I applied for them sometime back in may, however I could not pass that quiz, despite three attempts. Even prior to this I had the hardest time getting a response from them to begin registration (I could never get my password to work, they sent me a password ultimately). I asked for a reset back in may, no response, I told them that if I couldn't get one, then cancel my account. Now I attempt to request a reset again in November, now I get a response saying they do not reset the quiz, and that I would not be able to work for them. So I said that they can just feel free to cancel my account and remove me from their database because there is no point to having an account to a company that I cannot work for.

I have to say that I have yet to have a company that refused to reset a quiz, I've always been successful at getting another shot, even after repeatedly failing a quiz (usually by one question). This is certainly a first. Their audits didn't fit my schedule anyway. Has anyone else had problems similar to this w/ Gfk or any other shopping company?

They can inundate shoppers with form letters inviting them to participate in their shops, but they can't respond to e-mails of shoppers needing help. I am so turned off by this company now.

thatsdeadwrong Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I applied for them sometime back in may, however I
> could not pass that quiz, despite three attempts.
> Even prior to this I had the hardest time getting
> a response from them to begin registration (I
> could never get my password to work, they sent me
> a password ultimately). I asked for a reset back
> in may, no response, I told them that if I
> couldn't get one, then cancel my account. Now I
> attempt to request a reset again in November, now
> I get a response saying they do not reset the
> quiz, and that I would not be able to work for
> them. So I said that they can just feel free to
> cancel my account and remove me from their
> database because there is no point to having an
> account to a company that I cannot work for.
>
> I have to say that I have yet to have a company
> that refused to reset a quiz, I've always been
> successful at getting another shot, even after
> repeatedly failing a quiz (usually by one
> question). This is certainly a first. Their audits
> didn't fit my schedule anyway. Has anyone else had
> problems similar to this w/ Gfk or any other
> shopping company?

Why? Did something happen to you that turned you off from them?

TechSavvy Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> They can inundate shoppers with form letters
> inviting them to participate in their shops, but
> they can't respond to e-mails of shoppers needing
> help. I am so turned off by this company now.
>
> thatsdeadwrong Wrote:

I agree. I get emails from places like you cannot believe! They include a listing of 5-6 5 dollar shops I can do in my area. Now really, ....5 dollar shops. They can keep them and the emails they send for them. I do a great job, I know I do. (humbly) I have all my own equipment, and love shopping.

These mass emails are a bother, but thats what they make a delete key on my keyboard for .

Don in Vegies, NV.

i agree...

when i first started out i applied for one of their electronic store audits... finished with the paperwork... toke the friggan urine test... looked over what they offered and couldnt fit it into my schedule... canceled...

next thing i know i have a letter stating that my next shop i do will be deducted by $10 to pay for the urine test... HA... i was out of tp that week and found a use for the letter... J/k... or am I?... only time will tell...

They told me that they didn't have the ability to re-set the test, when I failed the mortgage shop test. I was getting 2 questions wrong, I asked for help and they sent me the answers to the 2 I was having trouble with. Third attempt I must have clicked off a wrong answer by accident, so no mortgage shop for me.
But when they suddenly needed more shoppers to do these, I received an email that the tests were magically re-set. Whatever.
That's not my first problem with them, so now I send all their emails to spam.

Strevel Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> These mass emails are a bother, but thats what
> they make a delete key on my keyboard for .
>
> Don in Vegies, NV.


Agreed. I don't do very many shops with them, but the experiences that I've had were all pleasant and on the up and up. The shops aren't overly intensive, they have good paying jobs (you'll have to wait for bonuses on some), they pay quick and the phone conversations I've had with schedulers were all very efficient.

If the biggest thing I have to kvetch about an MSC is the frequency of junk/worthless email, that's not bad.

and here I am dealing with a scheduler who is going to walk me through a quiz (for a shop that requires about a zillion phone calls) She helped me last time, too. I wonder if different schedulers (maybe in different parts of the country) treat shoppers in different ways. I do have issues with GfK but not about getting help with the quizzes.


Ooops! The scheduler actually gave me the answers. I put them in. I failed the test. Now, I am waiting. From what I am reading, there is no way to reset the quiz. So...easy come. (not so easy!) easy go!.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/21/2011 03:03AM by jersey07032.

same thing happened to me. i could not for the life of me pass that test. quiz. whatever they call it. i waited a few months and told them i do consider myself to be a reasonably intelligent person, if they would offer me another opportunity to do the quiz i hoped i would pass it. still a nope. they won't give me another chance.

I liken them to 8th graders. Friends in the morning, mortal enemies at lunch, best friends again during gym class. When I deal with companies, such as Harland Clarke that make it so easy, I wonder why some MSCs make it so freakin' difficult. But "Why" is a management question and we are certainly NOT in management!

becbrett123 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> same thing happened to me. i could not for the
> life of me pass that test. quiz. whatever they
> call it. i waited a few months and told them i do
> consider myself to be a reasonably intelligent
> person, if they would offer me another opportunity
> to do the quiz i hoped i would pass it. still a
> nope. they won't give me another chance.

jersey07032 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I liken them to 8th graders. Friends in the
> morning, mortal enemies at lunch, best friends
> again during gym class. When I deal with
> companies, such as Harland Clarke that make it so
> easy, I wonder why some MSCs make it so freakin'
> difficult. But "Why" is a management question and
> we are certainly NOT in management!

I'm not making excuses for any company's lack of appropriate management, but I think comparing the management breadth of Harland Clarke to that of Mystery Shopping Company X (which includes 99.9% of Mystery Shopping companies) is like comparing the management breadth of IBM to that of the guy down the street who can fix your computer.

ok...not sure what this means. and sorry if I offended anyone. I was merely stating that some companies are a delight to work with/for and others make it freakin' hard. I love doing H-C shops because the staff there is pleasant and agreeable. They ask a lot of their shoppers but pay extremely well. I feel like a professional working with them. I feel this way about several companies. And then there are those I feel I always have to struggle with. GfK seems to be one of the latter. I haven't given up on them totally, but, like others, I find them frustrating.

raisitup Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jersey07032 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I liken them to 8th graders. Friends in the
> > morning, mortal enemies at lunch, best friends
> > again during gym class. When I deal with
> > companies, such as Harland Clarke that make it
> so
> > easy, I wonder why some MSCs make it so
> freakin'
> > difficult. But "Why" is a management question
> and
> > we are certainly NOT in management!
>
> I'm not making excuses for any company's lack of
> appropriate management, but I think comparing the
> down the street who can fix your computer.
> management breadth of Harland Clarke to that of
> Mystery Shopping Company X (which includes 99.9%
> of Mystery Shopping companies) is like comparing
> the management breadth of IBM to that of the guy