smart phones and mystery shops
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Besides the apps, your iPhone will be your camera, notebook, calculator, recorder, folder and stopwatch.
"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
@HonnyBrown wrote:
Besides the apps, your iPhone will be your camera, notebook, calculator, recorder, folder and stopwatch.
Yes! It's also your co-pilot, personal assistant, and entertainment device. It's the key to making mystery shopping more efficient and effective.
the.avon.lady1 ~ If you're like me, you will use it more than you ever thought possible. It will be your all-in one. Camera, recorder, calculator, GPS, timing device, flashlight, magnifying glass. You will be able to access your scheduled shops/guidelines, your email, documents, news, bank accounts . . .
Are there "enough to help justify having the phone"? That all depends on where you live and what shops are available that you want to complete. Love it, when I am out and about, and I get texts from MSCs offering well-paying shops close to where I am. Depending on your tax situation, there may be additional advantages. But, that's me.
Having a smartphone is worth serious consideration.
Are there "enough to help justify having the phone"? That all depends on where you live and what shops are available that you want to complete. Love it, when I am out and about, and I get texts from MSCs offering well-paying shops close to where I am. Depending on your tax situation, there may be additional advantages. But, that's me.
Having a smartphone is worth serious consideration.
You can use it to pull up guidelines right before/after a shop to make sure you got all the pictures, business cards, etc., that you need.
There are smartphones for low budgets upto iphone top of the line models/plans. What kind of budget do you have ?
Some mystery shop companies want us to geoverify a location and the cellphone is the way to do it.
Some mystery shop companies want us to geoverify a location and the cellphone is the way to do it.
Wow! thanks for the input. Some things I did not think of. My son has a unlimited data plan but I don't think I need that much. He is on his phone all the time, I doubt I would be. Sometimes I go a whole month without using my flip phone. However, it sounds like a smart phone is a whole different ball game. But some very good ideas here. I do have to watch my budget as my husband is disabled so our income is limited. That is why I mentioned trying to pick up some shops I would use the phone with, to help offset the cost some. I am in a rural area in south west Georgia so there are some good bonused shops at times. However, I haven't found a lot of companies with shops here. I think at this point I am signed up for over 100 companies and shop for around five. I did find a company here that wanted you to use an app to check some stock and saw one awhile back (can't remember the MSC and have not seen it in awhile) that wanted you to pull up coupons in the phone for the shop. So I know there are some extra ones I could pick up if they are here. Anyway you gave me some food for thought. Thanks to all of you that are willing to share!
If you are on a budget and don't need a cadillac when a honda will do, you may want to look at Republic Wireless, they have a plan that is $20/mo for unlimited talk/text/wireless data and 1GB data. You will need to get one of their approved phones.
The Avon Lady--I have a Samsung smart phone does all that the Iphone does. My phone cost $100 through TRACFONE.
TRACFONE service is perfect for me. No monthly bills. I buy my minutes, web, text by the year for $120.
I don't use my phone like the young people. It takes great pics for shops. I don't store much on the phone. I don't text a lot, this is perfect for me. I could record, but I don't. If you are a high tech person it is not for you.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2017 05:31PM by shopper8.
TRACFONE service is perfect for me. No monthly bills. I buy my minutes, web, text by the year for $120.
I don't use my phone like the young people. It takes great pics for shops. I don't store much on the phone. I don't text a lot, this is perfect for me. I could record, but I don't. If you are a high tech person it is not for you.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2017 05:31PM by shopper8.
Thanks for the info. I checked it out but this won't work for me as my son is giving me his iPhone (he upgraded to the newest one) and they are not on Republic's list. Has anybody here had any experience with Consumer Cellular? I know someone that used Straight Talk and loved it but their plans start at $45 with not much choice or flexibility. Consumer Cellular looks like they have a good choice and it is flexible between plans. However, I don't know anybody that has used them.
On another topic does anybody know if there is a way to check and see which MSC's have shops in your area without having to sign up. I do check Jobslinger but I think only MSC's on a certain platform use them.
On another topic does anybody know if there is a way to check and see which MSC's have shops in your area without having to sign up. I do check Jobslinger but I think only MSC's on a certain platform use them.
Now the TRACPHONE sounds interesting and something to look into. I like you would not use my phone enough to justify an Unlimited plan. I would not say high Tech is something I have ever been accused of. LOL
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2017 05:41PM by the.avon.lady1.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/27/2017 05:41PM by the.avon.lady1.
I don't know if it would work with your phone but I have Cricket, which uses the AT&T network. My plan is only $35 a month and i have 3 gigs? of data. I bought my phone for $21 for porting in my number. It's an LG and it's done everything I've asked it to.
I switched to Cricket after 2 years with Verizon. I pay half of what I used to and have a great network for my area.
I switched to Cricket after 2 years with Verizon. I pay half of what I used to and have a great network for my area.
In addition to Jobslinger, you can use Presto Maps prestomaps.com, which shows shops for Sassie companies. You can download it on your computer until you get your cell phone set up. There is also Gigspot [gigspot.com] and ISecretShop.com.
Do some of the wireless shops and you can get paid while doing your research.
Do some of the wireless shops and you can get paid while doing your research.
I would go for the unlimited data. I use 37G a month. I use my phone for shops mostly and most all apps use data. Just sayin'
Thanks all! You are all such a good source of great information!!
37GB of data? Why do you use that much? Do you stream music and videos? Do you use your phone as a hot spot?
