Idiot Editor Rant

Not naming the MSC because this IDIOT editor is NOT at all the norm there.

About a hotel report, where the engineer who came to my room, for 4 minutes, to replace the bathroom light:
"Please upload a picture of the engineer, since you only had a description but say he had a name tag.but you could not read it."

Now this large, muscular gentleman was never more than 4 feet away from me. And, I did not answer the door with phone, set to "camera" just in case he moved to quickly for me to read his name tag. Moreover, he was very pleasant and professional, so it's not like I had any complaints. How many engineers does she think may have been on duty in a relatively small hotel at 7 PM ? And, I know that this did NOT come from the client, since it was sent almost immediately after I submitted the report, on a Sunday, yet ! Oy vey !

I know that my long-time scheduler cannot over-ride the editor, but I emailed her with the question (and my rather tart reply) and asked for the email addy of that project manager. No reply yet, but she is very reliable and will be as crazed as I was, when she sees the editor's demand.

Edited to clarify: The was NOTHING in guidelines about taking pictures of hotel employees.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/2019 04:05PM by walesmaven.

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

Strange! I’ve never seen hotel instructions asking for staff photos.

Linda,
Thanks for bringing that up. I have edited my rant to clarify. NOTHING was in the guidelines.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Wow. Sounds like a new editor who is trying to find a way to validate their reason for being an editor at the MSC? Trying to find fault where none exists...

How annoying and unfair. But think of someone who is doing their first hotel shop (for this msc) and has no track record with them and may be hesitant to challenge this as a newbie. We get bolder as we get more expert and know what is the usual. The newbie would be totally out the fee and the reimbursement and may very well never try a hotel shop again.
Let us know if this gets resolved. I am assuming you might be able to do that and we are all rooting for you.

I am sure it will be approved. It's just annoying when editors demand things that aren't in the guidelines. Bet someone will set her/him straight!

Well, after letting my scheduler know that I intended to escalate to the project manager, the editor emailed me again. I do not know whether someone "got" to her, or she really meant what she replied. Basically she said, that she was sorry for the confusion and must have been more tired late last night than she thought. OF COURSE, all she really meant to ask for was a full description of the engineer. (That was in my original report, but I was not going to quibble if she needed a little "face-saving."

I thanked her and told her that I was relieved because my first thought had been, "The editor has lost her !@#$ mind." Then, I added a smiley face.

The whole reason to escalate to the project manager, or threaten to, was to try to ensure that this sort of thing does NOT confront a newbie to this kind of shop. That is why I always encourage posters to simply stay professional and let it be known that they will get a higher-up's take on the situation. Avoiding threats of mayhem always seems like a good idea, early on.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/2019 06:39PM by walesmaven.

But you had already provided a description, right? So that really doesn't make sense. We all know when we can't get a name to give a description. I don't know what "full" description would be if you already provided gender, approximate age, height, and hair color.

JAS,
But I did not see a reason to "rub it in," about her error. So, I repeated the description.

I had accomplished what I wanted and had no need to snap back at her. As I stated, if she needed to ask that to "save face," I would go along with it.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Wales....your such a ultimate professional.....

That's meant in the best way....

Live consciously....

I am so glad your report was accepted as is. That is insane to take a picture of an employee in that kind of setting!

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton

No, of course not. But it's an "I know that you know that I know" situation. I bet it doesn't happen again.

@walesmaven wrote:

JAS,
But I did not see a reason to "rub it in," about her error. So, I repeated the description.

I had accomplished what I wanted and had no need to snap back at her. As I stated, if she needed to ask that to "save face," I would go along with it.

Well handled walesmaven. No need for retribution, your report was accepted and you got what you needed. Sounds to me that someone set the editor straight.

I'll bet her name rhymed with Lawn.

Next time lift his fingerprints off the lightbulb... duh

Hard work builds character and homework is good for your soul.

MFJ????

Ahhh, nvmnd (lighbulb goes off in JAS's head).

I've never been asked to take a pic of hotel staff. I guess next time when the engineer enters your room, you can say, "Excuse me, can you take a selfie photo with me, this is for my family and friends back in Tulsa!

Or... ask him to pose for a photo and tell him you are the photographer for the official "Hotel Engineer's Calendar."

Then quietly pack your bag and wait in your room for the police to come escort you out.

Engineer backs away slowly with fear in his eyes and calls for security on his walkie...

@SunnyDays2 wrote:

I've never been asked to take a pic of hotel staff. I guess next time when the engineer enters your room, you can say, "Excuse me, can you take a selfie photo with me, this is for my family and friends back in Tulsa! "

@JASFLALMT wrote:

Engineer backs away slowly with fear in his eyes and calls for security on his walkie...

You can then check off

sorry I hit reply before I finished my thought

You can then check off "security interaction" on your report.

I am hesitant to do a hotel shop for some of the reasons stated above. The guidelines for some MSCs are not clear and they ask for more information in the narrative that is stated in the guidelines or the shop questions. I wish it was consistent! One MSC that I recently started with doesn’t answer phone calls. I would much rather hash it all out in a quick phone call than through back and forth emails!

Phone calls are fast, but the advantage to hashing it out via email is that you have a written record of things you and the MS company have agreed to. This can come in handy, for example, when someone decides they never agreed to pay a bonus, or disputes that you have an extra 24 hours to report the results, or that if you arrive to the hotel by taxi or Uber you won't have to evaluate the valet service. You and they will have the answers in writing.

I was referring to the feedback after the report is submitted. The editor and I were going back and forth over email. I finally called the owner and asked her for feedback. She gave me a perfect score after I fixed it. The question was confusing and she clarified it with examples.

Who knows how many people's fingerprints might have been on the light bulb? DNA. The editor needed the engineer's DNA. How you chose to collect that was up to you.

Love your idea!

Many lifetimes ago, I was working in a tourist trap. Various people would ask if they could take pictures of employees. They exclaimed things like, "Ooooooh! Authentic American employee!" I hope they were just mystery shoppers and not something else.....

Creepy. At least they asked.....

@SunnyDays2 wrote:

I've never been asked to take a pic of hotel staff. I guess next time when the engineer enters your room, you can say, "Excuse me, can you take a selfie photo with me, this is for my family and friends back in Tulsa! "

Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished. - Lao-Tzu

@Gloria wrote:

I'll bet her name rhymed with Lawn.

And Automaton...

"Let me offer you my definition of social justice: I keep what I earn and you keep what you earn. Do you disagree? Well then tell me how much of what I earn belongs to you - and why?” ~Walter Williams

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

Idiot Editor Rant

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine