On some shops I'll have to bring the paperwork with me into the shop.

Yes. And even better than back in the day when I went into a bathroom stall and wrote it down on my paperwork, now I have a handy "notes" feature on my phone.

Seriously, have you people not figured out that you can take a photo for each timing? It doesn't even have to be aimed at anything in particular and can be shot in a discreet manner (your foot). Each shot has a time stamp imbedded if you have your settings set appropriately.

Anyway, this is all so easy to figure out on your own, I am no tech guru. But I didn't need anyone to help me with it, so I bet you can do it too (I am almost 60).

@amberngriffinco wrote:

@JASFLALMT wrote:

That's crazy. I have never done a shop where I could not remember what I needed to do. If you are having that problem you should not do those shops.

You can remember the time you entered a, say, restaurant, the name of the host and description. If you were seated within the time allotted per instructions. Remember the name of the bartender, description and if and what he offered you (drink names and menu items). You remember when your beverage arrived, and when you ordered it... when your app or salad arrived after ordering. When your entree arrived and when you ordered it. Describing the restroom is pretty easy to remember, I'll give anyone that. What the host and server recommended. Any small talk with anyone in the restaurant working, including the mgr's name and description. If tables were being cleared and what that person looked like. If you were recommended gift cards .. and, we all know about 50 more things.

This IS HARD to remember it all. Even my 20 year son can't remember all that, including all questions you are supposed to ask.

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.

Shoppers should do whatever works best from them.

Hmm, my mind is like a sieve. Words go in one ear and forgotten two or three sentences later. I could not remember quotes for an entire meal. Guess I am not a good mystery shopper then. And taking pics for timings? I would not be able to remember which picture of my foot was when the bread came and which was when I got water. Aside from that I would probably hit the video instead of the photo when feeling around on my phone without actually looking at it. Honey, we are not all masters of these arts. I can,however, remember what I have to look for and ask about. Ah, but I am over 60 so that must explain it.
By the way do the pics have to the second timings on them?

Is no one going to address JASFLALMT's use of "you people?"

I'm just messing with ya JAS, all in good fun! I have sieve-head, too. But there are plenty of memory aids available to us so, with the ones that work for me, I manage. Each person just has to find what works for them, without violating shop rules or laws, of course.

@sandyf wrote:

By the way do the pics have to the second timings on them?

They don't but I really doubt anyone would watch the video with a stop watch and deny you the shop for being 4 seconds off. Everyone's second hand on the timer could be different.

Text yourself times and quotes.

Well, then take a photo of the bread, and then take another one of the water. Plenty of people do that.

And no, but if it's a shop that requires timings to the second, I have a built in stopwatch on my phone and I also have another app called Mystery Shopwatch LITE that I downloaded for free from the Playstore. There are tons of apps out there you can get for free to help you with this kind of stuff. And there are lots of shoppers over 60 who have no problems using technology.

@sandyf wrote:

And taking pics for timings? I would not be able to remember which picture of my foot was when the bread came and which was when I got water.

Ah, but I am over 60 so that must explain it.

By the way do the pics have to the second timings on them?

I love the shopwatch app. It could not be simpler. I got the full version which was very affordable. Its paid for itself many times over.

@JASFLALMT wrote:

Well, then take a photo of the bread, and then take another one of the water. Plenty of people do that.

And no, but if it's a shop that requires timings to the second, I have a built in stopwatch on my phone and I also have another app called Mystery Shopwatch LITE that I downloaded for free from the Playstore. There are tons of apps out there you can get for free to help you with this kind of stuff. And there are lots of shoppers over 60 who have no problems using technology.

I was responding to the following quote.
@JASFLALMT wrote:

"Yes. And even better than back in the day when I went into a bathroom stall and wrote it down on my paperwork, now I have a handy "notes" feature on my phone. "

Seriously, have you people not figured out that you can take a photo for each timing? It doesn't even have to be aimed at anything in particular and can be shot in a discreet manner (your foot). Each shot has a time stamp imbedded if you have your settings set appropriately.

I for one have not found this to be a better system although I have not tried it. I have taken pics with my camera and I have not tried a stopwatch app although I have real stopwatches. Just sayin that as John said (maybe the only thing he said I agree with him on) each shopper has to use the method best for them. (Not an exact quote).

For me not having seconds and then having to use a stopwatch on top of a photo...and taking a pic right away so i can get the timing to the second or even the minute every time something is put down on my table, even when the servers are close enough to see or stopping by to chat would be very intrusive. They want the exact second and not a guess for some strange reason I cannot fathom ...those are the rules. Yes, people take photos all the time of their food but they do not take a photo of every single thing they ordered immediately after it is put down. I can see this working in a simple shop where you get delivery of your entree only but in a nice place where you need to report the time of the bread, the wine or whatever drink and on and on sometimes to the second it would be very annoying and ruin my whole dinner making the mystery shop not worth it to me. I can simply talk at the table to my guest quietly and record notes to myself only . I am required to go check out the restroom so checking my hand written cheat sheet and recording whatever I need by voice in the stall is not at all an issue for me. If I had a stopwatch I still would not know what each point was for and would have to remember on each indiv shop which things i needed timings for. My way I just mention it all as it arrives and then I have all timings and pick and choose the ones I need for that particular shop. I do have to listen to a recording to find them all but I could index each one if I ever got around to reading the manual and finding out how to do that.

I don't understand shops wanting timing down to the second. everyone's timing, on the second hand will be different. There's no seconds on the picture, only the hour and minutes. I wouldn't worry about getting timing down to the exact second.

@johnb974 wrote:

I don't understand shops wanting timing down to the second. everyone's timing, on the second hand will be different. There's no seconds on the picture, only the hour and minutes. I wouldn't worry about getting timing down to the exact second.

I cannot understand it either unless it is a fast food where the required time to get the food out is only a minute or two. Then the difference in seconds could make a big difference. But when I need seconds for something that takes 12 minutes??? Exactly when did the order go in? Does the server have a hand held device (rare) that sends the order straight to the kitchen? Does it send it as soon as he or she enters the item or when they push a done button? If they talk for a minute about upcoming dessert or whatever when do I start the timing. Or does the server need to walk over somewhere and tell them the order? How long did that take? What if some customer hailed them on the way? Such a precise timing to me makes no sense when you are not even sure when to start timing.

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

On some shops I'll have to bring the paperwork with me into the shop.

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine