Service Performance Group
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That's fine to agree with her CAscotch. I still am reporting her for her verbal abuse. Had she written me back with a decent explanation instead of resorting to name calling and insults which I guess you think is ok also I would have backed down even if I didn't shop for them. Isn't the point to earn money?? Hopefully you and others who sides with Melissa verbal attack ever experiences this reaction or maybe you should and when someone attacks you calling you name remember you validated her behavior CAscotch as ok.
Hello, Velvett. Welcome to the forum.
This situation is unfortunate, but your initial email did not ask for an explanation and instead was a criticism of the shop offered. Fine dining shops usually do not pay a fee beyond reimbursement for the meal after the report is accepted, so there was nothing unusual about this offer. Since you were unaware that most fine dining shops are set up for reimbursement only, you are probably a new shopper or at least a shopper without an extensive shopping background.
What can be learned from the experience you just had with Melissa is that nothing will be gained by a negative contact with a representative of a mystery shopping company. We build our businesses on our reputations and on the relationships we maintain with the people we work with. If you should ever decide you would like to work with this particular company, the possibility is not promising. There are many good companies to work with, but relationships need to be maintained with care.
The more we do, the more we learn. Every job is take it or leave it, and if we decide to leave it there is really no upside to criticising the company because we didn't like the offer.
This situation is unfortunate, but your initial email did not ask for an explanation and instead was a criticism of the shop offered. Fine dining shops usually do not pay a fee beyond reimbursement for the meal after the report is accepted, so there was nothing unusual about this offer. Since you were unaware that most fine dining shops are set up for reimbursement only, you are probably a new shopper or at least a shopper without an extensive shopping background.
What can be learned from the experience you just had with Melissa is that nothing will be gained by a negative contact with a representative of a mystery shopping company. We build our businesses on our reputations and on the relationships we maintain with the people we work with. If you should ever decide you would like to work with this particular company, the possibility is not promising. There are many good companies to work with, but relationships need to be maintained with care.
The more we do, the more we learn. Every job is take it or leave it, and if we decide to leave it there is really no upside to criticising the company because we didn't like the offer.
Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.
Seems like rudeness all around. I wouldn't appreciate receiving either the initial email or the response.
I agree Bay. Welcome to the forum, velvett.
I get emails for plenty of shops that I am not interested in because the fee is too low. I just delete them. I've never had a reason to email the scheduler. I think you were both in the wrong. The tone of your initial email wasn't very professional, but neither was her response.
I get emails for plenty of shops that I am not interested in because the fee is too low. I just delete them. I've never had a reason to email the scheduler. I think you were both in the wrong. The tone of your initial email wasn't very professional, but neither was her response.
Silver certified with a PV-500
Shopping Michigan and beyond
Shopping Michigan and beyond
It's not a great idea to get into a knock-down with a scheduler over the pay or requirements of an assignment. They're not the ones that set the fees or create the instructions, so nothing constructive will come out of it. If you don't find an assignment worthwhile, simply ignore it or initiate a civil proposal for negotiation of possible bonuses.
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"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
The problem with "e-mails" copied and pasted is the amount of editing that can be done. We really don't know how much is verbatim, what was added or deleted, or if there are more e-mails than were posted.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
There are PLENTY of people who will gladly do the shop and fill out the report in exchange for being able to treat their S.O. to a nice meal at a fancy restaurant and get reimbursed for it.
There are mystery shoppers who primarily only do shops like that. Reimbursement-only shops don't have to go on your tax return. It's worth it to THEM and there are probably thousands of them. If it's not worth it to YOU, go find another shop that IS worth it to you.
If your budget is so tight (many people's are) that you can't afford to wait the 30 days for pay, find shops to do that don't require anything up front.
I've been into another MSC for a couple hundred dollars at a time, waiting 30 to 60 days for reimbursement but I am lucky enough not to be living paycheck to paycheck. I would love to get a $150 meal in exchange for a couple hours of my time.
You DO understand you get to eat the meal? Isn't that worth something to you? If not, don't do these shops.
There are mystery shoppers who primarily only do shops like that. Reimbursement-only shops don't have to go on your tax return. It's worth it to THEM and there are probably thousands of them. If it's not worth it to YOU, go find another shop that IS worth it to you.
