I just found out I am banned from another bank shop! I have no clue why I am being revealed. The editors for each bank contacted me regarding my response of whether or not the banker used my name during our conversation. I have a feeling when the client approaches the banker for not using my name, the banker concludes I was a mystery shopper. However, one of the bankers did not even ask for my name! With so few shops in my area, I'm not feeling warm and fuzzy about this.

Lorrie, please tell us what kind of issues you are reporting in addition to the banker not using your name.

@MDavisnowell wrote:

Lorrie, please tell us what kind of issues you are reporting in addition to the banker not using your name.

On one shop, I reported that the banker did not use my name. I was contacted by the editor asking if I was sure he did not use my name to which I replied he did not. Regarding the second shop, the teller did not use my name nor did she thank me. I was contacted by the editor who told me the teller said she did use my name repeatedly and she did thank me. I have a feeling if I submit any "no's in the report, I am automatically removed from future shops. I say this, for I'm certain I did not do or say anything to reveal that I was a shopper.

Please let us know either the MSC or the bank you have been shopping. Are both banks branches of the same bank? Were both shops with the same MSC? I do quite a few bank shops for several different banks.

I have accounts with 11 banks, and I have done inquiry shops with many more. I often report that a teller - or bank rep, depending - did not use my name. Less frequently, they forget to thank me and I report that. Many times during an inquiry shop with a bank representative, they do not ask my name or any contact information, and that goes in the report, When reporting a negative, I am extremely descriptive about what the banker did do when saying what he didn't do. So far, since 2008, I have never been told I was identified.

Lorrie, from your description of what went down on these shops, I don't see you did anything wrong in your reports. It sounds like the bank, not the MSC, made a decision to ban you based on negative reports they found unacceptable. We can't do anything about it when a client makes a decision to ban us. The MSC has no choice in the matter if they want to retain the client.

AustinMom has a good approach - explain/explain/explain. Tell them everything the banker did right in great detail if you have to report something the banker did wrong. Sometimes bankers and tellers lie. They're trying to not get fired or get a negative write up on their record.

If is is legal in your state, consider taking audio recordings.

@AustinMom wrote:

Please let us know either the MSC or the bank you have been shopping. Are both banks branches of the same bank? Were both shops with the same MSC? I do quite a few bank shops for several different banks.

I have accounts with 11 banks, and I have done inquiry shops with many more. I often report that a teller - or bank rep, depending - did not use my name. Less frequently, they forget to thank me and I report that. Many times during an inquiry shop with a bank representative, they do not ask my name or any contact information, and that goes in the report, When reporting a negative, I am extremely descriptive about what the banker did do when saying what he didn't do. So far, since 2008, I have never been told I was identified.

They are two different banks. One was Ace but I do not want to mention the other bank, for I am still permitted to do phone shops. The teller at Ace lied through her teeth, for she told the editor she called me by Ms. XXXX several times and thanked me. The other banker asked for my name and I gave him my first name only. He never called me by name. Another bites the dust.

@elynbeth wrote:

If is is legal in your state, consider taking audio recordings.

I don't know if it is legal in Ohio.

I'm not a lawyer. This isn't legal advice.

From cursory research, it looks like Ohio is a one-party state. That means that as long as one party to the conversation (you, in this case) knows that it is being recorded, it is legal.

[www.mwl-law.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/07/2016 03:38PM by elynbeth.

@elynbeth wrote:

I'm not a lawyer. This isn't legal advice.

From cursory research, it looks like Ohio is a one-party state. That means that as long as one party to the conversation (you, in this case) knows that it is being recorded, it is legal.

[www.mwl-law.com]

Thanks. How do I record the conversation without making it obvious?

