How challenging are these shops? Is it easier or harder than a regular 2 night stay at the same MSC?

I wish I knew! I have applied for these several times and haven't gotten them yet.

I did one last fall. I decided at the time that it wasn't worth it. At the time, the MSC didn't really provide good instructions at all and with the number of pictures necessary, detailed instructions would have been very helpful. However, looking back, I'd probably do it again.

Completed one recently. Over 300 images captured, resized, attached and labeled. Follow up questions and requests for some items not specifically requested on the survey about a week later. Very thorough narrative required for check-in experience, as well as some subjective overall questions. Requested to call the property to confirm the presence of items not readily captured. Different from their usual package of surveys for their hotel/resort clients, but don't kid yourself, you're definitely working. Having completed a few of these assignments, it's easy to become complacent and think you've captured all of the necessary images. You definitely do not want to check out, especially if you've traveled internationally, and realize you forgot to capture an image of the DND/privacy sign/interior of the safe/minifridge AND its wattage/number of packages of artificial sweetener/decaffeinated coffee pods/number of cotton swabs AND their packaging AND the container they were presented in/etc.,

My unsolicited advice if you're assigned these surveys - capture an image, and then capture another one, just in case, and then capture images of items not even on the survey, because, yeah, they may just ask for that amount of detail, and I'm already rather hypervigilant with regard to required images and interactions.

Thanks for the info. Sounds like a nightmare actually! They are advertised as these easy shops for beginners.

@Professional Guest wrote:

Completed one recently. Over 300 images captured, resized, attached and labeled. Follow up questions and requests for some items not specifically requested on the survey about a week later. Very thorough narrative required for check-in experience, as well as some subjective overall questions. Requested to call the property to confirm the presence of items not readily captured. Different from their usual package of surveys for their hotel/resort clients, but don't kid yourself, you're definitely working. Having completed a few of these assignments, it's easy to become complacent and think you've captured all of the necessary images. You definitely do not want to check out, especially if you've traveled internationally, and realize you forgot to capture an image of the DND/privacy sign/interior of the safe/minifridge AND its wattage/number of packages of artificial sweetener/decaffeinated coffee pods/number of cotton swabs AND their packaging AND the container they were presented in/etc.,

My unsolicited advice if you're assigned these surveys - capture an image, and then capture another one, just in case, and then capture images of items not even on the survey, because, yeah, they may just ask for that amount of detail, and I'm already rather hypervigilant with regard to required images and interactions.

It's all relative - definitely easier than typing out 20+ pages of narratives and multiple contrived interactions, staged defects, etc., in addition to capturing approximately 25-40 images.

*Edited to add a space after a comma.

@LindaM wrote:

Thanks for the info. Sounds like a nightmare actually! They are advertised as these easy shops for beginners.

@Professional Guest wrote:

Completed one recently. Over 300 images captured, resized, attached and labeled. Follow up questions and requests for some items not specifically requested on the survey about a week later. Very thorough narrative required for check-in experience, as well as some subjective overall questions. Requested to call the property to confirm the presence of items not readily captured. Different from their usual package of surveys for their hotel/resort clients, but don't kid yourself, you're definitely working. Having completed a few of these assignments, it's easy to become complacent and think you've captured all of the necessary images. You definitely do not want to check out, especially if you've traveled internationally, and realize you forgot to capture an image of the DND/privacy sign/interior of the safe/minifridge AND its wattage/number of packages of artificial sweetener/decaffeinated coffee pods/number of cotton swabs AND their packaging AND the container they were presented in/etc.,

My unsolicited advice if you're assigned these surveys - capture an image, and then capture another one, just in case, and then capture images of items not even on the survey, because, yeah, they may just ask for that amount of detail, and I'm already rather hypervigilant with regard to required images and interactions.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/2019 09:35PM by Professional Guest.

@Hoju wrote:

I did one last fall. I decided at the time that it wasn't worth it. At the time, the MSC didn't really provide good instructions at all and with the number of pictures necessary, detailed instructions would have been very helpful. However, looking back, I'd probably do it again.

I read your thread after I created this. I'm sorry you weren't upgraded and didn't enjoy the shop.

@Professional Guest wrote:

It's all relative - definitely easier than typing out 20+ pages of narratives and multiple contrived interactions, staged defects, etc., in addition to capturing approximately 25-40 images.

*Edited to add a space after a comma.

Is this a lie?

"This is a checklist only brand standard audit--no narratives. Short comment required on 'No' and 'N/A' answers and wherever noted. Evaluators are only be required to audit guest-facing areas of the hotel.
This is not an experience evaluation--with few exceptions, an evaluator may conduct the audit at his/her own pace. Lots of free time available if you plan your time well."

My goal was to actually have time to do other things outside of the hotel during the stay.

@eyelove2shop wrote:

My goal was to actually have time to do other things outside of the hotel during the stay.

There is definitely time outside of the hotel on these once you know how the evaluation works. You can be gone for the whole second day and still have enough time.

(Edited because it accidentally posted with no answer)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/2019 09:56PM by SteveSoCal.

Two narratives, from what I recall. Definitely a through narrative of the check-in experience. A subjective narrative on the experience and how your status/loyalty was acknowledged, if at all.

You will also have to note - brands of toiletries/linens/etc., as well as ounces of toiletries, measurements of linens/pillows/television screens/wattage of hair dryers, irons, coffee makers, tea kettles. I think you get it.

As I've noted on a previous thread a few years ago, God help you if you get upgraded to suite. If there's a secondary bathroom/powder room/bedroom - expect the number of images you need to capture to increase accordingly.

