I received a "9" due to grammar
@2stepps wrote:
Sometimes I want to just put in 'asked and answered' when they ask for the same thing in the surveys.
That happened to me when one MSC had a brand new editor. I knew about it because my favourite editor quit and told me about it.
Anyway, my answer was something similar to yours and did I get a quote after quote about the proper way to answer that question? The editor started lambasting me for giving detailed descriptions in my reports when I could just give a few words. She said it took a while to read my report. Huh? So, I followed her advice and went against the previous style of the report for that client. Had some comments from one of the higher ups who usually contact me for something and I explained that I was told to shorten my answers. Next time the report for same client came around, it was back to the old style. I did not get any comment from the editor.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/04/2016 04:37AM by risinghorizon.
Thank you all. This thread has helped me as a brand new mystery shopper.
I did three identical shops last month. One right after the other. I got a 9 on the first one reviewed. The reasons given were spelling and grammar. I flipped out! This OCD girl could not take it. I immediatly sent a super sweet email to the scheduler, asking for tips on creating better reports. In this email I mentioned I used their embedded spell check. My two other reports received a 10. No comments.
I did three identical shops last month. One right after the other. I got a 9 on the first one reviewed. The reasons given were spelling and grammar. I flipped out! This OCD girl could not take it. I immediatly sent a super sweet email to the scheduler, asking for tips on creating better reports. In this email I mentioned I used their embedded spell check. My two other reports received a 10. No comments.
Each time I'm offered quite the hero citation I write back and state that my land lady and also at&T won't accept them as payment in my rent or my phone bill. I wasn't in a position to deposit it within my bank, either! Who understood? They treat us like we're in school - hero citation! WTH?
I started working with a large MSC recently. The first few reports I submitted were fine and the schedulers politely wrote "thank you" in the comments section. Then one report was rated a 9 because of grammar problems. The MSC recommended that I take their certification class entitled "English for Non-Native Speakers." I couldn't help but chuckle because I was born and raised here and have a BA in English.
And so it goes. Some days you're the dog and some days you're the hydrant. (This comment contains 3 contractions, 3 Arabic numbers that should be spelled out, colloquialisms, and split infinitives. Editors everywhere are wringing their hands
)
And so it goes. Some days you're the dog and some days you're the hydrant. (This comment contains 3 contractions, 3 Arabic numbers that should be spelled out, colloquialisms, and split infinitives. Editors everywhere are wringing their hands
)
I'm convinced that many editors for MSC's (and, yes, one can use an apostrophe there--the only sort of instance in which one can use an apostrophe to form a plural 
) don't have a good grasp of grammar. Unfortunately, because they need to edit for the following of instructions and the accuracy of observations, along with grammar, and probably get paid peanuts, I guess it's too much to expect consistently high standards of competence on the grammar front!
The thing that used to annoy me the most is when I get a comment about grammar, and the correction has grammar mistakes in it. Or when the editor claims I made a mistake that doesn't exist in the report. Or when I view a report once it's been edited, and the editor introduced mistakes into my copy that weren't there to begin with! I did go back to an MSC a few months ago due to an incredibly difficult and incompetent editor. This person wasted so much of my time that the high shop fee began to look very low after several rounds of back and forth. Questions asked that were already answered, comments on mistakes that weren't in the report, etc. I started to think the editor was reading someone else's report, not mine!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/2016 11:34AM by BirdyC.
) don't have a good grasp of grammar. Unfortunately, because they need to edit for the following of instructions and the accuracy of observations, along with grammar, and probably get paid peanuts, I guess it's too much to expect consistently high standards of competence on the grammar front!
The thing that used to annoy me the most is when I get a comment about grammar, and the correction has grammar mistakes in it. Or when the editor claims I made a mistake that doesn't exist in the report. Or when I view a report once it's been edited, and the editor introduced mistakes into my copy that weren't there to begin with! I did go back to an MSC a few months ago due to an incredibly difficult and incompetent editor. This person wasted so much of my time that the high shop fee began to look very low after several rounds of back and forth. Questions asked that were already answered, comments on mistakes that weren't in the report, etc. I started to think the editor was reading someone else's report, not mine!
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.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/07/2016 11:34AM by BirdyC.
As long as I'm paid for the work, and can continue to do work for the MSC, I really don't care about the number. I'm also a freelance writer and it used to bother me when editors would make changes. But not anymore. As long as I'm paid for the work and can continue to write for the publication, I really don't care what the editor does. And in most cases, the editor does make my work read better.
"To be persuasive we must be believable; to be believable we must be credible; to be credible we must be truthful." Edward R. Murrow
Thou shalt not steal. I mean defensively. On offense, indeed thou shall steal and thou must.--Branch Rickey
Thou shalt not steal. I mean defensively. On offense, indeed thou shall steal and thou must.--Branch Rickey
@GMooneyhan MBSC wrote:
I'm also a freelance writer and it used to bother me when editors would make changes. But not anymore. As long as I'm paid for the work and can continue to write for the publication, I really don't care what the editor does. And in most cases, the editor does make my work read better.
Being both a writer and an editor, I have no problem being edited. But I do have a problem when an editor's changes to my work are grammatically incorrect. If the changes are made for better readability or more sense, that's fine. But I don't want my name on something that has blatant errors in it. I used to have clients who would approve my copy, but by the time the piece went to print, they would have introduced changes that contained horrid grammar mistakes. With my own clients, I insisted on a final review of the work prior to printing. But when my client was/is another agency or studio, and not the end client, I didn't always have the opportunity.
