Give us your opinion--but not really

I know we're supposed to be, the vast majority of the time, completely objective in writing narratives, and I am. But I recently did a shop for which the report specifically asked for my opinion on how the location and the service compared to other similar experiences I've had in real life. There was some subjectivity required in order to make that comparison, and I also felt I needed to be somewhat specific (not as far as naming competitors, but comparing staff and facility). I definitely didn't give a "this was a palace compared to other such facilities" or "it's a pig sty" type of comment!

When I got my review, the editor said not to compare any shop experience to any past experiences and not to give opinions. Huh?

The shop was accepted, but I was left scratching my head. "Give us your opinion and a comparison to other similar experiences." But we really don't want you to. LOL. Anybody run into this?

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

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Not often, but I have run into such now and then. I've had editors threaten non-payment as they question me on things that weren't anywhere in the guidelines or questions, but I should have explained in such and such in a comment block that was clearly marked for answering something else. I have shopped off and on for years, but haven't even seen such until the last couple months or so. It could be it is at least partially indicative of all the remote work. It is like some of the people who write the questions do not not know a thing about the business that is being shopped; they don't have a clue what the people who wrote the guidelines wrote, and some of the editors are not even looking at anything related to the shop requirements. I could go on and on. So, yes, such as that happens, but thankfully not often. There are a lot of good companies out there, but I step carefully with how much of my time and money I want to risk with companies who make such a habit. It doesn't leave me with a good feeling either.

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg?
"Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
-- Abraham Lincoln

The comparison part seems familiar. I've had reports ask to list counterpart stores or restaurants that I had gone to. Other reports ask if the service is 'as expected' or worse or better. To me that is asking for comparisons.

I was deactivated because the guidelines said to compare the casual/coffee shop type restaurant service and food to a fine dining restaurant. And when I did, and argued with the editor, and refused to change my narratives because I was following the guidelines, they deactivated me.

I often get those questions but it is usually for smaller msc doing local chain places, not the national chains. But they do not want you to compare to the same location at an earlier time. Neither, do I think, they want long involved narratives describing how, what and why. I have never gotten negative feedback when I have done those sorts of reports.

@Morledzep wrote:

I was deactivated because the guidelines said to compare the casual/coffee shop type restaurant service and food to a fine dining restaurant. And when I did, and argued with the editor, and refused to change my narratives because I was following the guidelines, they deactivated me.

Yikes!

I really do wonder sometimes if some of the editors bother to really read the guidelines thoroughly, or whether some simply apply their own opinion of how a shop should be done. Just because 50 similar shops don't want comparisons or opinions doesn't mean that the 51st doesn't.

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

Was it Marketforce ?

@Kph100 wrote:

Was it Marketforce ?

Nope.

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

I think I would be on Reddit about that! Then I would have my buddy post it on the youtube.

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Give us your opinion--but not really

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