@eyelove2shop wrote:

@Professional Guest wrote:

It's all relative - definitely easier than typing out 20+ pages of narratives and multiple contrived interactions, staged defects, etc., in addition to capturing approximately 25-40 images.

*Edited to add a space after a comma.

Is this a lie?

"This is a checklist only brand standard audit--no narratives. Short comment required on 'No' and 'N/A' answers and wherever noted. Evaluators are only be required to audit guest-facing areas of the hotel.
This is not an experience evaluation--with few exceptions, an evaluator may conduct the audit at his/her own pace. Lots of free time available if you plan your time well."

My goal was to actually have time to do other things outside of the hotel during the stay.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/2019 11:10PM by Professional Guest.

I've done about 8 or 9 of their standard hotels evaluations (1 and 2 night stays) and one for an airbnb type of hotel. I always skipped over these but I'm really curious. I don't have any status with them and wanted to see if I would be so fortunate to get upgraded...hmmm, maybe I'll continue to sit this one out for a while.

@SteveSoCal wrote:

@eyelove2shop wrote:

My goal was to actually have time to do other things outside of the hotel during the stay.

There is definitely time outside of the hotel on these once you know how the evaluation works. You can be gone for the whole second day and still have enough time.

(Edited because it accidentally posted with no answer)

Most of the audits I've completed for this client require extensive travel, sometimes internationally. I usually schedule a date with a 20" x 30", 80% down to feather-fill, organic cambric 100% cotton cover pillow on the first day.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/30/2019 10:13PM by Professional Guest.

@Professional Guest and @Hoju are spot-on.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/31/2019 03:35AM by MSF.

@Holu is definitely a spot on something. A stain really.

Womp, womp, womp!

@bgriffin wrote:

@Holu is definitely a spot on something. A stain really.

@bgriffin wrote:

@Holu is definitely a spot on something. A stain really.

If this is your way of flirting.... it's working.

Yall are hilarious lol

@Hoju wrote:

@bgriffin wrote:

@Holu is definitely a spot on something. A stain really.

If this is your way of flirting.... it's working.

You'll know when I flirting with you honey

I did few of these and I like them. First time I went over the guidelines 5 times so I don’t forget anything, and attaching all the photos with an older and slower phone was somewhat painful. Second shop was easier and third one was great because I knew requirements by heart and was able to get most work done within couple of hours entering the hotel. If my time was more flexible, I would do more of these.

I don't understand how a Checklist Only shop turns into all of these phots and even more importantly, all of this narrative. How is that a checklist only?

@Jenny Cassada wrote:

I don't understand how a Checklist Only shop turns into all of these phots and even more importantly, all of this narrative. How is that a checklist only?

Again, it's all relative.

Two narratives. Huge difference from their "regular" surveys.

A more accurate description would be "checklist, limited narratives, and a ton of images".

Edit: suarveys

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/01/2019 03:48PM by Professional Guest.

How do you resize photos for these audits?

@Niner wrote:

How do you resize photos for these audits?

I do a batch re-size. Just drag & drop the group of photos.

On a mac, you can set Automator to do that. On a PC, there are a bunch of software platforms that will do it. Perhaps someone who's PC savvy can chime in with a good free one....

I wouldn't say it's "easier" than the standard narrative evaluations, it's different. I do prefer these over many pages of narratives, but it is still a lot of work. It's easy to miss one of the required photos because for example, they'll ask for FRONT and BACK of certain things even though it wasn't exactly spelled out that way in the instructions. They also want pictures of all of the TV menu screens which again, wasn't really clear in the directions. For example, the first hotel I did had the room service menu on the TV. So I'd go to the Appetizer page, and you have to scroll down to see all of the items. Then click another tab to get to the entree page, same thing. They expected pictures of every single screen and tab.

Then they complain that they can't read the writing on the menus and papers that I was required to photograph. Duh, you told me to resize it, of course you're not gonna be able to read the writing.

Nevertheless, you get better at this type of assignment the more you do. It is also really, really difficult to keep track of what is what. You have to take multiple pictures of every single piece of linen. It's hard to sort and label 100 pictures of white fabric squares. Any tips on that?

@hotsauce1 wrote:

It's hard to sort and label 100 pictures of white fabric squares. Any tips on that?

Do it in the same order every time. Label them in your computer, then upload to the form.

For instance; Bath rug, washcloth, hand towels, bath towels...in that order:
-Original placement
-Unfolded
-zoomed in on the measuring tape of each dimension
-tag front
-tag back

That's exactly 24 photos that are always in the same order. I can get the measurements from the photos and don't have to stop the photo process to notate that. It takes 5 minutes max.

You can also set a pattern for the first 18 hours:
-Check in
-Photos
-Call for turndown
-Bar
-Room service
-Sleep
-Gym
-Shower
-Call for stayover
-Breakfast

That's the majority of the report!

I have done hundreds of the narrative hotels and probably 50 Hyatts now. They are MUCH easier at this point!

I know every single photo needed for each brand and have taken 90% of the needed photos within 90 minutes of check-in. I checked in in yesterday at 3 PM and was finished with everything but check out at 3 PM today. That's simply not possible with the narrative hotels. I had a free 24 hours of vacation today.

@SteveSoCal wrote:

I have done hundreds of the narrative hotels and probably 50 Hyatts now.

Are you a WOH Globalist? My Explorist status just lapsed and I’ve been downgraded.

@Professional Guest wrote:

Are you a WOH Globalist?

Yes; doing what I can to keep the status for next year....