Well, I may have gotten myself on the naughty list with a company today, but I did enjoy it.

I don't usually answer my cell at work, but it was about 11:45 and during my lunch and I am trying to put together a weekend route, so was hoping to negotiate some sort of bonus.

Scheduler starts out with a shop which would be a 90 mile trip from my house that is a FF breakfast shop. I state since I work full time 30 minutes in the other direction that I am not interested. Then things get funny.

Scheduler: We do have a shop closer to your house. (Proceeds to tell me the location)

Me: When can I do it?

Scheduler: You have to finish it by today at 1 pm.

Me: Sorry I work full-time 30 minutes from home and my lunch is over in 15 minutes. To drive there and do the shop would take almost 90 minutes.

Scheduler: So what kind of a bonus would it take to get you to finish it today.

Me: I can't. I have a full time job.

Scheduler: Just name your price. Remember it needs to be entered in our system by 1 pm today.

Me: Ok (I then quote my annual salary)

Scheduler: That is crazy. We can't do that.

Me: And I can't risk losing a full time job to run out and make $10 plus a quick meal.

Scheduler: Well I offered you two jobs today and you refused them both. We expect our shoppers to be flexible and help us out when we are desperate to get a shop done. Are you sure you can't do the shop today? I may need to note your refusal in our files.



So do these tactics really work? It isn't my fault that the shop didn't get taken and the company is now desperate to have the data in the next hour. Regardless of having a full time job or not, do they really expect people to drop everything and run out immediately?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/26/2011 04:02AM by Shelly.

Obviously some of them do! Many companies have a section in your profile which allows you to give them your availability. If this is one of them and your profile shows availability only on weekends you need to "gently" point that out Honestly, it sounds like Certified or Market Force.

This made me laugh aloud! Good grief, that scheduler was brash. What part of what you clearly said did she not understand? That's just nuts.

Shelly Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, I may have gotten myself on the naughty list
> with a company today, but I did enjoy it.
>
> I don't usually answer my cell at work, but it was
> about 11:45 and during my lunch and I am trying to
> put together a weekend route, so was hoping to
> negotiate some sort of bonus.
>
> Scheduler starts out with a shop which would be a
> 90 mile trip from my house that is a FF breakfast
> shop. I state since I work full time 30 minutes
> in the other direction that I am not interested.
> Then things get funny.
>
> Scheduler: We do have a shop closer to your house.
> (Proceeds to tell me the location)
>
> Me: When can I do it?
>
> Scheduler: You have to finish it by today at 1
> pm.
>
> Me: Sorry I work full-time 30 minutes from home
> and my lunch is over in 15 minutes. To drive
> there and do the shop would take almost 90
> minutes.
>
> Scheduler: So what kind of a bonus would it take
> to get you to finish it today.
>
> Me: I can't. I have a full time job.
>
> Scheduler: Just name your price. Remember it
> needs to be entered in our system by 1 pm today.
>
> Me: Ok (I then quote my annual salary)
>
> Scheduler: That is crazy. We can't do that.
>
> Me: And I can't risk losing a full time job to
> run out and make $10 plus a quick meal.
>
> Scheduler: Well I offered you two jobs today and
> you refused them both. We expect our shoppers to
> be flexible and help us out when we are desperate
> to get a shop done. Are you sure you can't do the
> shop today? I may need to note your refusal in
> our files.
>
>
>
> So do these tactics really work. It isn't my
> fault that the shop didn't get taken and the
> company is not desperate to have the data in the
> next hour. Regardless of having a full time job
> or not, do they really expect people to drop
> everything and run out immediately?

I would politely ask her for her name and indicate that I may need to make a note not to schedule future work through her because I don't appreciate being threatened and I'm sure she does not either. That kind of behavior is inexcusable and I frankly don't care how desperate she is. If companies behaved like that on a routine basis they would never have shoppers who were not retired or temporarily between jobs, and that would not serve their purposes either.

