I need advice with this one (please be kind). I’ve done over a dozen bank shops without any issues. I signed up with a new company and accepted 3 shops in my area. The first 2 went exactly as planned. I entered the bank, asked to talk about checking accounts, and was escorted to a desk and spoke with a banker. The last one I did started off in the same way. I walked into the bank, but no employees were in the office areas. The teller asked how he could help, and I stated that I wanted to discuss checking accounts. He said the banker just left for lunch, and to come back in a HOUR (by the way, it was 2 pm). Huh? What a way to discourage new customers. So I replied that I couldn’t come back in an hour, and couldn’t some else help me. He turned around and asked the employee at the drive-thru window if she or someone else could help me (there were no customers in the branch, and there were also zero customers at the drive-thru). She kept her back turned to us, and curtly said “no”. I was shocked. He handed me the banker’s business card, and suggested I call her on the phone if I couldn’t return in an hour.

I got in my car and emailed the scheduler. What to do now? He asked me if I waited the required 30 minutes. I told him exactly what they said. Come back in a hour, or when I said I couldn’t, call her on the phone. They said she was the only one who could help me. I couldn’t exactly sit there and wait for someone to help me, because they already told me it would be an hour. Then the scheduler replied back and said to fill out the report as well as I could and tell exactly what happened.

Today the editor messages me. Did you wait in the bank 30 minutes? That is a requirement for getting paid. I told him the same thing I told the scheduler. I couldn’t very well sit in the bank for 30 minutes waiting when they told me she wouldn’t return for an hour, and there was no one else who was willing to help me. There was no guideline to call prior to going on the shop to make sure the “correct” person was in. There also was not a requirement that you could only speak to a particular employee. It was snowing, and I had to pick up my daughter so I couldn’t wait an hour and go back (and the shop was due that day). I’m guessing it was a 40 minute round trip waste of time.

Have any of you had a similar experience? I really think the bank needs to know that the employees are turning customers away while one employee is at lunch, rather than having a back-up. Is this just another case of the shop not playing out exactly as expected, and editors not wanting to forward a report that doesn’t fit in with the scenario? I truly did what I could, but the employees that were there were not willing to help me.

This is discouraging and frustrating. Thanks for your help.

Just to add on ... the scheduler didn’t tell me to wait an hour (which I couldn’t do anyway), or to go back, or tell me he would reschedule it for the next day.

Yeah, if it's an IPSOS shop, you have to either schedule an appointment, wait, or come back when you can do the shop. I get it. It sucks. But that's the way it is. That is why I never do bank shops (or most shops) that are far away unless I am almost certain I can get it done.

is there anything in the guidelines? If not, they could add something about known or typical lunch hours and other staffing situations that you might encounter. This bank may have some policy regarding who is qualified to discuss certain features with customers and potential customers. Apparently, tellers (or the currently available tellers) do not do that. Perhaps they cannot afford to have two or more bankers on duty at all times so that coverage is always provided during breaks, lunches, vacations, travel for training and conferences, etc.

The requirement was to wait 30 minutes and then you could leave if the banker was busy, but no call first and no particular employee was the target. But when the teller told me to come back in an hour and I really couldn’t (and the shop was due that day), I couldn’t exactly sit there and wait the required 30 minutes so that I would get paid (that would be suspicious behavior). I had done 2 previously for this company, and they went off just fine. But when they said she wouldn’t be back for an hour, I asked if someone else could heLp and they said no and handed me her business card. It was really bad customer service, and I wish they would report it even though I wasn’t inside the building for minutes.

I think they should pay me because I did my part. There was nothing in the guidelines about seeing a particular individual, or not going during certain hours (and it was 2 pm, so she wouldn’t have returned until 3 pm). The 30 minute wait for a banker is silly in this case, because right up front they told me she wouldn’t be back for 45 minutes to an hour, so I couldn’t have sat there because they didn’t offer for me to wait; they said come back in an hour. These are things I couldn’t foresee, and they need to have guidelines telling us who we are supposed to see if there is only 1 “banker” at the branch, and to call first before making the drive (in the snow for me ).

I would not have liked to do it, but the guidelines said wait 30 minutes. You could have said I will wait till banker returns and leave after 30 minutes and get paid.

I’m beginning to realize that common sense and bureaucratic rules don’t mesh.

@Ercokat wrote:

I’m beginning to realize that common sense and bureaucratic rules don’t mesh.

And when there is a conflict between the two, the bureaucratic rules win.

In many situations 'lunch hours' have to be extremely flexible. If a banker has customers waiting, they will try to clear the waiting area before going for lunch and indeed some days may not even getting lunch. That is called 'customer service'. The chances are that your banker will not get lunch at the same time on two different days this week. Certainly there is an issue that no one else could assist you.

Too true!

I would have just sat down, got out my book, and waited the required half hour. If anyone asked, I would say, oh I thought I'd wait a while, see if she comes back in time for me to pick up my daughter on time.

