This forum is so great because of the diversity of people that read it and post. The information is invaluable to brand new shoppers and long term shoppers.
I wanted to comment on the "dream job" part. I think scheduling would be great for puzzle solvers. LOL All the little pieces that you have to line up perfectly to make the picture turn out right. And then there are of course the puzzles that have somehow come with a piece or two missing. Sense of humor has to be a must in a job like that.
Follow-up question. What techniques do schedulers use to Recruit? I have often pondered that question. A lot of shoppers are protective of their areas, shops, and routes and don't like to share information. It can be a business for some and I totally understand not wanting to give up your jobs. I just feel there is something missing in the Shopping field to not destroy someone's livelihood and still get shoppers for everything that needs done.



@@ MS'ing for three years and still feel like a new kid on the block sometimes @@

I Been Trying To Find The Company That Does Mystery Shops For The Safeway Grocery Stores.If You Know They Are Can You Let Me Know.I Work For World Class Services For 5 Years Then They Lost There Contract.
Thank You
Dave Nyberg

Moderator's comment: It is inappropriate to ask other shoppers for an MSC for a particular client.

David, the first thing you need to do is learn to type a sentence without capitalizing every word. There isn't an editor in the world who would want to read your narratives written like that.

Second, my understanding is that Safeway has their own in-house mystery shoppers.

Third, even if they didn't, and even if someone knew who shopped them, it would violate our contract with that company to tell you. We are not allowed to reveal in this forum which MSC shops which clients.

Please go to the new member section and do some reading.

And this is a great thread! I've often wondered what "a day in the life of a scheduler" was like. Thanks for sharing with us.

dspeakes Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> And this is a great thread! I've often wondered
> what "a day in the life of a scheduler" was like.
> Thanks for sharing with us.


A day in the life?

Okies.

I have to get up and walk all the way to the coffee pot. Then I settle in AFTER my cats find a comfortable spot that is not on my keyboard.

I email the shoppers in over due status.

I check my email and respond.

I keep my email on most of the day to respond asap.

I look at my shops and see what needs to be filled.

Some days I email to recruit and post shops on websites.

I call new shoppers that have just signed up with my companies to ask them if they want to shop for me.

I call past shoppers to see if they want to do the shop again.

Second verse same as the first.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2014 12:45PM by Sallyctcss.

I was once asked to be a scheduler or editor so I asked my favourite scheduler for his opinion. This is what he told me, "Not unless you hate your life right now."

I salute you for what you do. That's why I make it a point to have a good rapport with my schedulers. I tend to stay away from any MSC where a scheduler exhibits characteristics that suggests he/she does not belong there. Your excellent managerial and organizational skills won't matter if you have not perfected Customer Service to a "T."

Kudos on your post, Sally!

Sally & Pete:

The outfits I have the best relationships with work with me individually, like my own clients do. I know pretty much all there is to know about what the client expects, and know if a shop needs to be done within whatever time frame, and sometimes over a month in advance we have a tentative schedule, which is dynamic. How dynamic depends on my client's or the MS Co's needs. You probably have shoppers that you could deal with pretty much the same way my own clients deal with me, and over time you could develop a team for serving your clients that would be quite robust, perhaps? I'll elaborate:

My own clients and I have things pretty much planned ahead on a tentative basis up to 6 months or so out, this includes competitive observation, analysis and reporting, relevant internal security issues and QOS matters. My clients generally give me a goal, we'll call that the forest, and I find out what and where the trees are in the forest, and provide the information.

A couple MS companies I work for assign jobs that are never posted nor seen by normal shoppers, for all practical purposes, I act like a captive agent for the MS Co providing service for their client. I treat such clients with the same commitment as I do for my own clients, and have specific permission to, when the situation warrants, recruit shopper(s) to contact the MS Co and shop for said client. It's rare, true, and I only refer someone I positively can trust. They never know of my relationship with the MS Co. and themselves only see the MS Co. as any normal shopper would.