Wow, that scheduler sounds like she might have been in the collections business. Not too bright to play the "inflexible" card based on the facts, either.

Wow ridiculous to say the least! I would make note of that number and not answer that scheduler again. So they expect you to drop everything drive 30 minutes to get there, do the job (including eating the meal) and enter it into their system in only 1 hour and 15 mins from the time they called you? Insane!

I really couldn't believe it. I know that i have not received a phone call or e-mail from this company for a while, so to let the shop get to the point of being critical to be done today sure is not my issue. Either someone else flaked or they were not paying attention to deadlines, but even if I were home which would have been 7 or 8 minutes away, I wouldn't have flown out the door to do it without a significant bonus.

It isn't even a shop I have ever done before, so I would have need time to go through the guidelines. That is just a recipe for disaster, because rushing through would lead one to miss the critical question that they want answered.

Makes me glad that so many scheduler's calls go straight to my voice mail.

Yeah I can't see how they could expect anyone to be able to respond in the time they needed it done by and to do it per the guidelines. I don't answer calls from schedulers unless I know them very well and trust they know me and what I would do for them. I prefer to be contacted via email. I have my smartphone that I check my email on often enough that I can do a rush job if needed.

This is why I use my google voice number for contact. It rings all of my numbers but it also allows me to assign a number to go to voicemail or 'spam' if you will.

I had a scheduler call me, supposedly get some authorization for a 5 dollar bonus, and never called me back. The way the call went was unnecessarily time consuming and she left me hanging. I assigned her phone number to answer to the 'special' message I have.

The other day I got a call from a schedulers, a new one for me, who asked me to do a grocery shop. I asked what she was offering and she said they do not bonus those shops. I laughed and told her they most certainly do, then she said she could give me five dollars. After she checked my history she bumped it up but it was silly of her to say those things. They were not true and I thought it made a future relationship unlikely.

Some schedulers don't care what they say or how they say just as long as it gets results. However in your situation the scheduler should have given you the option to do it after work or maybe the neet day.

I just love how Certified (MF purple) calls me with a "nearby" (their words) assignment...2 hours away! They tell me that they are offering a huge bonus. Normally they pay $8 but they are willing to pay $12. I politely decline, and then they cop an attitude with me!!!

I don't even bother to pick up the phone when I see their # on my caller ID. You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar.

Total "bullying" tactics on her part.

You might want to say: "I think you should remove me from your data base because I don't take kindly to be threatened. I know you are desperate to get this done, but you are going way overboard."

I think to the purple people nearby means somewhere on the same continent. The bonuses they tend to offer are almost more insulting. Once you explain that with the driving you will be in the car for 3 hours, they offer you an extra $3.00. When the shop starts at $7.00, $10 doesn't even cover gas costs for 100 miles.

I sure would love to know what your special message is


RobinMarie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This is why I use my google voice number for
> contact. It rings all of my numbers but it also
> allows me to assign a number to go to voicemail or
> 'spam' if you will.
>
> I had a scheduler call me, supposedly get some
> authorization for a 5 dollar bonus, and never
> called me back. The way the call went was
> unnecessarily time consuming and she left me
> hanging. I assigned her phone number to answer to
> the 'special' message I have.
>
> The other day I got a call from a schedulers, a
> new one for me, who asked me to do a grocery shop.
> I asked what she was offering and she said they
> do not bonus those shops. I laughed and told her
> they most certainly do, then she said she could
> give me five dollars. After she checked my
> history she bumped it up but it was silly of her
> to say those things. They were not true and I
> thought it made a future relationship unlikely.

Well, maybe I hyped it up too much, it just tells them the number is out of order. You can customize messages based on groupings. I have one for family, coworkers, daughter's friends and 'blocked' ones.

