@KarenMSW wrote:
In my experience it's actually less time and effort doing the 2 locations as a "bundle"...
@KarenMSW wrote:
I only have to go to the location once..,
@KarenMSW wrote:
Personally, I'm making more $$ for less work. YMMV
@ceasesmith wrote:
BP's stock keeps going up because their profits keep going up. And, of course, one way to increase profit is to reduce costs.
Like an amoeba's sole purpose in life is to reproduce, the corporation's sole purpose is to generate profit.
Soulless? Yes.
Evil? Depends on your point of view. Stockholders don't think so.
@Curious99 wrote:
@KarenMSW wrote:
In my experience it's actually less time and effort doing the 2 locations as a "bundle"...
I agree, it's better to do the two audits as one bundle, but I don't see how $28 for a bundle is better than $36.
@KarenMSW wrote:
I only have to go to the location once..,
Even when dong the two audits separately instead of together as a bundle, why would you need to go back a second time if you are doing them back-to-back? Did no one tell you that you could do the consumer audit, and then wait a couple of minutes, and then do the visual standards audit?
@KarenMSW wrote:
Personally, I'm making more $$ for less work. YMMV
The only way that could possibly make sense is if you look at in terms of an hourly rate, but if you look at it from the perspective of a total dollar amount, it's actually 22% less money.
@ceasesmith wrote:
BP's stock keeps going up because their profits keep going up. And, of course, one way to increase profit is to reduce costs.
Like an amoeba's sole purpose in life is to reproduce, the corporation's sole purpose is to generate profit.
Soulless? Yes.
Evil? Depends on your point of view. Stockholders don't think so.
@KarenMSW wrote:
.... And yes, I do look at it as an hourly rate - I'm making more money for less work and therefore my hourly rate is higher. If I were to do more locations I'd make more money in total, again for less work than doing the locations separately. In the end, it's not less money....
@Curious99 wrote:
@KarenMSW wrote:
.... And yes, I do look at it as an hourly rate - I'm making more money for less work and therefore my hourly rate is higher. If I were to do more locations I'd make more money in total, again for less work than doing the locations separately. In the end, it's not less money....
What you are saying is you think the current arrangement of bundling the audits together is more benefical because it translates into a higher hourly rate than having them kept seperate, and that if you want to make more money than you simply work more hours. Okay.
What I am saying is if there is less money to go around, and the work is being done more quickly, whether it's by you or your competition, then there are going to be some shoppers that don't make that much money this quarter because of it. That you might run out of work a lot sooner than what you'd like. That there is an unfavorable trade-off being made here between hourly pay, and total amount earned. You can't just work more hours when there is no more work left.
There has always been a trade-off between hourly rates, and total dollar amounts earned with this type of work. The higher you want one to become, the lower the other must become. You can make anywhere between $10/hr to $200/hr doing this kind of work making such trade-offs. You could work 24/7 at what works out to be $10/hr or you could potentially work just 1 hour this quarter and make $200/hr.
But the sweet spot that takes into account both the hourly rate, and the total dollar amount is going to be somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. It's not going to be doing a whole bunch of locations at the base pay rate, which is currently $28 per location. The best hourly pay rate has never been the base pay rate.
So even if the hourly rate is increased via bundling, I don't think this change is a good one overall. I think it would have been better if shoppers decided they weren't going to touch these bundles until they are at least $36 or more. Then it wouldn't have been such a bad trade-off. But if you think $28 per bundle is a good deal, then it certainly is a win for the MSC because it's going to mean they pay out less money in the end.
@KarenMSW wrote:
@Curious99 wrote:
@KarenMSW wrote:
.... And yes, I do look at it as an hourly rate - I'm making more money for less work and therefore my hourly rate is higher. If I were to do more locations I'd make more money in total, again for less work than doing the locations separately. In the end, it's not less money....
What you are saying is you think the current arrangement of bundling the audits together is more benefical because it translates into a higher hourly rate than having them kept seperate, and that if you want to make more money than you simply work more hours. Okay.
What I am saying is if there is less money to go around, and the work is being done more quickly, whether it's by you or your competition, then there are going to be some shoppers that don't make that much money this quarter because of it. That you might run out of work a lot sooner than what you'd like. That there is an unfavorable trade-off being made here between hourly pay, and total amount earned. You can't just work more hours when there is no more work left.
There has always been a trade-off between hourly rates, and total dollar amounts earned with this type of work. The higher you want one to become, the lower the other must become. You can make anywhere between $10/hr to $200/hr doing this kind of work making such trade-offs. You could work 24/7 at what works out to be $10/hr or you could potentially work just 1 hour this quarter and make $200/hr.
But the sweet spot that takes into account both the hourly rate, and the total dollar amount is going to be somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. It's not going to be doing a whole bunch of locations at the base pay rate, which is currently $28 per location. The best hourly pay rate has never been the base pay rate.
