I posted this on the forum for the actual company and have been discussing it with a few others via PM. But I have a situation where I performed a shop, read all the rules and now three days after I did the shop I am being told that they will not accept my shop if I do not have the associate's name, that I must call back there and find out the name. I have now asked four times where it says I need to do that in the shop instructions ( I have them in front of me it does not), and they are ignoring my request and refusing payment if I do not do this. This is a no name tag, no introduction, no name on sales receipt. The instructions clearly say to describe the employee if you cannot identify their name. I know all shops are different and I don't ask for a name unless they tell me to. Many on this forum have given me suggestions on how to call and find out and I fully appreciate that, but I guess for me this is just a manner of principal. The location is not close so it's not easy for me to just return there. And I am concerned if I continue with this company they will do it again and who knows what the new terms will be. Has anyone else had something like this come up? Where the MSC added new terms after the shop was done and then refused payment if you did not complete them? Thanks all.

No, and I agree that it's wrong for them to do this. If the guidelines and shop report form do not have specifics that you MUST get a name, they should not ask you to provide the name after. Especially if the guidelines state if you can't get the name to provide a description. That sounds like they are providing you an alternative and it's not emphatic at all that you are supposed to get the name (or else it would say: "You must get the name of the person or your shop will not be accepted.". I would be politely persistent.

BTW, that was not supposed to be a smiley wink face.

Agree with JASF about how the msc is in the wrong. If you haven't done so already, you may consider going up higher in the chain of command. Be prepared though that they may kick you out.

If it was me, i couldn't/wouldn't trust that company again.

As with all areas of life, some MSCs are the epitome of integrity and others are not. As it applies to traditional shops, I have been extremely fortunate that to the best of my recollection only a single company, Franchise Compliance, has withheld money from me I was due for an assignment where I had not erred. I agree with other posters who have stated to pursue the matter, but also to move on to other MSCs. I could easily be called Bridge Burnin' Bob, as when I have no doubt I am being wronged, I NEVER give anyone a second chance to stick me.

Thanks. I have only done two shops for this company and they don't pay just reimbursement. But this one was a pretty high reimbursement and for something I actually wanted so I signed up. I ended up calling to get the name and updating the report. But I have let them know very clearly that was not in the original shop requirements. I have never had this happen with other companies either and I do a few. I think they may have messed up and forgot to put it in the job description. But if they just said "Hey we forgot to put that in the description but we really do need it for the client can you help us out?" I would have no problem doing that. But acting like it's my fault and then demanding that I do it right now like immediately or not get paid does not go over well.

Let us know how it turns out.

I would definitely send this issue up to the owners of the MSC. From what you have described, there is an internal disconnect between the instructions given to shoppers and editors. That’s a problem the owner wants to get fixed. It’s unlikely you are the only shopper affected and the MSC is likely spending more time and money on the issue than they realize. Find an email address, preface your email with, “Although I am being paid for this shop, I want to bring this to your attention,” and include a synopsis and all communication sent and received.

Thanks I will do that. I actual connected with another shopper on this forum that had the exact same issue with the exact same shop.

Yes, it has been my experience that some of the people who run these companies have no clue about how to be businesslike and civil.. I had a similar experience, and I was bounced from the MSC without my knowing it in retaliation for my contesting my not being paid. (I eventually was paid.) The people who run the company did not bother responding to my queries, and in fact, their contact page disappeared. Again, what is it with these people and how do they stay in business? I suspect there is too much cheap labor provided by people who have no respect for themselves.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2018 06:49PM by jameschicago.

There is often a disconnect between guidelines and the actual shop survey. When possible, I print out a copy of the survey before doing a shop. If it's a shop I already know, I'll LOOK at the survey to see if there's been changes.

Fortunately, I would say this happens less than 5% of the time.

Some of the things I've run into include the guidelines requiring photos, but the survey has no place to enter the photos; conversely, the guidelines not mentioning photos, but the actual survey requiring them. The guidelines requesting descriptions as follows: gender, glasses/no glasses, hair color, beard/no beard. Then the survey also wants to know height, ethnicity, age, or something else not asked for in the guidelines.

Heck, just this week, I printed out the guidelines AND survey. Reporting the shop, it felt weird -- hey, that question wasn't on the survey I printed out! Sure enough, it was NOT Not addressed in the guidelines, either. Fortunately, I had lots of photos, so was able to answer the question -- but if I hadn't taken LOTS of extra photos, I would have been totally lost. And, sure enough (according to the scheduler), those questions were added to the survey at the client's request after I printed them off.

