I've only been mystery shopping for a short time and I'm still learning the ropes, but I've had good success with most of the companies I've shopped. The exception is a MSC which has a number of restaurant shops in my area. Over the past 2-3 months I've applied for shops at four different restaurants chains nearby. Each time a few days go by and then I receive an email saying that another shopper has been assigned the shop. I've only been accepted for one shop from them so far and that was for a retail store and I received a score of 10. This week I've applied for all of the shops they offer within 20 miles of me and have been waiting two days and have not heard back. Is there anything I can do to increase my chances of being assigned a shop?

Sometimes it just takes a while to get picked.

Being really fast is helpful, be the first one to apply. It helps a lot that you got a 10 on that shop, though. Just keep trying!

Most MSCs want to see several reports involving detailed narratives before assigning a restaurant shop. Remember, you will lay out funds for the restaurant and they are at risk if that report is rejected. Most retail reports do not provide enough narrative in one report to confirm that the shopper is ready for far more extensive narratives. So, be patient and do more other work for them.

Thank you for replying! It strikes me as odd because they send frequent emails announcing these shops and encouraging me to apply. I apply as soon as I see them, usually within a few minutes. So when I get the "we chose another shopper" message a couple of days later it feels like even more of a rejection since they were the ones who solicited me. I suppose those original emails must be automated.

One of the shops I'm waiting to hear about is for tomorrow. It's still up on their site and I applied for it Wednesday. I'd really love to do it and it's hard not to get my hopes up.

You know, if you don't name the business client, you can say which MSC it is.

Hurry up and wait!

Hang in there. Consider similar shops with other companies. You can mention these successful,experiences in your shopper profiles. Perhaps those successes will increase your chances with the msc or scheduler you mentioned in the first post.

Okay, I didn't want to break any rules. The MSC is Customer Impact.

@Coyote wrote:

Okay, I didn't want to break any rules. The MSC is Customer Impact.

I’ve been shopping for 20 years. They don’t always pick me either. I think that they may reward shoppers who do some of their low paying audits or lousy retail. Don’t feel badly.

Thank you. The only shop they have allowed me to do was a lower paying retail. That store is available again this month but since I just did it in October I can’t apply for it. The rest of the shops they have listed are all restaurants.

I’ll keep trying and hope that some day they’ll eventually take a chance on me.

I figured that's which MSC it was. Keep trying. They often do assign the shoppers who apply the quickest, so try to check email frequently. Also try emailing a well-written and polite letter to the scheduler immediately after you apply the next time stating something to the effect that you are a new shopper but hope that they will give you the chance to show what a great shopper you are (and point out that you made a "10" on the shop you completed for them previously). Don't try one of the fine dining shops, but there are a lot of those casual dining takeout shops for that one chain. You stand a pretty good chance of snagging one of those.

Keep in mind this is from someone who hasn't done restaurant shops but try one of the car to go shops to build up some experience...and they can see you can do a good report

They are detailed but pretty easy in my opinion on what they expect but want you to write in a specific way

Also you could just reach out to there customer service line to see what is preventing you from getting picked..they are super nice



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/03/2018 12:44AM by dawnhu.

CI has many shoppers, years ago I got everything I applied for or could self-assign....today I wait it out, am doing one for them Monday after a 3 month wait. Just keep trying, when they need you, you'll get a job. Sign with different companies, and don't get annoyed for not getting anything, you will, and being table o drive more miles helps.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/03/2018 02:54AM by Irene_L.A..

I have had many instances where I'll email the scheduler and ask if I'm eligible for the shop assignment - tell them you really want the shop. I either get a reply like, "Oh, don't worry. Check again around the _____ of the month.", or some such. I've never had to wait more than a couple months after nicely reaching out to the scheduler.

OH! And more than once, I've been scheduled for the upcoming month on the spot. "NICE" gets you pretty far.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/03/2018 01:17AM by Monk-N-Nut.

I applied for two of their carryout shops last week and didn’t get them. I wasn’t surprised I was overlooked for the high end restaurant but I figured I would have had a shot with the other ones.

Thanks for the encouragement everyone! I’ll keep at it and try to be patient.

The "to go" shops they have are easy if you get one. Maybe you live in a dense shopper area? I did not get their high end dining shop either when I had no credibility with them. Do the easier ones first.

I have been experiencing the same issue with CI. I’ve been on their email list for over a year now and still haven’t gotten a single assignment. Every once in a while I’ll apply on the job board - but have yet to be selected for an assignment. I hope you have better luck than me.

My name is Daniel Price and I'm the VP of Operations for Customer Impact.

There are some great responses on this thread discussing potential reasons for not being assigned shops. Often times it is truly because we have so many applications for certain shops that our schedulers just default to shoppers with history and experience that we've come to know over the years. That being said, one of our initiatives this fall was to pause "self assign" on most casual dining clients so that our schedulers can collect applications and "spread the wealth" to new shoppers or folks who may not have had the opportunity to get many shops assigned for various reasons.

