It has not happened to me -yet...but
in the discussion on issues with editors from some MSCs like Sentry chronically kicking back reports for fake errors...the question of why it angers shoppers was brought up.

MSC is my livelihood. Abuse by editors is a THREAT to my livelihood. Shoppers have to be concerned that they will be kicked off a MSC list because of the ineptitude or willful abuse by the editors.

Sure, all editors make some mistakes, but with most it is rare. But with Sentry, about 1 out of 3 of my reports is kicked back due to an error on the editors part.

Once they said I did not list an associate, when I did.
Another time they said I did not properly describe the interaction when I copied the exact format in the sample comment and just changed the data (associate name, location, activity).
I have been told to report the same thing 2 different ways, one as acceptable, one as not acceptable.
I have been told to report something the opposite of the way the form is written.

I contacted schedulers at least 3 times, but the only response I got was to still be admonished for being wrong in the 1st place.

There have been a couple times I messed up. One day I did another shop at a similar location on the same day (with a different MSC) and I confused the way each MSC wanted the report written. Another time, there was an odd situation and I couldn't think how to work it into the report and actually figures it out once I got in bed and was able to fix it once the report was kicked back the next day.

Another MSC recently came back with a question that was clearly answered in the report (the question asked if the item I requested was actually carried in store, when the report already indicated it was), but I only get something like that in maybe 1 out of 50 reports for that MSC. And once I clarify it, it isn't held against me--unlike with Sentry that still insists I was wrong to begin with when I wasn't.

False allegations of bad work could lead to me losing work. I am not doing MSing to buy the latest iPhone, I do it to earn money for basic necessities. I feel threatened when editors seem to be purposely making up fake errors just to justify their job.

I have done 3 shops for Sentry and been questioned on one report and I fixed it and never had any other questions about it.

Why continue to shop for them? There are a lot of companies with excellent editors (that pay better, as well.)

This makes me nervous. I've never done a shop for Sentry before but I have a massage shop for them next week and now I'm hoping they don't reject my report.

I have not accepted any shop from Sentry after that long controversial thread I read. So, can't really contribute my experience.
Typo edit.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/2016 12:25AM by risinghorizon.

I have done a few for them but not recently. When the editor asks for something I correct it and it has been ok.

If you are so worried about the "what ifs" then don't work for this company. I don't worry about a problem until there actually is a problem.

@DareWright wrote:

This makes me nervous. I've never done a shop for Sentry before but I have a massage shop for them next week and now I'm hoping they don't reject my report.

There is a chip on many shoppers' shoulder with Sentry, but I've never had any unpleasant interactions with their editors. I don't think I've heard from them at all. My only gripe is that they take 60-90 days to pay, but I know that before I accept the shop. I sent one email to the general helpdesk and they responded within 24 hours with a thorough and helpful response.

There is no reason to think they will reject your shop. It's the same as every other shop....just follow the guidelines. You'll be fine.

I've worked for Sentry for years with no problems. I do several shops a year with them and they're one of my favorite companies. Love their schedulers and no problems so far with the editors. When something is not up to par they let me know and I fix it. I regret if anyone has ongoing problems they can't reconcile. If anyone is truly concerned about being mistreated, remember there are hundreds of companies just as there are hundreds of thousands of shoppers. We're not locked in and neither are they.

I'd like to respond to the original post by re-posting a response to this claim from earlier this year:

The idea that our editors are making up "fake excuses" is simply untrue. I could elaborate on this statement, but I'll leave it at that.

As I have posted in a prior thread, if any shopper believes that there is a legitimate issue with our editing staff, all they have to do is contact me directly. I will be happy to review the situation and respond promptly. If we've done something wrong, I will be more than willing to come on this forum and accept accountability for our shortcomings. Alternately, if those complaining decide that maintaining their anonymity is more important than actually resolving the issue, that is their prerogative. There is nothing we can do to address issues when we are not aware of the specific circumstances.

Sentry is perhaps my number one MSC right now, due to my location and availability of many attractive shops (to me). I've done about 60 shops this year alone, had one totally rejected without any discussion a month ago, which was a first and I think one of maybe 3 I've ever had rejected in over 5 years of mystery shopping. I think it was a simple wording error, and wish there had been some ability to discuss it but I wrote it off as 'know better next time' to have my wording on point without any room for error. But I've never felt they were out to get me.

I sometimes wonder when people complain on here, how much of it is their own fault because I've had a relatively positive experience for years without much trouble. My mom dabbled in MS for a while after I started, but she just didn't seem to get some of it, or didn't read the full instructions. She would send me pictures and ask her to help fix because they rejected it and wanted different ones, and it blew my mind because she just seemed to completely miss what the requirements were.

