@AuditAce wrote:
How long does it take to do Coyle's report for a one-night hotel shop? Do they ever pay travel?
I'm done some fine-dining shops for them so I know their extensive requirememts.
@JASFLALMT wrote:
I did a one night shop recently where I had to evaluate check in, valet, doorman, bell services, concierge, room inspection, public areas, engineering request, front desk (lose a key) request, and checkout with bell services the following day. There were no food and beverage evaluations for this one but I was already scrambling with everything else I had to do. I did it alone so was able to write most of it on-site. Total write-up time was about 4 hours. If I'd had meals and bar it would have been 6 or more.
Sometimes they pay travel, sometimes not.
@ShopSouthTexas wrote:
@JASFLALMT wrote:
I did a one night shop recently where I had to evaluate check in, valet, doorman, bell services, concierge, room inspection, public areas, engineering request, front desk (lose a key) request, and checkout with bell services the following day. There were no food and beverage evaluations for this one but I was already scrambling with everything else I had to do. I did it alone so was able to write most of it on-site. Total write-up time was about 4 hours. If I'd had meals and bar it would have been 6 or more.
Sometimes they pay travel, sometimes not.
Did you find the visit worth it? I've done hotels for other companies that require many interactions for a one night stay but the report isn't 4-6 hours, more like 1-2. I've not gone with Coyle yet because I fear I would REALLY miss out on actually enjoying the amenities and meals they would afford me. And I miss out a lot as it is when it comes to fulfilling requirements with other shops
@JASFLALMT wrote:
I'm working towards bigger and better things. It paid $75 for that one night, and I have had days of mystery shopping where I didn't earn that much, though many others where I earned double that. I was traveling out of state so I had a free place to stay, so that alone was worth it to me. The thing is usually you have to do a number of restaurant and phone shops to qualify for a hotel. I did one restaurant and then they had a 2-night B&B shop that they needed done right away and were willing to waive their prerequisite requirement, so I grabbed it. It had room service and bar as well as several other detailed interactions. It only paid $75 for the two nights but the room service food was spectacular. The hotel shop I mentioned above was also something they needed done quickly as it was approaching deadline. I got a 100% on the restaurant, 94.44% on my first B&B, and 96.3% on that last hotel. My understanding is that after a certain amount of hotel shops you can qualify for cruises and resort stays. That's what I am working towards.
@Travisli wrote:
@ShopSouthTexas wrote:
@JASFLALMT wrote:
I did a one night shop recently where I had to evaluate check in, valet, doorman, bell services, concierge, room inspection, public areas, engineering request, front desk (lose a key) request, and checkout with bell services the following day. There were no food and beverage evaluations for this one but I was already scrambling with everything else I had to do. I did it alone so was able to write most of it on-site. Total write-up time was about 4 hours. If I'd had meals and bar it would have been 6 or more.
Sometimes they pay travel, sometimes not.
Did you find the visit worth it? I've done hotels for other companies that require many interactions for a one night stay but the report isn't 4-6 hours, more like 1-2. I've not gone with Coyle yet because I fear I would REALLY miss out on actually enjoying the amenities and meals they would afford me. And I miss out a lot as it is when it comes to fulfilling requirements with other shops
In a general sense the one night shops are not worth it if your goal is enjoyment. It's only one night, there is a lot of things that have to be done and there is little time to "enjoy" anything other than sleeping in a hotel. The reports are time consuming, taking 3 to 4 hours at a minimum. However, a one night hotel shop IS worth it (to me) if the goal is to stay relevant to Coyle. By being relevant, reliable and able to write a report in the manner they require, it allows for the opportunity to receive the emails that ask if I can go somewhere crazy cool with a portion of the travel paid.
I think the choice to work or not work for Coyle depends 100% on what's important to you and what you want out of mystery shopping. I write for a living, I shop for an experience I may not otherwise have. My day job makes writing Coyle reports less burdensome than it may be for others, but it's still time consuming. Despite the time requirements, if I'm given the opportunity to go somewhere tropical, stay in an amazing resort for a few days and, oh, if I have to, enjoy a massage at the spa? I'm in.
@ShopSouthTexas wrote:
When you say a portion of the travel, does this mean Coyle doesn't cover your entire travel expenses? Meaning a guest could not come as well? I'm totally with you on the experiences I get out of my shops. But I'm a married mom of young ones so I look for those that afford my family experiences and rarely just myself (hair appointments and massages are great though!!!). Definitely those that are for my husband and I work though. I figure by retirement age, or at least when my youngest is out the door, I'll be able to enjoy the cruises or travel that is still possible today, but requires some choreography to make happen. I know I need to get started with Coyle if I want to get in with them by then... maybe 2017 will be my year!
@JASFLALMT wrote:
Here's the thing, SST--children would be far too distracting on a Coyle shop. I recommend doing a few phone shops to get a feel for their reports. I did quite a few upscale hotels for Regal and LRA that require extensive details, and Customer Impact fine dining shops as well, so I had an idea of what I was getting myself into. Coyle of course had no way of knowing that so I never got any of the hotel shops I applied for until after I made that 100% on that restaurant shop and they were desperate to get lodging shops filled. After proving yourself to them, take hubby on a date night at one of their restaurant shops. When you are eligible for hotel shops, send the kids to the in-laws. Unless you have very quiet, subdued children that require very little attention, getting all of your interactions done might prove difficult. It's also a good idea to take your laptop and try to write as much of the report as possible onsite while details are fresh in your mind.
@JASFLALMT wrote:
Look, even a husband can be distracting and needy, LOL. He can be helpful in remembering details and getting names because after 15 years of shopping he has become accustomed to it. The 2-night B&B stay was about 45 minutes from home. He stayed the first night and had room service with me, then went to work the next morning and I was on my own the second day and night. It worked out perfectly.
@SteveSoCal wrote:
And as for those one night hotels being worth it; I'm not sure the individual ones were worth it. When you add them all together, you start to see the benefit.
I took on probably more than I should have so it not only earned me platinum status with the client, but it's now netting me 5 free nights over new years in a very nice hotel on an island that my GF has always wanted to visit. That's making up for al the work earlier in the year....
@SteveSoCal wrote:
And as for those one night hotels being worth it; I'm not sure the individual ones were worth it. When you add them all together, you start to see the benefit.
I took on probably more than I should have so it not only earned me platinum status with the client, but it's now netting me 5 free nights over new years in a very nice hotel on an island that my GF has always wanted to visit. That's making up for al the work earlier in the year....
@ShopSouthTexas wrote:
I guess I'm just fearful of biting off more than I'd like to be chewing!
@SteveSoCal wrote:
@ShopSouthTexas wrote:
I guess I'm just fearful of biting off more than I'd like to be chewing!
Agreed, and I admit that I was miserable with reports a few months back. That's why I burned out and am taking December off. I did 26 one-night stays over a 60-day period!
@AuditAce wrote:
2 questions:
1) I'd appreciate a brief explanation of the point system that seems to exist at Coyle's platinum level. (I'm probably aluminum-foil level.)
2) It sounds like you have to do lots of one-night stays that aren't worth your time and then you get to go great places. From an economic viewpoint, do you go great places enough to justify the low hourly wage from the one-night shops?
@AuditAce wrote:
From an economic viewpoint, do you go great places enough to justify the low hourly wage from the one-night shops?
@SteveSoCal wrote:
@AuditAce wrote:
From an economic viewpoint, do you go great places enough to justify the low hourly wage from the one-night shops?
I also received during my shops this year, a week each in:
-Hawaii
-Montreal
-Paris/London
It was worth breaking even to get those trips alone. The extra week of freebies is like an added bonus.