Asking for a receipt? Suspicions confirmed.

October 05, 2017 10:29PM

The article is presented as a "hack" for better service, but it confirms a long-held suspicion of how our asking for a receipt potentially outs us and often skews the service that we then evaluate.
[flipboard.com]

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October 05, 2017 10:36PM

Interesting that the article reveals both the client and MSC, at least in Great Britain. Of course don't know if the info is current and accurate.

October 05, 2017 10:49PM

My browser is not compatible with flipboard, so I did not read the article. But, since I always ask for the receipt last, even if I am "outed," all the evaluations have already been performed so it's too late for the CSR to change anything.

October 05, 2017 11:37PM

@Bec2117 wrote:

My browser is not compatible with flipboard, so I did not read the article. But, since I always ask for the receipt last, even if I am "outed," all the evaluations have already been performed so it's too late for the CSR to change anything.

It's a FF chain where you ask for the receipt at the counter right after ordering.

October 06, 2017 02:25PM

Can you name the client? Although, if this is indeed in the UK, they may do things differently than where I am in the US. I'm trying to think of all the FF places I've shopped, either on duty or off, and can't think of any where I'm not either automatically offered a receipt with my change, or it's placed on the tray along with the meal. Even the locations where they don't typically give a receipt, one is printed. Why can't you ask for that one after you've received the food? The only observations that wouldn't be completed are the cleanliness of the restaurant during your meal and you should be able to mention the condition of the restaurant prior to ordering the food and that it was cleaned up while you ate, if they did so.

October 06, 2017 02:38PM

This is why I urge shoppers ad friends to always ask for a receipt. The more people who ask, the more difficult it will be to spot the actual shopper.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

October 06, 2017 09:23PM

If I have to ask for a receipt and it's for food or gas I'll add, "My boss is paying for this because I'm not!" Like I'm pretty put out about the whole thing.

October 06, 2017 10:30PM

I'm in the UK and the FF client stopped being shopped a few months ago so it's a bit redundant now but receipts were not always offered as a matter of course so you did end up having to ask for one quite often. Although the timings element had been done, if it was a dine in you still had to sit there eating the burger. We used to call them floor shows when they suspected a shopper was around. Out would come the balloons for kids, extra cleaning and staff asking how your meal was.

October 06, 2017 11:08PM

Not sure about the UK, but in the US, don't retailers/FF places and all other establishments have to give a receipt if the person uses either a debit or credit card??? If so, lots of people use that form of payment in the US, so I would think that in itself would make it more difficult to figure out who the shopper is. Now....when the guideline calls for paying in cash, and the shopper has to ask for a receipt, well then I agree...maybe that gives the shopper away just a bit, and as wales posted above, it would be good for everyone to ask for a receipt all the time, so as to make it more difficult to figure out who the shopper is.

October 07, 2017 12:52AM

I ask for a receipt every time I make a purchase, whether a shop or not. Keeps me in practice, and makes it so I really never feel awkward asking.

October 07, 2017 01:07AM

I recently did a shop at a popular ice cream restaurant. They were not giving receipts to anyone, and the register was not even printing them. I asked the acting supervisor for a receipt, and she had to call her boss! After a few minutes, she came to my table and gave me a handwritten receipt. I then had to ask her to add the date and the time. After that I really wanted to ask her to say cheese because I needed to take her picture! That shop was a failure for a few different reasons. First - what restaurant does not give customers receipts?? That was terribly poor business practice. Second - I don't think I was a "mystery" shopper anymore. All of the employees were looking at me sideways.

October 07, 2017 02:19AM

So many people need to itemize expenses, especially restaurants, that I don't think asking for a receipt would make a restaurant suspicious. One time I lost a receipt, called the restaurant....they said it happens all the time and asked me if I preferred them to fax or email it. No issue whatsoever.

October 07, 2017 02:21AM

My wife and I went to a burger place a while back and I ask for a receipt. They don't have paper receipts but they were able to email me one.

October 07, 2017 06:09AM

A long time ago I worked in the accounting office of a large company with many management and junior management level people who traveled on a regular basis. They had a set amount max they could spend for meals but needed a receipt for each thing they bought. It was funny to me because all the people I handled spent just up to or even slightly beyond the max for each meal but one employee would turn in a bunch of little receipts not coming close to the max per meal. He would usually have something from a fast food place or a donut or muffin place and then might buy an apple at the airport and perhaps a yogurt at a 7 11. His daily bills were about $6 when every one else was spending $50. It all had to be itemized. My current workplace also required itemized receipts to get reimbursed. Most companies I know of have a meal and overnight max per day and not per diem. Some government jobs have a per diem amt.

October 08, 2017 05:09AM

I paid cash for my Church's shop. She said she could not print a receipt. I said I have to have one. She shut the window on me at the drive through. I went ahead with the shop, checked the restrooms etc. Then I went to the counter with my validation form. I got a receipt, but the time was the time I hit the counter. They might consider changing the requirements for that shop! Other then that, they had 8 legs and got the $10 each.

October 13, 2017 11:26PM

I forget to get a receipt the other night at a pizza take out shop . Once I get in the car and know it. I walk back into the store and the youngman very nicely found the recipt. I did not think it odd to ask for one becasuce people who had expense account at compaies had to have the receipt to get paid back.

October 14, 2017 01:45AM

I always ask for an itemized receipt because I record each purchase in my budget Excel sheet. I haven't noticed better service. Usually, people don't seem to care (or they're annoyed).

Administrative Manager for Shoppers' View
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October 14, 2017 02:08AM

A lot of people use the receipts to upload to their phone apps they all have. There is receipt hog, receipt pal, find n save, ibotta, checkout 51 and the like. Just asking for a receipt nowadays does not automatically say shopper. It could say couponer as well.

Shopping across Indiana but mostly around Indianapolis.

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Asking for a receipt? Suspicions confirmed.

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