I did a tremendous amount of shops this week for a few different msc's and it's always the editors with the same company(they are employed by them, not self-contracted ones), that like to try and find something wrong with the reports. The latest comments i could hear them "yelling" through their wording saying 'how can question x be a no when this location participates in it, you should go back and check.'"

I'm writing my not too kind response now. I always take a bunch of pictures when doing shops for this msc, so when the editors try to jam you I have the proof. Maybe because I have a penalty waiver on my shops from the msc if there were to be a real issue? Do editors get a cut of the penalities? It has to be something...


//end rant

I commiserate. I think some of them we've had run in's with just forget "objectivity" and purposely nitpick for paybck or to be mean.

On the other hand I dont think these editors even know what questions the survey is asking the shopper. We answer correctly and they tell us "you shouldn't have
given a subjective answer. DUH. The survey asked what suggestions, positive or negative do you have ?

There's one editor I'd like to write ," Dear ____, you may have noticed I dont apply for any of your shops anymore. That's because I emailed you for assistance
at 3:30 in the afternoon, and you didnt answer by email until 11:30 at night telling me to cancel the shop, don't complete it "
AFTER I had done the shop and wasted an hour of my time, gas and effort because I didnt hear from you in a timely manner."

On rare occasions, I've had to remind an editor of what the survey asks. It's almost like some of them don't read the guidelines before editing or read the questions while doing the editing. I don't understand how any editor can make a judgment on what the shopper experienced. That's the most frustrating and annoying part.

It's interesting that you posted this Tech.

This past week, I've had a run-in with a certain editor who is not an independent also. I finally got fed up. I've turned in fingers and toes worth of 10 reports - ALL 10's, and since this "new" editor started, they are constantly coming back to me with "do this, do that".

WELL.. I finally had enough. If the redo was legitimate - ie: I did not talk about a "no" answer in the narrative - then the beef is with me. But this Editor was just finding things for my last few reports that were ALREADY in the narrative.

The first one, ah, I let it go. I figured, no biggie, I'll just use a different word here or there - and they were accepted the 2nd time.

I just emailed my scheduler - a fantastic lady that I absolutely love working with - and did a polite but complaining email asking what the heck am I doing wrong. She wrote me back a very, VERY nice email telling me that that if I had problems, because she's seen my reports, she knows I turn in excellent work, I'm simply supposed to go directly to her. She was also very apologetic. I had saved my surveys in a pdf file and I went back to what I had written and sent my Scheduler the question AND my response. She said I was correct in my narrative.

I love this MSC. If they had enough jobs, I'd do a lot of work exclusively for them! They pay in promptly, always return phone calls, are wonderful to work for.. and no, I'm not sharing! LMBO! Except to say that I have posted about them in the past...

OH, I'd love to know if this is the same MSC I have my continual problem with.
I did a furniture store and the Salesperson (a Muslim woman), wearing her homeland clothing with a huge scarf around her head hiding her name tag, and walking 5 feet behind me.....nothing personal, (she was beautiful and so was her clothing), very timid, afraid to ask me a question, did ask if I'm interested in a mattress to go with the bedroom set, I said no and reported so.
email asking if she gave me a flyer and asked about mattress, which I reported.
I was deducted 2 points for not explaining excatly what she said...can't you read? I keep swearing I won't take that job again, but wanting to see if I can beat the challenge.

Irene_L.A. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> OH, I'd love to know if this is the same MSC I
> have my continual problem with.
> I did a furniture store and the Salesperson (a
> Muslim woman), wearing her homeland clothing with
> a huge scarf around her head hiding her name tag,
> and walking 5 feet behind me.....nothing personal,
> (she was beautiful and so was her clothing), very
> timid, afraid to ask me a question, did ask if I'm
> interested in a mattress to go with the bedroom
> set, I said no and reported so.
> email asking if she gave me a flyer and asked
> about mattress, which I reported.
> I was deducted 2 points for not explaining excatly
> what she said...can't you read? I keep swearing I
> won't take that job again, but wanting to see if I
> can beat the challenge.


I have done these furniture shops. I know exactly what you're talking about. I do the narrative and reread it making sure I did not miss any 'no' answers. I have never turned one in that did not come back with questions. The lasttime I answered the questions (I thought) and was asked another. Then was deducted some of my pay because the editor had to ask twice- the same question! Needless to say they would have to beg me to do these shops again. (By the way, they are begging and raising the fee)

I just got a grade back with the comment you received a 9 because we had to get back to clarify a response.

Ummmm no you didn't.

I had a report that asked for the color of the name tag. I panicked and went back through the guidelines and nowhere did they say to get that. So I took my best guess and turned it in. The editor was nice about it and said "they are usually XX color, are you sure?" which was clever. However, I got a 9 for that one question!

These companies need to have a shopper-editor liaison.

I wonder if the editors have to do a shop to see what we face. I have done many USPS shops at the same 4 stations and write essentially the same report every time (the manager still hasn't removed the address label from their door, the same filth is in the display cabinet, the same gospel music is blaring from the boombox at the end of the counter, the same signs are taped to the counter instead of hanging over it) and will get 10's, 9's and an occasional 8. I just don't get it.

Pet Peeve: music playing at a business establishment.

I don't want to hear anyone else's music. With all the portable music these days, customers can hear their own.

There is no way an employee is totally on task if there is music blaring, which leads me to the second part of my pet peeve: Worse than the music blaring is the employee "singing" or "dancing" along.

