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signed up for parking audit but i wasn't allowed to park there?

July 20, 2022 09:27PM
I just joined mystery shopping and signed up for a parking lot mystery shop. When I tried to park there, the attendant told me to leave because it wasn't a public lot. How was I supposed to mystery shop it?

Edit: I even confirmed with the parking attendant that I was at the correct address.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/20/2022 11:27PM by secretshoppers.
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More About Audits
July 20, 2022 09:31PM
Are you sure that you went to the right lot? I had a similar issue about 10 years ago where I went to what I was sure was the correct lot. In my case, I parked, but the shop was rejected. The correct lot was in the same building, but the entrance was around the corner and the address made no sense IMHO.
@secretshoppers wrote:

I just joined mystery shopping and signed up for a parking lot mystery shop. When I tried to park there, the attendant told me to leave because it wasn't a public lot. How was I supposed to mystery shop it?

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
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July 20, 2022 09:34PM
It was the correct lot; I verified with the signs and even asked the parking attendant if it was the right address.
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July 20, 2022 09:43PM
My advice (after the fact and after a long learning curve) is that I would have taken a photo of the lot with the date and location on the photo to prove that I was there. One app that does that is Timestamp Camera. Whenever something happens that might need documentation, I take a photo of it. In the last year, I ran into banks closed due to an active COVID case (after they were allowed to reopen) and I took a photo of the notice on the door with the time, date, and GPS location on the photo. Same with the drive-thru closed when the inside was open (and the reverse).

I then submitted the report, using the photo everywhere a receipt was required. In every available text response area, I typed (and copied/pasted) an explanation of what happened. I used whatever response (Yes/No/NA) resulted in the easiest report to submit.
@secretshoppers wrote:

It was the correct lot; I verified with the signs and even asked the parking attendant if it was the right address.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
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July 21, 2022 12:01AM
Yes, good advice: never just leave a location because you couldn’t shop it (unless it’s closed for the night and you were supposed to only go during business hours). Take photos to document, then submit the report. The Timestamp photos are even better.
@myst4au wrote:

My advice (after the fact and after a long learning curve) is that I would have taken a photo of the lot with the date and location on the photo to prove that I was there. One app that does that is Timestamp Camera. Whenever something happens that might need documentation, I take a photo of it. In the last year, I ran into banks closed due to an active COVID case (after they were allowed to reopen) and I took a photo of the notice on the door with the time, date, and GPS location on the photo. Same with the drive-thru closed when the inside was open (and the reverse).

I then submitted the report, using the photo everywhere a receipt was required. In every available text response area, I typed (and copied/pasted) an explanation of what happened. I used whatever response (Yes/No/NA) resulted in the easiest report to submit.
@secretshoppers wrote:

It was the correct lot; I verified with the signs and even asked the parking attendant if it was the right address.
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July 21, 2022 01:15AM
You did not name the parking lot management company, therefore could you please mention the Mystery Shopping Company?
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July 21, 2022 02:07PM
Depends on the Mystery shopping company.... Servimer has a phone number to call 24/7 if you need it.. and also specially states in the guidelines what to do if this situation occurs.
1. Talk to an attendant and try to get them to allow you to park there. (I just need to drop off some paperwork, I'll only be 10 minutes PLEASE! )
2. IF denied take a photo of the location entrance and submit with report detailing your attempt to park.
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July 21, 2022 06:43PM
I had this happen to me once in a downtown parking lot. It was clearly a lot only for very large trucks and had a sign saying so. Mine was not a truck but I was able to reach the owner of the company by phone and he sent me to another lot nearby instead that he had open. Unfortunately that one was right near the Music Center and the headliner that night was one of the hottest pop singers around. The lot was fully sold out with people who had pre ordered parking together with their tickets.
I have often been able to contact msc's for parking from the jobsite.
I think too, just like the chain retail or food stores, the client just gives the msc a list of locations to be shopped which includes ones no longer in business for some reason or other or inappropriate for a ms.
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July 21, 2022 08:44PM
It may be an employees only lot.

"I told myself to quit you; but I don't listen to drunks." -Chris Stapleton
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