Everyone be careful not to mention the MSC since I alreayd brought up the clients.

I've done the Shell mystery shop/audit, and I must say I'm not a huge fan. I'm fine with the audit part, but I live in a state where you can't pump your own gas. I feel like a complete idiot saying, hey can you put two gallons of gas in my car and just ignore the fact that I'm going to stand here and watch cuz I don't trust that you'll only put two gallons in it. Maybe I would have had the warm fuzzies over the shop if on my first one, I was able to give out the gift card, but no, Richard doesn't need to wear a nametag because Richard has worked there so long that everyone knows him. Funny, I didn't know him and I live across the bloody street.

Now a different MSC has some Conoco/76 stations in my area. I'm wondering if these are any better than the Shell ones? I know there are a bunch of posts about Gas Station Audits, but I really don't want to read through a bazillion posts. Just hoping someone who has done both, will give me a quick compare/contrast.

Thanks!

I've done both, but a lot more of the Shells. My personal opinion is the Conoco was easier.

I have done both...the Shells are easier for me. If you are one to print out all of your paperwork, the Conoco has oh-so-much more. I have ways I get around that and still get what I need, however. I love being able to get gas with the shop.....that's a better reimbursement for me.

Wow there is a state where you cannot, by law, pump your own gas?? News to me. What is the rationale?

NJ and Oregon are the only states where you can't pump your own gas. Don't know the reason, but it is a law.

When I do the Shells I get a minimum of $10 gas. I've only done one Conoco Phillips and the paperwork was immense. The station was rebranded and I was glad about that because once I saw the form, there was no way I wanted to do it. It might be a different type of shop than what you're seeing though.

I have done virtually every gas station chain.

The Shell and conoco/P66 ones are about the same difficulty.
P66 is slightly easier.

The big difference is the Shell ones ask you to take pictures of employees if they arnt wearing name badges!
(both refused this month and the MSC did not reject the shop because of it)

Plus you arnt required to wear a safety vest with p66 locations.

Shell also wants both bathrooms......

The P66 locations were a huge money maker this month as I did a ton of them in my area on bonus for between 20-30 a pop.
The P66 locations also dont require a gas purchase.

Obviously getting 2 gallons of gas free is a huge bonus.

Personally I dont think its worth doing the P66 gas stations for $10
Once they hit $15-20 its worth it..... to me that is.

jschilz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Everyone be careful not to mention the MSC since I
> alreayd brought up the clients.
>
> I've done the Shell mystery shop/audit, and I must
> say I'm not a huge fan. I'm fine with the audit
> part, but I live in a state where you can't pump
> your own gas. I feel like a complete idiot saying,
> hey can you put two gallons of gas in my car and
> just ignore the fact that I'm going to stand here
> and watch cuz I don't trust that you'll only put
> two gallons in it. Maybe I would have had the warm
> fuzzies over the shop if on my first one, I was
> able to give out the gift card, but no, Richard
> doesn't need to wear a nametag because Richard has
> worked there so long that everyone knows him.
> Funny, I didn't know him and I live across the
> bloody street.
>
> Now a different MSC has some Conoco/76 stations in
> my area. I'm wondering if these are any better
> than the Shell ones? I know there are a bunch of
> posts about Gas Station Audits, but I really don't
> want to read through a bazillion posts. Just
> hoping someone who has done both, will give me a
> quick compare/contrast.
>
> Thanks!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/29/2012 02:42PM by dwater.

I have only done Conoco but they are so simple that I'm in and out in 20min. I wish we had Shell stations here, I would not mind trying them as well.

Are the Conoco shops still around? I am going to an area where there are loads of them, but do not see the shops on the MSCs boards.

I either did too many and am out of the rotation, or the client is elsewhere and I need to dig around.


Assistance?

The conocos in my opinion are MUCH easier and make more sense!! No vest, can buy a bottle of water to do the mystery shopping part, and not feel like a fool. I have 1 more shell to do next week and then I think I am done with them.

jschilz Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Everyone be careful not to mention the MSC since I
> alreayd brought up the clients.
>
> I've done the Shell mystery shop/audit, and I must
> say I'm not a huge fan. I'm fine with the audit
> part, but I live in a state where you can't pump
> your own gas. I feel like a complete idiot saying,
> hey can you put two gallons of gas in my car and
> just ignore the fact that I'm going to stand here
> and watch cuz I don't trust that you'll only put
> two gallons in it. Maybe I would have had the warm
> fuzzies over the shop if on my first one, I was
> able to give out the gift card, but no, Richard
> doesn't need to wear a nametag because Richard has
> worked there so long that everyone knows him.
> Funny, I didn't know him and I live across the
> bloody street.
>
> Now a different MSC has some Conoco/76 stations in
> my area. I'm wondering if these are any better
> than the Shell ones? I know there are a bunch of
> posts about Gas Station Audits, but I really don't
> want to read through a bazillion posts. Just
> hoping someone who has done both, will give me a
> quick compare/contrast.
>
> Thanks!

Every time the Shell stations come up they add more information to gather and more things to look for. Of course no more pay. The problem is you do not realize that until you are already signed up. I have about 8 coming up this month, and I will have to think long and hard before taking them again.

I am glad to see others feeling the same way about Shells. I don't like their form (created my own), I don't care for the mystery shop either. The whole asking the product knowledge question is a dead giveaway you are a shopper because normal customers could truly care less. Their questions are redundant and so are the pictures...take 2 of everything -both sides. I don't think I want to do them anymore either, unless the pay increases. Sure BP is a whole lot more intensive, but they at least mail me my forms, Shell I have to waste my own ink.

