I received this e-mail today:

Important News!

Starting this month, SeeLevel HX will be working with mystery shoppers like you to complete many of Monterey Mystery Shopping’s automotive and motorcycle shops.

What does this mean for you? In order to continue to have access to all of Monterey Mystery Shopping’s automotive and motorcycle shops, you will want to be sure to sign-up with SeeLevel.

What if you are already signed-up with SeeLevel? Log in with SeeLevel and make sure that your shopper profile is up to date for the best opportunities:

Go to: [seelevelshoppers.com]
Enter the email address you used to register
Enter the password you chose when you registered
Automotive and motorcycle shops are available on the SeeLevel board right now! As always, projects are typically assigned first to the shoppers whose profiles contain the most complete data.

If you have questions, please feel free to contact us at questions@seelevelhx.com or shopperhelp@contactMMS.com.

Thank you,

Your Team at Monterey Mystery Shopping and See Level HX

-----------------------------------

FAQs

What happens to the payments for the shops I’ve completed for MMS and have not yet received?

No change. MMS will continue to pay shoppers directly for work done through MMS directly. Your MMS payments will continue as usual, and if you ever have any questions regarding any pending payments, please email shopperhelp@contactMMS.com.

Can I do shops for SeeLevel at locations that I recently completed for MMS?

The same rotation restrictions apply. If you’ve been to a location within past 12 months, then you would be ineligible to complete the same assignment through SeeLevel.

What does this change mean for SeeLevel and what does it mean for MMS?

Additional automotive and motorcycle assignments will be handled by SeeLevel. MMS will continue to offer other automotive and motorcycle assignments. The partnership with SeeLevel will provide MMS’ current shoppers with more mystery shopping opportunities.

Is this a merger or is this 2 MSCs working together. I perceived the email from MMS as a working relationship on the automotive side of MMS.

We will still be paid by the MSC (Monterey or SLHX) for whom we shopped for.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/15/2016 09:22AM by sojo917.

Yeah, I got an email invitiation for a shop from SeeLevel but it was only for $25. Monterey typically pays $35.

@JASFLALMT wrote:

Yeah, I got an email invitiation for a shop from SeeLevel but it was only for $25. Monterey typically pays $35.

I got the same, price lowered, and I couldn't see the dealership, I've done several, so don't want to repeat. I didn't take any, did you? Seems they tried this a few months ago and backed down...here we go again!

Nooo I would never take a $10 cut in fee. But after you click on the link it gives you the dealer address. I visited that dealership earlier this year with a $20 bonus from Monterey for a total payment of $55. Even if I was in rotation I wouldn't do it for less, not even for the $35 fee. I have a rule about auto dealerships pay and never will do one for less than $42.

I do not know why you are assuming this is a merger rather than simply one MSC subcontracting some of their work to another.

@Rousseau wrote:

I do not know why you are assuming this is a merger rather than simply one MSC subcontracting some of their work to another.

I wasn't assuming, I was questioning as I posted what I received for information purposes.

I got the same email and found it very confusing since we just had the following message posted last month on the forum by Monterey themselves:
---------------
So sorry for the confusion. We were working with SeeLevel but that is no longer the case. October is coming up soon and we are getting tons of new assignments! Please contact us soon. We would love to include you in this great opportunity. scheduling@contactmms.com or 1800-471-0767

They will be cutting fees across the board, and like many companies if the jobs get filled (which they have been) they will keep the fees as low as possible.

@helpmehelpyou wrote:

They will be cutting fees across the board, and like many companies if the jobs get filled (which they have been) they will keep the fees as low as possible.

Not in my area. The jobs just sit there and no one is taking them.

Well that is hopeful, and I would be so happy if I were wrong. A very big company just removed all fees for jobs that they paid 35.00 dollars for, all of them were taken by other shoppers for nothing. Granted these are better shops with benefits but there is still a lot of work and I sadly think that more companies are going by ACL's model, unless its at the end of the month and they are desperate and even then 15.00 dollars is considered a HUGE bonus. I had response when I asked for a higher fee that read to the effect that the shops did pay well as the reimbursement is the fee. I hope that you are right and others are finding jobs waiting to be taken for a decent pay out. That would be wonderful, for everyone.

ACL? We are talking about SeeLevelX, not A Closer Look. And it's not to say that some shoppers in different areas aren't doing the car dealerships at a cut rate. Just not in my area.

@JASFLALMT wrote:

ACL? We are talking about SeeLevelX, not A Closer Look. And it's not to say that some shoppers in different areas aren't doing the car dealerships at a cut rate. Just not in my area.

seelevelhx

since seelevelhx must have to pay monterey (or they somehow share the contract fee?) for the "convenience" (or whatever they wish to call it) they then reduce the fee from $35 to $25.

$25 to do a somewhat heavy narrative + wait several days to see if there is any further contact from the dealership + time and report the contact whether or not there is further contact it must be reported.

and...the requirement to take a test drive + interacting (usually it happens) with a heavy-handed finance or sales or general mgr.

more contraction = less $$$ for us.

just say no (attribution to nancy reagan).

i, for one, am passing on this "fabulous opportunity". i've done many assignments for monterey (sometimes reluctantly) but...stick a fork in this boy (i'm done).

i'm sure those partakers of the low-hanging fruit (yep, i'm looking at you) will welcome my departure (good for you, pcb, cuz it's more for me/us) but i value my time and expertise.

naysayers = fire away !!!!!

and...cuz i know that monterey monitors this site, i've got something for you...

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/16/2016 09:29PM by parkcitybrian.

Yes, PCB, I omitted the "H" but that is a far cry from ACL.

I was giving an example of a company NOT paying any fees, I know which company you were referring to it was a general comment, statement, fact, about mystery shopping companies in general. And, since you were talking about fees I thought it interesting to mention that yet another company, has reduced fees to "0". Does that makes sense now?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/2016 09:46PM by helpmehelpyou.

While I do get your point, HMHY, it's like comparing apples and oranges. There is no expenditure with Monterey. There is no reimbursement with Monterey. With ACL, most shops are reimbursement for a food purchase, so to compare the two is nonsensical.

I saw this, too, and now when you go into where you'd otherwise apply or self-assign a shop in Prophet, you get the following message, the self-assign function or date request no longer works.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hi Shoppers!

If you are interested in this assignment please email scheduling@contactMMS.com or call us at (800) 471-0767 with the location and date you would like to shop. We’ll do our best to help.

Requirements for this assignment:
· Between the ages of 25 and 65.
· Have a valid driver’s license.
· Be registered on both of our websites (they’re free).
· Have not been to this location for any reason in 365 days (12 months).

Thanks,

The Scheduling Team
Monterey Mystery Shopping

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What a shame. I always liked working for this MSC and posted a topic about them a while ago. $25 for the miles-long auto report with follow-up is a joke. I hate to wish them ill will, but I hope they don't get anything filled by doing this. Cost of living is going up yet these greedy companies cut shopper pay by 1/3. Another one bites the dust.

Our shopper pay is identical to the prior MSP's. There are some shops at $30 and others at $35.

Let me clarify a few points.

1 - SeeLevel has not merged with another MSP.
2 - When we initially posted the shops, the price was off - we quickly corrected this
3 - The same shops performed for the prior MSP are now available at SeeLevel for the same rates

We are not a 'greedy company.' We are not in business without our independent contractor shoppers and strive to offer competitive and fair rates. We are not perfect and always look to improve.

There is no conspiracy and no attempt to take advantage of anyone.

Happy to answer any further questions.

-Geoff Curtis
VP Operations
SeeLevel



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/21/2016 09:56PM by geoff.curtis.