My full time job is working with regulatory compliance, ensuring my companies stay out of trouble so maybe this is just a good fit for me.

The subject of the thread is a little misleading, as it somewhat lead me to believe you were actually terminated from working with Sentry by them.

@jmitw wrote:

Once they said I did not list an associate, when I did.
Another time they said I did not properly describe the interaction when I copied the exact format in the sample comment and just changed the data (associate name, location, activity).
I have been told to report the same thing 2 different ways, one as acceptable, one as not acceptable.
I have been told to report something the opposite of the way the form is written.

....

False allegations of bad work could lead to me losing work. I am not doing MSing to buy the latest iPhone, I do it to earn money for basic necessities. I feel threatened when editors seem to be purposely making up fake errors just to justify their job.

I'm highlighting a couple areas of your post...

In my opinion, those situations you describe won't lead you to a termination from working with the MSC. If anything, missing crucial parts of the shop that could only be done while you're out in the 'field' doing the shop could risk rejection of your report and possible termination of working with the MSC.

If reports are coming back for semantic reasons, reporting style, etc., just correct it, learn from it, then move on. It doesn't seem like any of the kick backs were because of missing any actual guidelines from the shop itself, just how its presented in the report. In that case, I wouldn't stress so much about it when working with Sentry.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/25/2016 06:57PM by Tarantado.

It gives me the Heebie-jeebies to see a response from, what appears to be, a company rep. If resolution is as easy as they make it sound, I wonder why it wasn't resolved before making it to this forum as a question.

@spicy1 wrote:

It gives me the Heebie-jeebies to see a response from, what appears to be, a company rep. If resolution is as easy as they make it sound, I wonder why it wasn't resolved before making it to this forum as a question.

Sorry you got the heebie-jeebies when the company responded, but if you can understand the original post well enough to figure out the question (if there was one) you're way ahead of me. I didn't see that there was a question. I saw complaints that editors making false accusations might affect someone's status as a shopper. That's not a question. That's an opinion.

The reason the original post made it to this forum is that the original poster did not understand how to solve the problem and dumped it here as if we could somehow intervene. If the original poster had taken the correct steps to solve the problem, there likely would have been no need to complain here. That particular company is very clear about what should be done if there is a problem, but perhaps the problem is a lack of comprehension on the part of the shopper, or a total failure to read the information available on the website.

The incoherence of the original post leads me to believe that incoherent reports may have been submitted. In that case, perhaps the actions taken by the editors were not "false" or "fake" accusations, but rather an attempt to solve the problem.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2016 02:21PM by MDavisnowell.

I hate Sentry. They rejected a shop done fine because it didn't meet one specific editors guidelines. They never even said what was wrong with the shop. Instead of emailing me, they called. They immediately rejected my shop and removed me as a shopper for not having a valid phone number. It was my number. I had to change my number because of other MSC. I was told that I could opt out of being called by Sentry. I DON'T want to be called. Too many issues with other companies calling at inappropriate times because of time zones, calling for things that didn't require a phone call, calling to schedule shops over a hundred miles away for $15, etc. I also get really irritated when schedulers want to call and go over instructions for future shops. I can read, thank you very much. I do several thousands of shops a year. If I had to call for every shop, I'd never be off the phone to do work. I'm not a child, if I had questions, I'd email. Schedulers and editor abuse having shopper's numbers. MSC shouldn't give out our number to other independent contractors that are editors and schedules. They aren't employees. No background checks are done. Privacy Act people! I've been drunk called by editors. I don't have nor want their numbers.
The ironic part is when I went to reply to the email from Sentry that the shop was rejected, it came from an editor's email that doesn't accept replies. At least the editor could send me an email because I had a valid email. I wasn't able to do the same to her. No phone number for that editor given either. So their editor's didn't provide a valid email or phone number but had a problem with my number.
So if they wanted me to reply to fix the made up thing wrong with that shop, I couldn't have contacted them to do so. They did it deliberately to avoid paying for that shop. I doubt they ever sent anyone else to do the shop they claim they rejected.

I wouldn't shop for sentry if it was the only shop left to shop for, their owner Dave is ocd and truly vindictive

I also hate Sentry. I left the blogs and hardly posted anything because of responses from Dave at Sentry and other people weighing in on issues I had with Sentry. Too many places to shop its just not worth it.

**editied to correct misspelling**

Your account was suspended pending the addition of a valid phone number. A valid phone number is required in the event we need to contact a shopper for valid business reasons such as clarifying a report or a last minute change to their scheduled assignment I am not going to offer an apology for this requirement.