Coyote & michellek_atl (and any others who are struggling to get assigned shops), please email me at dprice@customerimpactinfo.com and I 'd love to help you get a shop or 2 assigned. Just let me know the ones you were hoping to get and I can either help get one or explain why we might want to start with a different one first (in case maybe it's a fine dining shop).

Also, I know the emails from the software platform say "don't respond," but if anyone ever has questions about our process or just wants to introduce themselves to our schedulers and ask why they don't get assigned or just let us know you're out there and hoping to get one soon... please reach out to the scheduling team. We encourage feedback. This entire industry is a constantly evolving process and it only works when all levels (customer, MSC, shopper) are in sync. Since the MSC is in the middle of that process, we take it very seriously at CI and want to get as many good shoppers the opportunity to provide great feedback for our customers.

Hope to hear from y'all soon so I can get you a shop!

Daniel Price
VP, Operations
Customer Impact, LLC.
dprice@customerimpactinfo.com

I'm doing a great lunch today for CI...there is 3 month 's between the same restaurant, but worth the wait.
Have been working for CI for many years, and yes, they have many more shoppers in my area, so the wait
is longer...I see this with a few other companies as well.

I really enjoy positive and constructive input from MSC reps!

There is a shop that I apply for each month where you look at the web site for a item and then call the company to order it and then when you receive it you send it back to the company.

There is only 2 shops each month and I apply for both and I don't get them

I know most companies want shoppers with experience and have 9s and 10s but how can you get experience if they don't give you a chance.

I have done about three or four shops with this company and my average is 9.

Also in the comments I put. I have done a shop similar to this in the past. Looking foward to doing this shop Thanks

I will keep applying and hopefully I will get one soon

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/2018 01:44AM by Isaiah4031a.

Hi,

To the original poster...yes, those solicitation e-mails are automated and going to a group of people....could be a big group. I know it can seem weird..."Wait, you invited me to the party and now I can't get in the door?"

Thank you for taking the time to reply to these posts and for sharing your thoughts. I'm impressed.

I would recommend signing up with several companies. Once you get established as a dependable shopper you will have your choice of jobs. Once I proved myself to reliable and submit good reports I get more e-mails and phone calls asking me to do jobs on short notice that usually pay a bonus. Hang in there and do whatever jobs you can to get established..

I believe that schedulers are paid by the number of shops they schedule that are completed and accepted. I could be wrong. But this might lead to them assigning the shops to "old reliable" rather than the new guy.
.
I have seen CI say in their shop descriptions that you must agree to take some of their harder to schedule shops in order to get the better shops. This isn't abnormal as I have seen people gripping her about it here about other MSCs.

Wait to see if they need a last minute shop, usually with a bonus, to ingratiate yourself with the scheduler.

I just did my first shop for them. It required an 8 before getting the shop. I told them I would not apply for it as it was my very first job and I would not qualify.

It was an upscale shop which they said resulted in some previous shoppers being identified. I told them I did that shop twice but maybe with another MSC. It was given to me and the editor rated my report 10.

Be patient and have a good relationship with the scheduler. I have been shopping since 2004 but since my accident, I found I had been concentrating on the same MSCs to keep me fully occupied. Nowadays, I had heard from some of the MSCs I signed up with but never shopped for. Now, they are keeping me busy.

Don't concentrate on a few MSCs. It really pays to sign up with a lot of MSCs. You won't have time to wonder if you got the shops you applied for.

I think it's great the VP of Operations for Customer Impact responded to address the posters issue. Perhaps don't over hire so many applicants and then there is room for everyone.If a company accepts an applicant, don't waste their time with no work for such a long time. It's insane to hire someone and then say they can't get jobs because they don't have the high rank. Perhaps the company needs to increase it business to companies where a new person can start. Also on another note, many MSc's take a long time to pay. This really has to be dealt with and for companies to pay on time. No shopper should ever have to track down a payment when the job is accepted and finalized.We all do this because we need the money pretty quickly.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/07/2018 04:08AM by jennifer2016.

Honestly, I don't bother with shops I have to apply for any more. I've done hundreds of shops (or more) for various MSCs over the past 15 years or so, and putting time aside on my schedule only for the date to come and go with no response is a waste of my time. Now when I see "Apply for this shop", I just move on.

amorris,
Well, new shoppers need to learn ways to get to the point where they receive offers meant just for them. The HAVE to do a lot of shops that they HAVE to apply for. Since they cannot just skip that phase, telling them that you are past it, without sharing how to get where you are, is not very helpful! You really have nothing to lose by helping shoppers become god at what they do. If you are intent on guarding the secrets to MS success, and bragging about it, you are in the wrong place.

I run marketing for 360 Intel (another MSC) and we have resources available in our Shopper Zone that might be helpful to new shoppers - feel free to check it out: [www.360intel.com]. You can always register to be a shopper with us as well. Thanks and good luck!