I've only done 4 shops and I've declined a few others I would have been interested in because of poor wording and inconsistencies and vague expectations.

The main quibble I have is after the multiple upfront documents is these documents and forms are vague. I've been requested twice already to provide narratives where none were requested.

In addition, asking for details feels like entrapment. How are we supposed to remember every detail of the interaction? It is plain impossible. Witnesses are VERY unreliable and why prosecutions solely based on eyewitness accounts are often unreliable. Asking for how we felt and why would be a much more reliable request because THAT IS ALL we can provide reliably; how we felt about our encounter and why. Asking for robotic details as if detailing a video is entirely unscientific. That's it I'm done.


Oh oh, no not yet. One document got returned to me because the due date was wrong on THEIR part. I filled it out early because their system made me. Then I get an email to fill it out again "correctly" and of course all I do is cheng the date and it's accepted and I get a score of 8. ????

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2018 04:33PM by rctocm.

First, an 8 is a very good score and quite good for a newbie.

Next, we all have to train our brains and learn how to take notes without being observed if we are to succeed at running an MS business. Read the survey very carefully to prepare for the shop. Make a quick list of required observations. Retire to a rest room to take notes on your list, if possible, take note on your smartphone or email notes to yourself. Walk out of the shop muttering, as we all do, things like, "male, slim build, short brown hair, 30-35." As soon as you are out of sight transcribe that to paper of a note on your phone. Before entering record entry time. Immediately on leaving, record exit time.

This is NOT impossible and many make good money doing it. The more you do, the stronger your memory muscles become. We have all have been where you are. The time you invest in learning how certain shops are best accomplished on time and according to guideline is the up-front investment in this business. You are spending "human capital" rather than cash to open your new business and make it a success.

I was referring to the ducuments they write for requests that are unexplained or verbosely or quizzically explained. Ie, "Dont buy any chicken. Buy a meat." Wtf? Just say "buy any meat besides chicken." it's a confusing way of writing that I'm seeing far too often.

Here's another confusing text:

"ask to be seated at a table for 4 people. You will be targeting peak rush times so you must be prepared to wait in the waiting area up to 90 minutes; however, average wait times range from 30-45 Minutes. If your wait time exceeds 30 minutes you will be reimbursed up to $25.00 for purchases of your choice in the BAR area.

SHOP REQUIREMENTS:
You will arrive at the location as close to the below times, based on your assigned day.
Friday - 7:00pm
Saturday - 6:00pm
You will request a table for 4 people."

There is no explanation as to why they want me to get a table for 4. Frustrating. I don't know if I want to request the shop based on this and the other request to request an (1) appreciative and (2) feedback form from the manager. What? Am I giving myself away at this point?

I'd call the scheduler about these items but I'm finding I would have to call the scheduler for every job I'm reading about. Talk about onerous and pushing that wage down to $4 an hour of my time.

So, how " good of wages are we talking? I must be missing it.

We earn fees, not wages. The fee level of the jobs that you are permitted to see on any given MSC's job board will almost always depend on your track record of good work on less complicated jobs. So, if you are working on bank jobs you may see a teller interaction at $8-15. Do well on those and you may begin to see platform bank shops, where you sit down and interact with a banker, starting at about $18-20. Next level of platform shops may be more complicated scenarios at $20-30. Reliable delivery and scores of 7.5-10 on average will qualify you for the ones that start at $50. Fine dining and casual dining rarely pay a fee, just reimbursement that may just subsidize the meal rather than covering it completely, plus tip. Parking shops $8 (not worth it unless it permits you to get reimbursed parking near another shop that you could not afford to do otherwise.) to $22 plus reimbursement for written shops; $40 to $150 for video with your own video equipment.

Don't even ask about "average" MS gross income; every shopper has different goals and reasons for accepting the shops that they do. BUT, always remember that the more shop types that you try, and the more MSCs you sign up with, and establish a good record with, the better the fees that you will be offered.

It sounds like you have been doing mostly dining shops. If that is what you want ("lifestyle enhancement shops" fine. But they are not the door to better shop fees. With the shops that you are currently doing, you will soon learn what the instructions do and do not mean. But ALWAYS read them a few days before the shop date so that you can ask for scheduler clarification, in writing, well in advance. The schedulers do not write those instructions and may well be as surprised as you are by how they scan !

