I have only been shopping for about 6 months now, but I almost always get a 9 or 10 for a review. I feel like there is one editor who has it in for me, she sends everything I write back. Sometimes she asks what seem like really odd questions to me. "How did the salesperson demonstrate how the tilt steering worked?" or "How did the salesperson demonstrate how the stereo worked? "What were the names of all the roads you took a test drive on?" "The exact order that all the features of the car were shown to you." "How far you went at each speed?" Am I wrong to feel like the editor is being nit-picky or are some of these questions odd? I would really like some feedback on this. Thank you very much.

The question about what roads you went on for the test drive seems very odd to me. I am not sure I would know unless I was at a local dealer close to my home.

Liz

on shops that I get very high bonuses on, I notice some editors that will go over it very closely, almost like their jealous of the bonus you received.

If they wanted the bonus, they could go do the shop themselves : )

Is the company intellihop?

Most of the questions sound normal to me except the one about street names and the distance you were going. Maybe they needed proof that you actually took the test drive?

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/2012 05:02PM by HeatherC.

C'mon Heather! Really? "How far you went at each speed?" "The exact order that all the features of the car were shown to you." If these items were not specified in the instructions as requirements, who would ever put them in a report?

New Car shops are very difficult.

One nasty experience with an arrogant editor and I will not ever do car shops again and I dont care what they are paying. Not worth it.

I have been very hesitant to take new car shops - now I know why! It's going to be a very long time before I will consider one.

One more reason to love recorded audio and/or video shops! There is no question when I report that I took a test drive or if I have to report that a test drive was not offered or not possible. I am doing a series of 16 video new car shops in two states that pay 2 to 3 times as much as I am being offered for written new car shops and do not even require a test drive, so they are shorter.

If you do written new car shops in a state where it is legal to audio record without the sales rep's permission, try audio recording your shop. Then, if the editor gets snippy, email the scheduler to offer the recording as proof and ask them to get the editor off your neck.

Heck, even if you don't record the next shop, I would talk to your scheduler to see if the editor can be reined in. Somethimes the MSC really isn't aware that a new editor it running roughshod over shoppers until the shoppers speak up.

I would bet dollars to doughnuts that this ridiculously fastidious editor does the same thing to ALL the evaluators.

I had something similar occur with an apartment firm editor - I had been given specific instructions by a scheduler, performed them, and then the editor nitpicked me unto the grave over the changes authorized by the scheduler.

I answered the first few emails and made certain to copy the scheduler every time.

After about six months, I no longer saw this editor's handiwork.

I am certain their extreme sphincter-retentiveness did them in.

And I'm not sorry. Not one bit.

Deby - Your experience sounds bizarre to me. If those details weren't in the guidelines, then you're being picked at (yes, I know that a hanging thingie yall don't jump me i don't care yes this is also a run on and it's not punctuated and no i'm not going to fix it).

I think you may be on the right wave that this editor is after you.

What to do? Answer each question the best you can in an effort to get to the end of it. Then consider moving on without announcement or complaint. In time, you'll probably be able to work again for the same MSP without running into that editor.

I think it's not a personal bias against YOU as a narrative writer/shopper, but rather a function of this editor's basic misunderstanding of their job duties.

I wouldn't take it personally at all.

Instead, just cc your scheduler with your answers.

The scheduler's life gets MUCH more unpleasant if some editor is nitpicking and harassing their mystery shopper.They won't have the completed work done on time if some pipsqueak is jamming up the works.

Let the company structure work its magic. Stay cool, and it will work out.

I have been known in my time as a shopper to forward a noxious editor email to a scheduler with whom I have previously had a good working relationship indicating that it has been nice working with them, but there are not enough hours in the day to deal with this editor's nonsense. When there is a realization that argumentative editors make it harder for them to get shops scheduled with the folks they have come to rely on, future problems are usually minimal.

techman01 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> on shops that I get very high bonuses on, I notice
> some editors that will go over it very closely,
> almost like their jealous of the bonus you
> received.
>
> If they wanted the bonus, they could go do the
> shop themselves : )


Jealous?...Seriously?

It's their JOB to go over every shop report closely to ensure that a professional evaluation is submitted to every client. They're being paid per completed edit that is accepted by the client. If a shop report is refused by the client, the scheduler gets $0 and the editor gets $0. AND they get to start again from square one with the shop.

Why the h*ll would editors spend hours of their valuable time getting information from shoppers that's not required by the client? They would much rather move on to the next report.

Please remember, if you are being asked for that much detailed clarification, it's frequently originating from the client, not the editor.

Believe me, people...Editors and Schedulers are NOT out to get you!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/2012 09:14PM by Inside Hospitality/Inside Evaluators Scheduling Te.

@ inside hosp: if you dont think there are overzealous editors out there, you are living in a fantasy world. Maybe editors for your company don't act in the way numerous people are describing it above and in other threads, but they are out there.

All of us speak from experience.

MissyH71 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I would bet dollars to doughnuts that this
> ridiculously fastidious editor does the same thing
> to ALL the evaluators.
>
> I had something similar occur with an apartment
> firm editor - I had been given specific
> instructions by a scheduler, performed them, and
> then the editor nitpicked me unto the grave over
> the changes authorized by the scheduler.
>
> I answered the first few emails and made certain
> to copy the scheduler every time.
>
> After about six months, I no longer saw this
> editor's handiwork.
>
> I am certain their extreme sphincter-retentiveness
> did them in.
>
> And I'm not sorry. Not one bit.




