I am still reading the requirements for this audit. It is so involved with multple pictures of many, many items including both the womens and men's rest rooms.
The pay is really not sufficient for the amount of work that it appears to require.
I do another audit for the same company with pictures of each pump and a variety of other statiion pictures but the fee for this one seems unreasonable for the amount of time it will take.
Also, they require a camera rather than a cell phone and I no longer have one. My phone takes far better pictures that the camera took. Maybe will call the MSCompany to find out if the cell phone can be used if I decide to go ahead with the shops.
It may be that after doing one, it may not be as difficult as the instruction portray it to be.
Has anyone done one of these or is anyone signed up and finding the instructions overwhelming or is just me!

Less than minimum wage in CA. Gas is $4 a gallon. I quit doing these years ago. The pay has not increased in 15 years.

I've done them with my phone and never had an issue.

Where do they require a camera? They have a phone app you can use to do the shops. Phones are fine.

Have you used the app to input this particular shop?

Editors are picky. Just be sure you take lots and lots of pix!

How long did the shop take??

They actually pay less than they did 12 years ago, because we used to get 3 gallons of gas before it was reduced to 2. They are not so bad, but I only do them with a bonus. I believe the "no cell phone pictures" rule was from the days of flip phones. I always use my phone and have not had any issues.

Page 7 of the big guide book.

@meb120 wrote:

Page 7 of the big guide book.

It doesn't say no camera phones, though. I consider a phone camera a digital camera.

They have not updated the guidelines. The guidelines are also written in a manner that makes them seem more difficult than the other stations. Once you do a few, they are easy also. Keep all photos for these shops. Always, always put the added amount you will do the shop for.

I think it must be Shell. I do an evaluation for another MSC and the guidelines are lengthy, but the shop is so very simple. It takes me less than an hour to do the report.

I just did a couple of these today. They are a bit lengthy, but I think if I can do some more of them, I will probably get a better flow and they will go faster. BUT, it definitely depends on how busy the location is. Now that you have to take a photo of every pump, I could easily see it becoming a disaster. I think I'll stick to the more rural locations because of this. But I'm definitely thinking about adding more of them to my routes, not because of the HUGE 12.50 shop fee, but because of the 2 gallons of free gas.

I did my first ones today and took multiple pictures of all the items they asked about except the pumps. But when I did the report, they only asked for one of them. I would have been fine taking only one of each required picture and it would have taken much less time.

@Insight wrote:

I did my first ones today and took multiple pictures of all the items they asked about except the pumps. But when I did the report, they only asked for one of them. I would have been fine taking only one of each required picture and it would have taken much less time.

You might be about to have a hold. The second picture of the required items goes in the same spot as the first picture, by clicking "add image" again. It might seem like they are only asking for one, but they expect both. Don't delete the other pictures!

I did not delete them and if I need to add them I will be able to easily do so.

They delete one of them anyway. They just ask for two so they can keep the best one.

When I do Shell shops i take multiple pictures and submit what, in my opinion, is the best one. This is particularly true of the inside pics. When i take the pumps I check to see that they are not blurry or cut off part of the pump. If i have to I then take a 2nd pic. I do not submit more than one photo of anything but have backup pics in case I get a picky editor. Usually submitting a 2nd shot allows the editor to feel she is doing her job and the shop gets accepted even if the 1st shot was better than the 2nd. At least that has been my experience and i think I have learned how to play the game.

Yes, you got the same editor I got. I actually submitted the same pic and was thanked for submitting a better pic.

Such a waste of time. I don't care about the editors wast of time but I do about mine.

Play their game: My first pic is always the "mulligan", the second pic, better.

I got two of the reports back and they needed only several additional pictures. I had them and it was easy to just add them. Will continue to take several pictures from all angles but may only submit one for each question.

I too had questions on the phone also and was told they are fine. They are wanting at least 5 mp image. You can use a tablet for this is the minimum of 3 mp. I had problem with the photo required and was getting hit on the pictures. I final got them right my doing exactly the photo the have in the book or as close as I can get. Each gas shop has it own standards and if you do them all it is hard sometimes to get what that editor is looking for.

