Real email convo with a scheduler
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1JJ
Getting back to your original question. I know what company you are talking about. I have worked for them for about 10 years. They shop hundreds of banks per month. Each bank has a limited amount of shops you can do in a day. The one you are talking about has one, there's another that has two and a third that has three per day, all are limited per month. They do make exceptions for certain locations that are difficult to fill. The answer wasn't very clear from the scheduler. He did check with his team and was told, one per day. My suggestion to you is to have savings accounts with several of the banks if possible. Yes, it is very inconvenient to have only one a day. I try to shop with other companies in the same area or make a route with all of the banks you have an account with. You do not need an account if you do the platform shops. Most of the schedulers for this company get right back to you. This male scheduler does not always get back to you within the time you expect. I hope this helps you out.
Getting back to your original question. I know what company you are talking about. I have worked for them for about 10 years. They shop hundreds of banks per month. Each bank has a limited amount of shops you can do in a day. The one you are talking about has one, there's another that has two and a third that has three per day, all are limited per month. They do make exceptions for certain locations that are difficult to fill. The answer wasn't very clear from the scheduler. He did check with his team and was told, one per day. My suggestion to you is to have savings accounts with several of the banks if possible. Yes, it is very inconvenient to have only one a day. I try to shop with other companies in the same area or make a route with all of the banks you have an account with. You do not need an account if you do the platform shops. Most of the schedulers for this company get right back to you. This male scheduler does not always get back to you within the time you expect. I hope this helps you out.
I say we forgo the use of forgo and forego in forum & in reports.@pinchers81 wrote:
Wait, we're both right. Or we're both wrong. I've just never seen 'forgo' used in that instance. I withdraw my accusation. :-p
[grammarist.com]
I abbreviate my words & use $$$ symbols a lot. U guys seem 2 understand fine.@LisaSTL wrote:
I still maintain we should be communicating clearly. Posts with absolutely no punctuation and riddled with text speak can just be difficult to understand. On the other hand a few misspelled words, missing plurals, apostrophes, commas, misuse of their, there, they're, those should be filed under sh-t happens.
Unless of course it is an autocorrect that is just downright hilarious
@LisaSTL wrote:
I still maintain we should be communicating clearly. Posts with absolutely no punctuation and riddled with text speak can just be difficult to understand. On the other hand a few misspelled words, missing plurals, apostrophes, commas, misuse of their, there, they're, those should be filed under sh-t happens.
Unless of course it is an autocorrect that is just downright hilarious
A few days ago I was using my phone to post on the forum and it auto corrected nitpicking to "nut picking", which I immediately edited. LOL.
@JASFLALMT wrote:
A few days ago I was using my phone to post on the forum and it auto corrected nitpicking to "nut picking", which I immediately edited. LOL.
Oh, dear.... Could be a personal issue!
And this is why I turned off auto-fill on my phone. Can't waste time fighting with it. It's very argumentative and sometimes refused to let me change its predictions as to what I wanted to type.
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.
My husband sure thought it was funny. He wasn't thinking of me picking pecans off a tree.
@BirdyC wrote:
Texting one's friends or posting on Facebook? Then, grammar doesn't matter. I guess. But business is business, and unprofessionalism is never OK. (BTW, it's "Schedulers know I've got their backs....," not "back." Subject/verb agreement, you know? And you have a comma splice in your first sentence, as well as other errors in just two sentences.)
Yes, I'm being snarky, and I know it. But it's amazing that someone would downplay the importance of professional communication.
I'd argue that grammar ALWAYS matters. Grammar was not invented by English teachers to torture people. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling are the rules of the road when it comes to communicating efficiently and effectively.
I don't think the OP's grammar errors were egregious enough to cause a miscommunication, but I have seen a LOT of posts on social media where the grammar was bad enough to cause miscommunication. Considering how many social interactions take place on social media nowadays, and considering that relationships can be made or broken on social media, I would say it's just as important to have good grammar there!
But I agree it's definitely a problem to have poor grammar in a business email. Sadly, I think it's there both on the MSC side and the shopper side sometimes.
"Let's eat, Grandma" or "Let's eat Grandma."
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.
@CeciliaM wrote:
I'd argue that grammar ALWAYS matters. Grammar was not invented by English teachers to torture people. Grammar, punctuation, and spelling are the rules of the road when it comes to communicating efficiently and effectively.