I don't worry so much now about my report "grades" in mystery shopping, unless I were to get one that jeopardized my ability to self assign.
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.
Just wrote report for Intellishop for convinience store visit. I clearly stated that I could not see customers in front of me to the ragister and got that in reply from editor: "Within your answers you responded that the line of customers did not grow to more than 3, please go back within your summary and add this information as well."
What kind of clarification can be added? I wrote: no one in front of me, and no one behind. How can I explain him that no one it is less than 3?
What kind of clarification can be added? I wrote: no one in front of me, and no one behind. How can I explain him that no one it is less than 3?
Shopping Eastern Pennsylvania since 2009
Bite your tongue and write, "At all times, the line was less than 3 people. Indeed, I was the only customer in line."
@gene wrote:
Just wrote report for Intellishop for convinience store visit. I clearly stated that I could not see customers in front of me to the ragister and got that in reply from editor: "Within your answers you responded that the line of customers did not grow to more than 3, please go back within your summary and add this information as well."
What kind of clarification can be added? I wrote: no one in front of me, and no one behind. How can I explain him that no one it is less than 3?
Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
I have received 7s and 8s for the pizza shops, citing grammar and punctuation. I requested clarification, but received no responses. Alternatively, I consistently receive 10s for intricate, comment-heavy reports. The only explanation I can imagine is that the pizza editors love inappropriate apostrophes, and confuse the proper use of "I" and "me." I've decided to blow off those scores and worry about the shops that pay decently.
@mysterynurse wrote:
The only explanation I can imagine is that the pizza editors love inappropriate apostrophes, and confuse the proper use of "I" and "me."
Let me guess.... They think that plurals are formed by using apostrophes, and that "I" is always right because it sounds more important. Right? Sigh....
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.
i apologize if this is a redundancy (i'm too lazy to read through 4 pages of comments) but there is one msc who continually makes arbitrary (at least to me) deductions for so-called grammar, etc. transgressions and their editors/proofers steadfastly refuse to answer questions regarding specifics. i refuse to apply for assignments with them, not for that reason although it is annoying, but because their rate of pay is wayyy beneath what i consider to be equitable.
yep, i'm looking at you intellishop.
yep, i'm looking at you intellishop.
I received a 9 today from a company I had not worked for before. Funny thing is there was NO narrative, none, nadda. The report required 3 pictures and about 10 yes/no check boxes. My pictures were better and more clear than the samples provided. I was also told by another MSC that they do not give 10s for many of their reports.
@ValG wrote:
I was also told by another MSC that they do not give 10s for many of their reports.
That's so ridiculous! Sounds like school teachers who won't give 100% on anything just on principle.... Dumb.
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.
I know of at least one MSC that won't give more than a 9 for "easy" shops like this. So don't take it personally, as much as I really want to see that 10/10 myself.
ValG, I once received an 8 for a closed location. Explain that one. Another company had some shops with several POV options to choose from with GeoVerify being the preferred. It seems everyone who used the other options received 9's on their shops. Either the MSC is one who doesn't like to give 10's or they were deducting a point for anything other than GeoVerify. It was never worth my time to find out since a 9 pays the same as a 10.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
Nothing beats a 9 for grammar issues on a video shop with only yes/no questions.
In the editor's defense she did apologize profusely, both publicly and privately.
Edited to add: I absolutely deserved the 9 btw, just not for grammar.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2016 10:09PM by bgriffin.
In the editor's defense she did apologize profusely, both publicly and privately.
Edited to add: I absolutely deserved the 9 btw, just not for grammar.
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/04/2016 10:09PM by bgriffin.
Lisa - that sounds like the shop I got the 9 on. It had three options for POV and Geoverify was the preferred one. That is what I used, but still got a 9. At this point, I'm like, WHATEVER.
Good to know it is how they operate generally. I was a bit miffed to think they offered options and marked shoppers down for using one of the others. If they don't like to give 10's, fine by me.
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
@gene wrote:
Just wrote report for Intellishop for convinience store visit. I clearly stated that I could not see customers in front of me to the ragister and got that in reply from editor: "Within your answers you responded that the line of customers did not grow to more than 3, please go back within your summary and add this information as well."
What kind of clarification can be added? I wrote: no one in front of me, and no one behind. How can I explain him that no one it is less than 3?
Go back so you can be docked 2 points at least? I would say I entered the store and it was deserted. Even the associate was not visible until she appeared in the wicket window or from behind the cash counter. During my entire stay, the associate and I were the only ones in the store.
Ok, did I have enough characters there? It all depends on the editor. As BirdyC said, there are venial and mortal grammar sins. Only the editor's conscience can destinguish which one applies and it all depends on a number of things...Perhaps the editor was programmed to consider everything as 'sin of omission.' That would entitle him/her to dock you.
For all the concern about narratives and "painting a picture," I've found as often as not they just want the questions spit right back out. In this case, "The line of customers did not grow to more than three."
Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.
I have resigned myself to the fact that my rating with one particular MSC would only improve to "10" when there is a change of editor. I wished I could really consistently not care but there is a particular time when I am still bothered. Lisa and the rest had at least cured me of that on-going frustration after I joined the Forum. But now as per Lisa's post, "spit right back out." Good advice I intend to follow. Thanks.
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