@Jamiesan wrote:
@LisaSTL wrote:
Since you do not know what MSC this was for, and obviously do not know the policies of all MSCs, is it really proper to give advice without qualifying it is based on your own experience with one or two MSCs?
You also don't need to resurrect old threads then reply to multiply posts one at a time. If you insist on dredging these up, you can actually write just one post and address the various issues in that single post.
In reply to [
www.mysteryshopforum.com]
@Jamiesan wrote:
@gotshops wrote:
I just resubmitted a report after an editor asked for clarification. She had partially edited my report and I saw many errors (hers, not mine). I corrected a few of those and then just gave up.
What bugged me more than her adding errors to my narratives was her changing the meaning of some of what I had reported.
Please don't "correct" her edits. She has to re-edit them. Maybe you are wrong about her errors, or maybe she was a lousy editor. Either way, you wasted her time and yours. She will have to be accountable for her errors if they exist.
When you see that an editor has changed your meaning, by all means, email her or leave notes in the report correcting her. She may or may not appreciate it, but you have done your due diligence. You should also save all emails and changes you made in the report in case issues arise.
I'm posting this PM in the related forum because I think it's an inappropriate PM and a bit bullying. This is not one member's forum; it's everyone's forum.
LisaSTL, I think it's obvious that I speak only for myself regarding the companies I do work for and have worked for.
"Resurrecting old threads"? "Dredging them up"? If I "insist"? Why such inflammatory language?
The last post here before mine was six weeks ago, hardly an old thread.
Lastly, please don't tell me how to post unless I compromise proprietary information or cross another line. I will afford you the same courtesy.
An an ex-editor, I am following this thread and find it interesting.
First, Jamiesan, I don't think anyone is bullying you. Get over the sensitivity. You are gung-ho to teach shoppers or to comment and you are dredging up very old threads to do it. I can see how that is a little irritating.
I do agree with some of what you've posted, particularly "Please don't "correct" her edits. She has to re-edit them. Maybe you are wrong about her errors, or maybe she was a lousy editor. Either way, you wasted her time and yours. She will have to be accountable for her errors if they exist." As a shopper who briefly edited and hated it, I discovered it took too much time and didn't pay, and shopping is much more fun and more lucrative. I now only shop and do not edit. I would tell shoppers that, when dealing with editors:
1. Stay in your lane. You do your job and let the editor do theirs.
2. Turn in your report. Then it belongs to the MSC and they can change it, edit it, delete things, add things, whatever they want. It belongs to them. Remember that your customer is the MSC, not the client.
3. If the editor comes back and asks for more info, give them what they ask for. No more, no less, and respond quickly. Editors don't want to have to contact you. An editor prefers a straight-forward report with all information. If the editor has to stop and take a lot of time on one report, it is time-consuming, annoying, and means they won't make any money on editing that report. Most editors prefer to fix a report themselves and not have to go back to the shopper. If too many editors come back and ask you for more information, you should examine your writing and your reports. It is actually not usual for a shopper to be contacted after report submission.
4. Do not argue with the editor about questions or edits. Once you turn it in, the report is not yours any more.
5. After getting your grade, if you have a serious issue, contact the editor. But if you just want to argue about the grade, don't bother. If you are getting paid, that's the goal.
6. Realize that the editor and the mystery shopper have the same goal in mind. Both want to get paid.
7. There is very little screening of shoppers, so there are some very, very bad shoppers and some who have no skills in grammar and sentence structure. There are also some very, very bad editors.
9. This is a fly-by-night profession. There's a lot of turnover. There are people with a lot of experience and people with no experience. There are people who are making a living, those who are picking up a little extra money, and people who won;t make money and will leave, probably quickly. There are some well educated, very intelligent people and some with little education and others who seem like absolute idiots. This pertains not only to shoppers, but to editors and schedulers.
10. If you get a grade lower than 10, try to not take it personal. As long as you are getting paid, the grade shouldn't matter. I prefer MSCs that do not post a grade for a shopper report.
Sorry for the soapbox. I couldn't resist.