So I decided to bite the bullet and take a bunch of Funeral Home phone shops because I'm not ready to venture out yet and I need something to do to make money, even if I'm nickel and diming it. (To make matters worse, ironically, I have a sick, dying pet I'm caring for. Plus, I'm swamped with spring and holiday stuff - so I need to stay home).

So I wanted to ask how other shoppers handle/would handle the following issues. I have several things I have prepared to say to play the role and follow the guidelines, but I get slightly rattled when I feel they don't sound very convincing (to me at least). Not that I think I've been suspected of being a MS, but I still feel uncomfortable.

1) Phone number. We no longer have to give it. Good! One only has so many phone numbers to give out, and since we have to use a new identity/scenario for each call in case the FHs are owned by the same compnay, this makes it much easier. BUT they always say "May I have your number in case we get disconnected?" So what reasonable person would say no. Seems odd to say no if they put it that way.

Also, does anyone know if these Funeral Homes have caller ID? I use Google call from the computer, which shows up California Call.

2) For the few states where you are told not to provide a hospital name, same issue as above. If you are the one making the decisions, what reason would you have not to provide it? You can always say "No" to the (imaginary) body being transported, and you certainly can't say you "don't know" which hospital. So what reasoning do you all feel would be most plausible to not give it?

Thanks for any suggestions. I only take these shops in big batches occasionally. I really feel I don't do as well on these as I do on other recorded shops for other companies, so I'd like to feel less awkward and more confident in my responses when these basic questions come up.

I've never done one of these but if they ask for the phone number "in case you get disconnected" you can reply, "I'd rather not give out my number until I'm sure who I will use so if we get disconnected I'll call you back."

Same with the hospital name ... I'd rather not say until I know who we will be using. I wouldn't want the hospital to end up turning Aunt Agnes over to the wrong funeral home by mistake.

Does that sound like it might work with your scenario?

Yup, dspeaks, I've been saying somewhat similar things. Just feels awkward. i like your way better.

LOL... I can name an ex-boyfriend, who is a very horrible person, as the one who died without blinking, rattle out a false name for myself, give a nearby hospital from a google search -- all without any issue. But ask me my phone number and I feel stupid saying no.

Although, I like the "until I know who we will be using." I don't think there's anything in the instructions that say I have to sound well sold on them. I just need to be the person who's in the position of making these decisions.

Thanks. I'll try phrasing it that way tomorrow.

So far, I've just given my phone number (I had to see if they returned my call in a certain time frame)
but I haven't done them lately. I might say something like, I am just checking places out right now. or I am just gathering information right now.

A lot depends on the scenario you're given. If you have to permit a call back, just get a google voice number and give that out. Answer it if it rings your phone during the timespan of the shop, otherwise just let it go to voicemail and ignore it. Never give it out to anyone you need to have a sustained relationship with, such as your insurance company or a friend. Only use it for mystery shops and sweepstakes entries. It will email you a transcript of the message that was left so if it actually is something important you can call them back.

Thanks both of you. I don't have to permit a call back. I have to use a different identity/scenario with each call since many are nationwide chains. I got my calls done. I feel they went better. The ones I've already completed I got an 8 on. I started using the "I'll call you back..." and "until I know who we will be using" suggested by dspeaks.

On one call I was asked four times for my phone number. I gave many different reasons. I felt like if this was a real call I would have become irritated and said "Sir. I told you I don't wish to give my number. If you're going to be pushy after being told 'no,' then maybe I'll suddenly have a gut feeling NOT to use your services." ...but, <sigh> of course I can't.

Finally I said "The phone's been bothering us all day. Things are very stressful here. We just want our privacy while we make these decisions." And THAT finally stopped him from asking.

If I can get better at these then I may take more until I have a few "real" high paying routes. I mean if they didn't seem so dang difficult (which they shouldn't be) I could whip out 10/day and not feel like my being home right now is costly. Thing is this is the only company I've found where I can get a guaranteed block of phone shops on any given day.

.... Hmmm, maybe I should search the forum or post a thread to see about other companies with worthy and multiple phone shops....

Lexxycon - You can have all of mine! I did a few, and absolutely will never do one again. I do many other phone shops and hundreds of types of mystery shops, but this one is on my personal 10-foot pole.

@myst4au wrote:

Lexxycon - You can have all of mine! I did a few, and absolutely will never do one again. I do many other phone shops and hundreds of types of mystery shops, but this one is on my personal 10-foot pole.

I got a grade 10 back on one I did today. Still waiting on the others. I don't care for them either, but it's like anything -- practice. The better I get and the less nervous I am, the easier they are, and the less I'll hate them. But really if you have other phone shop companies that you'd be willing to share, that'd be great. Even on a good day, these are just morbid and depressing and I really need some phone shops right now till I can get out and about.

Shoppers Critique has some phone shops and they will usually give you a large chunk of them at one time. Good Luck!

I have a suggestion: don't do them.

Keep pushing forward Lexxycon, good luck.

@ShoppingDad wrote:

Keep pushing forward Lexxycon, good luck.

Hey thanks! Last two I got were a 10, with no comments for improvement. I think it was a confidence/unfamiliarity issue. I decided I'm going to do 4 or 5 a day just to keep some positive cash flow on my end while I take care of other things that have me rather homebound right now. (Four or 5 a day adds up). Also looking for other steady phone shops. Signed up with Baird and have one scheduled to try out

[...edited because I can't get numbers straight today...]



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/05/2015 11:17PM by Lexxycon.

Good job!

I have seen phone-call jbos on job boards for a variety of businesses, so be assured that there are other scenarios to include in your repertoire. (I have not done these calls yet, so I can provide no additional information about them.)

Maritz sometimes has the banking phone shops.