Agree, it's insane. If these shopping companies would offer decent pay they wouldn't get so desperate for last minute shops. When I first started doing mystery shops I took a few $5-$10 shops just to get the experience, but no more. If I can't get $20 for any shop I just don't take them or refuse to do the shops. If everyone else would do the same they would pay better. I do a good job in thorough detail and I expect to be paid for the good work I do.

That scheduler was just a bit too aggressive and threats are way out of line.

One thing I can say, is that scheduling is a VERY stressful job!

We get deadlines and the shopper pay amount from the company we work for. The criteria is not up to us and we must get those shops assigned. There is no liberty with bonuses and we have to get approval to give any.

In this economy, we schedulers have got to make it work to ensure WE have work! Have pity on us if you hear a tinge of desperation at the end of the month

In my opinion,a good relationship between schedulers and mystery shoppers is key!

I sat my schedulers down and made sure they read your fiasco so they knew what not to do! Not that I needed to, we actually got more of a laugh out of it. Seriously, those tactics don't work here, or anywhere for that matter. We are asking you for a favor when a client decides 2 days before the month is out that they want one more shop. I make it a habit to note when a shopper does drop everything to help us out. But we understand that this is not an easy way to make a living so most of our shoppers do have full time jobs and do not criticize, threaten, or write anything negative about them in their profiles. We just tell them we hope we can get them out on a shop for the next month. I would have gotten her name and talked to her supervisor.

Shelly, as soon as I read your post I knew exactly who called you....and isn't it interesting at how everyone else seems to have figured it out as well. Makes me happy that I got fired from that portal...twice!

Shelly Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> So do these tactics really work? It isn't my
> fault that the shop didn't get taken and the
> company is now desperate to have the data in the
> next hour. Regardless of having a full time job
> or not, do they really expect people to drop
> everything and run out immediately?


Shelly, these tactics are reprehensible and do not work with me. There are plenty of other MSCs out there to work for. I would have gotten that person's name and their supervisors name. I would have insisted on speaking to the supervisor, if, of course, your lunch hour allowed it. Then, I would have followed it up with a letter, yes, a snail mail letter to the president of that company telling them exactly how unresponsive and reprehensible that conduct was and what was needed to retain me as a shopper. Next, I would consider letting other shops know, with names to identify the guilty to save other shoppers. This action would of course depend on the response from the MSC.

Good luck and move on to another MSC.

If this is the MSC I believe it to be, I don't think the head of the company would give a darn about it. Corporate culture. It is why many of us do not shop for them--and you sure as heck won't be able to shop WITH them.

Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If this is the MSC I believe it to be, I don't
> think the head of the company would give a darn
> about it. Corporate culture. It is why many of
> us do not shop for them--and you sure as heck
> won't be able to shop WITH them.


I can make a good guess as well and agree that company would not be changed. However, I'm good but not perfect with my guesses.

Whatever MSC it is, I would like the word to be spread. Because the forums are by shoppers for shoppers. the forums are the best place to get and share info.

I am still new to all this. I am guessing that we are not "allowed" to say the actual company names since there have been references to the "purple people." How is a "newbie" supposed to figure out which company/companies you are talking about so we can avoid them also?

If a scheduler expects us to travel long distances with a rapid turnaround time, I say, "SHOW ME THE M-O-N-E-Y!!"

Have a good weekend!

You are most certainly allowed to discuss companies by name. That's how we know what's going on. What you absolutely cannot do is say which mystery shopping company has which client. Very forbidden

Shop2LiveinFL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I am still new to all this. I am guessing that we
> are not "allowed" to say the actual company names
> since there have been references to the "purple
> people." How is a "newbie" supposed to figure out
> which company/companies you are talking about so
> we can avoid them also?

Sometimes it is ill advised to complain in open forum about a specific situation and name the company because in addition to having behaved in an unprofessional manner, the company is likely to figure out who you are based on the specific situation objected to and terminate you as a shopper. So generally it is ill advised to be too specific in a vent where the company is named unless you have no intention of working with them further. There are some companies who seem to be under the impression that their manure has no odor.