If your budget is so tight (many people's are) that you can't afford to wait the 30 days for pay, find shops to do that don't require anything up front.
I've been into another MSC for a couple hundred dollars at a time, waiting 30 to 60 days for reimbursement but I am lucky enough not to be living paycheck to paycheck. I would love to get a $150 meal in exchange for a couple hours of my time.
You DO understand you get to eat the meal? Isn't that worth something to you? If not, don't do these shops.
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I pray it does not occur that the last thing I did before I died was vacuum the house or eat broccoli.
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I pray it does not occur that the last thing I did before I died was vacuum the house or eat broccoli.
Having to wait 30 days for reiumbursement in this business is actually fairly standard. I know all of us at one time or another have expected and accepted waiting for a much longer period of time for some assignments.
_____________________________________________________________________________
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
So it's A-OK for you to be rude to her but when she responds in kind, you report her for verbal abuse? Nice. The email exchange between the two of you might well be the least professional communication I have ever read. Doesn't sound like either of you are cut out for this business.
So, we have yet another shopper who joins a forum apparently for the sole purpose of slamming a company and who ends up looking worse than the company (IMO).
I am surprised at Melissa's emails, actually. I've spoken to her on the phone and exchanged emails with her over the years, and she has always been professional, patient, and friendly. Not that it excuses these emails, but it looks like velvett's emails managed to push all the wrong buttons.
I wonder whether velvett went ahead and forwarded these emails to the company and what Melissa's response would be, given that Melissa is the owner of the company.
I am surprised at Melissa's emails, actually. I've spoken to her on the phone and exchanged emails with her over the years, and she has always been professional, patient, and friendly. Not that it excuses these emails, but it looks like velvett's emails managed to push all the wrong buttons.
I wonder whether velvett went ahead and forwarded these emails to the company and what Melissa's response would be, given that Melissa is the owner of the company.
I wish there was a way that new forum members could be restricted to the New Mystery Shoppers area for a month to give them time to check things out. These negative debut postings about MSCs are getting really old.
_____________________________________________________________________________
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
Velvett, I agree with you, Mel should not have responded that way, she is writing to you as a representative of SPG. I 've not had the opportunity to work with her, but I have done several shops for Wendy of the same company.
They are a reputable company. I do bowling shops. Spend $38+, get paid $50. It's nice to have a night out on the client's dime. That is why people take the kind of shops they offer. When else would you go to this $150/meal restaurant, unless you are getting paid. If you had the money to dine at that place on your own dime, you wouldn't be a shopper.
However, while she did go about responding to you in a rude and unprofessional manner, your e-mails were uncalled for as well and you did start it. It never puts you in a good light to have such obvious grammatical errors when contacting anyone that is employed by an MS company.
And also, was it really necessary to respond to the mass e-mail to decline the offer? Service Sense aside, I don't know any company that contacts shoppers individually by e-mail to perform a shop. Unless you want to take the assignment, responding to shop offers is never needed. If you get an e-mail that starts off "JS Mystery Shopper ReachOut" then they are actively looking for unregistered shoppers to help complete these shops. Look at it no different than an e-mail from Careerbuilder or Monster. No response necessary.
They are a reputable company. I do bowling shops. Spend $38+, get paid $50. It's nice to have a night out on the client's dime. That is why people take the kind of shops they offer. When else would you go to this $150/meal restaurant, unless you are getting paid. If you had the money to dine at that place on your own dime, you wouldn't be a shopper.
However, while she did go about responding to you in a rude and unprofessional manner, your e-mails were uncalled for as well and you did start it. It never puts you in a good light to have such obvious grammatical errors when contacting anyone that is employed by an MS company.
And also, was it really necessary to respond to the mass e-mail to decline the offer? Service Sense aside, I don't know any company that contacts shoppers individually by e-mail to perform a shop. Unless you want to take the assignment, responding to shop offers is never needed. If you get an e-mail that starts off "JS Mystery Shopper ReachOut" then they are actively looking for unregistered shoppers to help complete these shops. Look at it no different than an e-mail from Careerbuilder or Monster. No response necessary.
