On top of the bank shop fee (see other thread) I had my first shop rejected and I can't get over it.

I mentioned before in other posts that I always try to be as candid as possible if an employee I'm shopping is not tops in his field but this one was so awful that I really couldn't help but have many "no" answers and in the end comments instead of saying she should be fired, I just said she needed a lot more training and help.

Well, listen to this: this is for a wireless provider at a kiosk inside this big store where you need a membership to shop but can go in with daily passes to check things out and see if you'd like to become a member.

To make a long story short, this girl had no basic service ethics whatsoever. No "Hi, I'll be with you shortly" nothing. Just makes me wait for 7 min. Finally, she comes to me and I asked about a new phone and she just points to the phones saying "that's what we have". I asked for details and features, she comes next to me and read the specs underneath. Her hair smelled bad and dirty. No name tag. No identifiable shirt.

Phone rings, she leaves me to talk on the phone for 5 min. At this point I just want to leave but I want to give her every chance possible to make good.

Finally, I say "ok, I like these 2 phones can you show me how the camera works?" Which she sorta does.

Anyway, I then say, "Well, I'm on a day pass but really want to buy a membership so what kind of discounts for members.

Once again, she just points to the signs for me to read.

So, I asked for her card and leave.

Well, my shop gets rejected by the wireless provider because apparently since I did not say I was already member I didn't get her full attention.

SAY WHAT?????
First of all, she did not know that till the end and second, if I'm looking to be a member I should receive the red carpet treatment to make sure I sign up, no?

Well, I can only conclude what I've seen happening over and over is that, here in Florida, ethnic folks can't do no wrong and are protected.

I told my good friend at my regular job about that experience because she became a member of this store recently and she said, that must have been the same young girl, she got two weeks ago when she went with her husband to upgrade their phones. Her exact words "She had the personality of a dead fish and was totally clueless and we won't be renewing our memberships."

So looks like telling the truth does not pay after all.

Done ranting.

Peace out!

Sorry to hear about your shop rejection. They sting, don't they? Though it's only a small comfort... at least this wasn't a reimbursed shop where you'd be out your own money.

However, I'm really confused about this part:

"Well, I can only conclude what I've seen happening over and over is that, here in Florida, ethnic folks can't do no wrong and are protected."

Relevance?

Why did you mention you were not a member and ask her about a membership, was it part of the requirement?

That's awful! Do MSC still send clients this data after they reject the shop? I would be livid if the client still gained information when I wasn't paid!

LisaSTL Wrote:
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> Why did you mention you were not a member and ask
> her about a membership, was it part of the
> requirement?


One of the requirement on her part was that she was supposed to tell me that with the purchase of a phone I'd get a full year membership free, so I was just trying to lead her into telling me about the offer. But technically, I wasn't supposed to say anything and I should've kept this out of the report. In trying to get her to score some points I ended up screwing myself.
My bad. Lesson learned.

But I never thought that the client would think it's ok not to give someone good service because I'm only a potential member. Just doesn't make sense to me.

I am not sure all the membership stores are the same but for the one I belong to the people in the cell phone kiosk do not work for the store. The only reason they would care if you get a membership at the store is that then they will make the sale of the phone and get their commission for that if they are working on commission. That said, I have encountered many salespeople who are lame at their jobs. It is sad to find this and makes the report if it is a mystery shop that much harder to write up. For the future it is always a good idea to stay objective unless asked at the last question for your opinion and even then I would steer away from being heavy handed about it.
As you said, this will be a good learning experience. Sorry you did not get paid. Hopefully this young lady will get better or get so bored with this job she will leave on her own and may in fact learn something about the work ethic from her dreadful experience.

The report didn't get thrown out because you told the truth. It was thrown out because you did not follow the scenario. Occasionally new shoppers feel the need to lead the sales associate in a misguided attempt to inflate their scores. It is a disservice to the employee and client because training opportunities are missed. As to your comment in the report about her needing training, did the report ask for your opinion? Comments like that are subjective and clients do not want to read about what they should or shouldn't do. Stating the facts, giving precise times for your wait and telling them what she did or did not do will let them know further action is needed.

I've done a few of these shops and I have never mentioned anything about my membership. I've been told I would get a discount on the insurance if I was a member. They offered the information freely and showed me a brochure with the rates and that. I would never lead them on. It is their job and if they are not doing their job, the client wants to know.

I'm sure you will do better the next time.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...you did not
> follow the scenario. Occasionally new shoppers
> feel the need to lead the sales associate in a
> misguided attempt to inflate their scores...

Very valid.

LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> As to your
> comment in the report about her needing training,
> did the report ask for your opinion? Comments like
> that are subjective...

Probably deserved a two or three point deduction to teach the subjectivity lesson. That's how I learned it.

towncountry Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I can only conclude what I've seen happening
> over and over is that, here in Florida, ethnic
> folks can't do no wrong and are protected.