Lorrie, I "feel your pain...." The only two shops I've ever been challenged on were bank shops. In one report, I stated that the CSR neither shook my hand or used my name at least twice (that was the requirement) during the transaction. The CSR lied and said she told me she wasn't going to shake my hand because she had a cold. In this particular shop, I was 100% sure of my observations! Because while waiting for the CSR, the bank manager was on the phone, with the door open, talking to someone about the bank's last mystery shop! The manager was complaining because that shopper, too, had reported that the CSR didn't use her name. The manager was indignantly claiming to the other person that "her reps know what they're supposed to do, and they do it." Yeah, right.

Believe me, when I got to see the CSR, I was on my toes. So, when challenged, I explained everything to the MSC, including the overheard phone conversation.

In the second case, the issue was not using my name the required number of times. I explained that the bank was 5 minutes from my house, that I still made notes (in my car, away from the bank entrance), and that I wasn't going to forget that detail in the 5 minutes it took me to drive home and start my report.

Both of my reports were accepted, but not without a struggle. The MSC owner went to bat for me, and said that the clients sometimes don't want to acknowledge that their personnel make mistakes.

The bank is calling you a liar, so it's not a big loss if you're banned. Who wants to work for an end client whose first avenue is to accuse the shopper of lying?

@Lorrie68 wrote:

Thanks. How do I record the conversation without making it obvious?

Do you have a smartphone? Set the voice recorder on before you go inside and have the phone in your pocket with the recording side sticking up, or in an outside pocket in your purse that you set on the counter.
I live in southeast Michigan and often will drive to Ohio to do a bunch of shops. It is such an advantage being able to record and then refer back when doing reports.

I picked up an awesome little purse type thing at Kohl's. It holds a few credit cards, a slot for a little cash, but most important.....my iPhone fits it it. You can actually type into the cell phone while the phone is in this purse thing (don't know what else to call it). Anyway, it just looks like I'm carrying my wallet. I get more compliments when I go to pay and they see that my phone is in there too. Of course they have no clue I'm recording the entire shop. I'm going back to Kohl's to pick up a few more of these as eventually the latch will give out. When I'm not shopping, I just throw this little guy into the purse. Wish I could post of picture.

I had the same issue 2 weeks ago. It was also the above mentioned company. I was told by the editor that the customer service rep used my name twice. The customer service rep did no such thing. However, I said in the report all off the good things that the customer service rep did to help me with my scenario. The prior MSC that had this account gave you a fake phone number to use. I will miss these shops.

In your normal day just how often does someone use your name? I find it to be rare and continued use of my name during a conversation seems so stilted. When doing business at my own bank they tend to greet me by name and that's it. Even assuming the report gets there the next day AND the customer service rep remembers you, can they really remember they used your name exactly twice? Puhleese.

Well Lisa, I think it good when people use my name is conversation.Why do you find it stilted, Lisa? It seems perfectly natural to me, Lisa.

Seriously, it is awkward when my name is used repeatedly. Once is fine. In a longer interaction, twice might be okay. Any more than that is weird.

Sometimes even once is awkward. At a grocery chain, the checker always thanks customer by reading the last name from the club card used. They can rarely pronounce it right. Then there is the issue of Mrs/Ms/Miss to go along with it.

What Lisa and Teri posted. It's forced ass-kissing and it does nothing for me.

@Lorrie68 wrote:

Thanks. How do I record the conversation without making it obvious?

I use the voice recorder on my smartphone. I don't think that just having it in my hand is that strange in some situations (such as waiting in line at a bank or at the grocery store where I might be reading a list). If it would be odd to be holding it, I often tuck it in my bra with the mic facing out. It also helps a lot with timings at quick service places. I start the recording, speak the time out loud right before I walk in the door and just let it run the whole way.

I just keep my phone in my hand, or place in on the counter in a way that the mic isn't covered. I record from when I walk in the door until I leave, starting with my time in and then time out. Once I get outside and in the car I immediately state the employee's name and other identifying information, and any other observations that are deemed important.

I have shopped over 1000 banks. Once I was banded from a particular bank. They got a perfect report, did everything right. I have no idea other than they spotted me as a shopper. That was a year ago, I started shopping again for the same bank this year, although I would not shop this branch ever again.