So all of the negative experiences that are blow out of proportion could be contained in one place? LOL!
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
I have done a lot of work for them and do a few monthly things that are really super easy with basically me just waiting on the check. I have had only good experiences. That said you might be forewarned that reporting her to the company will basically be reporting her to herself as I am about 99.9% sure she is the owner (or owns with her husband).
Additionally no fee/reimbursement dining shops (even high end) are common and a month to wait on payment is considered good in this business (or at least along the lines of the norm)
Liz
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2013 09:12PM by Traveliz.
Additionally no fee/reimbursement dining shops (even high end) are common and a month to wait on payment is considered good in this business (or at least along the lines of the norm)
Liz
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2013 09:12PM by Traveliz.
I just read through the entire exchange again and Melissa's first email back was NOT rude. I think she was a bit flabbergasted that anyone would ask such a question. It was Velvett's second email where the gloves came off and SHE was rude (and used poor grammar) thus prompting the accurate, albeit rude, final response.
There was no need for any of it. Velvett should simply have hit the delete key. It was an OFFER, not a demand. Either accept it or don't.
Of course, maybe some of the fault lies in the subject line of the offer email. It's not a $150 restaurant shop. It's a "$150 reimbursement-only restaurant shop." But most experienced shoppers would know to read between the lines of that and not have been surprised to see it was reimbursement only.
There was no need for any of it. Velvett should simply have hit the delete key. It was an OFFER, not a demand. Either accept it or don't.
Of course, maybe some of the fault lies in the subject line of the offer email. It's not a $150 restaurant shop. It's a "$150 reimbursement-only restaurant shop." But most experienced shoppers would know to read between the lines of that and not have been surprised to see it was reimbursement only.
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I pray it does not occur that the last thing I did before I died was vacuum the house or eat broccoli.
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I pray it does not occur that the last thing I did before I died was vacuum the house or eat broccoli.
The OP email to the SPG scheduler is the most ridiculous that I have seen. Anyone in the business knows that you have a choice on whether you want to take a shop or not. If you do not like the pay or terms then you delete the email and go on with your life. To send an arrogant email (IMHO) to say no serves no purpose. There is always someone who is willing to take a shop that no one else wants ( even the $5.00) shops), and if no one takes it then the MSC will raise the fee. That's the way the game is played.
The OP wasn't satisfied with only posting her issue on this thread. She also did the same in the Members Intro area. How inappropriate.
_____________________________________________________________________________
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
It is one thing to have a beef with a scheduler for whatever reason. It is another to malign a reputable company for a nonsensical reason; and to post it in the members intro where new shoppers will get a tainted view of the company.
You were wrong to mail her, complaining about a shop.
She was wrong to take it the way she did and let you know not to insult her shop.
If you KNOW there is reimbursement ONLY, (I've done tons, mostly foodie shops), then WHY do a b---fest with her?
There are all kinds of shops, some suck donkey dung, but you either move on to the other 1,000's of emails and accept the ones you DO want.
She was wrong to take it the way she did and let you know not to insult her shop.
If you KNOW there is reimbursement ONLY, (I've done tons, mostly foodie shops), then WHY do a b---fest with her?
There are all kinds of shops, some suck donkey dung, but you either move on to the other 1,000's of emails and accept the ones you DO want.
I have never had any issues with Melissa or Jerry. They are pleasant to deal with. With that said, why bother responding if you did not want the shop. If you're insulted by THAT, you ain't seen nothing yet. In my opinion, the tone of your email was atagonistic. It's sad that you're on the board trying to garner sympathy, when you picked a fight with her and got your feelings hurt. Free advice, if you want to last in this business, I would start buidling bridges instead of burning them.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2013 01:34AM by audrialyn30.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2013 01:34AM by audrialyn30.
Thanks for not taking that shop, so I can jump on it. I love reimbursement-only fine dining shops. Then again, I have a feeling that your attitude will block you from many great shops and the rest of us will have that many more to enjoy.
If Velvett is that offended by a mass email assignment announcement, I can hardly wait to see how she reacts to some of the oh-so-fun editorial feedback that shoppers receive regularly.
