I'm heading to NY in a couple weeks and considering applying for my first Data Quest hotel. The one I'm looking at says it has a yes/no survey with space for comments. The restaurant is, of course, part of the eval. Does anybody have any thoughts as to how late I can arrive at a hotel and still be able to give it the eval that Data Quest requires?
Better yet- any good way to contact them to ask?

Nevermiiiiiiind. They're booked solid for the US Open, apparently. Though feel free to answer anyway.

All their contact information in on their web site.

I have only performed high-end hotel shops for them. All of my reports required extensive observations and commentaries. They are somewhat slow payers, almost always over 60 days and some over 80 days. But I always get paid and I do not have to hunt them down for payment.

If you are still interested in these, I can forward you the scheduler that I work with usually. If you haven't done a shop for data quest before, they are VERY report-heavy. I mean, novel size.

That's what I gathered. I tried calling the main number but, as expected, all voicemail.
I prefer to email anyway.
@MysVal that'd be great if you could pm me. Thanks!

Hi everyone - I just registered with Data Quest and have extensive experience with lengthy full service hotel evaluations for other companies. Does anyone know how Data Quest is with assigning first time shoppers hotel evaluations? Unfortunately, there is nothing else in my immediate area that I could use to prove myself. Thanks!

Have shopped with Data Quest 5+ years. My e-mail is always PROMPTLY answered. Payment is as specified on the site. I am not going to estimate how many weeks because we all know how to apply pay cycles after the report is accepted. They have been reliable and I appreciate their efficiency and am able to reach schedulers, editors and administration with no problem when necessary. The properties they represent are quality locations.

Reports and performance in field are similar to expectations of similar MSC reports for one night hotel shops. Pictures are not required. Hotel shops are relatively extensive in general and not to be assumed without preparation and planning. The specific guidelines for EACH shop will advise you of dining responsibilities. The report will include usual details about the physical space, service and satisfaction with food. The level of detail is not that of a stand alone fine dining restaurant eval but could include a fine level of detail if necessary. A recently filed hotel report included less than two dozen objective questions and one dialog box covering the in house dining facility required meal.

How late can one arrive for hotel shop? Guidelines say you must stay at least 11 hours and check in no later than 9 PM. If you have to do a dinner meal at an on site restaurant (or evening room service) you might have a problem arriving late because of the restaurant hours of service. If not that experienced you will need plenty more time to fit in audits such as security checks and shuttle bus runs, as specified.

Have my first two coming up with this company. They have a direct link from the report to a sample narrative, and it looks pretty easy compared to some of the stuff I've done. It's basically one long paragraph per section, and I tend to overwrite anyway. I'm usually a bit on edge going into hotel jobs, but these aren't intimidating.

Fastjack,

I did my first ever hotel shop with them recently. Your reaction to the sample narrative was similar to mine in that it looked easy enough compared to other shops (not hotels) I have done with lengthy narratives. Likewise I did overwrite that sample in places to tell the stories. It was well received with only one kickback to clarify a point.

It sounds like you will be good with yours. Good luck.

My first (and only so far) hotel shop was with Data Quest and many of my other bar and restaurant shops have also been with Data Quest. So far, I have found them incredibly responsive with emails coming back almost immediately. The hotel shop was quite reasonable (based on what I have read here about other hotel shops) with pretty simple interactions and it felt like you would be able to do the shop without risking being identified as a shopper. The narrative is detailed, but it seems in line with how I write anyway. The formatting is not complicated. While you are expected to get a name for everyone you interact with, I did not get pushback when I was unable to get a name for one interaction (and provided a reason and description). I've only been shopping for three months, but at this point, DQ is my favorite MSC so far.

Does anyone know approximately when in the month Data Quest tends to load their new assignments? I'm watching for an assignment that is outside my area and hoping to catch it as soon as it is posted for next month.

They usually send an email when they are loaded around the beginning of the last week of the month.

@anneshop wrote:

They usually send an email when they are loaded around the beginning of the last week of the month.

Thanks for that tip! They don't have anything in my area so I never get emails from them. That said, maybe I'll just change my address to the target area. I should have thought of that before

Yep, usually between the 20th-25th of the month.

You could contact the scheduler and tell them where you are looking for a shop. They have assigned shops before releasing it on sassie.