I don't think the OP's grammar errors were egregious enough to cause a miscommunication, but I have seen a LOT of posts on social media where the grammar was bad enough to cause miscommunication. Considering how many social interactions take place on social media nowadays, and considering that relationships can be made or broken on social media, I would say it's just as important to have good grammar there!
But I agree it's definitely a problem to have poor grammar in a business email. Sadly, I think it's there both on the MSC side and the shopper side sometimes.
Well, I think grammar always matters, too. (Thus, my "I guess" comment....) But, apparently millions of people disagree. I think that by not practicing good grammar in places in which people pooh-pooh it, they end up losing their grammar skills altogether. But, people like us get laughed off of Facebook or forums like this, because we're considered picky pedants or dinosaurs of another era.
And, yes, the OP's e-mail wasn't so poorly written as to be incoherent, but it was inappropriate for its purposes. And, definitely, there is often much to be desired in e-mails coming from the other side. Not so much in terms of an un-businesslike attitude, but there are far too many grammar errors in those, too! The one I see the most is the failure to use an apostrophe in a possessive. E.g., "I have a shop, blah, blah, blah. You are to evaluate the representatives knowledge...." Gah! It makes me insane!
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 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2016 03:03AM by BirdyC.
What do we generally earn? $9 to $15 an hour? Most people making that very part-time. And many of the scheduling company's employees in third world countries? A buck seventy five?
Honestly! I think if someone's grammar is so great that they cannot help themselves but to denigrate someone else's, especially if that person is asking for empathy for a situation they find themselves in, and they've come to a place where they feel a sense of belonging, then I would have to ask why isn't the denigrate-er something far greater than a lowly mystery shopper? And that, because that is exactly what they are, they should be honest about it and stop pretending to be a novelist.
Honestly! I think if someone's grammar is so great that they cannot help themselves but to denigrate someone else's, especially if that person is asking for empathy for a situation they find themselves in, and they've come to a place where they feel a sense of belonging, then I would have to ask why isn't the denigrate-er something far greater than a lowly mystery shopper? And that, because that is exactly what they are, they should be honest about it and stop pretending to be a novelist.
Spicy, I think what people were objecting to was the lack of professionalism in the email sent to the scheduler. And many people have regular jobs (such as Birdy, who is an editor) and mystery shopping is a supplemental income or even just a hobby.
The original poster came here to vent about a problem communicating with a scheduler. The original poster sent an email which was clear, but several objections were made that the email was not professional. The OP did not indicate any desire to have the email edited. On the contrary, the OP made no mention whatsoever of any desire to have the email critiqued or any wish to receive a grammar lesson. The scheduler apparently did not read the email, or merely skimmed it, because the scheduler missed the message entirely. It was through no fault of the OP, as far as I can see, that the scheduler did not understand the email.
The OP came here to share and got jumped because the email did not meet the standards of other posters. Some of us are very particular about our grammar, but that does not mean it's a good idea to be very particular about someone else's grammar when they haven't broached the subject.
I agree with Spicy that most of us are not earning big bucks doing this. We are doing monkey see, monkey do, monkey say type work that could easily be handled by a sharp twelve year old with a driver's license. We're nothing special, and when we jump someone else who may not have had our educational advantages we are even less special. It's between any shopper and his/her editors whether the work submitted is acceptable. We don't have to please other shoppers. We only have to please the companies we contract with. Yes, I know that's a preposition. Did I spell that correctly? It's been a while since I've used that word. Never mind. I don't care.
The OP came here to share and got jumped because the email did not meet the standards of other posters. Some of us are very particular about our grammar, but that does not mean it's a good idea to be very particular about someone else's grammar when they haven't broached the subject.
I agree with Spicy that most of us are not earning big bucks doing this. We are doing monkey see, monkey do, monkey say type work that could easily be handled by a sharp twelve year old with a driver's license. We're nothing special, and when we jump someone else who may not have had our educational advantages we are even less special. It's between any shopper and his/her editors whether the work submitted is acceptable. We don't have to please other shoppers. We only have to please the companies we contract with. Yes, I know that's a preposition. Did I spell that correctly? It's been a while since I've used that word. Never mind. I don't care.
@JASFLALMT wrote:
Spicy, I think what people were objecting to was the lack of professionalism in the email sent to the scheduler. And many people have regular jobs (such as Birdy, who is an editor) and mystery shopping is a supplemental income or even just a hobby.
Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.
I'd like to know why it's "worse" to criticize other shoppers' grammar than to criticize so many other things that get criticized on this forum. Good grammar is as much a requirement of mystery shopping as are good observations, following instructions, etc. People seem real touchy about that, but not about shoppers jumping all over a newbie for a real or perceived mistake, about making a complaint about a company everybody else loves, etc.
