Finding a Supervisor for Mystery Shop Scheduler or Editor or General Concerns
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Some schedulers are terrific, some not so much.
Frankly, there are some schedulers whose e-mails I automatically delete. I won't work with them (for exactly the reasons you list), so I don't even bother reading them.
You're an independent contractor. Going over the scheduler's head is poor form.
I do overlook the occasional lapse in manners or responsiveness. Sometimes, life just gets in the way, for schedulers as well as shoppers.
I'm still irked at one scheduler who answered my e-mail with "But it's the weekend! I'll take care of it Monday." While I'm out Friday night, all day Saturday, and Sunday, working my you know what off. What's a weekend, anyway (to paraphrase Violet).
Sorry. If you expect me to work over the weekend, you'd better be available to answer questions!
Frankly, there are some schedulers whose e-mails I automatically delete. I won't work with them (for exactly the reasons you list), so I don't even bother reading them.
You're an independent contractor. Going over the scheduler's head is poor form.
I do overlook the occasional lapse in manners or responsiveness. Sometimes, life just gets in the way, for schedulers as well as shoppers.
I'm still irked at one scheduler who answered my e-mail with "But it's the weekend! I'll take care of it Monday." While I'm out Friday night, all day Saturday, and Sunday, working my you know what off. What's a weekend, anyway (to paraphrase Violet).
Sorry. If you expect me to work over the weekend, you'd better be available to answer questions!
I'm not sure what you mean by poor form. I do know if there is a problem, everybody has a boss. I also know that if my pay is in danger, I will do something other than speak with the person that is standing in the way of my pay. However, I do this for fun. If there is someone interfering with my fun, someone who can stop it needs to know. I have completed an entire dissertation. I was an English and journalism major as an undergrad. I do freelance writing in my spare time. If someone tells me something about my writing that is not accurate, I want to speak with a boss. I don't avoid the issue. I am direct. Had I not spoken to a boss, I would not have been reimbursed for my $300 from one of my shops.
The reality is that as a contractor, your options are limited. IF you expect the scheduler or reviewer to connect you with their supervisor, you are almost certainly going to be disappointed. Some owners actually participate in this Forum and have been known to respond to issues brought up here. Of course, that means you will have to list the name of the MSC. If you tell us the name of the MSC, we might be able to tell you whether anyone from that MSC participates here. For very large MSCs, you might be able to find the name of their officers using Google, and might also be able to find an email to contact them. For instance, Ray Walsh is the CEO of MarketForce: [www.marketforce.com] (a 0.41 second search using Google). Sherri Weed seems to be in charge of all mystery shopping. Of course, Market Force completed 100,000 mystery shops in July according to their website.
Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008
Sorry, Cease, I'm not sure why going over a scheduler's head is poor form for an independent contractor. In fact, I'd say the opposite. Since we're not employees, we're not beholden to the sometimes-rigid corporate structure.
I agree that the first line of inquiry is always the scheduler. But when you can't get what you need in the way of information, or you need to dispute something (which is more often an editor issue, not a scheduler issue), you have to go up the ladder. I've found that many schedulers are happy to give me the names of editors to contact if I have an issue with a shop review; probably easier for them than to play go-between.
As a freelance contractor in my other career, I had *more* access to the higher-ups rather than less. So maybe it's just a matter of past experience, in a different field, that makes my opinion different.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2022 06:08PM by BirdyC.
I agree that the first line of inquiry is always the scheduler. But when you can't get what you need in the way of information, or you need to dispute something (which is more often an editor issue, not a scheduler issue), you have to go up the ladder. I've found that many schedulers are happy to give me the names of editors to contact if I have an issue with a shop review; probably easier for them than to play go-between.
As a freelance contractor in my other career, I had *more* access to the higher-ups rather than less. So maybe it's just a matter of past experience, in a different field, that makes my opinion different.
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've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/31/2022 06:08PM by BirdyC.