Same topic new item.


Just got an email time stamped 6:40PM tonight asking me to do a shop today. The shop is located in a town about 50-60 minutes drive from me. In addition, it is a video game age compliance shop requiring a minor to come along to attempt the purchase. The client's name is not provided, so I can't find out how late the client's store is open. Wait, there is more!

I have not yet shopped with this MSC, Bestmark, so of course I'm not familiar with the shop, downloading forms, or any other quirks for this MSC's website that a new shopper has to learn. To apply, I am instructed to respond to the email with the date I can shop (DOH!).

So, to do this shop tonight, I have to receive and read the email, apply by email, wait for a return email response, download forms, read and understand the instructions, supply any required info regarding the minor to the MSC, confirm the hours of the client's store, pick up a mystery-shop-trained minor that is good to go, drive 50-60 minutes one way, and arrive before they close (and within any unknown client restrictions, i.e., Not in the last 60 minutes of operation). This all needs to be done in a space of just two or three hours.

Did I forget anything? Oh yes, the bonused fee does not even make minimum wage for the driving time, never mind the mileage expense.


Not to single out any one MSC, because there are others that that send out ridiculous requests. This is just one example of a shop that won't get done in the requested time frame because no one will be able to do it. It's amazing how often I see an email like this and I just shake my head.

Thanks Flash for explaining exactly why I have yet to name a company name. Unfortunately with where I live there are a limited number of shops. With my work schedule during the school year, my hours are also limited, so I other than getting irritated on the phone and a non-specific vent here, I am not going to call them out on this. The do provide a portion of my income.

I did get called today by a very pleasant individual asking me to do the same location over the weekend. Very polite, offered a bonus and I will actually do it tomorrow as I will be nearby.

Now a company that began rejecting reports for no reason or refusing to pay, I would be willing to name.

Lousey companies have some good schedulers, good companies have some lousey schedulers.

My very favorite company I love my scheduler and others dislike the company because of their schedulers. I have had to deal with 'their schedulers' on an occasional basis and understand their reaction fully.

I still watch the names on emails coming through my mail box for a few companies and waiting for a few jerks to either be promoted, reassigned to other areas/clients or depart. When the scheduler changes I will consider shopping with them again.

Even if you give your availability, there is no guarantee that on any given day you'd be available to do a last minute shop. After all, people do have lives and may have other shops and appointments scheduled. So, to get upset because a shopper isn't available is ridiculous, unprofessional and inappropriate.

As for Bestmark, their e-mails offering specific jobs are frustrating for the lack of specifics and lack of link to the website, however, if you go to their website you'll usually be able to view more details about the shop.

I accepted an apartment shop that indicated you could not perform the shop the first or last week of the month. The due date was 11/2. Now the company is very easy to work with and getting an extension but I had to wonder if the scheduler had read the guidelines or just gave the normal number of days to complete a targeted shop.

I have had exactly the same situation with many of the MSCs. The last complaint I made was in this forum and mentioned the MSC name. I got 4 angry emails from an "anonymous" forum user about how I should live by the rules and I was eitirely wrong. I still have all the email trash. I finally just stopped looking at his emails. They still owe me $55 that I can't afford but have no way to get it. High level manure odor.

Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Shop2LiveinFL Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I am still new to all this. I am guessing that
> we
> > are not "allowed" to say the actual company
> names
> > since there have been references to the "purple
> > people." How is a "newbie" supposed to figure
> out
> > which company/companies you are talking about
> so
> > we can avoid them also?
>
> Sometimes it is ill advised to complain in open
> forum about a specific situation and name the
> company because in addition to having behaved in
> an unprofessional manner, the company is likely to
> figure out who you are based on the specific
> situation objected to and terminate you as a
> shopper. So generally it is ill advised to be too
> specific in a vent where the company is named
> unless you have no intention of working with them
> further. There are some companies who seem to be
> under the impression that their manure has no
> odor.