I noted that you are against "non-standard" forms of video recording. How come your new organization is unwilling to utilize tools that mystery shopping company owners and their clients have said are completely fine? I thought that the clients dictate what we can or can't use for their shops? Would we not want shoppers to have access to all of the tools that work best for them? Video shopping isn't all about button cameras anymore.
For example, this ad from Kathy Hart at Clear Evaluation says that she can use a shopper with either a pen camera(cheap spy toy) or a cell phone camera. (which your organization is also against). A PEN cam, can you believe it? I can go to another thread in here where people were saying no self respecting MSC would ever allow that. (This is an older post, not recent. I'm just using it as an example of how the times have changed and it's not a criticism of anyone who said they were trash).
Clear Evaluations and Kathy Hart are both incredibly respected and veterans in the video shopping industry and they have an ad stating a PEN camera is okay. If you had asked me if that would be a thing five years ago I would have said you're out of your mind. It's not okay for all of their jobs. But it is for that particular client, and it's better suited due to the high counters that those shops have. That's the one client I exclusively use my cell phone for as it's quicker and faster than using a button camera. The videos and information sent to the client are simply better with the cell phone than the button camera, especially with how easy it is to move it around.
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Servimer uses plastic spyglasses for hundreds of their video shops per month. Literally plastic. I have another mystery shopping company client who bought 100 of the same plastic spyglasses after one of their clients wanted them used for his shops. They have been provided to their shoppers and they have been using them since last year.
The customer in all of these cases is the client. The customer generally dictates what is or isn't allowed, and as the adage says, "The Customer is Always Right." These shops may not even be able to be completed by someone who was unwilling to use "non-standard" equipment due to the nature of what is being used for. I have at least 3 customers who only do shops for servimer. I pushed them away from a $350-500 button camera they thought they needed and were going to buy from me because a $50 spyglasses cam worked best for them, and saved them a boatload of cash.
There are many companies doing drive-thrus shops. You have to use a head mounted camera or similar for that as you cannot use a button camera. Those jobs would not be able to be done by someone who refuses to use alternate equipment.
Signals intercept jobs often entail getting frisked before going into the business. A button camera and wire isn't suitable for that and a cell phone or alternative camera is often the better option to remain covert.
Leblanc and associates accepted a cell phone camera that was used as a backup for a Hawaii job saving 1200 in reimbursement, 100 in pay, and the shopper in question had two button cameras running. That cell phone recording youre saying is unsuitable and you wont promote saved them 1300 bucks total.
Clients have spoken and it sounds like "non-standard" video shopping is here to stay. There is a spreadsheet that was made based purely off of mystery shopping company feedback and the list is pretty hefty for what is allowed beyond the typical button camera that was standard for many years. Newer technology has completely upended the status quo and there are many tools for shoppers toolkits.
I don't understand why an organization that is being formed for shoppers would completely omit training and tools that mystery shopping company owners themselves have stated unequivocally are allowed for their shops? Many of those tools are cheaper than button cameras, or allow someone to get their foot in the door and save money for a button camera. Should they be shoe-horned into a more expensive rig because of a policy against non-standard video recording, even if non-standard is best for their position?
I have had many customers personally who started with plastic spyglasses doing shops for Servimer or Mystery Media Pro's app doing apartments or retail who then used those earnings to get other video shopping tools for the toolkit. Had they never been taught those other methods or offered them in the first place, they may not be video shoppers right now.
EPMS has shoppers who use keyfob cameras. Hand held keyfobs. I couldn't believe it when I got an order about those yet they have shoppers who utilize them successfully for some of their shops.
I think any resources that is going to be training shoppers is great so I support your new venture but I'm just curious why youre going to ignore all of the extra tools that shoppers are already using instead of teaching the shoppers about all of the tools that are available.
The customer dictates which tools can be used, the trainers should be training on said tools. It sounds like youre trying to say what tools can be used, and then only train those tools. This leaves a pretty big gap in knowledge and a rather empty video shopping toolkit for people who follow the same mantra.
It's 2018 now. Everyone doesn't need an expensive button camera rig. Every client doesn't need or require that. Every mystery shopping company doesn't demand it. The market decides what can be used, and if an MSP is submitting video the client isn't satisfied with, they lose the client.
Here's that list of what companies allow for their shops. It looks like about half allow non-button cameras for at least some of their shops. Thats a lot of potential shops missed by anyone unwilling to adapt with the newer times, or by someone who isn't told about them in the first place.
I wish you the best and good luck on your new venture. May it be as successful as your prior ones! (no sarcasm)
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CEO The Mystery Shoppers Depot
US Wide route shopper with 12k+ shops completed over 48 states and 6 countries.
Airbnb host based in Chicago and 10% discount if you mention this forum
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 06/23/2018 03:33PM by jrossetti.