Today I received five emails from schedulers with various urgent requests. Nowhere in the body of the email was there a hyperlink to login nor was there any indication whatsoever of where the shops might be. In some cases, there was no indication of what kinds of shops were available. Just "login and see what we have." Oh yeah, and we need them done yesterday.

Between mystery shopping, my animal rescue work, my other business and personal stuff, I average 1,000 emails a day. If I have to work at figuring out what you have available, there is a good chance I won't. I'm up to my eyeballs in shops already but I'm always looking for an interesting new shop.

I'm sure I'm losing out but at the same time there are only so many hours in a day. If you make it difficult for me, I'm probably going to delete without looking at what you have available.

If I'm using my laptop, I have an Excel spreadsheet with all the links and passwords. But if I'm on my phone or tablet, I have to do a search for "companyX prophet login." Usually, that works but sometimes it does not.

What I'm trying to say is that it would be so much easier if when you send out pleas for help, you include the hyperlink to log in AND give at least some indication of what type or where the the jobs might be.

In addition to what type and where the jobs are, I'd also love to see the payment amount. Especially if you've added a bonus to the shop because you want to get it done. Brag about that bonus! Put it in the email. I might not be interested in a Storage Locker visit. But a $25 Storage Locker visit? Tell me more.

Strategic Reflections is known for this type of stuff. They'll call and leave an automated message stating something like "We have an available urgent shop in your area, please visit our website" but when you do there's no bonus listed. They'll even send an email stating that there's a bonus being offered, but when you log in, there's no bonus; they want you to call them. What a waste of time.

I am with you, OP. Make it easier for the shopper, because you may not believe it, we also have a busy life. Or very choosy. And giving out just the postal code will not make it easier. Just a change in number or letter could mean way out of town. Why do you want us to guess?

I agree with all of the above. Give me the date, location, pay directly in the email and if we can schedule a different date if possible.

I don't mind lack of hyperlink because I won't use them anyway. I always go to my own bookmark to log in and credit that for helping keep my system virus free. Sure, I have virus scanners, but the habit of never hitting a hyperlink I believe has served me well over the years.

As for the non-specificity of a scheduler's global email, I truly despise them as well. And quickly it becomes, "The boy who cried wolf." There are schedulers that as soon as I see their name in my IN box get checked and deleted. Did I lose out on some great opportunities? Maybe. Am I going to read the drivel that tells me nothing over and over? Definitely not.

An Ellis scheduler sends out an email once a week listing the cities where she has shops for the entire state. She doesn't suggest visiting the website or provide a link that I recall, she just asks which we want so she can assign them. No client name so we know if it is a property we have shopped, no restrictions or fee listed and nothing about whether it is a target or not. Listing cities rather than a zip code is useless here. "St. Louis" encompasses the entire city and 75% to 80% of the county so it could just as easily be a shop two miles away or 30 miles away.

It must work for her. It doesn't work for me.

Some schedulers need to do some work and filter out emails to shoppers in the designated areas. Most have figured that out but I still get tons of emails saying pick up these shops then the body of the email has all the links to shops in many areas but not a single one in my state!

That frost's my buns too! I can think of one scheduler in particular who does this all the time. I now delete her e-mails without reading them.

Just emails?

How about the texts that only the name of the client in the message? It couldn't hurt for the scheduler to list his name, or the MSP name. It turns what should be a legitimate text into meaningless drivel.

Edited: I was too quick, the text I refer to did list the client name with the city. Still not enough.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/06/2015 01:21AM by vlade5394.

Oh god. Emails are annoying enough. I can't imagine getting errant, undecipherable text messages. (knocks on wood)

I want to see the address, not just the city and zip. It's a big city; I need to know if the address is close enough or not, not to mention in an area I feel safe enough to go!

I too have started deleting emails - the ones in which the subject line tells me whose birthday it is today. It doesn't get my attention - it makes me not want to waste my time sifting through the fluff to the basic facts.

Those birthday or history lessons are so annoying. Why would a scheduler waste time doing that.

I thought I was the only one with this pet peeve. I absolutely hate it when the hyperlink doesn't work, the email only has the scheduler's name and I have to hover over it to see what company or scheduling company she/he is with, there is only a list of cities with shops available, no shop info, no fee info and no shop time frame. I don't have time to screw around digging deeper to find out all the info I require to make a decision if I want to sign up or not. I don't receive near as many emails a day as a few shoppers on this post, but my time is still limited and if I have to look further for the info I need, I will delete the email.

