New, easier Dash-In shop guidelines

Yikes! I had nearly given up on these and just discovered that since late summer the survey and guidelines have been greatly shortened and simplified. Even with a slight reduction in the reimbursement for fuel, they are now really worth my time if the location is anywhere along my travel route. And, no prohibition on using fuel rewards points. Since my grocery purchases yield a ton of the right points, I save 30 to 50 cents a gallon just by using those. Glad to say that their coffee and most hot foods are very good.
Grabbed one for tomorrow and looking for another one along my travel routes for later in the month.

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.

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And have you found anyone who wears a name tag yet? How do they feel about posing for the picture of themselves without the name tag? These are twenty foot pole shops for me!

All of my locations wear name tags. I do these shops regularly every month. I was initially concerned about the reduced gas reimbursement, but the bonuses have me out ahead every month.

wales, if you can pick them up after the 20th of the month, the bonuses get very nice. Also, make sure to read the questionnaire for each shop. They let you know what drink you need to buy and what shelf and food items you have to look for.

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

If they wear a name tag, that's not bad then.

I love the shops. The The metrics are usually hit, which makes for an easy report. I like the sandwiches at the fancy stores. They are no comparison to WaWa, but good nonetheless.

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

Had to laugh at myself this morning. I did one about 1 mile from home. I was so relieved that the only associate wore a name tag that I did not make a note of the name. Halfway home I turned around and went back "to see if I left my gloves on the counter." Her name was what I had remembered, but was not sure about.

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.

I downloaded the updated guidelines. I do not agree that the shop is now easier. If you go back two generations of instructions, before the required Slider (made fresh) purchase, those guidelines were easier. The new Planogram adds a new level of complication. I do like not having to order a Slider made fresh.

I am comfortable taking the required pictures. I feel that having to still capture all of the food service areas outs us though. My experience is we have to also take pics of the roller grills, even though that is not clearly stated in the guidelines.

If an associate is not wearing a name tag, I am patient and find a way to capture them in a picture. I somehow find that less obvious than taking pics of all of the food service areas.

I'd rather keep the $10 in gas reimbursement, now $8, than find ways to maximize the $10 in food. Coffee and a required food item are typically under $8.

My posts are solely based on my opinions and for my entertainment, contact a professional if you need real advice.

When you get in debt you become a slave. - Andrew Jackson

BUT, you can also purchase additional prepared food items, up to the $1 limit, just not packaged items. The breakfast one I did this morning allowed me to select my breakfast, not limiting my choices.

I disagree that we are "outed" by taking the pictures. It is easy to take cover behind a display to take most pictures unless there are associates prowling the aisles constantly And, for the record, that seldom occurs.

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.

Not a big fan personally. I find the required inside pics challenging, especially in the small footprint stores. I always seem to get a clerk not wearing a name tag and find the pic extremely challenging to obtain covertly.

But, the thing I dislike the most is the time requirement in-store. In a small, non-busy store, I am sure the clerk thinks I am casing the joint and planning to rob them. Customers come and go and there I am still loitering around trying to get the pics without being outed and killing the clock on my in-store time.

Take away the pics and time requirement and I will do them all day...

"We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl -- year after year..."

The new guidelines also require a car wash pic. We are no longer required to get Sliderz, thank goodness, but any fresh food item. To be on the safe side, I get pics of the hot food case, the roller grill and the Sliderz case.

Personally, I no longer get concerned about being outed when I take my inside photos. I do the same locations every rotation. The employees no longer look at me like I am nuts for taking pictures of the food areas, and the women's restroom ends up spotless.

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

walesmaven- I forgot a name, close by also, it was one of my banks, forgot the name, went back and asked if I left a pair of glasses at the teller window. Got her name and said, "Oh here they are right in my pocket book."

Just picked up another breakfast one, with a bonus just for repeat DI shoppers.

The fuel reimbursement for each shop will be good for 100 miles on my vehicle. So, in December I get 200 miles of fuel for two super simple reports, and those 200 miles of MS driving will shelter over $100 in taxes on fee from other shops due to the tax write off for that mileage. I consider a good breakfast sandwich and very good coffee just a bonus, as is the small fee. I just wish there rotation was only one month because there are only 2 of them that are really convenient to me.

Honney has a ton of them practically in her back yard. But, it is nice that we are not at all in competition for 99% of the shops that we both like.

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.

No competition from me...enjoy them!

"We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl -- year after year..."

I'm not familiar with these shops but they sound great.

They really aren't bad at all...just not for me as long as I have other projects to do instead. I have done a few as favors for a scheduler in a bind and would do them all the time if it wasn't for the interior pics and time requirement in store.

"We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl -- year after year..."

LOL. I have this mental image of a shopper slipping around, hiding behind shelving to take covert pics. Meanwhile, the clerk is behind the counter, staring up at that big ol' mirror mounted up high in a top corner that shows pretty much the whole store and everybody in it.

panama, that described my first few DI shops. Then I realized, why hide? If the employees see me, they will up their game.

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

Also, have you ever seen the employees watching that monitor?

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.

When that requirement first came out, I asked the employee where it was located. He didn't know what it was.

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

btw, 5 cents a gallon off on Thursdays. So, with that and my grocery store fuel rewards points, I got 45 cents a gallon off during my shop today. So, a good reason not to stop at $8 worth, lol.

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.

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New, easier Dash-In shop guidelines

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