I received an email this morning from a certain MSC stating that they would appreciate it if I could start inputting my reports within an hour or two after my shops. Excuse me? I generally route shop so this is not even possible. And I thought the one with the 6 hour deadline was bad. Geez.

Please name the MSC so we know who to avoid... a 6 hour deadline pushes the boundaries of practicality. 1 to 2 hours is outrageous.

It was MarketForce, who I happen to love. I shop for them all the time, love their reporting process, love the schedulers. I have no complaints about them previously. This just surprised me. I generally do all my shops during the day, spend time with my kids until they go to bed, and input them all at night. I am usually done within 8 hours of the shops. I am fortunate enough to have a job where I can mystery shop during the day as well, but I am unable to do my reports there as they do not have a scanner. No way I can do 1-2 hours. They did not say it was a requirement, just that it is preferred. But still, that is asking a lot.

This might be a temporary request due to the Thanksgiving holiday next week. Many schedulers, editors, owners will be taking time off of work or short-handed so I'm sure they are pushing to get reports in early. If you tell us which MSC, we can determine if this request is the norm or not. But since the OP is "new" just don't name the client. :-)

If you would like to input the reports earlier don't let the lack of a scanner put you off. Learn to photograph receipts and other proof of visit with either your phone or a camera. With a camera use the the macro setting.

I have done this with shops that state specifically that it is ok, but had not with others. Is this generally ok to do with all shops?

I think camera trumps scanner. I don't even own a working scanner anymore.

Great, thanks!

Here's what they sent me this morning regarding a shop I have for today:

Thank you for accepting the deadline shop listed above!  Market Force and <client name > greatly appreciate your help!
 
Please make sure you can absolutely complete and report this shop as scheduled, as we are approaching deadline and there are limited reschedule dates available.
 
If you cannot complete this shop as schedule, please cancel immediately so that we may assign it to another Shopper who will be able to complete it in time for us to make the deadline.
 
It is very important that all deadline shops are reported as soon as possible.  We really appreciate it when deadline shoppers are able to enter their data within 1-2 hours after the shop is complete whenever possible, allowing us to get each report to the Client even sooner.

--

It's a polite request, but I'll be pushing to get it done within 6 hours.
 

llamm, I had a company ask for audit paperwork to be scanned. After pointing out all of my hiring paperwork has been photographed they agreed to accept pictures. If a company does not specify it is because all they are looking for is clear images. IMHO, the word scan in guidelines is just used out of habit and doesn't mean a pic won't be accepted.

How about they cut me a check 1-2 hours after the report is in? Maybe then we will talk.

Got the same email. This is going to be interesting as it is snowing in the mountain community where this FF location is as I write this and it will be snowing for the next three days. The route in and out is treacherous and the roads are usually closed until the snow subsides and they can get the roads plowed. I seriously doubt there is a resident who shops for MF or anyone else as I handle 95 % of the shops in the area. I think they are stuck with me and when I can get the shop done.

I got the same email but didn't read it all the way down. I have gotten those emails in the past - well about being a deadline shopper anyway. Going to check some past ones.....oh well couldn't find any of the old ones. I will get the shop inputted when I get home same day. I am not worrying about 1-2 hours.

Liz

Those are automated emails that they send for deadline shops. Just enter your report as soon as possible, definitely same day as when performed. They were not singling you out and nothing has changed with the company's policies for report submission.

I never use a scanner for receipts. Cameras are faster and easier.

MF is stating a preference, not delivering an ultimatim. I prefer to make $100 per assignment, but most assignments offer less and my preference for $100 does not prevent me from accepting any offer I feel is reasonable.

It's very, very rare that I'm able to report a shop within 2 hours. When I do it's usually because I know I will miss the deadline otherwise due to other commitments.

It does seem to be a request and not a mandate. It is also possible that someone inadvertently put a dash between the 1 and the 2 as I see typos all the time in shop ads and communications. I would be happy to comply with their instructions if they were willing to spot me a smart phone and the monthly fee for it....I am continually amazed at the amount of out of pocket these companies expect one to have for shops that pay minimum wage or less.

This summer, I signed up for a hotel reveal shop with a 24-hour report turnaround. The morning the shop was due, I received a email begging me to please submit my report within four hours. Being a newbie, and not knowing any better, I said I would do it. I had to juggle my other shops around and bust my butt all day, but I got it done and the MSC tacked on a nice bonus to boot. I noticed awhile back that this shop now requires a 4-hour turnaround.

At least you got a bonus out of it.

I just got the following e-mail from a different MSC...

"COMMENTS: DUE TO END OF MONTH, REPORTS MUST BE SUBMITTED WITHIN 4 HOURS. ANY REPORT NOT SUBMITTED ON TIME CANNOT BE ACCEPTED AND WILL RESULT IN POSSIBLE INABILITY TO COMPLETE FURTHER EVALUATIONS!"