Our staff does not call early in the morning or late in the evening. If you experienced this with other companies, I would suggest addressing with them on a case-by-case basis.

The idea that we rejected your report to avoid paying you is simply untrue.

@jjk3995 wrote:

I hate Sentry. They rejected a shop done fine because it didn't meet one specific editors guidelines. They never even said what was wrong with the shop. Instead of emailing me, they called. They immediately rejected my shop and removed me as a shopper for not having a valid phone number. It was my number. I had to change my number because of other MSC. I was told that I could opt out of being called by Sentry. I DON'T want to be called. Too many issues with other companies calling at inappropriate times because of time zones, calling for things that didn't require a phone call, calling to schedule shops over a hundred miles away for $15, etc. I also get really irritated when schedulers want to call and go over instructions for future shops. I can read, thank you very much. I do several thousands of shops a year. If I had to call for every shop, I'd never be off the phone to do work. I'm not a child, if I had questions, I'd email. Schedulers and editor abuse having shopper's numbers. MSC shouldn't give out our number to other independent contractors that are editors and schedules. They aren't employees. No background checks are done. Privacy Act people! I've been drunk called by editors. I don't have nor want their numbers.
The ironic part is when I went to reply to the email from Sentry that the shop was rejected, it came from an editor's email that doesn't accept replies. At least the editor could send me an email because I had a valid email. I wasn't able to do the same to her. No phone number for that editor given either. So their editor's didn't provide a valid email or phone number but had a problem with my number.
So if they wanted me to reply to fix the made up thing wrong with that shop, I couldn't have contacted them to do so. They did it deliberately to avoid paying for that shop. I doubt they ever sent anyone else to do the shop they claim they rejected.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/2016 11:33PM by Sentry Marketing.

I am not registered with Sentry, have never done a Sentry shop, and am not a buddy of Dave's. I have NO direct experience with Sentry and I do not expect I ever will. But enough is ENOUGH. This is plain ridiculous. The thread started out with a Chicken Little What-If post stating "It has not happened to me -yet...but .... False allegations of bad work could lead to me losing work......" So nothing has happened to the OP but she just thought she would stir the pot by sharing her paranoia and target Sentry while doing it. Why?

All MSC editors have a job to do. They may make mistakes in their editing and they may also document actual bad work but they are not going to make false allegations of bad work just for the hell of it. If a shopper does bad work, there would definitely be paranoia about editors.

Now this pot-stirring, trouble-making post has opened the door for others who have unsuccessfully worked with Sentry to make sour grapes posts. The sour grapes posts are simply repeating information the posters have already told us previously in other threads. Like broken records, they are taking the opportunity to repeat it. We don't need to hear it again.

Can we move on to something a little more valid than paranoia and sour grapes?

@Sentry Marketing wrote:

Your account was suspended pending the additional of a valid phone number. A valid phone number is required in the event we need to contact a shopper for valid business reasons such as clarifying a report or a last minute change to their scheduled assignment I am not going to offer an apology for this requirement.

Our staff does not call early in the morning or late in the evening. If you experienced this with other companies, I would suggest addressing with them on a case-by-case basis.

The idea that we rejected your report to avoid paying you is simply untrue.

I am not even fond of Dave, but if I had to deal with this kind of stupidity day in and day out, I'd be cranky as well.

Who in the heck can't update a phone number?! In almost 20 years, I have had maybe 5 phone calls at odd times (meaning before 8 am). It's ridiculous comments like these that make me cringe at shopper events. Do shoppers think that they are ever going to get any "good" shops with an attitude like this? There's a Behr paint job, just calling your name people. I'd suggest a cell phone shop, since you wouldn't even have to fake not having a phone. God help me.

@roflwofl wrote:

I am not registered with Sentry, have never done a Sentry shop, and am not a buddy of Dave's. I have NO direct experience with Sentry and I do not expect I ever will. But enough is ENOUGH. This is plain ridiculous. The thread started out with a Chicken Little What-If post stating "It has not happened to me -yet...but .... False allegations of bad work could lead to me losing work......" So nothing has happened to the OP but she just thought she would stir the pot by sharing her paranoia and target Sentry while doing it. Why?

Are you borrowing my Chicken Little analogy from another post/thread? Apparently KFC is using Chicken Little also in their new commercials. I want some kickback from KFC!