_____________________________________________________________________________
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
"Between stimulus and response, there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom."
~Viktor Frankl
Sounds like two people had a bad day. I would also jump on that FD from SPG, except it's over 400 miles from me. I do 2-3 FD every month, for the last 4 years, without reimbursement. I enjoy the ambiance, the service and the food. I don't mind writing 2-3 hours for a nice dinner out with hubby or friends.
Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@
~Polish Proverb~
~Polish Proverb~
I am one of the people itsasecret is referring to: "There are PLENTY of people who will gladly do the shop and fill out the report in exchange for being able to treat their S.O. to a nice meal at a fancy restaurant and get reimbursed for it."
If I don't like the shop/terms/reimbursement, I just hit delete. I took my husband to a comedy show recently, it happened to fall on his birthday. The fee will be reimbursed for over $170 (included tickets, parking and food/drinks). He and I were both thrilled to have such a nice free date and a way to celebrate his birthday. I have full confidence the check will be coming in a few days since I got a 10/10 on the report. And the spousal unit has asked me several times to "look for more of those shops."
Velvett, I guess I am confused by your outrage on nothing to gain. Yes, I would like $150 pay with $170 reimbursement, but that isn't my reality..... yet.
If I don't like the shop/terms/reimbursement, I just hit delete. I took my husband to a comedy show recently, it happened to fall on his birthday. The fee will be reimbursed for over $170 (included tickets, parking and food/drinks). He and I were both thrilled to have such a nice free date and a way to celebrate his birthday. I have full confidence the check will be coming in a few days since I got a 10/10 on the report. And the spousal unit has asked me several times to "look for more of those shops."
Velvett, I guess I am confused by your outrage on nothing to gain. Yes, I would like $150 pay with $170 reimbursement, but that isn't my reality..... yet.
I consider myself lucky when I get assigned to one of these shops, having done them only twice so far. The reimbursement is extremely generous (they only don't pay for child meals), and the report is not especially onerous compared to what other companies require. These are restaurants I could not afford and would not visit otherwise.
When I was a newbe I jumped on one of the fine dining $150 lunch shop. I thought I would be able to eat something new and different at a nice place. The problem is that not everyone gets good service and food at these places. It started out with a fly in my glass of wine and went on to a server that would not give me the time of day.
So what I got was service that was not good, food that did not taste good and then I had a long hard report to do. So getting reimbursed for a meal I did not eat and service that was bad, was not pay enough.
So now that I have 8 years experience mystery shopping, I do not do many reimbursement only dining shops. Living in the Washington DC area, I need money for parking, and I would like to be paid something for my time.
And I do not understand who came up with this idea of reimbursement only shop. Working for food does not pay my rent or other bills.
Oh, another thing, I do not work for reimbursement in restaurant gift cards. (This just mean I will need to go have the same bad experience twice.) And I feel like I am paying to work because I paid for the first meal with my cash money.
So what I got was service that was not good, food that did not taste good and then I had a long hard report to do. So getting reimbursed for a meal I did not eat and service that was bad, was not pay enough.
So now that I have 8 years experience mystery shopping, I do not do many reimbursement only dining shops. Living in the Washington DC area, I need money for parking, and I would like to be paid something for my time.
And I do not understand who came up with this idea of reimbursement only shop. Working for food does not pay my rent or other bills.
Oh, another thing, I do not work for reimbursement in restaurant gift cards. (This just mean I will need to go have the same bad experience twice.) And I feel like I am paying to work because I paid for the first meal with my cash money.
I typically do dining shops that have no fee, only a re-imbursement and $150 to $200 out of pocket for a month for a shop is typical. I have completed a few shops for Service Performance Group and have been happy with them. I wish they had more shops available in my area.
Here's a good example of a shop that doesn't cover all expenses and has cr@p pay: I took an amusement park shop the other day. I have been dying to take my kids to Disneyland, but at $80/ticket I've been reluctant to go. Me and my kids, can go to another park (which I've wanted to go to since it opened, so it's not a bad alternative) and get away with spending no more than $100 out of pocket after reimbursements. Plus I can get an extra ticket for a friend and her 1 yr old to come along for "free". I can't wait to go!
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