three shops were all about products for the same electronics manufacturer. So I think the electronics manufacturer was the client in all three cases.
I think they must have lost the contract for the electronics manufacturer because all I have seen since the first of the year are the audits.
And that's all the emails I receive from GFK, I never worked performing Audits so I can't speak from personal experience. Has anyone performed audits from GFK, are they profitable even when audit companies demand you bring a friend? How much money is there to share when a audit is >$65 and $100< per store, after reading all the stories here I learned to decipher code from Schedulers. If something say's "easy" its "not easy" if another job say's "fast", its not fast and if a job says "four to six hours" its six to ten hours unless your a highly skilled shopper that knows the ropes.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/14/2016 07:50PM by Sanjay1992.
I'm confused. Where did you get the idea they demand you bring a partner when they don't allow anyone to accompany the auditor?
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
I just got the email from them about the NEW PROJECT. It is a pricing audit for the same client as their longer audit. It also requires the background check and drug test but says it is only 1-3 hours for $40.
Shopping across Indiana but mostly around Indianapolis.
The bulk of my shops with GFK (I did about 100 with them) was for their wings restaurant they lost last year to another MSC. I did them because I love the restaurant, but every now and then their lengthy form would get on my nerves. With the new MSC the forms are easier and a lot less narratives, though the shops are a little more sparse. I can see the newer MSC being able to get better data from their form and not surprised GFK lost it. A shame, since I liked their prompt pay.
They're a bit seasonal about certain shops and some depends on geography. I live near one of their physical locations which is likely why my experience is different. For what it's worth I view them as above average.
i've done the a few AA ones they come up quite regularly, i've done a lot of phone calls for them, they always have 02 one's up because no one wants to do them, you have to be quick to get others, like log in as soon as you get the email that they have new assignments available, it's all about being quick.
@arslan_eng2003 wrote:
i've done the a few AA ones they come up quite regularly
Wow, AA meetings are shopped? That would be pretty interesting! Might be a new kind of healthcare shop.
Shopping across Indiana but mostly around Indianapolis.
You don't have to get the last name of who you shopped just their last initial.
I'm actually interested in possibly doing some of these audits for GFK. Mainly because I really need the money. Right now, I'm averaging about $15 on a good day! I've heard that they are pretty tedious and a lot of hard work. That part doesn't bother me so much. Although I've never actually done one of these, a little hard work has never bothered me in the past. What does bother me is the fact that I'm required to pay for the background check/ drug test and then have to wait potentially up to a few months to get reimbursed. If I had that kind of expendable income, I probably wouldn't be seeking out these types of shops in the first place. Any suggestions or input? Do you guys think it would be out of line to e-mail them about my concerns, considering I haven't ever done any shops for them?
Katie, GfK is one of the fastest paying MSCs. Their turnaround time is 2 weeks, sometimes less. That's for a shop payment, not sure about the drug test reimbursement. They probable won't reimburse for the testing until they get the results. No harm in contacting them with your concerns.
Here is a thread listing MSCs' payment schedules. [www.mysteryshopforum.com] You can use that list to sign up with companies that pay quickly so that the money starts to roll in. Good luck!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/2016 01:59PM by ChrisCooper.
Here is a thread listing MSCs' payment schedules. [www.mysteryshopforum.com] You can use that list to sign up with companies that pay quickly so that the money starts to roll in. Good luck!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/2016 01:59PM by ChrisCooper.
I have seen solicitations for the audits which require the drug test. I have not done the audits. Generally, they require that you successfully complete two audits, and then they reimburse the drug test. My suspicion is that many shoppers do one audit and say "never again" based upon comments made on this forum. Occasionally I see an offer to reimburse for the drug test after only a single completed audit. That happens when they get desperate.
Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
@Katie00 wrote:
Any suggestions or input? Do you guys think it would be out of line to e-mail them about my concerns, considering I haven't ever done any shops for them?
