Bill,

A1: Bear in mind you are requesting a picture of the uniform shirt only handsome or pretty face. And I make it a request not a demand. Only 2 or 3 out of hundreds have declined.

A2: I applied for and received a speedpass which I use but the stations have been instructed to have one on hand and it appears most of them have one.

A3: I have a detailed one page worksheet and don't have to take pump photos in sequence so I usually do not have a problem getting a straight on shot. I prefer not to take the chance that a photo is rejected.

A4: The key is having a logical and detailed one page worksheet. Not counting the time I spend in the car parked at the station making sure I have all the right photos and information, I can do a station in 20 minutes or less.

I have not done Conoco/Phillips shops. The above comments pertain to Exxon/Mobil.

Good luck, have fun.

I once did an audit where if the employee did not have a name tag on, they wanted a picture, "if" the employee agreed to be photographed. He did NOT agree. Can you say "uncomfortable?"

I do lots of Exxon shops. There are so many of them in my area, and they are highly bonused right now, so I grab all that I can and also take advantage of the extra $7 for doing them in the evening. It took awhile to get the hang of it, so stick it out and you'll get your own rhythm. My average time at the station is 20 minutes now and I don't take jobs that have more than 8 fuel pumps.

Q1: I haven't had any objections for the photograph as it is taken from the neck down. I let them know that they are only looking at the uniform, not you.

Q2: I just got my speedpass and used it for the first time last night. It wouldn't work, but the station had one. It takes just over a week to get one once you order it. I have had stations that say they don't have one, so don't count on that. I was lucky enough to observe customers using one while I was there too. This requirement only started January 1st I believe.

Q3: The photo requirement is 640x480, so when you resize, just crop the pic so it's showing the pump, everything else goes away. The photos were a real pain in the butt when I first started, but I now have them uploaded and ready to go into the report fairly quickly now.

Q4: There are probably better programs to use, but I'm using MS Paint for my photos only because I can move quickly. Adobe is okay, but has more steps. I'm sure you'll get feedback on other apps or programs to use.

Good Luck!

"I don't take jobs that have more than 8 fuel pumps."

I don't remember who made a comment on this a long time ago, but it was a veteran shopper who said he uses Google Maps in aerial view to zoom in and count the pumps before he accepted the shop! I thought it was a fabulous idea that I would never have thought of. I haven't had a chance to do that myself yet - either we don't have many gas station audits in my area or I'm not yet signed with the right MSC.

IMO, the best way to determine what you shall really need to do is as follows:

1) Before performing the shop, click on the shop's visit, then click on the "enter results for this shop" tab. Then enter the security code. The shop's actual needed data and questions will be brought up.
2) Do not answer any of the questions. Just review each question, noting the photo required (or not).
3) If you wish, make up a worksheet or (cheatsheet if you will) that outline every needed answer.
4) Make a cheatsheet for each shop (with address and visit number and security code). Ensure that you list each required photo.
5) Take your cheatsheet with you and review it before performing the shop.

Most importantly, review all of your photos before leaving the location. I bring my laptop and download my photos, reviewing and naming each photo. I use the Windows provided Picture and Fax viewer. I check off each required photo before leaving the station.

Bon Chance!

Speedpass is quick and easy. At least half the pumps I have done still do not have it. I wasn't sure at first, but now I prefer it. You can keep it on a keychain, and it saves time.

Do not load the photos at the beginning of the report. It will give you another chance to load them after you submit the report, and they load much quicker at that point.

The only employees I have had refuse the picture did not have their nametag. None of them have been rude, they just decline, and you take a picture of the counter. I always show them the picture so they know their face is not visible.

The report is tedious, especially the section on pump info. After a while you become more familiar with the form and can get through it a little quicker.

If the pump is still blocked after I have finished everything else and I wait an extra five or ten minutes, I take a picture from an angle or one that shows the vehicle blocking it. There is a section on the report you can explain the reason for the picture. I have never had one rejected for that.

Good luck!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/16/2015 03:58PM by cjbstar.

You enter your total for reimbursement, ie $5 gas, $1 store = $6. If you spent more, you still only enter the $6.00. If there was no store, you enter gas only. BTW, you need to submit both receipts in one photo, side by side. It's an extra step, but ya know, that's the way they do it.

22 by Thursday? You better bring lots of gas cans, LOL!

I actually did that last night and Google maps showed the wrong station! There are three of them on SR 209 which is the only address they gave me. Thankfully, I asked them to verify the telephone number and it was not the one listed on my paperwork and and so I moved on to the correct station. BTW, it was -19 with the wind chill when I did this shop and if I done the wrong location I would have been thoroughly pissed. My hands nearly had frostbite!!

In my experience, Google maps is notoriously wrong when it comes to any address on a highway, sometimes even when it shows the business name on the map.

Bill, you do not total the gas and store purchase for either the de-brief or the invoice. Take a picture of the front and back of both receipts together with the visit ID number on both front and back. The back photo is for the direct consumer survey and the front for the invoice. I indicate total amount spent for each, eg gas = $5.01 and store = $1.49, knowing that I will be re-embursed only $5.00 and $1.00. Twenty-two by Thursday is a lot for first starting out with these. But the 22nd will go a lot quicker than the 1st.