One big box store, I did a "competitor" shop. Instead of rewriting the guidelines, everywhere Company A was mentioned, they merely changed the name to Company B.
Company A has XXXX department; Company B does not. Company A provides employees with business cards; Company B does not. Yet you're required to upload the (nonexistent) business card from the employee from Company B!!! That was the WORST shop I ever did. No business card from an employee in the non-existing department!!!

Yes, mistakes happen. And although I am VERY GOOD about getting clarification before I go do the shop if I have any questions, the fact is, you can't know what you don't know.
You can't clarify something that isn't even mentioned in the guidelines or survey. You just can't.

Just M2CW. YMMV.

You've said the guidelines don't require the name, but I'm not sure if you've stated what the shop survey itself says. There's often a disconnect between guidelines and the survey, as cease points out. The guidelines give you observations to make, but there are no questions on the survey regarding those observations. Or the survey has questions and/or photo requirements not listed in the guidelines.

If the survey does indeed ask about the name and says you must provide it, then I'm not sure the MSC would have had to pay you. It's not right that the instructions and surveys don't always match, but we should always read both. And maybe you did, and that requirement isn't in the survey, either. It would help to know just what the survey asked about name and/or description.

P.S. Of course, if neither document says getting the name is an absolute must, then the MSC needs to 'fess up to its error.

And this is why MSCs should have shopper focus groups review their guidelines and instructions before going live with them. This crew would have spotted the inconsistency in a heartbeat!

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The msc should have their own personnel (not the ones who worked on the shop instructions) do the shops first. If their own employees don't do them correctly based on the shop instructions, then fix them before rolling out to us.

@7star wrote:

I've said it before and I'll say it again. The msc should have their own personnel (not the ones who worked on the shop instructions) do the shops first. If their own employees don't do them correctly based on the shop instructions, then fix them before rolling out to us.

That's a good idea, except that employees of the MSC, even if they didn't work on that particular shop's materials, may have such a good idea of what clients are looking for they may take for granted something an outside shopper wouldn't. I still think they should let real shoppers review materials before rolling out a shop, but absent that, having employees who aren't familiar with that particular shop could work. At least better than what they're doing now. Which doesn't work at all.

I'm still interested to know what the actual shop survey the OP completed said about getting the name. Did it say "What was the name OR description of blah, blah, blah?" Did it say, "What was the name AND description....?" The OP twice stated the "instructions" didn't say the name was a must. I think even though the instructions were in error, it would be helpful to know how the survey was actually worded. If the MSC changed the instructions and survey after the OP completed the shop, then they're certainly in the wrong!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2018 08:21PM by BirdyC.

I had a: "what the heck moment" when I did a bank shop and studied the guidelines thoroughly. When I got home, the survey asked questions that were NOT in the instructions or paperwork. Such as, "Was there a picture on the wall? Please describe the picture?" (what??) and "Were there any potted plants in the office?"

I was fuming! I wrote the MSC and told them those were NOT in any of my questions and they ended up paying me.... It was funny but I never saw those weird questions again! I had to wonder if it was fluke. I asked myself: What do potted plants have to do with the bank?

That sounds like a fluke (like maybe somebody at the MSC was pranking!).

But I think most shop "short-form" descriptions, or somewhere in the guidelines, always say to read both the guidelines and the survey before performing the shop. Probably for exactly this reason. It would make sense that there are no discrepancies between instructions and surveys, but even in the best of worlds, that's never gonna happen 100%! I know there are a couple of times I would have gotten caught flat footed if I'd read only the guidelines and not the survey.

Wanted: Shop Beta Tester. Must have good memory, adequate transportable technology and ability to use same, understand and practice confidentiality. Will need specific garments for variety of situations. Some fees, reimbursements, bonuses, and other terms negotiable.

three days later, in the corrections, buried where no one reads them: requirements subject to last-minute change or change without notification.

Neither do. Nowhere in any of the materials I was given, including the survey say a name is required. Nothing. Some companies do not want you asking for names, others do. Some say in very clear writing that you MUST obtain the name of the person by some means. Others say provide a description. This one said to provide a description of the person. Now if I had seen a name tag, it was on the receipt or the associate said their name then of course I would have included it in my report, but they did not and the shop did not say it was required, nor did the survey.

The survey says neither. There is no direct question on this issue. I know what you are saying most surveys have a spot to put in for the person you dealt with, name or description or both. This one does not. It just has a section that says describe your first impression upon entering the store? Then that's where they want you to describe that you entered and encountered X. The shop guidelines say name or description if you are unable to verify the name.