And finally there's the MS Co I work for that I brought to my own friend, who used to be my client but now is served by the MS Co. directly. All three of us know what the score is and we get along very well indeed. With any luck, in not too many years another of my clients will become a client of one of several MS Companies I currently serve. My policy on that is to give my client the information of the MS Co. outfits I can personally vouch for, and let them pick and choose. My role from that point on tends to be sort of a dual consultative type role, but of course I dare not go into any hint of detail here, I know at least four people that will likely read this and either know me or should.

When a MS Co. can find shoppers that literally provide them as well as their clients a level of integrity and performance that matches what the MS Co. and the client expect in themselves and each other, it can become a powerful situation.

Perhaps, Sally and Pete, though you schedule for many companies, you could find a few of those gem's out there that will treat you, the companies you schedule for, and their clients with utmost regard? I sure don't like the idea of schedulers busting their chops and losing bux all because of flakes that should not be in this business. And yes, I have seconds and sometimes even thirds for my clients, and I try to make sure if I get run over by a hippo that the job will still get done!



Sallyctcss Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> dspeakes Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > And this is a great thread! I've often
> wondered
> > what "a day in the life of a scheduler" was
> like.
> > Thanks for sharing with us.
>
>
> A day in the life?
>
> Okies.
>
> I have to get up and walk all the way to the
> coffee pot. Then I settle in AFTER my cats find a
> comfortable spot that is not on my keyboard.
>
> I email the shoppers in over due status.
>
> I check my email and respond.
>
> I keep my email on most of the day to respond
> asap.
>
> I look at my shops and see what needs to be
> filled.
>
> Some days I email to recruit and post shops on
> websites.
>
> I call new shoppers that have just signed up with
> my companies to ask them if they want to shop for
> me.
>
> I call past shoppers to see if they want to do the
> shop again.
>
> Second verse same as the first.

cincitycon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This forum is so great because of the diversity of
> people that read it and post. The information is
> invaluable to brand new shoppers and long term
> shoppers.
> I wanted to comment on the "dream job" part. I
> think scheduling would be great for puzzle
> solvers. LOL All the little pieces that you have
> to line up perfectly to make the picture turn out
> right. And then there are of course the puzzles
> that have somehow come with a piece or two
> missing. Sense of humor has to be a must in a job
> like that.
> Follow-up question. What techniques do schedulers
> use to Recruit? I have often pondered that
> question. A lot of shoppers are protective of
> their areas, shops, and routes and don't like to
> share information. It can be a business for some
> and I totally understand not wanting to give up
> your jobs. I just feel there is something missing
> in the Shopping field to not destroy someone's
> livelihood and still get shoppers for everything
> that needs done.
>
>
>
> @@ MS'ing for three years and still feel like a
> new kid on the block sometimes @@

I post all over the internet to recruit. We are in constant need of new shoppers to work within rotation requirements.

risinghorizon Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was once asked to be a scheduler or editor so I
> asked my favourite scheduler for his opinion.
> This is what he told me, "Not unless you hate your
> life right now."
>
> I salute you for what you do. That's why I make it
> a point to have a good rapport with my schedulers.
> I tend to stay away from any MSC where a scheduler
> exhibits characteristics that suggests he/she does
> not belong there. Your excellent managerial and
> organizational skills won't matter if you have not
> perfected Customer Service to a "T."
>
> Kudos on your post, Sally!

What works for one person may not work for another. It's to bad that you based your decision not to pursue scheduling based on a single schedulers viewpoint.

You may be brilliant at it.

Maybe, I'm reading something different than other's who have posted all over this site.
*If and when a scheduler calls me, I treat that as an honor that they have selected me to fill a particular job.
*I have never asked for a bonus and more than likely will never do so. If they offer me a bonus, than I would accept it.
Everyone has some kind of budget and I refuse to insult the scheduler because I know that they are in a pinch. He/she would not have phoned me unless necessary.
*Having been a retail business owner, more than once, I had learned the hard way that a back up plan is necessary. I firmly believe that. We, as shoppers are the back up plans for the scheduler's.
*If a storm arose and I could not operate that day, then I'd set my sights on how to compensate for that loss of income.
This could be a variable with a scheduler or a shopper.
*I taught my children properly, we all believe that one hand washes the other.

It seems to me as though you might be harming either yourself or them. What if they offer you something that is not worth while for you to do at the money they offer. If you accept it, you are harming yourself. If you refuse it, you might be harming them, if they can't find anyone else to do it.