"extreme sphincter-retentiveness"

Missy, you're a riot. great euphemism

I have done those dealerships and was asked what road and speed I drove, they are supposed to take you up to 60 miles...my road was in the neighborhood, and I was unable to drive that speed. I got points taken off because of it, no more (I swear), if I do another, just slap me awake.

There is a certain editor for a certain named company and she drives me nuts!

There is ALWAYS a comment..er...comment(s)....the most stupidest, nit picky-ess things I have ever heard of...


"IF" and I mean a big "IF" she gives you an excellent score, she NEVER says anything positive.

But "yet" the other editors at this company ALWAYS say great things, specific nice comments about how I did...

But this certain EDITOR, Forgetaboutit!!! lol...

I just did a new car shop last week, and the editor emailed me and wanted to know what route I took. I not only gave her the streets, I gave her the direction I turned on the street..north, east, west and the approximate mileage. I think my test drive took 12 minutes or so and was a shade over two miles.

That was not in the guide lines (the route,) the only reason I knew the route was because I used to work in that area. I ended up with a 10 for the report.

SunnyDays2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> There is a certain editor for a certain named
> company and she drives me nuts!
>
> There is ALWAYS a comment..er...comment(s)....the
> most stupidest, nit picky-ess things I have ever
> heard of...
>
>
> "IF" and I mean a big "IF" she gives you an
> excellent score, she NEVER says anything
> positive.
>
> But "yet" the other editors at this company ALWAYS
> say great things, specific nice comments about how
> I did...
>
> But this certain EDITOR, Forgetaboutit!!! lol...

Her first name wouldn't be Maria would it?

rubypearl: How on earth did you remember all that data to report later? Even in a familiar area, I don't think I could do that!

Pretty much 100% agree.

I have done a few new car shops and I audio recorded every single one.

There is no way anyone could remember every single detail accurately that they want to know.

If the car has 20 or 30 features, how could anyone recall every single one mentioned and all the ones not mentioned plus the 100 other things you are supposed to recall accurately.

I have no idea WHY they even have non-recorded new car shops.

It makes zero sense when they want such detail. Why not just record and they can play it back.

Wouldnt it kind of save a vast amount of time editing written text.


walesmaven Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> One more reason to love recorded audio and/or
> video shops! There is no question when I report
> that I took a test drive or if I have to report
> that a test drive was not offered or not possible.
> I am doing a series of 16 video new car shops in
> two states that pay 2 to 3 times as much as I am
> being offered for written new car shops and do not
> even require a test drive, so they are shorter.
>
> If you do written new car shops in a state where
> it is legal to audio record without the sales
> rep's permission, try audio recording your shop.
> Then, if the editor gets snippy, email the
> scheduler to offer the recording as proof and ask
> them to get the editor off your neck.
>
> Heck, even if you don't record the next shop, I
> would talk to your scheduler to see if the editor
> can be reined in. Somethimes the MSC really isn't
> aware that a new editor it running roughshod over
> shoppers until the shoppers speak up.

I can tell you why they have non-recorded - two-party state. I'm tempted to set my phone on 'talk to tape', stuff it into my bra, use it for my own personal reference only, then delete when I finish my survey.

What? That thing picked up the WHOLE conversation??? Oops, my bad - won't happen again (at that dealershop).

There's no way I can remember that amount of information. And no way to take actual notes during the test drive. Guess I'm gonna pass for awhile longer til I come up with a better solution.

Thank you everyone. I feel a little better now, knowing it isn't just me. For the persons who asked:
yes, it is Intellishop,
no, the shop was not bonused (it paid $20.00),
it was 55 miles from my house, so knowing the roads I drove on was unlikely (at best),
no, the editor was not named Maria,
yes, the editor even called my cell phone and left me a message reiterating her email,
yes, I emailed the scheduler that I was upset (but not the actual text of the email). Next time I will email the scheduler with the email the editor sent. Great suggestion.

Unfortunately some editors are just the south end of a horse facing north. They're people too. (Well, some of them anyway, I wonder about some being space aliens at times)

The one and only time I did that dealership thing, my report got sent back asking for more information. I said forget it. I will never take another.

Deby41063 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thank you everyone. I feel a little better now,
> knowing it isn't just me. For the persons who
> asked:
> yes, it is Intellishop,
> no, the shop was not bonused (it paid $20.00),
> it was 55 miles from my house, so knowing the
> roads I drove on was unlikely (at best),
> no, the editor was not named Maria,
> yes, the editor even called my cell phone and left
> me a message reiterating her email,
> yes, I emailed the scheduler that I was upset (but
> not the actual text of the email). Next time I
> will email the scheduler with the email the editor
> sent. Great suggestion.

techman01 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> @ inside hosp: if you dont think there are
> overzealous editors out there, you are living in a
> fantasy world. Maybe editors for your company
> don't act in the way numerous people are
> describing it above and in other threads, but they
> are out there.
>
> All of us speak from experience.

Just as shoppers have mandatory shop guidelines they must follow, Editors and Schedulers also have mandatory guidelines set by their bosses. Overzealous? No. Performing their jobs by the book? Yes.

I have to go with techman on this one. He made it clear that the statement was not across the board for every single MSC and as a company you are also not the authority on what happens with any MSC other than your own. Yes, overzealous is a perfect description of what happens on occasion. If it were not happening then there would not be cases of established shoppers "pushing back" and having the editor stop asking questions which are beyond the scope of the original mystery shop.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/19/2012 05:49PM by LisaSTL.

I DVR everything these days just for my own reference and to be extra sure of accuracy. As soon as I see the report is in and accepted, I delete it. It's like suspenders and a belt worn at the same time.

This answers my question about why there are always so many new car shops on the boards. Everyone's avoiding them!