In your opinion, which gas audit is the easiest to do, especially considering the compensation? Which one is the most difficult between Union 76, Mobil/Exxon, Chevron, or Shell?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/15/2020 10:29PM by 1forum1.

I like Mobil/Exxon. They bonus quickly. Take about 25 minutes to do. I dislike Shell the most. Too many pictures and takes too long. I also like Chevron audits . Easy to do. I have never done 76 audits, only mystery shops.

I did a Shell today that required over 100 photos.

I haven't finished the report yet, so I don't even know if I took enough photos.

My favorite shops are Exxon/Mobil, Citgo, Sunoco and Chevron. .

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2020 11:23AM by Kathy1296.

The only two I really dislike are Shell and the revealed 76.

I stopped doing the 76/Philips full audits. I rarely do shell. I think Marathon's are my favorite and then Exxon second and Chevron third. I make the most money off of Chevron. (In terms of the work involved). I don't do Exxon's anymore.

@ceasesmith wrote:

I did a Shell today that required over 100 photos.

I haven't finished the report yet, so I don't even know if I took enough photos.

I don't understand how it can require 100 photos when there aren't even 100 questions. Or are you taking multiples of each infraction? The audits I've done only requires 1 photo of each infraction, even if there are 35 instances of the same infraction.

The easiest is Valero, in my opinion. I don't dislike any of them (never done 76 or Chevron, not in my area), not even Shells. Shells do require the most pictures, though.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/16/2020 07:07PM by tcurione.

What I don't understand is why Exxon gets bonused better and quicker when it's only about half of the work/report length/photos that Shell requires. Shell creeps up slowly, a dollar at a time. SMH

@tcurione wrote:

The easiest is Valero, in my opinion. I don't dislike any of them (never done 76 or Chevron, not in my area), not even Shells. Shells do require the most pictures, though.

You are right. I do Valero and they are easy. They are bundled and bonused.

Chevron is easiest, and Exxon/Mobil is the worst.

@AZwolfman wrote:

Chevron is easiest, and Exxon/Mobil is the worst.

What other gas audits have you done?

Because I am 100 miles from home. If I miss a photo, I can't go back.

Photo of every pump.

Unique photos for every infraction. So building photo - check. Windows 100% covered? Infraction. Separate, unique photo. Can't FIND the front door? Infraction. Separate photo.

Sun in eyes? Extra photos, just to make sure they come out.

Every single pump so filthy, don't want to touch it? More unique photos.

Trash. Photo.

No amenities whatsoever -- photo.

I'm old. Extra photos!!! (Mostly because I can't tell if photos came out -- are my hands a little shakier than usual? Am I 100% certain photo clear and not blurred? EXTRAS!!!)

But in this case, just the infractions took over 40 photos.

And the store was huge, and took another 30 or so (to make sure that I have enough visual record to make sure I can properly answer the incredibly nit-picking questions about the various "food offers" -- do they offer fresh fruit? Milk, bread, eggs? "Healthy" snacks (LOL -- is there really such a thing?).

But mostly because I'm old, I think. And habits from photography school die hard -- it wasn't unusual, in my younger days, to take 60 - or more! - photos to get the one, perfect shot I wanted to print and frame, LOL!!!

Not to mention, huge station off I-80, only truck stop within miles, extremely busy.

@bgriffin wrote:

@ceasesmith wrote:

I did a Shell today that required over 100 photos.

I haven't finished the report yet, so I don't even know if I took enough photos.

I don't understand how it can require 100 photos when there aren't even 100 questions. Or are you taking multiples of each infraction? The audits I've done only requires 1 photo of each infraction, even if there are 35 instances of the same infraction.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/17/2020 04:07PM by ceasesmith.

United Pacific audits are probably the easiest ones in my area. They own a few 76 gas stations in the SoCal area. No photos and the audit takes only about 10 minutes to complete.

I take over a 100 photos too of some gas stations. Nice ones with very few infractions I might take 40 pics. Bad ones with multiple infractions I easily take 80-125 pictures.
First of all, I take automatically take a double set. Two dispensers, two bathroom overalls, two MID's, etc in case one comes out blurry. Then I take an infraction, right? But then I see a "worse" incident of the same infraction. So I take that too! I, too, took a photography class. Some pictures require more than two to get a usable picture. Like paraphernalia. Looking through the glass reflections can make it difficult to get a picture where they can see the pipes, etc. Curb appeals depending on the distance and weather can require multiple pictures. I think I take an average of 4-5 curb appeals and only attach the best, clearest one. I'm conscientious and do a thorough inspection as well.

@1forum1 wrote:

@AZwolfman wrote:

Chevron is easiest, and Exxon/Mobil is the worst.

What other gas audits have you done?

Shell, Sinclair, Conoco-Philipps-76, Valero, Circle K

I do Marathon, Citgo, Circle K (which I skip if I don't have the time or need the money because of the low pay), Phillips/76 (when the price goes up), Valero, Shell, Gulf, Sunoco, and Chevron. I don't do Exxon any more. But I would if I could. Oh, and I've done a couple of EnMarkets and Parker's but Parkers is a customer service one basically.

duplicate post due to wifi lag.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/18/2020 02:55AM by F and L TeleComm.

Triplicate post due to wifi lag.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/18/2020 02:56AM by F and L TeleComm.

@F and L TeleComm wrote:

I do Marathon, Citgo, Circle K (which I skip if I don't have the time or need the money because of the low pay), Phillips/76 (when the price goes up), Valero, Shell, Gulf, Sunoco, and Chevron. I don't do Exxon any more. But I would if I could. Oh, and I've done a couple of EnMarkets and Parker's but Parkers is a customer service one basically.

Which one do you think is the easiest? Most difficult?

Marathon is the easiest. Shell and Phillips/76 are the most difficult for me to do.

I have not seen a Citgo, Marathon, Gulf, or Sunoco since way before I began mystery shopping 11 years ago. I have never heard of EnMarkets or Parker's.

Sunoco was shopped until quite recently. Gulf is still shopped, but most near me have changed branding - same for Citgo. Speedway, which is the Marathon brand in this area, is occasionally shopped.

@AZwolfman wrote:

I have not seen a Citgo, Marathon, Gulf, or Sunoco since way before I began mystery shopping 11 years ago.

AZ, you're not looking hard enough!

Enmark and Parker's are big in SC where my sons live. I've completed shops there when I visit. They are both large chains in the south I guess.

@sestrahelena wrote:

AZ, you're not looking hard enough!

It doesn't help to look; those stations do not exist in this part of the country. So I cannot say whether they are easy or hard.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/22/2020 02:12AM by AZwolfman.

Oh. Pay's pretty crappy anyway. You're not missing much.

I do the reports on my Ipad using Chrome. Normally it only takes me 30-45 minutes each location. I've never needed 100 photos even on the worst of shops.

Who do you do Velero shops with ?

@Ksmikeman wrote:

Who do you do Velero shops with ?

I do all my shops alone. If I was with someone I might get distracted.