Why not ask for the amount of money that would make it worth while for you? I'll assume that the schedulers are adults. If they think it is too muich, they can say no, just as you would say no if it were too little. (I hope you would, that is.)

I would do it for the amount listed unless they.....offer, more. Then, I'd make a decision if I would accept the job or not.

So you would be willing to lose money in order to put money in someone else's pocket? While charitable, I can't say it is the best business plan.

If I see or hear of a job that I'm not all that crazy about but would do for "X" amount, I let the scheduler know and I approach it as, "If can't find anyone else to do this for less, I'm willing to do it but I would need "X" amount because there's nothing else in that area I can do and it's "Y" miles round trip for me."

I let them know that I know I'm asking for a lot, but I leave it up to them to decide how badly they need the shop done. At least they know someone is willing to do it. If I don't put my offer out there because I assume they won't accept it, I've hurt both of us. I always offer and let them decide. Usually I don't get the job because someone will drive that 200 miles for less than I will, but I offer anyway and once in awhile I'll get it, or I'll get a counteroffer, or I'll get a counteroffer with an offer of a couple more jobs they had in the area.

If it's a job I like I'll do it for less than if it's a job I don't like. Everyone has to decide for themselves what their time and mileage is worth. I would never ridicule someone who is willing to work for less than I require. That's what a free market is all about. And if they do this job for less, that may leave some bonus money on the table for the next job in BFE that comes up.

WOW......I have been shopping for 2 1/2 years, and have been reading this Forum, since it's inception....THANK YOU, Sally.

This has been one of the best, most informative articles I have read. It explained that curious situation, oh how do I get a shop.... that states all days are exempted, and does not allow, self assign.

I also had no idea, that the percentage of flakes, were so high.

Thanks again , for showing us ...'The Other Side Of The Coin'.

KSSPete Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> So please... If you cannot do the shop, are not
> taking it seriously, cannot understand that your
> actions affect the scheduler in many ways, or
> understand that you do need to read the
> instructions and understand them, then don't take
> the shop.

Exactly!

Great post!

I'm curious if anyone has a blurb that they send to shoppers asking permission to text or is it a Yes/No field on the shopper registration? I think this will be a great communication tool (especially with the younger crowd - lol). I know there has been recent legislation regarding his method of contact, so I want to be in compliance with that, but wondered how your MSC handled it. Have a great day

I'm an individual sending a single text. I'm not blasting spam nor commercial advertising. I'm contacting people representing a company they have signed up with. If people don't want me to text them I mark them as a contact and put Do Not Text as their name so when I want to get in touch with them again and I search their number and they come up as DNT then I call them.

The cold texting, I think, is about unsolicited text messages trying to sell something. I'm not selling anything.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2014 02:46PM by SallySR.

How about being an independent scheduler and working for multiple MSCs? I don't want texts from one company you work with, while for others it might be acceptable. Do you distinguish between them?

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> How about being an independent scheduler and
> working for multiple MSCs? I don't want texts from
> one company you work with, while for others it
> might be acceptable. Do you distinguish between
> them?



If you are registered with company A and I go through my company A database and text you and you don't want a text, I will mark you as Do Not Text.

If you are registered with company B and I need to fill a shop for company B and I want to text you and you come up as DNT, I will not text you. I will call you.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2014 04:25PM by SallySR.

So you are saying if I am DNT with one company it will carry over to another company you schedule for?

Please understand. I have dozens of projects across the United States and that equals thousands of shoppers.

I use google voice. It's not set up for commercial use.

Yes. If a shopper does not want to be texted I will respect that and not text.

I can't set up google voice to say, Contact this shopper for Company A but not Company B.

Say I have a shop to fill for Company A in Anytown. I will contact shoppers from Company A's database.

Suppose you are registered with company B and I know that you live in Anytown, I will NOT contact you. That is a violation of my contract with Company A and Company B.

If you are registered with a generic online database that pitches to shoppers and I am recruiting shoppers from there and I come across your profile then I will recruit you for Company A.

If I search for your number to see if I contacted you before and you come up as DNT I will not text you, I will call you.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2014 04:52PM by SallySR.