Being a reference for friends??

Has anyone talked up or just talked about their MSing, piqueing the interest of friends who want to know more? Are these friends less than "reliable or competent" than you would like to sign off on??? What do you do to save face?

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

I have gotten one sister involved in shopping. My other sister would be so devastated by editor critique that I have not encouraged her to shop. Generally I just don't talk to folks about doing shopping except on forums.

Well, I am still a wineaux, first and foremost, so when people want to talk to me about "what I do" it's usually beverage related and they want bartending or wine pairing suggestions.

But regarding MSing, I have a few people close to me who jump on the "I want to make a little extra cash too...help me!" band wagon. I am happy to share info, although I hesitate they may be taking MY work later on, I am more worried that it will come back to bite me if they sign up with my name as a reference, flake out and there are reprecussions on me ?!?!

I simply tell folks that I am doing 'some consulting' that is 'a little of this and a little of that, depending on what I can land thatlooks interesting' and leave it at that. On reveals I frequently have a crewperson indicating they think they would like to do what I do. I tell them it is great, especially if you want to be up half the night doing reports.

While I don't know that it would come back to bite you if you were a reference for someone who turned out to be a flake, why risk it? I generally am willing to recommend a shopper I have known for a while, with whom I have seen intelligence in their forum writing, when a company I have a good relationship with needs somebody in a specific area.

Good point...have you felt the pressure from MS companies for referrals? I've noticed several of them asking for them on their reports, even.

I have given referrals that I have not lived to regret. I will PM you tomorrow. Got too many reports tonight.

**********************************************************************
“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton

My family knows I MS but I haven't told anyone else. I worry if I recommended someone I would feel responsible if they messed up. Or that I would feel I had to help them or feel guilty if they didn't like it. And, too, since I work full-time and just do this part-time (in this over-shopped area I don't think it could ever be anywhere close to full-time shopping due to the amount of competition), it's just easier to keep it to myself.

The few friends, or friends of friends, that know about me and mystery shopping, have asked. But the facts I provide have tempted no one. It works for you or it doesn't.

I made the mistake of referring someone who took my entire income for a period of time and laughed about it. She ended up becoming so bold as to tell me that she wanted ME to do her reports for her while she did the shops and got the money. Her husband was angry with me that WORK was actually involved (he was a lazy bugger).

Needless to say the companies finally discovered what a total flake she was and didn't hold it against me. Of course, she and I are no longer speaking.

Her Serene Majesty, Cettie - Goat Queen of Zoltar, Sublime Empress of Her Caprine Domain

Cettie Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I made the mistake of referring someone who took
> my entire income for a period of time and laughed
> about it. She ended up becoming so bold as to
> tell me that she wanted ME to do her reports for
> her while she did the shops and got the money.
> Her husband was angry with me that WORK was
> actually involved (he was a lazy bugger).

Wow. I knew the beginning part of the story from elsewhere, but not the whole thing. That was no friend. :-(
>
> Needless to say the companies finally discovered
> what a total flake she was and didn't hold it
> against me.

Thank goodness!

>Of course, she and I are no longer
> speaking.

Geez, and who would expect you to still hang with someone like that? That would be beyond the bounds of friendship.

jjage Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Good point...have you felt the pressure from MS
> companies for referrals? I've noticed several of
> them asking for them on their reports, even.

Many of them post even on the front page of their website or on their job boards to refer friends. Some even offer a bounty for sending shoppers their way who complete a job. I let that stuff just pass me by. I am not interested in pimping. On the other hand, when there is a good solid company I work with that asks me if I know anyone in ________ I will suggest to a shopper friend I know who lives there that they sign up with the company and offer to drop through an email of support so they are not a complete unknown to the folks I work with there. I won't send the email unless they tell me to go ahead and I don't follow up to see if they signed up.

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

Being a reference for friends??

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine