Field Agent chapter 2

October 15, 2014 11:02AM

So after having a series of photo audits rejected because the photos were blurry I abandoned being subtle when doing a photo audit at a very large coffee chain. Manager comes out and asks for an authority letter, then nicely asks me to leave when I can't produce one. Says their menu board is protected by copyright. Of course, I politely leave. I add comments about interaction on Feild Agent report that they have yet to reply to.

Is the Field Agent app being used by competitors for unauthorized corporate spying? If so, I'm not cool with being an unwitting pawn. At least not for $4.00.

"She was not quite what you would call refined. She was not quite what you would call unrefined. She was the type of person who would keep a parrot." Mark Twain

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October 15, 2014 01:12PM

On a lot of the crowd sourcing apps (including Field Agent) you can't be sure who commissioned the job. Of course, that's true for regular mystery shopping as well. I wish the legitimate shops would issue a letter of authorization. On some of these jobs, it really is asking a lot for a very small reward. They're asking you to bear all the risk. The worst case scenario is that you can be banned from the store or questioned by the police.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/15/2014 02:20PM by Stepanuk.

October 15, 2014 01:17PM

I would assume anytime I'm being asked to surruptiously record/photograph prices that it is for a competitor. Why else would there be a need for secrecy if it was just an audit/price check for the head office, etc?

October 15, 2014 04:44PM

As similar assignment showed up on the job board again and it does not say whether to be surruptitious or not. With the glare from the lighting and needing three clear focus pictures, subtle was not an option.

I guess this is another for the learning curve, no Photo Audits for this girl.

"She was not quite what you would call refined. She was not quite what you would call unrefined. She was the type of person who would keep a parrot." Mark Twain

October 15, 2014 06:01PM

I did a photo audit for a Walgreens and it included a LoA that I showed to the manager. But I agree, I don't like and wouldn't do something that obvious without an LoA to back me up.

October 15, 2014 06:17PM

BackwoodsBC don't give up on all photo audits. I actually like Field Agent. Consider the store, the number of photos, and what you're photographing. People do take photos in stores to help them decide on a purchase. For some items it seems reasonable to take a photo.

October 16, 2014 03:26AM

Taking a picture of something that is on public display does not violate its copyright. If it did, so would writing down the prices and the names of the food items. And trust me, nobody holds a copyright on "French fries, $1.79."

That doesn't mean they don't have the right to ask you to leave if you're not a customer (or even if you are).

the mistake you made was not having a backstory, such as, "We're planning to order from here for our Friday meeting at (name a local office in the area) and wanted to have the items in advance so we can order faster when we call it in so they asked me to photograph the menu."

Time to build a bigger bridge.

October 16, 2014 04:04AM

If their menu boards are copyrighted, it would be the whole design, not just the names of the items and the prices... it's the way the menu board is laid out, their unique fonts, and the photos included. Copying something without permission (to include taking a photo) would be a violation of their copyright, if they have one.

I refuse to do menu board audits through Field Agent because their in-app camera doesn't allow for adjustments or focusing, and with those weird screens on top of the menu board, the photos turn out awful.

I'll do them through Informa/Mystery Researchers because I can use a real camera and make my own adjustments.

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Plan the work. Work the plan.

October 16, 2014 07:46AM

Thanks for the great comments!!! All of you above

"She was not quite what you would call refined. She was not quite what you would call unrefined. She was the type of person who would keep a parrot." Mark Twain

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Field Agent chapter 2

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