Editors that don't read what we wrote?
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I rarely hear back from editors and when I do, I too find myself scratching my head. I think the worst was when they decided to change my Y/N answers and then returned my report because my narrative 'did not match' the Y/N which they had changed. (And yes, I had a copy of what I submitted and the Y/N HAD been changed.)
Yup, it can be a PITA. If you find it a pattern, know there are plenty of other companies to work for. You also can hold out for more money for the time and effort to deal with it.
Happily shopping Rhode Island and nearby Massachusetts and Connecticut
@vlade5394 wrote:
Yup, it can be a PITA. If you find it a pattern, know there are plenty of other companies to work for. You also can hold out for more money for the time and effort to deal with it.
I agree with this 100% I was finding myself having a problem with an editor who was requesting extra information that was not asked for in the guidelines or the report so how on earth would I know that you wanted this information? I didn't mind supplying the extra information even though it was already in the narrative, but my points were deducted. Okay, I can live with that still getting paid and all, then she did it again! Nope, I'm taking a break maybe she's going though some stuff that she needs to work out. I'll let her work it out on the next shopper :-).
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Motivation increases when we assume large responsibilities with a short deadline.
Motivation increases when we assume large responsibilities with a short deadline.
Why would a pdf or screenshot makes things worse? I was told that I referred to an employee as a male when she was a female. I looked up my pdf of the report and sent it to the editor to prove that I did it correctly. The report got accepted but the editor took two points off for having to contact me. Ugh!@RESO wrote:
I've had reports returned to me a couple of times from two different companies where the editor asks me to put or describe A, B and C in the narrative. But I already had! I got into the habit of saving my reports as pdfs or screenshots for myself, as I realize sending them to the editor would just make things worse.
Meaning the editor may take off even more points for being challenged.
Shopping Boston and North Shore MA
@RESO wrote:
I am beginning to wonder if certain editors sometimes mix up reports and they read another shopper's. Or if they don't take the time to read them..
I did a shop for Intellishop some time back where the editor only gave me an 8, and their comments did not seem to be at all applicable to the report I wrote. I truly wondered if they were grading me on another shopper's report. However, I decided to just let it go and did not challenge it.
I had a similar experience with Intellishop. I just wrote the same exact thing back after they asked for clarification...it was a mind numbing question I think the editor wanted to do to make it seem like they were doing their job...got accepted...whatever. I roll my eyes with intellishop constantly. Their payments are usually garbage. I haven't done a shop for them without some kind of a bonus for a very long time.
I did a shop once and reported honestly about an employee when you have to rate him (or her) and did not rate an excellent. Because of that I didn't get a good score. Don't they want us to be honest?
Some don't. I had someone from an MSC tell me not to be too negative because that prompts the company to review the tape...and I told him I was honest, it all happened...and, well..that was their attitude. Others, like Marketforce (from my experience) love it when you find something of importance and it proves true upon the tape being reviewed.
I stopped working for some companies because their editors keep wasting my time (and time is money) and often have a bad attitude to boot.
Bestmark had a question once that asked what the employee could have done better. I wrote that they could have asked and used my name, and they could have offered me water or a soft drink (it was a new car shop.) The editor returned it and said I should not write things that "I wish " would happen.
I believe Bestmark is mostly looking for a summary of your "no" answers on that one. I made that mistake before and that was the explanation from the editor.
I have a feedback comment that responds to a complaint I allegedly made about a report taking too long to write. I never made any such comment, and pointed out that reports must have been confused, but to no avail.
@bradley123 wrote:
Bestmark had a question once that asked what the employee could have done better. I wrote that they could have asked and used my name, and they could have offered me water or a soft drink (it was a new car shop.) The editor returned it and said I should not write things that "I wish " would happen.
This recently happened to me as well. Left me shaking my head. And my response to what they could have done better is always is always one of the, "no" answers.
Bestmark editor just wrote to me and told me to not refer to a host as "heavyset with dark hair & eyes" because it was too derogatory. Since he didn't give his name I had to physically describe him SOMEHOW. Makes me wonder if the editor is also heavyset and took offense.
You can describe someone without referencing their weight. Many MSCs also don't want you guessing as someone's race either (although some do). Gender, approximate height, hair color and style should suffice in most cases. Many MSCs actually give an example of the description that they want.
I hate when some reports ask about a person's build. "Thin" is also sometimes taken as an insult. Some even ask for weight. Are you kidding, lol, you expect us to know that by looking at a person? Plus it's an easy way to offend people. Personally , I would take being called heavyset the same as being called fat. I'm sure you had no intention of insulting him. Having to describe someone if we can't get a name puts us between a rock and a hard place.