Bill, here in my area we don't have enough of those shops available to warrant bonuses. I've done some in far West Texas for bonus money from time to time but we're talking 200 miles or so of driving. The nearby shops seem to be snatched up in a hurry so I don't expect to see bonus money on anything local.

You might want to take a look at fixing your ICA violation (company and brand name in same thread).



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2015 02:17AM by MDavisnowell.

I'm pretty sure that whole "not offering incentives" thing was just one email for one client. Even shops for that client are still being awarded incentives if they really need it done. They're definite still offering them.

@BillBryaninCarthage wrote:

Thanks everyone! Apparently I've been lucky in that there is no DCS survey on the back of any of my receipts. Whew, you were right, 23 shops by Thrusday is a lot. Didn't think about the gas tank being full after the shops. But it looks like I can buy just $1 of gas per shop if I have to.

BTW, is anyone seeing any more bonuses for the Exxon shops? I don't see any, and I read in the other post that the staff at the MSC won't be offering any incentives from now on? If true, could this be how the new ownership is planning to run things over there? (even lower fees with no incentives?) and perhaps firing all of those employees? (Which sometimes happens when a company is bought).

Concerning bonuses I think alot depends on where you live. The gas shops in my location are usually offered with a bonus. I live in the boonies.



Mod note: Edited to fix quote of ICA violation that the original poster already fixed. Also to fix quote formatting error.

Bill, you mention that there was no DCS survey on the back of your receipts. No Matter, they still want you to take a photo of the blank back side with the visit ID written on it. There is a photo icon by question QDCS_Collateral and that is where it gets uploaded. Also, I have been using the same picture of the attendants shirt for Q16 (shirt) and Q17 (name tag) and have had no problems. The rest of the photos can be uploaded at the end of the debriefing unless you find non-compliance.

BillBryaninCarthage and bettybob -
Please edit your posts to remove the MSC's name. The thread title and many posts, including your own, have the client's name identified.

I used to do these, just around the time that they started the employee photo requirement.

I don't know what it says now, but in the auth letter it used to say that the employee could decline the photo, but then they couldn't dispute it later if I said they didn't have a name tag or weren't wearing a uniform or something. I always this part of the letter to them and asked which they preferred. I also told them they could look at the photo afterwards and say yes or no then. No one ever declined.

I did not enjoy these shops at all, so I no longer do them.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/18/2015 08:17PM by junk1958.

I only did a few with the employee photo. I always showed them the photo after so they could see that none of their face was in it.

@LIJake wrote:

Bill, you mention that there was no DCS survey on the back of your receipts. No Matter, they still want you to take a photo of the blank back side with the visit ID written on it. There is a photo icon by question QDCS_Collateral and that is where it gets uploaded.

This is not always true. Not all stations are participating in the DCS survey so that question does not even show up on the report. I have 20-something of these shops this month and only one of them is participating in the survey and that one report is slightly different than all the rest. ALWAYS review the reports for EACH shop.

Q1: I've never photographed an employee before, and I have to do so for this shop, if they don't object. Have you ever had an employee become confrontational about being photographed?

-------------------
I began to have problems with photographing employees this year, and the manager wouldn't even allow a photo of the shirt. Some businesses in this area, and not only gasoline stations, are not even issuing name tags for employees, due to confidentiality. One manager was more than usually hostile, and she stirred up the employees, customers, and a sister station in regard to the auditing process. I've been in worse situations, and think I handled this issue well.

Thankfully, there were only two stations like that, and the latest ones were sort of pleasant. So beware, and stay as professional and courteous as possible. I am perfecting my way of asking the manager if she or he has a problem disclosing the names of employees, or if she or he has a problem with my photographing their company branded shirts.
-------------------

Sorry for any typos, but after all I am accustomed to being paid for my writing skills.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/19/2015 08:58AM by MelanieOR.

Twice I've had female employees become very vocal about not wanting a "boob shot" taken of them, but it never escalated beyond that point. I am always very clear at the outset that the photo is optional.

As far as names go, if a gas station employee is not wearing a name tag, I don't even bother asking a name.

As far as the "boob shot" I am female so it helps, but for one employee who had a problem I suggested she hold the bottom of her shirt away from her so that it didn't cling and that worked fine. I also have a better reception if I act like I could care less if they agree or not (which I really don't since taking the photo is optional), but I think people sometimes just want some way to object to the audit and cause problems and the shirt photo is a way for them to do that. Truthfully I have never had a properly attired attendant refuse, just the ones with no nametag in street clothes which I'm sure is because they know they are in violation.

I present it as such: I'm required to take a photo of you, just your torso not your face, unless you're not comfortable with that, in which case I will take a photo of the counter. I let them know right away that they have an option to decline and that there won't be any associated conflict. I've had two people decline, and even had one guy strike a pose for me.

Which MSC does gas station shops?

@Shopperfest wrote:

Which MSC does gas station shops?

Several