People come here all the time looking for empathy, and often get slammed far worse than having their grammar criticized. The nasty comments I've seen on this forum over the years make grammar criticisms sound like pablum. And many of those criticisms border on, or are, personal attacks on shoppers, not comments on their grammar (which usually aren't personal in nature).
Let's not be hypocrites. If we're supposed to be nice and not criticize people for their errors, why limit that to grammar? If we're here to help (and I agree that we are), then nastiness in general shouldn't be tolerated.
It's tough to stomach the fact that people are jumping on those who commented on the OP's grammar, yet sit complacently by while people rip other shoppers a new one about other issues. Which happens often here. I've been floored by some of the comments I've read here, and have often thought," Why would someone say something so mean to somebody"?
So, maybe we can agree not to criticize other shoppers at all? Not about grammar, about a mistake they made on a shop, about a mistake in the way in which they present a problem, and not jump to conclusions about shoppers' motives and run them out of town or tar and feather them, etc.?
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2016 03:03PM by BirdyC.
People come here all the time looking for empathy, and often get slammed far worse than having their grammar criticized. The nasty comments I've seen on this forum over the years make grammar criticisms sound like pablum. And many of those criticisms border on, or are, personal attacks on shoppers, not comments on their grammar (which usually aren't personal in nature).
Let's not be hypocrites. If we're supposed to be nice and not criticize people for their errors, why limit that to grammar? If we're here to help (and I agree that we are), then nastiness in general shouldn't be tolerated.
It's tough to stomach the fact that people are jumping on those who commented on the OP's grammar, yet sit complacently by while people rip other shoppers a new one about other issues. Which happens often here. I've been floored by some of the comments I've read here, and have often thought," Why would someone say something so mean to somebody"?
So, maybe we can agree not to criticize other shoppers at all? Not about grammar, about a mistake they made on a shop, about a mistake in the way in which they present a problem, and not jump to conclusions about shoppers' motives and run them out of town or tar and feather them, etc.?
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 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2016 03:03PM by BirdyC.
(Deleted; duplicated post in error; sorry!)
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2016 02:52PM by BirdyC.
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 02/06/2016 02:52PM by BirdyC.
You're right Birdie. Newbies are attacked and disparaged most viciously on this forum. The especially brutal attacks have been made by the "long-timers" here. They've been there, done that and have become hard and snotty towards others because that's the kind of persona that they are in their mystery shopping lives. I don't even mind that, some people are just mean. What I mind is when other people chime in and agree with them. It's that group bullying behavior that keeps this forum really dedicated to, what, I don't know, eight disgruntled people, who's mystery shopping persona is so disgruntled, that feel like the only thing they can control is the tone of this forum. I always wondered if people really get excited when they can get someone else to help them beat up another person. I've found that, in fact, it does happen now that I've found this forum. Too bad, so sad; group think sucks when it goes South.
@spicy1 i read your posts in some new member intro & U like accusing long time members of being mean & brutal attacks when they don't agree w/you. U should take a look in the mirror.
@spicy1 wrote:
You're right Birdie. Newbies are attacked and disparaged most viciously on this forum. The especially brutal attacks have been made by the "long-timers" here. They've been there, done that and have become hard and snotty towards others because that's the kind of persona that they are in their mystery shopping lives. I don't even mind that, some people are just mean. What I mind is when other people chime in and agree with them. It's that group bullying behavior that keeps this forum really dedicated to, what, I don't know, eight disgruntled people, who's mystery shopping persona is so disgruntled, that feel like the only thing they can control is the tone of this forum. I always wondered if people really get excited when they can get someone else to help them beat up another person. I've found that, in fact, it does happen now that I've found this forum. Too bad, so sad; group think sucks when it goes South.
I enjoy this forum and find it very helpful most of the time. But, you're right, spicy, there is bullying that goes on here. I'm sure those who do it justify it by thinking they're "just being honest" or "just setting someone straight on the rules." By comparison, I've found that most comments about grammar are usually made humorously or tactfully. Not always; there have been some mean-spirited criticisms of grammar. But they generally pale in comparison to the other types of demeaning posts that are made.
We're all professionals, or should strive to be. Mystery shopping doesn't pay very well in most cases, but we do get paid for our services.It seems to me we should act like professionals, or at least like polite human beings. IMO, anonymity doesn't give us the right to say whatever we want, however we want to say it. This is an informal forum, true, but that doesn't make it it OK to be nasty.