I do a ton of gas stations, yellow, blue, green whatever. I've done 160 of them since Jan 1st. I've gotten it down to a point that I can be in and out in an average of 14 minutes. Sometimes 12, sometimes 16. Very rarely over 20. Reporting takes me about 10 mins per shop. Forget reporting on my phone while there, uploads take way longer on the phone than on my home PC. Get a system down and you'll be fine. My biggest keys are to make sure I stop and verify I have a picture of every pump especially if I'm far from home as that is the easiest to miss for me. I make my own checklist of every required picture for each brand. After doing a few I don't need it but if I haven't done a Shell in a month for example I might look it over while doing the shop just to be sure. I also take a picture of every single problem I see even if I don't need the pic, that is my way of recording what issues there are. Take a few extras here and there. I'm also willing to drive and can make a solid $400+ day route pretty easy at the end of quarters going to small towns with bonuses, granted that could be a 14+ hour day by the time I report it all. Don't be afraid to ask for bonuses if the shop is a ways and you're willing to drive. The closer that deadline gets the more desperate they get. I'll start really trying to negotiate long routes about 2 weeks before the end of the deadline. I just plan on doing it in my head and leave time open specifically for that reason.

They shot themselves in the foot with the BP shops and that ridiculous test they had for the past year which they wouldn't tell you what you had wrong and refused to help. If I couldn't pass it despite gas shops being my main interest I don't know who could. When they eased up the test a month ago and opened them up they were desperate to get them all done in a month. I did 61 BPs in the last 2 weeks of April for over $2k and never went over an hour from home.

Gas stations are my favorite as well and I only do reveal stations. I just checked my records and I am averaging 58 stations per month for this year. I agree the end of he month is the most profitable due to the bonuses. I was doing few BP shops prior to this year as they simply weren't available. They may have shot themselves in the foot with the test but I was able to pass on first try, picked up several routes and now there are more BP's offered than I can handle.

I also agree that an organized worksheet helps avoid mistakes and missed pictures. Congratulations on being able to get the shops done in 12 minuted. Mine take between 20 and 30 and probably average closer to 20. Maybe I should walk faster and talk less. I worked 14 hour days in a past life as an IC but have no desire to do so now. I prefer to do 5 or 6 stations and get back home by 2 or 3.

Ive been doing gas shops for over a year now. I've probably shopped every gas client. There is definitely a learning curve with these shops and when you first start out they might not be worth it. After making plenty of mistakes I've gotten so fast at it I can spend ~10 minutes on site and 15 minutes on the report.

@SpazticWabbit wrote:

I do a ton of gas stations, yellow, blue, green whatever. I've done 160 of them since Jan 1st. I've gotten it down to a point that I can be in and out in an average of 14 minutes. Sometimes 12, sometimes 16. Very rarely over 20. Reporting takes me about 10 mins per shop. Forget reporting on my phone while there, uploads take way longer on the phone than on my home PC. Get a system down and you'll be fine. My biggest keys are to make sure I stop and verify I have a picture of every pump especially if I'm far from home as that is the easiest to miss for me. I make my own checklist of every required picture for each brand. After doing a few I don't need it but if I haven't done a Shell in a month for example I might look it over while doing the shop just to be sure. I also take a picture of every single problem I see even if I don't need the pic, that is my way of recording what issues there are. Take a few extras here and there. I'm also willing to drive and can make a solid $400+ day route pretty easy at the end of quarters going to small towns with bonuses, granted that could be a 14+ hour day by the time I report it all. Don't be afraid to ask for bonuses if the shop is a ways and you're willing to drive. The closer that deadline gets the more desperate they get. I'll start really trying to negotiate long routes about 2 weeks before the end of the deadline. I just plan on doing it in my head and leave time open specifically for that reason.

They shot themselves in the foot with the BP shops and that ridiculous test they had for the past year which they wouldn't tell you what you had wrong and refused to help. If I couldn't pass it despite gas shops being my main interest I don't know who could. When they eased up the test a month ago and opened them up they were desperate to get them all done in a month. I did 61 BPs in the last 2 weeks of April for over $2k and never went over an hour from home.

Gas shops are also my main interest. How are you able to complete that many gas shops in a day without filling up your tank entirely and not being able to purchase anymore gas? My gas tank filling up has prevented me from making these long routes.

Gas cans, 5 gallons each

@spicy1 wrote:

Gas cans, 5 gallons each

I think I might do this. How many gas cans do you ride around with and do you store them in the trunk? Is it safe? Does your car smell like gas?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/20/2018 04:12PM by Jbrz123.

Answers: 3.gas cans Yes, in 3 plastic milk cartons strapped down. No smell - no spillage I have a total of 10 or 12 gas cans and store the extras in the garage. I don't have to buy gas nor does my wife, son and girl friend.