Editors, do you lay in bed at night and conjure up questions that don't exist on the questionnaire? Do you have your own forum and share how to stump the shopper? Giggle, giggle.

Why oh why do you do this.

Remark from editor "Please indicate the exact time you paid the bill." Shopper, hmmmmm. Shopper re-reads questionnaire. Shopper puts the questionnaire down. Waits awhile, picks it up again. Shopper is still stumped. Still can't find the question. Shopper tries again walking away. Shopper still has no luck locating this question. Shopper asks husband to read questionnaire and husband does not find the question.

Is it the power that leads you to do this? Are we supposed to read your minds on some superfluous question? This happen way too much in my book. Tonight has just sent me over the edge!

I am looking forward to this forum setting me straight.

You'll probably find some tiny mention of it in the instructions. That's happened to me before!! Nothing on the questionaire, but there it is . . . a single sentence burried in some off beat section of the instructions. I had to do a re-shop for that very reason.

I can only speak for myself, but I guarantee you that I don't send a report back unless I have to. I hate sending reports back. If I send it back, I have to re-read the entire report again. I don't want to do that.

I don't mind real time editors comments. I hate the automated bullshyte messages though.

Shoppurr, I guess its time for a magnifying glass!

I am somewhat puzzled as to what editors do. I'm not being sarcastic but if I had gotten that question I probably would have emailed the editor back with the answer.
This is what I find confusing - if I was an editor I would rather drop the info into the otherwise edited (and perfect) report myself once I obtain it rather than have the shopper go back in and possible make a mess of it.

I've been wondering if editors have any input on guidelines and questionnaires.

I'm guessing the editor was working on reports for more than one client and probably got the shopper instructions mixed up.

I got an edititorial comment on a shop that corrected me on something that's a new guideline and which shoppers hadn't yet been told about. Guess I'm a mind reader, or should be.

Re: the OP's situation, I have a question: I assume the receipt had to be uploaded with the shop report? Wouldn't that have had the EXACT time the shopper paid the bill, and couldn't the editor take it off of that? Or, was there no receipt required?

She wanted the exact time the waitress picked up the check with the payment. So the times would be different.

I never understand how "shoppers" (i.e. people who go and judge other people's behaviors) are so bent up about other people judging their own work. Now you know how the associate you shopped feel.

LindaM Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I never understand how "shoppers" (i.e. people who
> go and judge other people's behaviors) are so bent
> up about other people judging their own work. Now
> you know how the associate you shopped feel.


Shopper's aren't supposed to judge other people's behaviors. Shoppers are supposed to provide an objective and factual report of what happened. There should be no judging involved.

LindaM Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I never understand how "shoppers" (i.e. people who
> go and judge other people's behaviors) are so bent
> up about other people judging their own work. Now
> you know how the associate you shopped feel.


Linda, I have been on both sides. You seem a little "testy" about this. How "should" the associate feel if he is doing his job correctly?

It works both ways. Do your job and most times, unless someone has an axe to bury in your back, you should be fine

Maybe judging is the wrong word. Maybe "auditing" someone's work. Well, that is what the editor is doing as well. I'm sure the shopped employee probably disagreed with the shopper on a bunch of things as well.

I do take your point, Linda. For people who write reports detailing the actions of business people performing their jobs, sometimes with great feedback and sometimes with negative feedback, we sure can't take it when someone gives us feedback that is less than spectacular. And we don't understand why the client comes back to argue when our reports show their performance to be less than great.

Linda, I think the issue some of us have with editors is not that we get edited or that they may have negative comments. As a writer, I used to have my work edited and generally don't have a problem with it, unless.... And I think for many posters here, based on what I've read in the short time I've been on this forum, the "unlesses" include:

Getting "marked down" on things that we didn't include and weren't part of the shop instructions.

Getting dinged on grammar and spelling, by an editor whose comments are full of grammar and spelling errors (makes one wonder if the editor is marking things wrong that are right!). While I haven't yet been marked down for that (that I know of), I have to wonder at the blatant errors in some comments I've received.... And I've read posts from others here that say their reports were marked down for grammar mistakes, but had English teachers or other language experts review them and say there weren't any!

Having an editor ask for information that is already contained in the report, and being marked down because the editor "had to ask for clarification."

Following the shop instructions to a "T," yet the editor apparently feels that we didn't.

Getting a really bad grade on a report with no explanation from the editor.

I doubt anybody has a problem with "fair" editing, and although "fair" is subjective, I think most people who do this recognize when they've goofed and own up to it. But do get upset over something they feel is unjustified.