It is funny but I have never had issues with a bank regarding calling me by name. I remember in only two occasions when they actually called me, Ms....
And my report was never questioned. However, one real problem I had was when the bank manager concentrated on questioning my age that he forgot about that he was supposed to educate me on the banking issues. I almost did not get paid for that! I had to explain to the editor that the manager asked my permission to give my number to his wife so she could call me for advice. And he concentrated on that topic, never once mentioning my name. I was paid. Really silly.

I think twice sounds about right, once at some point during the conversation, then in closing. But any more than that and it become ludicrous. I, personally, would be happy as a "real" customer if they use it once.

As far as leaving your phone out to record.... Two of the bank shops I do state specifically NOT to have your phone in evidence, or your shop will be rejected. The third one, for a different MSC, doesn't mention it at all.

@schristine wrote:

@Lorrie68 wrote:

Thanks. How do I record the conversation without making it obvious?

Do you have a smartphone? Set the voice recorder on before you go inside and have the phone in your pocket with the recording side sticking up, or in an outside pocket in your purse that you set on the counter.
I live in southeast Michigan and often will drive to Ohio to do a bunch of shops. It is such an advantage being able to record and then refer back when doing reports.

Yes, I have an iPhone. I didn't know whether it would record well enough if it was in my purse or pocket. I will have to experiment. Thanks

@Lorrie68 wrote:

@elynbeth wrote:

I'm not a lawyer. This isn't legal advice.

From cursory research, it looks like Ohio is a one-party state. That means that as long as one party to the conversation (you, in this case) knows that it is being recorded, it is legal.

[www.mwl-law.com]

Thanks. How do I record the conversation without making it obvious?

Turn your phone's voice recorder on and stick your cellphone in your bra.

My iPhone records well enough in my jeans pocket and even my purse. Always put in airplane mode so an incoming call doesn't stop the recording. My purse is small so the phone is stable and doesn't pick up noises like jangling keys because they are always in my pocket. And don't ever put it in the pocket of a down coat or all you will hear is the fabric rubbing against the microphone.

I have to give some slack when it comes to using my name. It's rude to address someone in a business setting by the first name and my last name is far too difficult for 99% of Americans to attempt to pronounce. If they ask me how to pronounce my name, I'll give them credit for trying.

I have been at a fine dining where they are required to thank me by name when they return the credit card and have the name. I see them standing there looking at the name on the card and I know they are trying to decide to say it wrong and offend me, go with the first name instead, or chicken out of attempting to pronounce it and call me sir.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2016 10:42PM by scanman1.

You have to focus on what the CSR did right because I have seen Mystery Shoppers only blast the CSRs not putting anything good down. MSCs can't afford to anger their big clients and will throw you under a bus to save face with clients. The best bet is to look for everything the CSR did right or correct. Then its a slowly break-up style of why you think they did not meet expectations during your shop. I got to read all the Shopper reports from two districts because of being in HR and management. You could see ugly Shoppers blasting employees for minor, petty things we never asked them to evaluate. My employer would weed out Shoppers drunk with power, not sure why because you could not fire the employees. We kept Shoppers on full-time 38+ OT if we needed their help, they could work 60 hrs in a week($17.50 a hr, medical, dental, vision and 401k matched contribution plus $.60 a mile) a very good job for 1998s pay scale only to be eliminated by a MSC for one-quarter of our payroll.


I've read your posts and believe you are a fair Shopper who was telling the truth, did you highly all the right things your CSR did then gently bring in the bad news? I ran a Shopper program for 14 years for the biggest company ahead of its time. We paid above average wages, were flexible and always had Shoppers who wanted full-time in line for a job. I know you are a fair person, it is their loss for being jerks!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/08/2016 11:19PM by JasonHunter79.

I did a shot yesterday and simply set my cell on the FCR's desk.