I'm cell only, and I use 3 GB a month.
I'm cell only, and I use 3 GB a month.
@rebekah wrote:
I would go for the unlimited data. I use 37G a month. I use my phone for shops mostly and most all apps use data. Just sayin'
"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
Avon, I'm definitely not tech-savvy. The data plan pays for itself many times over. I haven't yet mastered a single shopping app, but I can pull up company websites when I'm on the road and find available shops, then e-mail the scheduler. Also, there's some great threads on apps people use; you'll find lots of info on them.
Also check with Ting.com. Everything is on a pay as you use it plan. I've had it for three months now and dropped my bill by $30 a month. We have two smartphones and my husband is a data hog. Even with my uploading photos and using GPS I don't use nearly what he does in a matter of a couple of days.
Ting.com $6 for the line and whatever you use. Our bill average is $78, and we don't have a house phone. You are also able to put the IMEI number of the phone in at ting and see if it will work. Customer service is awesome! US based, and you can chat online with them or phone and it is very quick.
Ting.com $6 for the line and whatever you use. Our bill average is $78, and we don't have a house phone. You are also able to put the IMEI number of the phone in at ting and see if it will work. Customer service is awesome! US based, and you can chat online with them or phone and it is very quick.
Have you looked at signing up under your son's plan? There should be a family plan and adding another line is usually not expensive. In addition to everything mentioned above, I use my phone during the day while in the field to check my email and my favorite companies' websites looking for additional shops. I get many jobs this way. If I wait till I get home the jobs will be gone.
Yes, see if your son will add you to his plan as a family plan/second phone. I pay for my Mom's wireless by using a family plan. That way she doesn't have to worry about it. Also, one of the best features is to be able to complete the shop report while still on the shop. (You can't do this with all companies, but with some). By the time you walk out of the door or drive out of the parking lot you have completed the report and submitted it. No work to do at home.
Okay, great idea of doing the report while on the shop. Such good ideas here! Thanks for all the great input!! On the thought of going on my son's plan that is not an option as his work pays for the phone and his wife can't even go on it. I had already thought of that one.
@the.avon.lady1 wrote:
Okay, great idea of doing the report while on the shop. Such good ideas here! Thanks for all the great input!! On the thought of going on my son's plan that is not an option as his work pays for the phone and his wife can't even go on it. I had already thought of that one.
Join your daughter in law's plan?
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/06/2017 08:40PM by kenasch.
She does Straight Talk unlimited for $45. I am not sure if they allow a second phone but I will check. Thanks!
I don't believe I have an unlimited data plan, but it would come in handy, because I hot spot to my laptop and tablet. I've yet to go over my original data plan, but if unlimited was only another $10 a month, I'd do it.
I frequently do routes where I stay over night. Since I take the dog when the weather allows, the hot spot feature helps because Motel 6 wants $4.99 for high speed internet services.
You need to figure out what you need. I'm on the road for at least 12 hours a day, so I need data.
MaryAnn
I frequently do routes where I stay over night. Since I take the dog when the weather allows, the hot spot feature helps because Motel 6 wants $4.99 for high speed internet services.
You need to figure out what you need. I'm on the road for at least 12 hours a day, so I need data.
MaryAnn
Live your life in such a way that when your feet hit the floor in the morning; the devil shudders...And yells OH #%*+! SHE'S AWAKE!
Avon Lady, I am very low-tech--I'm still mourning the demise of the manual typewriter--but my smartphone is indispensable. By young people's standards, I'm probably hopelessly behind the Stone Age wall, but I use the MEMO feature on my phone to take notes, and the camera is easy enough to use without having an inordinate amount of "bells and whistles" that would make it prohibitive for me to use. Everybody has their own value system for what works best for them. I, for example, refuse to get involved in any of that GeoVerify business. If I conduct a shop at a given location, get a receipt for my required proof-of-visit, can take a picture of the building exterior if necessary, I cannot understand the need for the extra step of GeoVerify. I think that a lot of the requirements for such technical extras are simply "window dressing," rather than focusing on the merits of a well-written report.
@MA Smith wrote:
I don't believe I have an unlimited data plan, but it would come in handy, because I hot spot to my laptop and tablet. I've yet to go over my original data plan, but if unlimited was only another $10 a month, I'd do it.
I frequently do routes where I stay over night. Since I take the dog when the weather allows, the hot spot feature helps because Motel 6 wants $4.99 for high speed internet services.
You need to figure out what you need. I'm on the road for at least 12 hours a day, so I need data.
MaryAnn
So if you don't mind me asking a few questions here I go. I am completely new to this and have no idea what I need. How much data do you use a month? I had no idea your phone could be a hot spot. I am guessing as long as you have a decent signal you can get internet on your tablet and laptop from your phone. Is that correct? What kind of plan do you have with who and about how much does it run? Do you get good reception everywhere? I know it's a lot of questions but I am trying to figure it all out. All of this brings another question to mind. If a cell phone can be a hot spot. I am wondering if I had an unlimited plan if I could drop my DSL. We live in the country so all we can get is medium speed from AT&T and it is not all that great.
You can't really judge your own data usage or reception based on anyone else. If you have DSL at home, there should be a way to find out how much data you use each month. Same with the speed available using your phone as a hotspot versus DSL. I have internet through my cable company and my AT&T phone can be a hotspot. Both are fast, but the cable wins out on speed every time plus it is unlimited data.
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"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
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"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.
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