That's what I'm hoping happens here, too.

There is ambiguity in the instructions that can lead to different interpretations of the photo requirements. I took the required pictures of the bedding by pulling back the layers, but not taking them completely off of the bed. The MSC really should provide example photos for the shop.

This shop is a lot of work. I did not have much free time.

@SteveSoCal wrote:

@Hoju wrote:

I haven't read that far so I'm not sure what's involved in that part yet.

Read the guide, then read it again while taking notes. Once you learn the format it's pretty easy but the standards differ for each sub-brand, so that can be a pain.

The bed situation involves completely removing all bedding and taking photos of everything. Waiting to the last morning gives you 2 things.

1. You won't have to remake the entire bed. The housekeeper is going to strip it that last day anyway, so you are just helping if you fold the linens and leave them on the mattress after the photos. That saves everyone time.

2. I'm often so disturbed but what I find when I strip the bed that I'd prefer to not see that until after the stay. My last mattress was from 1998...

What is MSC. I’d love to get a hotel stay for a shop

@MSF wrote:

There is ambiguity in the instructions that can lead to different interpretations of the photo requirements. I took the required pictures of the bedding by pulling back the layers, but not taking them completely off of the bed. The MSC really should provide example photos for the shop.

This shop is a lot of work. I did not have much free time.

I believe there's a requirement for 'One Mattress Per Bed" that could only be accompanied by taking a photo of the bare mattress. I've always taken the bed apart component by component and photographed each item.

It gets easier when you have done a few, and I think that's why they have a small team of evaluators that do most of them. I got a lot of pushback for more photos on the first few and now I know exactly what's needed.

I've got it down to basically working the first day I arrive, taking the second full day almost entirely off, and then working the full day day of check-out to finish the photos and get the report in.

Steve/MSF,
I have a few questions regarding this audit that I'm hoping you can clarify before I go to the MSC. I appreciate the help. I agree with MSF. They should provide examples.

1) There are some questions such as "During the check-in experience, Host to ask guest if they can be of further assistance" that also have a Upload File button. Since we're primarily submitting photos for NO answers, what would be submitted if this question is a no? The same question stated "Auditor to detail any additional services that were offered by the Colleague." Should we be uploading any collateral that the host gives us?

2) Take photos of method of delivery of food. Does this mean they want to know if it was delivered by hand or on a rolling cart? So take a picture of the tray/cart?

3) Do they want all photos to be in landscape? Would it be acceptable to submit photos like menus in portrait since it would fit in the frame better?

4) Minibar- They state that in the Americas the minibar does not have to be stocked based on the minibar list. Does that mean that this question is answered YES if not all items on the list are in the bar? Also, they ask if the bar is replenished but do not offer reimbursement for items taken from the bar. How are we expected to handle this question?

5) What kind of photo would you submit if a question asks if something is not offered (like restaurant breakfast or that the bar doesn't offer a selection of local beers or that wifi isn't available in that area, car not returned from valet within 20 mins)?

6) Any thoughts on how wide the wide shots are supposed to be and how close the close up shots are supposed to be? Some wide shots, like the shampoo and conditioner, are going to be the same shot since they're right next to each other. If a question doesn't say "Take photo" or have the "1, 2" thing (such as the toilet paper question) does that mean you don't need a photo unless the question is a no?

7) "TAKE INDIVIDUAL DETAIL PHOTOS OF ITEMS" - Any thoughts on how many and what detail?

@Hoju; All good questions but you should each out to support for official answers. It gets into dangerous ground when this becomes the support page for the MSC.

I can tell you that I take photos from both perspectives on my assignments and there are plenty of questions with an upload button where no photo is required.

When in question, take a photo, then take another back up photo. Take it from landscape and take another portrait, just in case. Take a picture of how the food was delivered with covers on, covers off, wide shot, close up, etc.

It's quite easy to go through your photos and send another option if you got it wrong, but when you don't have the correct one and you've already checked out, then you run into problems.

I just downloaded the photos from the hotel I checked out of yesterday; 315 photos! I'll probably end up submitting 90 of them....but I'm prepared.

Have you used the MobiAudit app for this? I use it for plenty of other assignments and it makes photo processing significantly easier for those assignments.

@Hoju wrote:

Have you used the MobiAudit app for this?

I've done it both ways and find it WAY faster to not use the app for photos...for a few reasons.

First, you need way more photos than you end up submitting. I want to go through them and select the right ones to submit.

Second, I can enter the hotel room and within 10 minutes have 90% of the needed room photos because I'm just quickly snapping pics. No questions or waiting to upload.

Third; Batch resizing. 'Nuff said. I don't get enough detail out of the 640x480 photos to even read most of the text on room service menus and such, so I crop the HQ photos to have the needed section in the picture and then resize everything in one pass.

Basically, I do it an assembly line process and it's very fast:
1.Take photos on property
2.Download all photos into PC and name them
3.Crop and rotate all photos as needed
4.Batch resize all photos
5.Upload all photos from my PC wth drag/drop (I have very fast upload speeds at home)

This process takes me 60-90 minutes, but I do use the app to add comments and score the forms when at the property. I just do the photo pass after check-out.

What do you use to batch resize? I've never had to do it.