I have completed several gas station ms and the pay was decent. Now, I have noticed a TON of gas station audits in my area....offering a minimum of about $9 all the way to $20+. I'd like to try these audits, but will they be worth my while? I have a orange vest I got for $2 off of ebay, but I am reading mixed reviews on gas station audits. Exxon, Chevron and Texaco are real big down here but it seems no one is taking them lol.

I looked at a few requirements...ms the store, purchase gas and then reveal to the station manager and continue on with the audit...checking bathrooms, POP, property equipment...etc.

What are your thoughts to gas station audits and what are the deal breakers?

TIA!~

The Phillips66/Conco are my favorites. mystery shop first (just buy something little in the store). Then take about 10 pictures. I think the Shell/Chevron group makes things MUCH more complicated than they need to be. Why not MS by buying something for 1.00 (or less) and then do the gas while doing the audit. I can't see that the MSC would be put out that much by the extra 1.00 expense (because they would still need to reimburse for the gas). I also don't see why they can't take our word for whether or not someone was in uniform. Or look at the cameras! Every gas station has them, no? Taking a picture of the employee seems a bit invasive to me. Granted, everyone is fully clothed, but that employee has no idea where that picture is going to end up.

I used to love the Shell's. Very down to earth, pay for gas from the CSR, no problem, even asking the dumb question, no problem. the one time the added Check every pump for current credit cards, replace everyone that is out of date. Really? Then there was the long list of CSR requirements, then they brought on the gift cards, give me a break. Another thing that has bugged me, you have to buy 2 gallons of gas, but they say make it a "sensible" amount" so when gas was 3.49 i'd buy 7.00, 3.99, I'd buy 8.00 etc. Well, they used to pay the full 7 or 7.50 or 8.00 now they only pay the exact 2 gallon price. I'd really feel stupid or marked as a mystery shopper if I strolled up to the counter and said, "I need $7.48 cents worth of gass please."

WOW this thread really must have hit my buttons. I didn't realize how irritated I had become with the Shell shops until I started thinking about it. I still have 8 of them left to do.

shell stations are shopped by more then one msc each month. Dont shop for that msc anymore. In some areas, shell stations are actually shopped by 3 different msc's each month.

I didn't realize Shell was shopped by others than the $10 MSC...I am on the hunt now. Thanks techman01!

I would love to find just a mystery shop for gas stations, and not the Chevron one that is $5.00 pay, $5.00 gas and $1.00 product reimbursement. You lose $1.00 at the dang air/water station. So while they sayd it's a $12.00 shop, it's really $11.00 and takes far too long to be worth it.

barbage Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

now they only pay
> the exact 2 gallon price. I'd really feel stupid
> or marked as a mystery shopper if I strolled up to
> the counter and said, "I need $7.48 cents worth of
> gass please."

I usually go in with a $20 and just ask for $20 on whatever pump. I do the mystery shop/gas pump then don the vest, grab my clip board and pen and go ask for my change and receipt. By the time they realize the amount is odd, I have already revealed.

I agree with posters that don't like taking pictures of the Shell employees not wearing the full uniform. I have yet to hand out a gift card because most CSRs seem to wear jeans.

The product knowledge question seems like a reasonable request by the client. I just point to the sign and ask "What's this about? Is it a discount card or something?" I actually had one CSR tell me she had no idea, that she hadn't read the material yet.

One thing in favor of the Shell jobs is that once you receive the first set of gift cards (and don't give them all out,) you can download all the other paperwork and assign yourself the job at the last minute. The BP jobs have to be planned around waiting to receive the forms.

I've also done basically every gas station shop within a 500 mile radius of my house. Except Casey's - can someone PLEASE let me know if they are shopped!!

Anyway, I consider myself a gas station auditor "specialist" and do a large bulk of my shops at gas stations. To me they are all "easy" in their own way. Shell's get me the most gas on a regular basis. Conoco/P66 are quick and easy. Yes they have a long sheet, but I've made my own for both them and Exxon Mobil's, so it's one page I can get 2 shops on 1 piece of paper (front & back) and less requirements with Conoco/P66. Exxon's are great because they get bonused so well in the boonies. BP's are great because they were one of my first 10 or so shops and I've done literally 100's or 1,000's of them, and they to me are like second nature.

The one thing I DON'T like is the Shell/Chevron and BP company calls WAY too much around deadline time.

Oh, and jschilz - We don't have Chevron's around here, but do have Shells. The Shells ask, "Does the air/water work?" They do not say, "Please test to see if the air/water work." I look at the machine to verify that there is no out of order sign. (If there is, it doesn't work, no questions asked.) If there is no sign, I then ask the cashier, "The air/water work, correct?" If they say yes, it works. I've done this method for probably 7 years and never been questioned about it.

Okay, I know this is a little off topic, but I had to post.

I did a station audit (Beacon) today.

I arrived to see two big signs on the front window. #1 was a notice that the store's alcohol license was suspended indefinitely. #2 was a Change of Ownership notice.

Inside, there was cardboard covering the beer coolers with another copy of notice #1.

As I spoke with the owner, he mentioned the suspension. I then said, "I notice that you are selling." His reply was to tell me that they aren't really selling. Just transfering the station to a cousin because of the problems.

While I can see why they are doing that. It seems to me poor judgement to tell the auditor this.

I love the Conoco ones. And I finally got to give away the Golden-something or other (hee hee you'd think I would remember the name) award to the person on duty. That made it so much fun! $50 award in the form of a gift certificate...not sure what they can turn it in for exactly, but hey, I didn't have to drag the cash outta my pocket up front, so I was pretty dang happy lol.