I am facing surgery that will effectively land me at home for 6 weeks, unable to drive. I'm putting it off as long as I can, but if I want to get on with my life (and my shopping), I need to just bite the bullet and get it over with.

That said, do any of you have recommendations for companies who have a lot of phone or online shops?

I have no problem doing purchase/return shops if the company is reliably timely with their reimbursements and pay. I have done detailed banking scenarios by phone, including ones which employed a bogus profile and credit report for a mortgage application process. I've also done insurance quote shops and college admissions shops.

I don't want to sit twiddling my thumbs when I could stay busy and earn a little money while I'm sidelined.

Ideas?

Check with the companies you work with most frequently. There are a lot of bank phone shops that need to be done and the best way to land them is through schedulers with whom you have good working relationships. Other than that they are sort of scattered around through the various MSPs. Every time I have attempted an on line evaluation it has taken 3 or 4 times the expected amount of time (or more) if it is a legitimate shop, so I'm giving up on those. The on line shops where you sign up for 'free trials' seem to be a uniform nightmare of needing to do more and more contacts to qualify to get paid and even if you cancel all of your 'free trials' in a timely fashion so you aren't charged for continuing service you still have an 'existing relationship' which allows them to call you even if your phone is on the "No Call" list.

When I was going to be housebound with post-operative better half, my schedulers worked with me to get me phone shops.

Those free trial shops are too scam-like for me, anyway. The companies offering them are probably affiliates, and receive a commission whenever people sign up.

Some of the schedulers with whom I work have given me some phone shops. I need to contact some more of them.



Flash Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Check with the companies you work with most
> frequently. There are a lot of bank phone shops
> that need to be done and the best way to land them
> is through schedulers with whom you have good
> working relationships. Other than that they are
> sort of scattered around through the various MSPs.
> Every time I have attempted an on line evaluation
> it has taken 3 or 4 times the expected amount of
> time (or more) if it is a legitimate shop, so I'm
> giving up on those. The on line shops where you
> sign up for 'free trials' seem to be a uniform
> nightmare of needing to do more and more contacts
> to qualify to get paid and even if you cancel all
> of your 'free trials' in a timely fashion so you
> aren't charged for continuing service you still
> have an 'existing relationship' which allows them
> to call you even if your phone is on the "No Call"
> list.
>
> When I was going to be housebound with
> post-operative better half, my schedulers worked
> with me to get me phone shops.

Informa is the company for whom I do the most phone shops. Bare has them from time to time, and sometimes they show up for Feedback Plus (though rarely, and they're scooped up very quickly). I've done an online shop for Intelli-Shop, which did not require a return, and one for Customer Perspectives, which did. (Bare has an online shop as well, but someone wrote something about it being a bit of a pain.)

I've done some others, though I can't think of them offhand. I think that Flash is right, most companies have them, even if you haven't seen the offers. Emailing the companies and schedulers for whom you work regularly is an excellent idea.

Thanks for the info. I signed up with Informa tonight. I think I'd checked them out before, when a scheduler from Bare suggested them, but something happened to my connection and it bombed as my application was being submitted. Thanks for reminding me!

I've picked up a few phone shops for $3 here and $5 there. Every little bit adds up. My surgery's scheduled now, and I am padding my nest with money that will trickle in next month and the month after. That will be a welcome sight.

The good news is, the doc doing the surgery says I should be able to walk in a walking boot; surgeon #1 said hard cast with no weight on the foot for 4-6 weeks. I prefer doctor #2's method!

I won't be able to drive still, but at least I shouldn't be using crutches and all that jazz. I might even be able to get a shop or two in if friends or family chauffeur me.


nicelytwicely Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Informa is the company for whom I do the most
> phone shops. Bare has them from time to time, and
> sometimes they show up for Feedback Plus (though
> rarely, and they're scooped up very quickly). I've
> done an online shop for Intelli-Shop, which did
> not require a return, and one for Customer
> Perspectives, which did. (Bare has an online shop
> as well, but someone wrote something about it
> being a bit of a pain.)
>
> I've done some others, though I can't think of
> them offhand. I think that Flash is right, most
> companies have them, even if you haven't seen the
> offers. Emailing the companies and schedulers for
> whom you work regularly is an excellent idea.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/06/2011 05:40AM by TechSavvy.