Help With Emailing a Scheduler

Has anyone ever experienced issues with a scheduler not adding the fee you requested to your shop?

I replied to an email that listed shops that were urgent and needed to be completed. I replied back and in my email I stated if accepted the dates I could perform the shop, the fees I would accept, and questioned if the second shop had a rotation. When I was assigned the first shop I noticed the fee was not what I had requested and was even $3 lower than stated in the first email. When I mentioned the fee discrepancy the scheduler kindly admitted error and updated the fee. However after having waived the rotation requirement and assigning the second shop, there was still a fee discrepancy. This occurred this morning and I checked back on the shop log just now and the low fee is still there. It's extremely bizarre if you look at all the email exchanges it looks as the scheduler deliberately ignored what I wrote in the email.

How do I politely word to the scheduler that the second shop fee is not what I requested?

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All you need to do is reply again, with a polite inquiry like “I noticed the fee has not been updated in the shop log. Just want to double check it was approved before I do the shop.”
In some cases, bonuses have to be added post-shop, or it could be an honest oversight. If you have it clearly documented in an email, you shouldn’t have a problem getting it paid. Also, check the comments section on the shop log to see if a note was entered.

Thank you. That reply was definitely helpful on how to phrase it in a polite manner.

I do know in this case the bonus doesn't need to be added post shop because my last two shops with the company was updated the same day it was assigned on my log. I am leaning towards it was an oversight as the company is International rather than just within the US.

Uhhh I had to cancel the shop unfortunately.The scheduler seemed to be on a different page than me and stated the fee plus reimbursement would equal my requested fee. I had to clarify the requested fee was separate from reimbursement and I just wanted the same total I had received from when I performed the shop in the past. I was told that I would get an update in the morning but did not receive the email until this evening. Which bites because I was in the area on my own errand and was hoping to do the shop soon after. Oh well.

You are definitely doing things right -- to get this absolutely 100% clarified before completing the shop!

If I tell a scheduler I'll do a shop for $35 plus reimbursement, the shop log better show the fee as $35 plus reimbursement.

Reimbursement is NOT "fee".

(Except. of course, on those occasions that you accept a "flat fee" shop. Anything you purchase comes out of the flat fee, in that case.)

That being said, schedulers ARE human beings. Humans make honest mistakes. I am always polite, and always give the benefit of the doubt. But I want it in writing before I do the shop!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/16/2018 02:06AM by ceasesmith.

Thank you ceasesmith. I definitely would have been mortified had I went and did the shop and the fee remained the same. I definitely know schedulers are human, have lives outside of the ms world, and make mistakes because I surely have made mistakes myself. So I just will make sure to be extra thorough when requesting a higher fee.

Yes, sometimes the schedulers will assign you a shop that is a different city from what was emailed/discussed. Always remember to state your case in the polite sense. Something like this, I noticed that the shop location/fee was not as discussed or emailed but I had requested/accepted the shop in SF for $40 and not in Daly City for $20. Never write or speak in an accusing manner to the schedulers/editors. They are there to help you. Well, most are. I would definitely refrain from saying something like this: Why did you schedule me for a shop in Daly City? I did not request a shop in Daly City ever and think that you are too incompetent to be a scheduler.

I understand schedulers have to deal with reams of e-mails daily. So I always put something in the subject line, and I keep my request polite, to the point, and short.

"I asked for a bonus of $35 on this shop, and was told that would be OK. The fee was $12, a $35 bonus would total $47, but the shop is in my log at $35. Could you fix this before I go do the shop, please?"

If I don't get a reply within, say, 24 hours, I resend the same e-mail, with in the subject line: May I have the courtesy of a reply?

If it's a difficult scheduler (they do exist!), I might add "I'm terribly sorry, but if this isn't fixed, I'll have to cancel the shop, as I cannot do it for $35". But I think I've used that threat only 2 or 3 times in ten years. And only with one scheduler, who is VERY difficult.

Just mentioning this for a chuckle.

I received a help request for this shop again. The fee is at $10 still $10 short of my requested fee. The thing that made me chuckle was that I would receive $16.50 reimbursement even if I only spend $5. LOL, that's impossible as nothing in that store is under $15.

I will be in the area again tomorrow, so I decided to reply to the text and mentioned my offer once more. I specifically requested a $20 bonus plus the $16.50 reimbursement and mentioned that nothing in the store sells for under $15.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/21/2018 08:39PM by Luna126.

Alright I received the shop with my noted $20 fee plus reimbursement!

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Help With Emailing a Scheduler

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