A shop that needs to be done in a language I don't speak.

@2stepps wrote:

If you look at a map, you will notice the river that is between where I live and the place that you want me to go.

Or, are you willing to pay the bridge toll, and to take into consideration that your shop means I'll be sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic waiting to cross it?

My biggest pet peeve with schedulers is that when they send out the email with the request for help or just to let us know that jobs have been posted, they don't list the MSC email address. I find that I need the MSC email listed so I can quickly and easily click on it and check out their job page. If the email address is not there, I have to go into my favorites and look for the MSC in a very long list of MSCs with is a lot of wasted time. Depending on the MSC, if their email address is not in the email requesting help or just letting us know that jobs have been posted, I will just delete and go to the next.

What do you think of an upscale shop that requires two website reports, yet names the high-end brand and not the name of the store? And you have to do your own research after they provide the actual telephone # of the store. And of course it all happened after following the Guidelines
and completing an unsuccessful shop because the store was non existent in the name and location provided.

@pammie8223 wrote:

My pet peeve is a $2 bonus on a $5.00 shop.

Why is that a peeve? Seriously good money, if you ask me.

@PasswordNotFound wrote:

@ChicagoShopper wrote:

@pammie8223 wrote:

My pet peeve is a $2 bonus on a $5.00 shop.

Why is that a peeve? $7 is better than $5.

Because it's invariably advertised as "40% bonus!!!!"

Unfortunately, I get that.
It is a 40% bonus. Everyone works this business. If I was a scheduler I would said it was 40% bonus is a great idea.

Not a scheduler tonight.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/2016 10:44AM by MA Smith.

I requested a shop on 11/03 and was told they had to contact the target before setting the (revealed) shop date. Fine. Then they ask for SIX half-days when I will be available before 11/17. Okay, so I'm not thrilled, but I send them the dates. A week goes by, and my schedule is suffering for keeping those days open and scheduling last minute, so I send an email giving revised availability through Thanksgiving (by this time I know the project is open for several weeks). No response from the scheduler, and no date. 11/16 I get a reminder not to shop until a date is confirmed. I send the scheduler a request to cancel the assignment, as I will be travelling for the remainder of the year. Shop cancelled, got an automatic confirmation of the cancel, but still no emails from scheduler (I've sent about a dozen by this time). Fine, whatever, it's off the books.

11/21 I get a **shop accepted** automatic email for the same shop, with a new arbitrary end date of 01/01/17. I send ANOTHER email to the scheduler reminding her that I already cancelled this shop, and why. No response, no cancellation.

I clicked on the "I have questions" link in the SASSIE confirmation, emailed the scheduler, and emailed the scheduling team. No response, no cancel.

I'd be concerned about the MANY warnings in the shop description and guidelines that say if I cancel I will never shop for them again, but at this point I'm not sure I want to!!

self-assigned shops where the "shop information" (before you self-assign it) states:

You must meet the following qualifications to apply for this shop:
* You cannot have shopped the same location within 183 days

great, but...they don't give up the name of the location/client/store, etc. so you have zero knowledge if you have been there in the last 6-ish months.

My heart goes out to my favorite scheduler's. I screwed up royally this month. If, I'm forgiven...I can't wait for December.

Asking me how my day was going. Get straight to the point and don't waste my time.

@DavePi wrote:

Asking me how my day was going. Get straight to the point and don't waste my time.

yep..."how are you today?", "are you having a good day?"...jeezus ayche cryst on a pogo stick, do you really think they care or are interested?

If you want to really screw up the script, respond with "I'm great. And now, tell me how YOU are."

@MDavisnowell wrote:

If you want to really screw up the script, respond with "I'm great. And now, tell me how YOU are."

ha, very good and i shall, especially the ones from mf (overseas)

@MA Smith wrote:

My heart goes out to my favorite scheduler's. I screwed up royally this month. If, I'm forgiven...I can't wait for December.

And my heart goes out to you! It happens. Just dust yourself off and keep going.