BirdyC Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Linda, I think the issue some of us have with
> editors is not that we get edited or that they may
> have negative comments. As a writer, I used to
> have my work edited and generally don't have a
> problem with it, unless.... And I think for many
> posters here, based on what I've read in the short
> time I've been on this forum, the "unlesses"
> include:
>
> Getting "marked down" on things that we didn't
> include and weren't part of the shop instructions.
>
>
> Getting dinged on grammar and spelling, by an
> editor whose comments are full of grammar and
> spelling errors (makes one wonder if the editor is
> marking things wrong that are right!). While I
> haven't yet been marked down for that (that I know
> of), I have to wonder at the blatant errors in
> some comments I've received.... And I've read
> posts from others here that say their reports were
> marked down for grammar mistakes, but had English
> teachers or other language experts review them and
> say there weren't any!
>
> Having an editor ask for information that is
> already contained in the report, and being marked
> down because the editor "had to ask for
> clarification."
>
> Following the shop instructions to a "T," yet the
> editor apparently feels that we didn't.
>
> Getting a really bad grade on a report with no
> explanation from the editor.
>
> I doubt anybody has a problem with "fair" editing,
> and although "fair" is subjective, I think most
> people who do this recognize when they've goofed
> and own up to it. But do get upset over something
> they feel is unjustified.


I really hate it when I get dinged for more clarification when the answer was right there in the report.

Well, I just got an 8 (which really bothers me) because I failed to mention how tall I am, after describing myself to a T. Why did they require a complete description of myself, as well as my attire, is beyond me. It's an high end shoe shop and now that I know I have to describe myself, I will stop doing shops for that MSC.

I feel that the blame for editors who are misinformed or overzealous falls squarely on the companies who hire them.

Let's be honest, and this may be only my opinion. It seems that, in a general way, (ahem - mystery shoppers) and people who like to critique others (which is subtly different from criticizing) very often DO NOT LIKE to be citicized or critiqued themselves.

I know I'm that way. ;o) This goes all the way back to grammar school. If ever I received anything less than an A on a paper, I needed to know exactly why.

Sometimes we need to just take it with a grain of salt and move on. Don't fret over it. Life's too short. Besides, even if our report WAS perfect, the checker (editor) may not be. ;o) LOL

risinghorizon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Well, I just got an 8 (which really bothers me)
> because I failed to mention how tall I am, after
> describing myself to a T. Why did they require a
> complete description of myself, as well as my
> attire, is beyond me. It's an high end shoe shop
> and now that I know I have to describe myself, I
> will stop doing shops for that MSC.


They probably want the description of yourself because the client wants the description of yourself. And why would the client care what you look like? 1) High-end shops want a certain type of shopper and a certain look and 2) The client probably is reviewing the security cameras to see if the shoppers were actually there when they said they were and did what they said they did during the shop.

Now I see where I posted this which you said was redundant. I did not read your response. It actually
does not answer my question and I wasn't ranting.

The shop's report required the description and it was on the guidelines. It was not a question posted
after the report was graded. It was a regular question on the report. And I noticed it in another shop I did.

You have misunderstood my post. The client has not even seen the report because the reviewer said I did
not complete the description required by the guideline.

i hayte wen editurs tri to currect my gramar becuz i no how to spel good

Linda: We aren't judging, we are following strict guidelines. There is no room for opinion.

Editors don't make up the questions. They are trying to meet the client's expectations for the report. If the questions seem ridiculous, it's not the editor's fault, as they don't design the forms. I'm not an editor, but I have seen things from that side and I don't envy their job. :-D

CTCSS Jen Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Editors don't make up the questions. They are
> trying to meet the client's expectations for the
> report. If the questions seem ridiculous, it's not
> the editor's fault, as they don't design the
> forms. I'm not an editor, but I have seen things
> from that side and I don't envy their job. :-D


Hi Jen, I have a quick question if you are still here. What recourse does a shopper have if their score is reduced because the editor had to contact the shopper with a question but the answer was already in the narrative? Should they just let it go or contest the matter?

~ Your report has been finalized. Thank you for submitting it with all the required information. Keep up the great work!
Score 9/10

A year ago I'd have been steaming for weeks over that missing point. Right now, I got paid, and I have 11 reports to submit in the next four hours. I don't have time to think about the scores any more and don't have the energy to care about them either. The check book keeps balancing, and that's good enough.

IMTrashman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> i hayte wen editurs tri to currect my gramar becuz
> i no how to spel good


u b riit eye h8 dat 2

pammie8223 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> CTCSS Jen Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Editors don't make up the questions. They are
> > trying to meet the client's expectations for
> the
> > report. If the questions seem ridiculous, it's
> not
> > the editor's fault, as they don't design the
> > forms. I'm not an editor, but I have seen
> things
> > from that side and I don't envy their job. :-D
>
>
> Hi Jen, I have a quick question if you are still
> here. What recourse does a shopper have if their
> score is reduced because the editor had to contact
> the shopper with a question but the answer was
> already in the narrative? Should they just let it
> go or contest the matter?

Very good question. Who should be contacted?

Speaking as a writer, we often write something that is clear to us, because we know what we intended to say. The editor serves a vital link because, by not having been there, they are seeing it with virgin eyes, just like the client. If something is not clear to them, even though it is in the narrative, odds are likely that it will not be clear to the client. And no, I don't always agree with the way some of my reports are edited, but I accept it as a necessary part of this job.