How could it hurt to contact them? If they are desperate enough in your area you might get them to reimburse faster or a bonus. Never hurts to ask, especially when nobody wants the shops
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/2016 09:02PM by quiettime.
Katie00, PM me and I will send you the $30 paypal. When you get reimbursed you can pay me back. I say do it. I wasn't successful in completing the first couple in one day and I was mad as heck about it. So my pay came out to like $6 an hour and I'm used to about $17 so that was my excuse. But, once you do a few you get faster. If you are in Texas or Florida you could really have some fairly steady income from these. But if you can only do 2 or 3 a month it may not be as worth it. But what you're earning now needs to improve and these audits could do that for you. A long, long, long time ago someone gave me start up money.
@Spicy - Thank you so much for the offer! You are too kind! While I really appreciate it, I wouldn't feel right taking/ borrowing your money. I'm going to e-mail GFK. I live in the Midwest, but I see 20+ of these shops that no one else is willing to take on. If they need someone that badly, hopefully they can work with me. If not, I'll figure something out. I do have a background check and drug test from about 6 months ago so maybe they would accept that? We'll see... Thanks to all who responded! Even though I'm new to this forum and mystery shopping in general, I think you guys are the best 
They won't accept a prior background check, only their own. I made a boatload of $ from some Circle K stuff I did. They pay paypal so you don't even have to touch it. You can sign up for tests using the paypal account. I passed the background and I have a couple of tickets and Walmart really wants their cc payment, I think they're just looking for criminal records. The drug test is real though, so you'd have to be good there.
@myst4au wrote:
They lost all of their other clients. I won't go near their current audit.
Are you saying their $85 audits might not be great?
@Katie00 wrote:
I'm actually interested in possibly doing some of these audits for GFK. Mainly because I really need the money. Right now, I'm averaging about $15 on a good day! I've heard that they are pretty tedious and a lot of hard work. That part doesn't bother me so much. Although I've never actually done one of these, a little hard work has never bothered me in the past. What does bother me is the fact that I'm required to pay for the background check/ drug test and then have to wait potentially up to a few months to get reimbursed. If I had that kind of expendable income, I probably wouldn't be seeking out these types of shops in the first place. Any suggestions or input? Do you guys think it would be out of line to e-mail them about my concerns, considering I haven't ever done any shops for them?
Katie did you do a bunch of audits for GFK and how fast did things go? I see audits for $85-$95 wondering if they take all day because companies do not hand over $85-$95 unless its either "last minute", "Scheduler desperately needs shopper" or the job takes all day. If anyone has done one of GFK's audits can you share how long it took to perform and did you get them to pay you more than $95? A FB friend said they got GFK to pay much more than $95 so that is something we need to consider when applying for their jobs.
I haven't done any yet, but I have heard that they take all day - like 8+ hours. They've been sending out e-mails about signing up for a conference call that explains the whole process. I haven't attended one yet because they're only once a month and I've been busy both days. If you sign up with them, they will probably e-mail you the conference call info or you could e-mail them about it if you want. The June call was today, so I guess the next one is probably early July. I know that they really need people badly in certain areas, but you have to spend about $30 upfront for a background check and drug test. They say you get it back after 2 completed audits. Luckily, this month I've been keeping pretty busy, but I'm still considering signing up. I think (hope) I can handle 2 days.
Call this job Mission Impossible. Covert for "only" 1 to 4 hours? Nope, you won't look suspicious at all entering data for several hours.
"Auditors are required to have a recent model smartphone capable of downloading the XXX mobile app to enter data in a covert manner while onsite. Reports are submitted directly from a smartphone, and no additional reporting is required.
These will only take 1-4 hours per store and they pay $30-$50!"
"Auditors are required to have a recent model smartphone capable of downloading the XXX mobile app to enter data in a covert manner while onsite. Reports are submitted directly from a smartphone, and no additional reporting is required.
These will only take 1-4 hours per store and they pay $30-$50!"
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