All caps and an exclamation point? I don't think this one is a suggestion. I think Thanksgiving falling at the end of the month this year is really messing things up.

I can appreciate an MSC's request for a quick turnaround on deadline shops, and if I accept the assignment, I do my best to submit it within the timeframe. I realize the MSC is up against a deadline, and needs time to edit, ask for clarification if needed, and submit. Or, reject, repost, reshop and edit.

Bare has a shop requesting a three hour turnaround. It's low-paying, and not worth it regardless. Just my opinion.

The deciding factor for me would simply be my relationship with the company. A company that has been good to me, I will go out of my way to help including a quick turnaround on a report if they are up against the wall. A company that considers me a number and disposable, not so much.

I agree, LisaSTL. I agreed to do the quick turnaround for a couple of reasons, (1) I really wanted to do the shop, and (2) I wanted to get my foot in the door with MSC. I'm glad I did because I get some fun assignments from them and most of the shops come with a bonus. I got a bogged down once with reporting and the MSC understood and let me submit the report late and still paid me.

Shop2LiveinFL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just got the following e-mail from a different
> MSC...
>
> "COMMENTS: DUE TO END OF MONTH, REPORTS MUST BE
> SUBMITTED WITHIN 4 HOURS. ANY REPORT NOT SUBMITTED
> ON TIME CANNOT BE ACCEPTED AND WILL RESULT IN
> POSSIBLE INABILITY TO COMPLETE FURTHER
> EVALUATIONS!"
>
> All caps and an exclamation point? I don't think
> this one is a suggestion. I think Thanksgiving
> falling at the end of the month this year is
> really messing things up.


If that was a requirement when I took the shop, well I signed up for it, so I would do it. If that was one that was added after the report was accepted and they attempted to change the terms, they would hear from me that it would not happen and that if there were any issues, I would be reporting their behavior to the Better Business Bureau. I have used this threat 2 times, but it worked impressively well and I have never had to actually do a report. While I am new here, I am not a new shopper. I am in business for myself. If I have to cancel a shop due to an emergency, per the contract I signed, I am aware and accepting of the consequences. IMO, as an independent contractor, a 4-hour window is perilously close to requiring that I behave as an employee. As that is not what I signed up for, I would refuse, provided that it creates an issue. If I had to rearrange, I would refuse.

If they want it that quickly they should have an ap so you can submit it as soon as completed. I have several companies that I work for have one and I love it

(as) If the client is willing to pay for that service, I can see benefit. Just imagine the added reinforcement value of presenting a completed shop report to the employee before they've even finished the work day. As someone who can't remember what I last ate (unless I wrote about it), this would have much more effect on my ability to reflect on what actually happened.

But it sounds like this is just a case of the editor hoping to be done before kick-off.

I was just passing this information on so you would realize that it is not just one MSC that is asking for very speedy turnaround times. I work for this company but in a different aspect so I don't take these shops.

I don't think MS is going to be worth while if they keep lowering the turn around times. Not everyone is full time MSers and without those that are not full time the rotation would be a issue for the MSC's.
I can't shop a coffee shop before work, then work a eight hour job, get off work, cook dinner, bath the children, do homework, play time and put them to bed and get the report done on time since they want the report in 12 hours since I shopped the shop at 8 Am I would need to decide.
Do sacrificeic the time with my children for the 4.22 cents I made? Will they ever offer or even get better jobs to offer me? Am I wasting my time?
I am noticing more and more MSC are asking for 12 hour reports. I wish they would at least give us until midnight our time zone, like they are not up that time of night to edit any way, the report would be there when they wake up and they can do their thing.

I figure more and more MS will start dropping out due to the money not being enough for the turn around time not being worth it. Then the MSC's will have to re-think their greed.

I performed 7 shops today, I will be up all night tonight getting reports done, but by morning I will have them all finished and meet all of the deadlines. But if all 7 were 12 hours then I couldn't have done this, and MSing wouldn't be worth it for me.
Don't get me wrong, I don't normally book 7 in a day, but with it being the end of the rush I filled up my days to make the money, next week I have 4 shops total scheduled for the whole week, I can rest then.

Back to my point, the turn around time should be a bit more fair, if we don't have time to perform multiple shops in an area to make shopping worth while then we might not do it at all, then what will the MSC's do?

iiCyou Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I am noticing more and more MSC are asking for 12
> hour reports. I wish they would at least give us
> until midnight our time zone, like they are not up
> that time of night to edit any way, the report
> would be there when they wake up and they can do
> their thing.

I disagree with you about editors not being up late at night/early morning editing our reports. Many editors are ICs just like us. Some work FT jobs during the day and edit at night for extra money. And many editors live in different time zones so they realistically could be three or more hours later than where you live. I work for a company based out of Australia so their editors are editing my work while I am sleeping.

And not everyone is an early bird. My natural body clock is that of a night owl and I do my best work in the dark of the night. O:-)

What's the old saying? You can have it good, cheap, or quick. Pick 2 of the 3.