@roflwofl wrote:

Now this pot-stirring, trouble-making post has opened the door for others who have unsuccessfully worked with Sentry to make sour grapes posts. The sour grapes posts are simply repeating information the posters have already told us previously in other threads. Like broken records, they are taking the opportunity to repeat it. We don't need to hear it again.

I want healthy, plump grapes to stomp and make some vino.

I have no desire to update a phone number. I have been called by MSCs well after 9. No apologies ever given. I have a family. It's just not acceptable. And several inappropriate messages left by several different MSC isn't okay. One by a slurring drunk.
It's happened too many times and by too many MSCs.
I have never picked up for a MSC and don't for unknown numbers. I screen calls. I have never responded to any messages via phone. I personally want a written proof of any communication between MSCs. I'm sure we've all been told one thing by a MSC and had problems that we've needed to provide proof of what they said.
I don't have a way to contact Sentry via email or phone(hence this post) so why is it required that I have to provide them with a phone number? I'd get my emails well before any phone messages.
Dave also told me that they tried to contact me via email which never happened. It wasn't in a junk folder or blocked because I have gotten several emails from the editor in question.
I'm clearly not the only one with problems from Sentry.

Plain and simple; Employer requires a valid telephone number for you to work for them. You don't wont to provide one = No employment.

Your problem. Not theirs.

Get over it and start running your business like a professional. Your issue has to do with some other company calling your old phone humber after 9 PM...not sentry.

I don't even want to get into why you cant receive correspondence after 9 PM and can't set a phone to go direct to voicemail after hours....

@SteveSoCal wrote:

Plain and simple; Employer requires a valid telephone number for you to work for them. You don't wont to provide one = No employment.

Your problem. Not theirs.

Get over it and start running your business like a professional. Your issue has to do with some other company calling your old phone humber after 9 PM...not sentry.

I don't even want to get into why you cant receive correspondence after 9 PM and can't set a phone to go direct to voicemail after hours....

+1

Not sure what the big issue is, but to obtain the nice shops, "special projects" and to build an overall good relationship with who you're working for, you will eventually need to learn to speak over the phone. That's when you can negotiate and agree to pay or whatever. THEN, you get it documented somewhere like have the agreed payment or whatever in an email, in your assignment listing, etc.

Sounds like those who refuse to speak with any of the MSC's over the phone have never been in business for themselves, worked in a professional environment and / or worked as a true consultant.

@Tarantado wrote:

@SteveSoCal wrote:

Plain and simple; Employer requires a valid telephone number for you to work for them. You don't wont to provide one = No employment.

Your problem. Not theirs.

Get over it and start running your business like a professional. Your issue has to do with some other company calling your old phone humber after 9 PM...not sentry.

I don't even want to get into why you cant receive correspondence after 9 PM and can't set a phone to go direct to voicemail after hours....

+1

Not sure what the big issue is, but to obtain the nice shops, "special projects" and to build an overall good relationship with who you're working for, you will eventually need to learn to speak over the phone. That's when you can negotiate and agree to pay or whatever. THEN, you get it documented somewhere like have the agreed payment or whatever in an email, in your assignment listing, etc.

Sounds like those who refuse to speak with any of the MSC's over the phone have never been in business for themselves, worked in a professional environment and / or worked as a true consultant.

So true. All of my amazing jobs are given over the phone.

A lot of my schedulers and project managers text me which is awesome. I have many of their personal cell phone numbers too. Communication is key to get the big bucks.

@jjk3995 wrote:

I have no desire to update a phone number. I have been called by MSCs well after 9. No apologies ever given. I have a family. It's just not acceptable. And several inappropriate messages left by several different MSC isn't okay. One by a slurring drunk.

Are you really that lazy that you can not update your own phone number so you can earn more money? How do you know they were drunk? Some people who have suffered a stroke have affected speech which can sound like they are drunk. Don't ASSume.

@jjk3995 wrote:

I have never picked up for a MSC and don't for unknown numbers. I screen calls. I have never responded to any messages via phone.

On behalf of many forum members and other mystery shoppers, we thank you for ignoring the phone calls by MSCs so we are offered bigger and better bonuses.

Am I the only one that has a google voice number for MS'ing? Only people that use it, are those from a MSC. A lot have the same outgoing number so I know who it is.

Can you use a google voice number and transfer it to your cell phone?

I'm only home in the evenings, on the go all day.

Every six months like clockwork someone starts a thread bashing Sentry and it goes on for weeks. The OP is nothing but a bunch of conjecture. If I were Sentry I'd consider suing for slander. Enough is enough. Either say what they did to you with details and some proof or get your whiny azz off the computer and find something else to occupy you, because mystery shopping is clearly too stressful.