Shopping Boston and North Shore MA
If we got to know who gets to see what, there would be no issue. I was amused at one time working with Harland Clarke when my scheduler indicated that descriptions were for in house use only as an identifier. This allowed me to comfortably mention a large port wine stain birthmark which I NEVER would have mentioned if the descriptors went out to the client. It was a positive identification for being able to identify the individual with no intent to be hurtful or insulting.
I've had really.. sassy ones. Uh, I did go to College, for many years, English major, so, most of the time I ignore their comments b/c they are wrong.
This hasn't happened to me in quite awhile, but I received a comment from an editor about something I had written. The comment was a wonderful example of poor grammar usage. I laughed and ignored it. It's too bad the MSCs don't hold their editors and the people who write their shop guidelines to the same standard to which they hold shoppers. Some of the guidelines/instructions I see on a regular basis are laughable they're so poorly written.
I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
Yes, got the e-mail today: you are to address all "no" answers in your comments. You answered "no" to "did the cashier ask you for your rewards card?" Please correct your report as soon as possible." I clicked on the link, and the FIRST sentence I read was where I wrote "(the cashier) did not ask me for my rewards card."
I am firmly convinced that ot is a control issue for some of these editors. We are out in the real world and meeting, interacting and shopping. They are stuck there reading about it. The express their resentment with petty comments.
I have had a couple of reports where there was a discrepancy with the location address. Both times, the report was returned to me requesting that I should explain this. Both times I had to reply specifically telling them which commentary box to read to find the information I had obviously already included in the report. Both times I got a "oh that's right, ok great, thanks!" kind of reply. Obviously not all reports are thoroughly read by the editors. Not sure why that is, but this was proof enough for me.
Meanwhile, there is another MSC I've done several shops for, who continuously calls me to basically confirm the information I have already offered in the report. The editor calls with the excuse she needs clarifications to proceed with the approval of my report but in the end I'm basically just confirming and agreeing to everything that is already written, without really offering anything more. I found those situations just as weird.
Meanwhile, there is another MSC I've done several shops for, who continuously calls me to basically confirm the information I have already offered in the report. The editor calls with the excuse she needs clarifications to proceed with the approval of my report but in the end I'm basically just confirming and agreeing to everything that is already written, without really offering anything more. I found those situations just as weird.
Maybe some of your phrasing is confusing her a little bit...? They may also be doing some kind of quality check just to make sure you don't contradict yourself. They'll sometimes also have to fill out information on whether or not they were able to get a hold of you. On the other hand, it could just be some kind of requirement for that MSC, client, or editor that's not even directly related to you.
I would be weirded out if that kept happening with no explanation. Maybe try asking your scheduler if that's something which usually happens with that shop?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/2015 12:37AM by OceanGirl.
I would be weirded out if that kept happening with no explanation. Maybe try asking your scheduler if that's something which usually happens with that shop?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/30/2015 12:37AM by OceanGirl.
So, I just got a report back from an editor with the following: leave your personal opinion out of it. "It" being a question that asked me to comment on what the most memorable part of my experience was. WHAT? If it's my memory, it's my opinion. Sometimes I just shake my head.
@Bramaw wrote:
So, I just got a report back from an editor with the following: leave your personal opinion out of it. "It" being a question that asked me to comment on what the most memorable part of my experience was. WHAT? If it's my memory, it's my opinion. Sometimes I just shake my head.
I know the feeling! I've never had a report returned to me for this but there have been numerous times when I thought that I would. All the MSC I do shops for insist upon the fact that you should remain objective and not give your opinion and so on. Yet on so many reports I've been asked to comment on what I would add to improve my experience or how did I find the atmosphere and such. Every time I'm confronted with such questions I find myself hesitating before answering!
Or the shops that tell you to focus on the good and the bad... not just the bad. If I'm objectively reporting what I see, then it's neither good nor bad. Just the facts.
Shopper in California's Bay Area
When I am filling out a survey and run into something like this:
This shows me that the company is soliciting a subjective opinion. If I really disliked an item, I will think of the best item I had and post about that first. Then I will explain exactly what was wrong with the item I would not order again and what could be changed with that item to make me want to order it again.
That is a real question I filled out recently and had something constructive to place there. The report was well received. The client was a single owner with multiple locations and also the head chef. I'm certain he is reading the reports directly and is asking for subjective feedback.
@ wrote:
Would you order all of these items again? (If no, please list the item(s) you would not order again and X
why in your comments.)
This shows me that the company is soliciting a subjective opinion. If I really disliked an item, I will think of the best item I had and post about that first. Then I will explain exactly what was wrong with the item I would not order again and what could be changed with that item to make me want to order it again.
That is a real question I filled out recently and had something constructive to place there. The report was well received. The client was a single owner with multiple locations and also the head chef. I'm certain he is reading the reports directly and is asking for subjective feedback.
I am happy to report that IMHO my writing can improve, be improved, and has improved because of the report narratives in my shop reports. And that's a fact.
Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu
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