That had nothing to do with anything.


LisaSTL Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> It was thrown out because you did not
> follow the scenario.

I disagree. I think that was a very minor transgression, meriting at most a point deduction. The client illogically used the petty scenario deviation as a lame excuse to reject an exceptionally and accurately negative, albeit compositionally flawed, report.

I didn't say it was a major or minor transgression. Assuming that was the reason, and the only reason, she gave them an excuse and they took full advantage. The point is the report was not thrown out because she told the truth. In other posts the OP has mentioned her own bias against clients who hire mystery shoppers and how she will lead and try to help employees. If she had not attempted to lead the employee she would not have asked her about membership benefits and the shop would have stood.

The general rule to follow in any sales shop is "Give them a chance to succeed." A chance. Opportunity. Long pauses. Openings. We're generally not supposed to lead.

I think the OP saw what she did as giving the salesperson an opening, but.... what she did is lead the salesperson.

OP, a better way to "create an opening" is to just use the old hesitation/objection over price. I have done this shop many times, and always expressed being concerned about the price. The salesmen, even the not-so-great ones, always counter my hesitation/objection over the price, with mentioning the free membership/membership extension, and the money I'll save on the membership and groceries.

Good learning lesson here - follow the scenario and objectively report the results. Allow the subject to perform the job and pass or fail on her own. Do not attempt to "lead" or "help." Helping skews the results and lowers the value of a mystery shop.

I had my first legit, my-fault screwup on a shop. A MSC does two kinds of shops at a chain of movie theaters, involved theater checks and "service is rewarded" shops where you just go and see if the ticket taker and cashier do everything properly, and if they do, you give them a little card with a bonus. They pay the same even though the SIR are substantially easier.

I could have sworn I signed up to do two SIR shops but apparently the second of the two I signed up for was a check shop (even though I maintain I signed up to do the other kind of shop), but I didn't know that until after I went home and looked at the form. I had just done the other shop so I knew the guidelines by heart... but apparently I did the wrong kind. I'm kicking myself for not checking even though I do suspect the MSC pulled a bait and switch with me. They said they'll talk to the client, though, and get things sorted out so I hope I'm not on the hook for tickets I didn't want to buy in the first place.

At Townncountry I received similar service doing what I suspect is the same shop...wrote it up as nicely as possible and it got rejected. I suspect the client only wants positive feedback. It's a shame.

I have done this shop at multiple locations, initially getting in with a member. Later I joined so that I was not dependent on having someone along. I never knew that I could get a day pass at the one I am referring to, although getting a day pass at another one of the three membership places is actually the basis of a MS I have done for them.

The free membership offer is a new one. Until this month, they were supposed to tell me that I would get a free tablet. No one ever told me about the free tablet, and this month, no one told me about the free year's membership. I have generally been pleased with the level of knowledge of the kiosk employees in my area of PA, DE, and NJ. I also do the ones where I count the number of people they talk to while they are standing in the aisles. Rarely do they stand in the aisles, and then they rarely accost people. I report what I see in the required time period and I am sure it is bad news for the employees. I have never had one rejected.

Having done dozens and dozens of cell phone shops in company stores, franchise stores, warehouse clubs, Staples, Radio Shack, Walmart (ugghhh!), Target, etc., I have been going to the kiosk in my local membership club for about 3 years.

That sucks, Towncountry! Tomorrow starts a new and better week. Lick your wounds, say a couple of expletives, don't look back and move forward. NEXT!

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2014 07:29AM by bestofbothworlds.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/06/2014 04:45AM by Shop2LiveinFL.

Towncountry, you wrote that "Well, I can only conclude what I've seen happening
> over and over is that, here in Florida, ethnic
> folks can't do no wrong and are protected."

What does this statement have to do with anything? Not only is this statement unbelievably offensive, but its an incredible quantum leap in reasoning when it comes to you not following the scenario, suggesting that the employee in question needs training and then assuming that due to the employee being a different ethnic background other than your own, the client gave said employee the benefit of the doubt? Really, towncountry?

And you wonder why the client and MSC rejected your report? I think that its quite obvious.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/2014 12:04AM by Eric in Tampa.

I am glad I am not the only one who found that completely offensive. It has nothing to do with the shop. And being a Floridian, that is an ignorant statement!
I had a sales person, yesterday, dumb as rocks and a personality to match. White as can be. Not once when I filled out my shop did I hope or think she would fired. The purpose is to correct the issue and be proactive. To say that race had anything to do with your shop is absurd.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2014 09:39PM by Lisardh.

"Well, I can only conclude what I've seen happening over and over is that, here in Florida, ethnic folks can't do no wrong and are protected."

This statement might be your first problem.

The bottom line is that you did the shop incorrectly by saying that you were not a member. You are not supposed to lead the conversation. Then to top it off, you make assumptions about ethnicity and state (in very poor English) that the issue is that "... ethnic folks can't do no wrong and are protected."