I like music in stores. I can't say I've heard any blaring unless it was appropriate to the venue. I also like the energy when employees are dancing, etc.

Back when I was in retail the best thing was when the managers would turn it up after the store closed. I danced my way through the clean up and always did it better and faster And before anyone thinks it was my teenage years and some Aeropostale kind of store, I was in my late thirties and it was Linens'n Things!

The editors for the postal shops are not all on the same page. I get comments that I wrote too much one time, so I cut it down to two sentences. I then get a comment that I need to write more so they can get a good picture. Hell-o??? Make up your mind!!!

Sandra Sue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> These companies need to have a shopper-editor
> liaison.

Sandra. I am with you on that. Unfortunately, many larger companies prohibit this or simply don't have the staff to do so.

beatlesfan1964 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I wonder if the editors have to do a shop to see
> what we face. I have done many USPS shops at the
> same 4 stations and write essentially the same
> report every time and will
> get 10's, 9's and an occasional 8. I just don't
> get it.

Most schedulers and editors started out as shoppers and many, including myself, will still do them. I've got two tomorrow that are fun, fun, fun!

I do that same USPS shop and have gotten 10s but one 9 for "a run-on sentence". First, when I saw that explanation, I checked my narrative, which I always save, and there was no run-on sentence. The anal part of me wanted to write the editor and ask seriously? But I let it go. As an editor, I would never knock someone down an entire grade for a single run-on sentence. To go from great (7) to a good (6) requires multiple minor errors, not majorly so but certainly more than a couple.



Sandra Sue Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Pet Peeve: music playing at a business
> establishment.
>
> I don't want to hear anyone else's music. With
> all the portable music these days, customers can
> hear their own.
>
> There is no way an employee is totally on task if
> there is music blaring, which leads me to the
> second part of my pet peeve: Worse than the music
> blaring is the employee "singing" or "dancing"
> along.


That would be me dancing and singing along. God bless that they do have music, too. Not every customer walks around with their iPods plugged in and from an employee's standpoint that music really helps the day go by faster than it being dead quiet. They certainly can't plug in while on the sales floor. Since I have an eclectic taste in music, I can like just about anything a store plays.

techman01 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> I'm writing my not too kind response now. I always
> take a bunch of pictures when doing shops for this
> msc, so when the editors try to jam you I have the
> proof. Maybe because I have a penalty waiver on my
> shops from the msc if there were to be a real
> issue? Do editors get a cut of the penalities? It
> has to be something...
>
>
> //end rant

i must confess that i don't fully understand the basis of your rant, or why you might respond with an unkind response to an editor. it seems like a lot of undue stress in my personal opinion. sort of like being in a bad dating relationship that one can just end in a short time if it doesn't go too well. i prefer not to add to corporate frictions by reinforcing negative relational energies.

i can fully appreciate that some editors can be hyper-critical. i've certainly met a few. but these kinds of frictioned relations are just too much drama for me in my life. if i don't like the editors, i just move on to another company. i personally haven't experienced these types of frictions in recent months, because i simply stay away from difficult companies. for the most part, the only stress that i have is what i volunteer to take upon myself.

how badly do you need this particular company? is the negative relational stress really worth it? i really enjoy mystery shopping, but only because it took me a little while to learn what companies to stay away from.

Vince, You are a wise man, thank you. We need to sit back and take a chill pill at times with difficult editors. I also enjoy ms'ing.

Vince -- Sometimes you stay with an MSC because you like the particular shops they offer or shops that provide something you need like gas or groceries and you stick with them despite the editors as long as they are paying. And, it may be that not all of the editors are as nitpicky as others so you hope that you'll get a more reasonable editor the next time. Also, sometimes people just need to vent to release their frustration and, since I sometimes am one of those people, I'm o.k. with that.

avitoots Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Vince -- Sometimes you stay with an MSC because
> you like the particular shops they offer or shops
> that provide something you need like gas or
> groceries and you stick with them despite the
> editors as long as they are paying.

that's very well appreciated. but then why fight with the editors if that is the path which was chosen?

Vince -- I just don't lose sleep over it. I give them what they want. Sometimes, I have to admit, I do get a little testy with them if what they're looking for is something that can't be answered like why didn't you comment on something that didn't happen. However, if I'm doing a shop for something other than just making money, I've pretty much gotten what I wanted out of the shop. And, in my limited experience, it seems that those editors are few and far between, at least with the companies I've shopped for.

vince Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> avitoots Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Vince -- Sometimes you stay with an MSC because
> > you like the particular shops they offer or
> shops
> > that provide something you need like gas or
> > groceries and you stick with them despite the
> > editors as long as they are paying.
>
> that's very well appreciated. but then why fight
> with the editors if that is the path which was
> chosen?

Not Avitoots, but I've rarely fought with the editors, save a couple times. Once when I was given permission to submit late by the scheduler because my router broke. That ticked me off because I offered to redo the shop so it'd be on time. Then the editor dinged me four points on an otherwise perfect report. Seriously? Still irks me.

Mostly when I get mad, I rant about it to someone and then it's gone. Sometimes I gotta get it out because I'm a big-mouthed, opinionated, and feisty woman. After I b*tch, I'm good. It's kinda like a balloon letting out the hot air. LOL

AlwaysAngie -- I'm with you on the need to vent. I do that with the friend I stay with in Florida when I get some of the ridiculous questions I sometimes get. It drives her crazy and sometimes some of the stuff is so ridiculous we get a good laugh out of it.