So even if the hourly rate is increased via bundling, I don't think this change is a good one overall. I think it would have been better if shoppers decided they weren't going to touch these bundles until they are at least $36 or more. Then it wouldn't have been such a bad trade-off. But if you think $28 per bundle is a good deal, then it certainly is a win for the MSC because it's going to mean they pay out less money in the end.
What I am saying, and as I keep stressing, it is only for me and varies based on person and their individual circumstances including driving distance and amount of competition, even the type and quality of stations in their working area (are they large stations, are they well-kept), is that for me, and me only, this ends up being a better deal. I can work less time and make the same, or more, than if the evaluations are done separately. No one's situation is equivalent, that's why not only do we have to evaluate whether a situation works for us and why we can't make blanket statements as to whether it is a good or bad deal for anyone. I care whether the MSC makes money because it keeps me employed (and I don't have to hunt for new companies and/or new assignments) but, in reality, the main thing that I care about is if it makes money for me (and, at the risk of sounding callous, I have zero interest in leaving assignments that make sense for me to do just so others can make money). It's the reason why I primarily do gas stations - because I have a lot of experience so my learning curve is limited and I can complete the assignments far more quickly. It's why I rarely do retail or food - because they don't usually meet my needs and the reports take far more time than I have the patience for. Plus, the gas stations pay out quickly so the time value of money is higher than with other assignment types. And, since the work time and effort is actually less when bundled, FOR ME, it's a good deal. It's not "I think", it's a fact FOR ME.
@French Farmer wrote:
@ceasesmith wrote:
BP's stock keeps going up because their profits keep going up. And, of course, one way to increase profit is to reduce costs.
Like an amoeba's sole purpose in life is to reproduce, the corporation's sole purpose is to generate profit.
Soulless? Yes.
Evil? Depends on your point of view. Stockholders don't think so.
I believe you are correct.
I always remember that all publicly traded companies, oil companies included, answer to themselves first, their shareholders secondly and thirdly to their customers.
It is why the major oil companies are doing "buybacks of their own stock and secondly answering to their shareholders by doing so.
@Curious99 wrote:
@Notme2021,
I have noticed the same things, and agree. When I look back on my past earnings over the years, I have noticed that some of my most profitable mystery shopping periods have been during the BP Quarter 2 time periods. I think that has been because of the Consumer Audits, and the Visual Standards Audits being treated separately during Quarter 2 of each year. And for those of us that looked forward to Quarter 2 of each year for this reason, I think it's sad to see that go. Other people can think, or "know", or whatever they want to, but you can't beat getting $70 to do those two audits with $28. It just doesn't work that way.
Quarter 1 and the Dark Audits don't pay jack in my opinion, and Quarter 3 isn't much better because you don't even have the low paying Dark Audits to do. So if you were going to make any money with BP Audits, Quarter 2 always seemed like the time to do it. But now, I don't know that Quarter 2 is necessarily going to be any better than Quarter 1 and Quarter 3 moving forward. And it's discouraging because you know the people with the money could easily pay us what they have in the past forever if they wanted to. Yet the profit they get from that is not good enough. It absolutely must be less, and less, and less pay every quarter, every year, every time. No matter what. Apparently it can't just stay the same. That would be asking for too much.
As for the $14 monthlies, I know what you are talking about. Personally, I'd consider going for the monthlies, and quarterlies when they hit at least $35. It's not get rich money, but I find that brand nicer to work for, and a potential substitute for doing BP Audits if I don't want to, or feel like I'm being short changed.
@Morledzep wrote:
I don't mind the duplicate photo issues. It is what it is. But on many of these is gas stations they say to disregard 15% of the dirt. And they say to have some leniency when it comes to the diesel pumps because diesel is just dirty and leaks. And then they reject your shop because there is a few black stains from diesel fuel hose on a pump skirt. Not more than 15% of the pump skirt or the entire pump for that matter, and it's from the diesel hose, but I lost $60 that day.
@Notme2021 wrote:
Was that recently? Because both BP and the other brand should be sent back if you miss an infraction and not rejected outright. (Tho idk what it was like more than two years ago).
Editors have always been more particular for BP, though less so now. Someone said in another thread that the editors are picky for the yellow brand but I never found that to be the case, just a long and annoying report for that one. This past month the editors for the blue brand seemed to be more picky and lower scores but I don’t think they sent reports back more, just lower grades to accompany the lower pay.
@Morledzep wrote:
I don't mind the duplicate photo issues. It is what it is... And then they reject your shop because there is a few black stains from diesel fuel hose on a pump skirt...
@F and L TeleComm wrote:
... even though 280 in one day sounds good in theory. I worked my A$$ off for that 280...
@F and L TeleComm wrote:
....Businesses like to pay the least they have to for the most work. We are the same way...