And then there is that one scheduler from whom I get a long laundry list of available jobs, but each line entry item is ended by the state digraph (i.e., NE). BUT - they are in random, mixed sequential order. I live in DE and find my DE entry about 30 lines down after NY. Then again another DE entry another 10 lines down after CA. And so on, and so on. ALPHABETICAL by STATE, please - I will then want to look at the list. As it is, I trash it immediately because I don't have the time to play a third grade game of "Sort the States."

All my shop requests come with the original e-mail and if the bonus is there it is stated. As to what you are asking of a scheduler, then make the suggestion in a positive way or if there is a phone number to call the scheduler, then do so.
Complaining on the forum does not really help you. Over the years I have developed a relationship with a majority of the schedulers. If you do not understand something, then write the scheduler. Remember their goal is to get the job done just like you wish to do this also.

Schedulers have thanked me when I suggested they read their guidelines. I signed up for some doughnut shops as the scheduler mentioned nothing about taking pictures. I gave them all back as we did not have a "meeting of the minds". I reserve the right to e-mail any scheduler that asks me to do or say something the regular customer would never do. I often take shops where the guidelines and offer to shop do not match but there is nothing wrong with performing as the guidelines require. I do not hesitate to contact the scheduler to tell them the e-mail offer did not disclose a guideline requirement I would not perform. They can send an e-mail to perform the shop without requiring me to perform the requirement in the guideline or they can remove the shop without penalty as they did not disclose the requirement as we did not have a "meeting of the minds," It would help the schedulers avoid "flakes" and require the schedulers to re post the shop if they read and understood the guidelines. Most notably would be the shops in inter-cities where a suburbanite may be in danger as they lack the experience to perform. Often the people who write the guidelines appear to have never performed a shop in their life or is not an aging male shopper. They do not know that female clerks and waitress think we are memorable because we have to stare at their chest area or ask them for their name. I never had the desire to know the name of a young female ice cream clerk since I was a handsome young male approximately the same age. I would be a dirty old man or a shopper if I asked now. Using a phone is common place but using a camera is not appropriate unless you are a mystery shopper and need the picture for your report. If you are in a gas station why are you using your camera to document dirty or broken fixtures in the rest room. Those who may be in the rest room may take offense because they would like privacy.You can not take a picture of a drive in menu board when you are suppose to be ordering. If you hold up the line to take pictures you are the shopper. The list goes on and on. "Look before you leap" is appropriate to practice. Walk a mile in my moccasins.

Speaking of weird things that schedulers do- I have not worked for The Guest Check but when I tried to I was given only restaurant locations. No other information.
When I asked who the client was I was told it was an Italian restaurant. When I asked again, I was told they don't give out that info for confidentiality. Seriously, who is taking these jobs without knowing where they're going??

I passed.

There are a few threads already on Joel F's emails. Most people loved them because at one time they were pretty funny. Lately, they're just meh. He does it to get attention for his shops and has said that it does make a big difference.

@nancya429 wrote:

Those birthday or history lessons are so annoying. Why would a scheduler waste time doing that.

Schedulers. We are access email on different modems... Yes I have a bookmark at home but not on my phone.

@nancya429 wrote:

Those birthday or history lessons are so annoying. Why would a scheduler waste time doing that.

I look forward to those!

@Orrymain wrote:

I want to see the address, not just the city and zip. It's a big city; I need to know if the address is close enough or not, not to mention in an area I feel safe enough to go!

It would serve the schedulers right if you did a drive by and kept on going to shop another day. The scheduler would think you are a flake. but you will be a live flake and if you drive fast enough no one will steal your car or attempt to "wash" your window with a filthy rag that makes your windshield dirtier.

When will the schedulers write, "Suburbanites need not apply" Your demographic will be noticed in a second and they will know you are the shopper if your clothing does not match and your vehicle begs to be stolen."

I go there all the time when the shop has a big bonus and I feel adventurous. Still there is always the random acts of violence that may get you no matter how experienced you are in that demographic. Dress, look and act the part you thespian. Don't forget to use the old car. .

@LisaSTL wrote:

Listing cities rather than a zip code is useless here. "St. Louis" encompasses the entire city and 75% to 80% of the county so it could just as easily be a shop two miles away or 30 miles away.

Have you ever taken shop listed as St. Louis and then you are assigned the shop and find out it is really located in East St. Louis? I have not been in that area in a long time, but I doubt E. St. Louis has improved.