Today I received information from a competitor of yours. It included 300 jobs on a single spreadsheet. Each job was described, included locations, due dates, pay, contact, links to further details, etc.

I opened the spreadsheet and selected several.

Today I also received ten emails from you. Just to determine if the job was in my state I needed to open it and scroll down. For more information than that, I needed to log on to your website. The first I opened (this email) was 70 miles from my home.

I didn't open the other nine emails you sent. I just deleted them.

I really appreciated that a scheduler considered my time and provided me with the ability to quickly select jobs. It was also designed in a way to make it easier to read than a war or words.

I remember an important lesson I learned in Sales--make it easy for the customer and show your appreciation. Perhaps I'll have more time next time to read through all your offers.

What company did you get the spreadsheet from? Also, I completely ignore the emails from Bill now ????

I agree that the first method is much more convenient, but I wonder if the way the jobs are sent out to shoppers is dictated by the MSCs? Although they're not supposed to do that with ICs, the "1,000 separate emails" may have been the way the schedulers are trained.

I hate it when I get three separate emails for the same job and the same states, but each email lists different locations within the state. Why not include all locations in a state in one email, and send separate emails for a group of states? Say, one email for all "same jobs" in De., Md., NY, Pa., and NJ; one for New England; one for WV, Va., NC, and SC; etc., and list all jobs within each state in one email? At least you could look at the groupings and read the applicable ones and delete the rest. It seems to me that ages ago, one of the MSCs used to do this.

I suspect they get very little training. One or two may look at it and spend the (unpaid) time developing ways to automate the process and to do it in a way that is respectful to shoppers, but on their own time. If this were a concern of the owners, it would happen. For example, once you log in, there's no reason for you to entire age and birthdate. Why three different photos plus geotracking? Why ask us 22 questions on what a leasing agent said, then ask us to type the entire conversation? Why do the instructions for some shops take over 20 pages of the same thing written over and over again? Why so many poorly written questions that we have to ask them? And why does the question, "Was the attendant wearing an id badge"" require ten words?

Is that respectful of OUR time? Yes, it could mean proofreading THEIR work. It could mean investing a few dollars into technology that will save them thousands of dollars in labor.

And how does an industry that sells their customers on the importance of receiving feedback never solicit it themselves?

Like a chef that won't eat their own cooking?

I feel for the schedulers. They get all the pressure for making the business run and profitable. They don't have the support to do their job well. They are the ones who make the MSCs successful. Every day could be their last. They pay self-employment tax and have to get their own insurance. No paid time off. No benefits. They have to sell shoppers to take jobs under $10 and can't say what they know and feel. They avoid shoppers when the manager finds excuses not to pay shoppers.

They live in their own hell.