ALSO... the fine dining shops are among the MOST complicated when it comes to exact timing, descriptions, complicated ordering requirements, restrictions on what you can order, and everything else. They are generally not recommended for newbies !!! You might want to start with "fast casual" move up to less complex dinner table service shops and then up to fine dining with bar and DR interactions. You will build memory muscles along the way.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2018 06:56PM by walesmaven.

Who does write them? In other words, what is the position title? My hubby thinks I should get a job writing shops.

It's a Jr high internship apparently /s

I've done 0 dining shops. The cheapest shop I've done is $25.I can't bring myself to do anything less.

Listen to the advice above. If you are just starting, then you need some practice with less complicated shops, and you need to build credibility with the different companies.

Market Force and Secret Shopper have some of the easier reports. Start there.

And, they for the most part don't care about your opinions. You will have your scored lowered if you are subjective, and not objective in your evaluations. You can't say "the food was gross," but you can give a detailed description about the quality of the food that would indicate that it was poor quality.

@rctocm wrote:

I've done 0 dining shops. The cheapest shop I've done is $25.I can't bring myself to do anything less.

Your examples are all from dining shops.

Walesmaven went well above and beyond with great advice.

Apparently emojis don't work on this forum.

Anyway what walesmaven said about schedulers not authoring the write-ups was helpful since that is what this post was about. This means they won't take my comments regarding poor guidelines personally. That's actually a big relief.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/11/2018 03:33PM by rctocm.

@rctocm wrote:

Apparently emojis don't work on this forum.

Scroll down to the CENTER of PAGE 1 on this post to see if you can get some emojis in your posts. HTH.
[www.mysteryshopforum.com]

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/11/2018 08:10PM by guysmom.

It looks like you may not be a good fit for this type of work. So much of what you say does not sound right. In 25 years of mystery shopping, I have never come across the things you said. Shoppers are not supposed to write their personal feelings....you have to write your observations and facts of what you see...there are always narratives in every report...to have the client get a true picture of your experience.

There you said it, YOUR experience. I think my main point has been missed. I inserted actual text of a shop I did NOT due because it was vague.

That's it I'm tired of belaboring my main point and being judged on side points.

FTR my last shop I did yesterday was my first restaurant shop that I took BECAUSE THEY WERE CLEAR. It was just over $40 and I got my first 100%. Good guidelines and report formats will yield a great result from me.

OP - Have you considered buying an audio recorder?

I got one from Best Buy for about $35. You can replay your shop when you get home to verify details that your memory was not able to.

I agree that memories are really unreliable when it comes to details oftentimes. Like you won't forget someone said something crazy or rude or that you saw your mom yesterday, etc. But, if you have to remember lots of minor and specific things, those details can be hard to recall. Even when I had a strong feeling something occurred one way, I've been proven wrong when replaying my audio of the shop.

If I find a worthwhile shop, I always bring my audio recorder and use it to get details right. Just be warned that sometimes if there's a lot of background noise, then the audio recorder may not pick up what was said. Rarely happens, but is possible. So, also use other means of recording too, such as texts or paper/pen if possible. And memory.

@rctocm wrote:

So, how " good of wages are we talking? I must be missing it.

My last full time job was in IT and I make about what I was making there doing this. And I only work about 3/4th of a year. I have 2 shops scheduled next week and after that I probably won't do a shop until the route I have scheduled for February when I get home from Liverpool and Dublin.

As someone else said perhaps this work isn't for you. We don't get step by step instructions that says say this, then this, then this. Shops very rarely go exactly step by step and it appears you are the type of person who needs step by step instructions. Additionally it really helps a lot to have a knowledge of a wide range of businesses. From the "confusing" shop instructions you posted above it seems very clear to me that the entire purpose of the shop is to see how long it takes to get seated at peak times. They want you to ask for a table for 4 because that forces them to give you a 4 top. If you ask for a table for 1 or 2 and it's busy they will a, likely try to seat you in the bar, or b, put you at a small table that likely turns over more quickly than a standard sized table. Neither of those gives them the measure they're looking for.

I don't say this to "attack you" or to be insulting. My brother makes $500k a year and would be horrible at shopping. Different personalities and skill sets are better matches for some work than others. It doesn't sound like this one matches yours.

Nice touch

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/15/2018 04:47AM by Runnindemredlights.