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 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/07/2016 01:22AM by BirdyC.
If I came on this forum and asked to have my grammar criticized I would hope to get responses concerning my grammar. If I came on this forum with another issue and got jumped about my grammar, I would question the motives of anyone who did that. I would wonder if they truly meant to be helpful or if they were picky personalities who saw the opportunity to criticize someone else.
Can we discuss the grammar issue without pulling in every dead cow in the ditch for comparison? I hope.
I know that I wouldn't want my grammar criticized by other forum members. If I were insecure about my grammar I would find criticism hurtful. If I had poor grammar and knew it, I would not understand how anyone proposed to re-educate me. I would already know that would be a long term project, and I would weigh its value taking into consideration whether my reports were being accepted or not accepted. If I had a truly serious issue with grammar I might consider limiting the type shops I did to those which were essentially narrative free. Whatever I decided would not be determined by what some other forum member thought about me.
On the other hand, if I were the person overly concerned about someone else's grammar I might try to limit my exposure to any misuse of the language, in spite of the fact that it changes all the time and always has. Perhaps I would limit my reading to the literary giants. But no, wait. I'd have to exclude Flannery O'Connor because she runs on and on with those great descriptive sentences you can touch and smell, and I'd have to exclude Raymond Carver because he frequently forgets his quotation marks if he ever had any in the first place. Darn! That won't work either.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2016 11:36PM by MDavisnowell.
Can we discuss the grammar issue without pulling in every dead cow in the ditch for comparison? I hope.
I know that I wouldn't want my grammar criticized by other forum members. If I were insecure about my grammar I would find criticism hurtful. If I had poor grammar and knew it, I would not understand how anyone proposed to re-educate me. I would already know that would be a long term project, and I would weigh its value taking into consideration whether my reports were being accepted or not accepted. If I had a truly serious issue with grammar I might consider limiting the type shops I did to those which were essentially narrative free. Whatever I decided would not be determined by what some other forum member thought about me.
On the other hand, if I were the person overly concerned about someone else's grammar I might try to limit my exposure to any misuse of the language, in spite of the fact that it changes all the time and always has. Perhaps I would limit my reading to the literary giants. But no, wait. I'd have to exclude Flannery O'Connor because she runs on and on with those great descriptive sentences you can touch and smell, and I'd have to exclude Raymond Carver because he frequently forgets his quotation marks if he ever had any in the first place. Darn! That won't work either.
Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/06/2016 11:36PM by MDavisnowell.
@BirdyC can U edit all spelling mistakes in this thread \? REDICULOUS "Clean your plate/ no doggie bags" requirement by cheapskate "ZOUP!" restaurant
What bothers me is that the question should have been answered without criticizing the sender. I think it is great to have the grammar and spelling criticized in another forum. I appreciate the help when needed. If this person was a newbie, I don't think I would return.
1JJ
I knew exactly what he was talking about. Basically if you worked with this scheduler in the past you would know what he meant. Unfortunately if you weren't familiar with the MSC you wouldn't know this. The scheduler came back to ask which locations and what day he/she was interested in. He had to know this in order to clarify whether or not he could give you more than one bank. When you replied, he got back to you to tell you that you could only shop one bank and what dates you wanted. I would not expect any forum members to know this unless they were familiar. Yes, the scheduler was not clear.
I knew exactly what he was talking about. Basically if you worked with this scheduler in the past you would know what he meant. Unfortunately if you weren't familiar with the MSC you wouldn't know this. The scheduler came back to ask which locations and what day he/she was interested in. He had to know this in order to clarify whether or not he could give you more than one bank. When you replied, he got back to you to tell you that you could only shop one bank and what dates you wanted. I would not expect any forum members to know this unless they were familiar. Yes, the scheduler was not clear.
@LisaSTL wrote:
I never complete reports with narrative on my phone or tablet. I often post here on my tablet. The letter m is frequently a comma and vice versa. And don't even get me started on autocorrect. If an editor wants to tear apart my report for spelling or grammar I will accept it because it is what we both get paid for. The number of posts tearing apart spelling and grammar in forum posts has reached a fever pitch. If my two choices are to proofread a post at the level normally reserved for reports or just quit posting, guess what choice I'm making?
I often start the narrative portions of a shop on my phone to take advantage of the voice dictation. It saves me typing time and I can get my thoughts and experiences down almost immediately after performing a shop. I then save it and reopen it on my laptop to proofread and spell check before submitting.
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