But I'm sorry this happened. Can you reshop?

@Ercokat wrote:

I’m beginning to realize that common sense and bureaucratic rules don’t mesh.

In the rare similar situations, I have sat there for 30 minutes. these days I read things on my smartphone. After 32 minutes, I get up and leave. If one of the staff asks why I say that I just got a text message and heat I have to leave.

I would have (lied) and told the teller I wouldn't mind waiting there for an hour and sit down. After 30 minutes, just make an excuse and say you gotta go.

Evidently you do not live in Los Angeles. In all the bank visits I have had here (not on a mystery shop) where I personally needed to speak to a banker about something, the wait has never been shorter than 30 minutes. So to me that wait is nothing unusual and also the reason I never do these shops. I do not do cell phone shops either where the waits around here are even longer.

I agree with the others, I would have said I will wait and left after 30 minutes. I agree it is silly but If the guidelines say 30 min wait then that is what you have to do.

It's easy in 20/20 hindsight to say you should have waited. Waiting the 30 minutes in an uncomfortable situation may not have been worth the shop fee and might make you memorable if you plan to shop them again. I might have done the same. Or I might have waited. It just all depends.

*tries to think like a teller*

Can I command this person? Do I feel afraid, and not just uncomfortable with a possible loiterer? What will our customers think?

*stops trying to think like a teller*

Aw, really. If a customer comes in and asks for a banker, then chooses to sit and wait, that person is NOT loitering. They have a valid reason to be there.

And I don't think a professional shopper would perform ANY action that would worry/concern/frighten a teller. Or any other putative customer that would enter a bank.

I don't normally criticize you, but get real!

Yeah, it's not like we are wearing oversized trenchcoats or hoodies with sunglasses and pacing in the lobby, LOL!!!!

@Ercokat wrote:

The requirement was to wait 30 minutes and then you could leave if the banker was busy, but no call first and no particular employee was the target. But when the teller told me to come back in an hour and I really couldn’t (and the shop was due that day), I couldn’t exactly sit there and wait the required 30 minutes so that I would get paid (that would be suspicious behavior). I had done 2 previously for this company, and they went off just fine. But when they said she wouldn’t be back for an hour, I asked if someone else could heLp and they said no and handed me her business card. It was really bad customer service, and I wish they would report it even though I wasn’t inside the building for minutes.

I would just have said, ok I’ll wait, since it will take me more time to go home and come back. Then stare at your phone for 30 minutes and leave.

The reason waiting would have been uncomfortable was because it was a small branch with no seating area. I would have had to plop myself down at someone’s desk. Also, they didn’t extend an offer to wait at all. He told me to come back in an hour, and I didn’t want to argue and ask why I couldn’t wait. I already felt slightly combative when I asked if someone else could help, and he asked the coworker and she said NO without even turning around. When I said I couldn’t come back in an hour, he handed me her card and told me to call her. They would've thought it was odd if I then just sat down at one of the desks. And then they also would’ve remembered me for sure, and maybe figured out I was a shopper. The way some of the companies are, they have every shopper ask the same questions and use the same scenarios. And who knows if I was the 10th shopper that week that asked “can you tell me about checking accounts.”. Maybe that is why they were so bitchy? When I worked retail we were always told when shoppers were coming. I have to say, I felt unwelcome and uncomfortable as soon as the second teller answered “no” in a bitchy voice without even turning around. It was rude and made me uncomfortable.

Good points there. Some branches are small!

if you are too close to the workers, you might overhear personal information. Sometimes, shop surveys ask about seeing personal or confidential information. Perhaps it is time for a specific question about hearing personal or confidential information. I have not tested this, but it occurred to me that the closer you are to the workers, the easier it might be to watch their keyboarding. Is there such a thing as finger and keystroke reading, as there is lipreading?

Yes there is.

I had one situation where the Banker was running late. I have driven far for this bank. The shop required you wait 45 minutes. I decided to wait as I had driven 30 miles. I was not about to come back I waited and waited, watching the employee use the copy machine, shred papers, use the fax machine, greet customers, make coffee, answer phones...45 minutes is a long time! But I waited and thankfully she showed up and proceeded with my shop. While their requirement was 45 minutes, this was stated that you "must wait' in case they are late or helping another customer.

In response to possibly why she was told no one else could assist her.....
There are laws that state certain bank products can only be discussed with customers by bankers with a certification to do so (i.e. a banker not a teller). If the branch only has one banker on staff and s/he just went to lunch then LEGALLY there might not be anyone in the building to assist a customer.
Did you expect the female employee (who you describe as bitchy) to break the law and assist you? Or direct someone else to break the law and assist you?

A polite, "I'll just wait for the banker" won't make you that memorable. Many customers are assertive, you were when you were told once that no one could assist you but you pressed on in asking for someone else. You don't need to always explain yourself / your reasonings for doing anything. Be confident and no one will bat an eye.