@MA Smith wrote:

@pammie8223 wrote:

My pet peeve is a $2 bonus on a $5.00 shop.

Why is that a peeve? Seriously good money, if you ask me.

And that's why being an IC works so well. I don't consider $7 good money if I have to get in the car. If I didn't want the lousy shop at $5, I don't want it for half a cup of coffee more. If the shop was one I was taking as a favor or a filler, I would've already taken it at $5 (but I really would've had to owe someone.)

@MDavisnowell wrote:

If you want to really screw up the script, respond with "I'm great. And now, tell me how YOU are."

Or say, "Not doing so good today" and wait for their response, "That's great to hear! Can you help up with a shop at........."



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/22/2016 10:49PM by DavePi.

If you really want to play around do what a soccer team mate of mine would do when I would see him once a week at the game and make the mistake of asking how he was doing. He would tell me about his sore knee, the one he hurt when he played, don't you know, in front of the Queen (of England) or his sore back or his twisted ankle. And go on for minutes, which seemed like hours, while I politely listened. I quickly learned to say "hello Frank" instead of "how are you". Problem was he wasn't playing around. He actually thought I cared how his knee was or thought I would be impressed by his often repeated Queen story.

I have one Maritz scheduler that when I talk to him on the phone, he can rarely find my profile. The only way around this with him is if I can give my shopper number. Also, he has mentioned twice gas stations that he can see in my area, but he can't assign them because they are with another team. The strangest thing is that I don't see them on the board and I have shopped the chain with another MSC.

Kakita, the quickest way to have a Maritz scheduler bring up your profile is to put in your shopper ID. It is easier and more efficient to enter 6 numbers rather than fumble over the spelling of your name which will, I believe, also access your profile. I don't understand your problem here. Perhaps you don't know or don't have your ID readily available. But whose fault is that?

If the scheduler can see gas stations in your area but can't assign them because they belong to another team I suggest you ask the number of the team and ask to get switched over.

@AZwolfman wrote:

Uh, there is no shop I would do for $7.

Pshaw, I do in stock checks all the time for $7. Take a photo of the store. Take a photo of the product on the shelf. Take a photo of the tag where the product should be. Go out the door. $7 in your account in 6-72 hours. Worth it for me, but others, perhaps not.

Here is another pet peeve. A location repeatedly offered to be done during the weekend only. With added "No exception!" in the email. The problem is the location is open only during the week, according to the website. Payment is only for open shops---the policy of the MSC. Then they offered it again for the weekend only! No exception! lol!

@stormraven73 wrote:

If the scheduler deducts points for "having to contact" me, that will be another peeve.

Got my score today, 8/10, with the comment that there were "several" oops's when it was submitted. There were none. Sent an email asking to have the comment removed and the score corrected. So far no reply.

Speaking of no reply, how about schedulers who never reply to emails. I emailed to ask about an advertised assignment. I had a question about the guidelines, and didn't want to accept before checking. An hour latervshe assigned it, but never answered my question. Six emails from me later, still no reply, and the assignment is due. I can't do it because my question is about shop eligibility. I send one more email asking to cancel, and explain why.

The day AFTER the due date I get a late notice asking if I did the shop... Really?

@LIJake wrote:

Kakita, the quickest way to have a Maritz scheduler bring up your profile is to put in your shopper ID. It is easier and more efficient to enter 6 numbers rather than fumble over the spelling of your name which will, I believe, also access your profile. I don't understand your problem here. Perhaps you don't know or don't have your ID readily available. But whose fault is that?

If the scheduler can see gas stations in your area but can't assign them because they belong to another team I suggest you ask the number of the team and ask to get switched over.

I've both spelled my name and given my phone number. He is the only scheduler that has that problem. He has caught me on the phone, or I've returned a call while I am not at home. If I can jump on the computer, no problem, I'll look up that shopper ID.

I realize I should ask to be transfer to that team, but why wouldn't it show on the regular job board?

@stormraven73 wrote:

@stormraven73 wrote:

If the scheduler deducts points for "having to contact" me, that will be another peeve.

Got my score today, 8/10, with the comment that there were "several" oops's when it was submitted. There were none. Sent an email asking to have the comment removed and the score corrected. So far no reply.

Speaking of no reply, how about schedulers who never reply to emails. I emailed to ask about an advertised assignment. I had a question about the guidelines, and didn't want to accept before checking. An hour latervshe assigned it, but never answered my question. Six emails from me later, still no reply, and the assignment is due. I can't do it because my question is about shop eligibility. I send one more email asking to cancel, and explain why.

The day AFTER the due date I get a late notice asking if I did the shop... Really?

This happened to me once on isecretshop. Not only did the scheduler fail to answer my question, she gave me a bad rating for cancelling. Ugh. How do you expect me to do a shop if you can't clarify the confusing guidelines?!

A scheduler looks at MapQuest and tells me that a shop is close to me. It really isn't.

A scheduler sends out an email for a shop for my age group. I look at the guidelines, it's for someone a few years younger.

Separate emails for shops in every single location they are recruiting for. One day, I actually replied back.

@Kakita987 wrote:

@LIJake wrote:

Kakita, the quickest way to have a Maritz scheduler bring up your profile is to put in your shopper ID. It is easier and more efficient to enter 6 numbers rather than fumble over the spelling of your name which will, I believe, also access your profile. I don't understand your problem here. Perhaps you don't know or don't have your ID readily available. But whose fault is that?

If the scheduler can see gas stations in your area but can't assign them because they belong to another team I suggest you ask the number of the team and ask to get switched over.

I've both spelled my name and given my phone number. He is the only scheduler that has that problem. He has caught me on the phone, or I've returned a call while I am not at home. If I can jump on the computer, no problem, I'll look up that shopper ID.

I realize I should ask to be transfer to that team, but why wouldn't it show on the regular job board?

Just like your Social Security # or drivers licnese I have my Shopper ID # memorized, I also have my shopper ID #'s for all of the MS co's I work with on my iPhone. listed in the contact list. that way I always have them handy when I call them.

My Maritz ID is only 6 digits. Same with MF. NSS it's 5 digits. Its very easy to memorize the ID #s and if it's a company I rarely work for I always have it available while on the phone. Its much easier for the MSC rep to look up shoppers this way and saves them time. Its courteous to help them save time so why wouldn't you want to be helpful?

When they are so very happy to schedule the shop with a good shopper fee, but get all nasty and want every dime's worth in the report.

Constant emails every single day about a stupid shop I couldn't do if I wanted to because they would recognize me if I showed my face at the store again so soon, or jobs not even in my state.

The schedulers who beg. Yes actually begging, baby talking with sugar on it--literally. Make the wrong move of thinking it over, to get even more of the same.

The scheduler who doesn't give a da*m about me being recognized (even when I protest), or about the MS company in general--she or he just wants to get that job scheduled.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/25/2016 09:28PM by Robin2.

I'm new on the Forum, but can't resist this thread....... My biggest pet peeve with schedulers after a little more than a year shopping, is blatant dishonesty. I try to give a benefit of doubt the first time, but "This is the first time I've heard from you about this question.",( when I have four day and time stamped previous emails to them in my Sent Folder from the last two weeks), makes me grit my teeth so hard they may chip. I've also been told an MSC never pays bonuses when my previous 8 shops with them for the same client were bonused (somewhere in Neverland I guess).

Speaking of Neverland, the same scheduler who told me their MSC never assigns spouses to the same client's shops, called with a shop requiring military post access, asking if my husband and I could shop the same location within an hour of each other so she could close both of the dreadfully past due July and October rotations. Sensing a ca-ching opportunity, I failed to remind her the MSC never assigns spouses to the same client's shops. Alas, although the assignment was 3 hours plus a ferry ride away, the scheduler could never come up with the bonus I requested, and I would almost never take on a shop under these circumstances with what she offered.

I say "almost never" because someday if the shop is near the second star on the right and straight on 'til morning, I just may do it for Pixie Dust.