I have also asked them at least five times now to show me where in the guidelines or the survey or in any of the materials it states the name must be obtained as part of the shop, and they have not responded. So if it's there why not just show it to me?

@Lisannez wrote:

I have also asked them at least five times now to show me where in the guidelines or the survey or in any of the materials it states the name must be obtained as part of the shop, and they have not responded. So if it's there why not just show it to me?

That is the first tactic used by almost everybody, everywhere, who is a wrongdoer in a status position over somebody else. The reason is their accusers do not have the authority or power to force a response. The apathy of others also makes it a means by which to wear down an accuser. Eventually, time passes, and then people will say, Why talk about something that happened so long ago?"

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/20/2018 09:06PM by jameschicago.

If the OP decides not to work for this MSC again, please name the MSC.

The MSC made a mistake in the first place and then made it much worse by being unprofessional and heavy-handed. Shame on them.

@Lisannez wrote:

The survey says neither. There is no direct question on this issue. The shop guidelines say name or description if you are unable to verify the name.

I'm guessing they have an editor who doesn't understand the difference between "or" and "and." Sad, but some editors really don't know what they're doing.

Well, they're clearly in the wrong, and even though you were able to get the name, I agree with those who say to take it up the food chain. No way you should have been told you MUST get the name. If they won't tell you where it says you have to get the name, then they can't find it, either!

IMHO the first few shops done with a new set of guidelines should be handled differently by the msc until the kinks are all gone. Then real shoppers can find the issues. Of course they should try and have someone review and re review the guidelines first before rolling it out but they should be able to give some lee way when there turns out to be obvious issues with the guidelines.
I recently did a promo shop for a msc. The promo shop guidelines and report were generic and it stated in the guidelines that since they were generic just ignore any part of the report that did not apply to the particular shop you are doing. My special instructions for the shop said a recorded phone call was not needed. No where else in the guidelines did it refer to a pre shop phone call of any kind. I put n/a on the report section about phone calls. I have had many shops from the same msc that did not require a phone call in the past. Then the editor wanted to know why I had not done the phone call. I pointed out the lack of instruction for that and also the note about ignoring sections of the report that did not apply. The company allowed me to make a phone call after the fact and fill in that section later. That is what I call a responsive and considerate msc.

Since the OP did not use the MSC name in this thread, I won't either. You can easily find the name. Use the search function and type in the OPs name in the "search by author" field. Scroll down a bit and you will see the name of the MSC as the title of one of the OP's other posts. I'll give you a hint: it has the word "site" in it. The MSC is a one-man operation with one or two independent schedulers/editors helping out.

@SueGraftonFan wrote:

If the OP decides not to work for this MSC again, please name the MSC.

The MSC made a mistake in the first place and then made it much worse by being unprofessional and heavy-handed. Shame on them.

I betcha they will be changing the guidelines if, in fact, a name is required. So, you probably did them a favor by pointing it out.

Thanks. I did not want to put the name in the thread because I did not want preconceived notions about the company to come into play. I found that some others had had bad experiences with the company. I also found another person that had the exact same experience a few months prior with the same shop. But they did not allow her to call to get the name, she had to return the merchandise and do a reshop later. So they are aware of the problem. The two biggest issues I take with the situation is that they are ignoring my questions (no one likes to be ignored) and they won't just say it was not in the materials. I screw stuff up all the time, and as a fairly new mystery shopping maybe it is somewhere I legitimately missed, I do not know. But I don't want to miss it next time, so can you tell me where it is? And then crickets. That is very frustrating to me. I do think it was a situation where they assumed that people would know to ask for the name and I have to tell you before I mystery shopped I likely would have assumed the same. But after doing many shops where they don't want you to ask for the name I always double check the instructions so I can do the shop correctly. They need to draft the instructions like they are writing them for their relative who knows nothing about shopping. Something like if you are unable to verify the name via name tag, introduction or receipt, you must find a way to obtain their name.

It's so funny. The MSC that does the ice cream shop says do NOT ask for their name. The hardware shop and the cell phone shop says you MUST ask for their name or risk not being paid. Some say if you can't get the name, get the description. I always read my guidelines, takes notes and "study": the night before.

@SunnyDays2 wrote:

I always read my guidelines, takes notes and "study": the night before.

And sometimes there's still a question that "pops up" on the survey that wasn't in the guidelines OR in the print-copy survey! I just had one yesterday. I downloaded and read the guidelines and the "print" version of the survey. Went armed with what I figured was everything I needed. Come home, start inputting the survey, and voila! There's a question on the live survey that wasn't in either of the other documents.

I just love surprises....