Hey, so it's against the forum rules for us (and an ICA violation) to name both the MSC and the client in the same thread. Since the client has already been named, no one is allowed to say the name of the MSC. However, if you use the search feature on this forum and type in "hotel shops" you will find information on who does hotel shops.

@Lgiglio1 wrote:

What is MSC. I’d love to get a hotel stay for a shop

How sensitive is the MSC on the resolution of the photos. If using an iPhone X camera, it takes pretty high resolution photos which exceed their requested size. Going through each to resize to their specs might be the trickiest part for me...

Steve, this just points out how there can be different interpretations of the instructions. It did not occur to me to completely remove the bedding and take pictures of the entire mattress. I peeled back enough of the bedding layers in order to get wide and close-up photos of the mattress, and those met the requirements. I probably took at least 300 pictures also and submitted more than I needed to, even though I did not submit all of them. Therein also lies the ambiguity. When the MSC says to take photos of the linen labels, there should be clarity as to which labels, which side of the labels, and what to capture (the brand, the materials, both?). And if the requirement is to capture the brand only, the editors should not ask for additional photos. Specificity of what should be captured in the photos, along with example photos, would go a long way.

@SteveSoCal wrote:

I believe there's a requirement for 'One Mattress Per Bed" that could only be accompanied by taking a photo of the bare mattress. I've always taken the bed apart component by component and photographed each item.

It gets easier when you have done a few, and I think that's why they have a small team of evaluators that do most of them. I got a lot of pushback for more photos on the first few and now I know exactly what's needed.

I've got it down to basically working the first day I arrive, taking the second full day almost entirely off, and then working the full day day of check-out to finish the photos and get the report in.

Hoju, your questions sound like questions from an editor, lol. Good questions though, and I agree with the responses Steve has given.

I sent this whole thing off to support and got good responses:

1) There are a lot of extra 'upload' buttons in the survey; you can just ignore these.

2) A picture of the tray is fine, or the table if it's left.

3) Do they want all photos to be in landscape? Would it be acceptable to submit photos like menus in portrait since it would fit in the frame better? "Either way is fine; just make sure they're upright and not huge."

4) Some minibars in America are not stocked. If that's the case, N/A those questions. Nothing removed from the minibar will be reimbursed, so just N/A that question if you decide to not take anything.

5) What kind of photo would you submit if a question asks if something is not offered (like restaurant breakfast or that the bar doesn't offer a selection of local beers or that wifi isn't available in that area, car not returned from valet within 20 mins)? "No photos of public spaces (other than WoH merchandising) should be taken. "

6) Just make sure that you get a wide shot to show the location in relation to other items, and label photos should be close enough to clearly read details.

7) 7) "TAKE INDIVIDUAL DETAIL PHOTOS OF ITEMS" - Any thoughts on how many and what detail? See attached document.

I wish I could attach the document. It's actually really useful.

@macrophage wrote:

How sensitive is the MSC on the resolution of the photos. If using an iPhone X camera, it takes pretty high resolution photos which exceed their requested size. Going through each to resize to their specs might be the trickiest part for me...

Hence batch resizing. If you are on Mac OS you can set Automator to do it. I'm sure there's probably free software for PC's as well.

@SteveSoCal I've been a Mac user for about 15 years and this is literally the first time I've ever used Automator. It's a game changer! Thanks!

Duplicate



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/29/2018 02:29PM by Hoju.

Welp. It's done and submitted. I REALLY REALLY wish they had photo samples like @MSF said. It's irresponsible of them not to when they are looking for very specific things.
I took a ridiculous amount of photos but I still feel like I missed something. The room is only so big, ya know??

They must be terribly backlogged in editing. Nothing from them all week and it's still pending validation.

It could be up to three weeks before the status changes or they contact you.

@Hoju wrote:

They must be terribly backlogged in editing. Nothing from them all week and it's still pending validation.

That’s ridiculous... for the client.

It's my understanding that the brand standard audits don't have the same submission timeline as the mystery shops (for the client), so they go to the back of the line when it comes to editorial.

I think they client looks at all properties as a whole at the end of the cycle.

For those of you who have completed/been assigned these audits, what was your status upgraded to? Discoverist? Explorist? Globalist? Feeling the FOMO and would like to gain a sense of what others have been upgraded to.

Thanks in advance.

@Professional Guest wrote:

For those of you who have completed/been assigned these audits, what was your status upgraded to? Discoverist? Explorist? Globalist? Feeling the FOMO and would like to gain a sense of what others have been upgraded to.

Thanks in advance.

Just my opinion, but unless you travel a lot, it’s a hell of a lot of work just for an upgrade.

Somebody that is going to travel for 20 or 30 resort hotels in a year it would be worthwhile. So, I have no fomo on this account.

I was discoverist. They left me there.

Ditto for me. PG, fear not, you're not missing out on anything.

@Hoju wrote:

I was discoverist. They left me there.

It would have been 100% worth it if they'd have upgraded me to Globalist. I've been looking for a reason to get away from Marriott.

I was an Explorist and I was left there. What is FOMO though. Driving me nuts trying to figure it out.

@MickeyB wrote:

I was an Explorist and I was left there. What is FOMO though. Driving me nuts trying to figure it out.

Fear
Of
Missing
Out

You're so old.... (JK)

[www.merriam-webster.com]

@MickeyB wrote:

What is FOMO though. Driving me nuts trying to figure it out.