It sounds like you disagree with something an editor said about your writing? Was the shop rejected because of that? For most MSC’s, the scheduler is also an IC. For some, the person above them to contact is the project manager, others it would be an officer of the company.
I don’t know about bad form, but unless it is something critical (a shop was rejected and clearly shouldn’t have been), you will be likely burning bridges by bothering someone about an issue that they deem unimportant and/or think the editor and scheduler should be handling.
If the editor works for an outsourced firm you could find that company’s email address via google. For some small companies and important clients, officers themselves may edit and/or schedule.
I’ve been told various untrue things about grammar as well as other details of shops, and I have learned to just let it go unless it has affected my pay by the shop being rejected.
I don’t know about bad form, but unless it is something critical (a shop was rejected and clearly shouldn’t have been), you will be likely burning bridges by bothering someone about an issue that they deem unimportant and/or think the editor and scheduler should be handling.
If the editor works for an outsourced firm you could find that company’s email address via google. For some small companies and important clients, officers themselves may edit and/or schedule.
I’ve been told various untrue things about grammar as well as other details of shops, and I have learned to just let it go unless it has affected my pay by the shop being rejected.
Just a **small** take away...
Just because your grammar is excellent doesn't mean you won't have a rejected shop. I don't care if you have written fifty dissertations.
Following guidelines and writing in the style that the MSC wants is very important.
Just because your grammar is excellent doesn't mean you won't have a rejected shop. I don't care if you have written fifty dissertations.
Following guidelines and writing in the style that the MSC wants is very important.
Obviously, I was referring to something the editor got wrong. I also said I do freelance writing in my spare time. Additionally, I said I was an English and journalism major. My point being, I can probably write better than the editors. It had to do with writing. You seem mad. Relax! People always have to get on a platform and try to write slick comments about others, because they have issues. Your hate is showing!
In every field I have worked, people sometimes make mistakes, are sometimes rude, and sometimes do not answer my questions properly or just do not respond to my messages.
You have to do a cost-benefit analysis as to whether it is worth pushing back or going up the chain. For $300? Sure. Because they told me something about my writing that was not accurate, but still paid me? No. The editors are usually contract labor just like us, doing their best to break minimum wage, and have negligible effect on our future prospects.
You have to do a cost-benefit analysis as to whether it is worth pushing back or going up the chain. For $300? Sure. Because they told me something about my writing that was not accurate, but still paid me? No. The editors are usually contract labor just like us, doing their best to break minimum wage, and have negligible effect on our future prospects.
There is another thread where the poster said that the editor wanted clarification which they claimed was already in the report. They believed that the editor had not even read the report before requesting it be revised to add more information. The shopper waited and then resubmitted the unedited report and it was basically accepted as it had originally been submitted.
Is it possible the editor needed to buy some time and sending a report back to the shopper gets them more time? You know, waiting for our response.
I've been asked to add details and they were already written in the report when I originally submitted it. I would just point that out and the shop was suddenly accepted without me adding or modifying anything.
I've also noticed that some editors have worse spelling and grammar than I believe myself to have. THAT scares me!
Is it possible the editor needed to buy some time and sending a report back to the shopper gets them more time? You know, waiting for our response.
I've been asked to add details and they were already written in the report when I originally submitted it. I would just point that out and the shop was suddenly accepted without me adding or modifying anything.
I've also noticed that some editors have worse spelling and grammar than I believe myself to have. THAT scares me!
Oh sweetie, bless your heart!
Trust me, I'm very relaxed.
Trust me, I'm very relaxed.
@acharmm wrote:
Obviously, I was referring to something the editor got wrong. I also said I do freelance writing in my spare time. Additionally, I said I was an English and journalism major. My point being, I can probably write better than the editors. It had to do with writing. You seem mad. Relax! People always have to get on a platform and try to write slick comments about others, because they have issues. Your hate is showing!
????????
@ceasesmith wrote:
You're an independent contractor. Going over the scheduler's head is poor form.
acharmn,
All that luckygirl was showing was emphasis on a further essential skill beyond excellent general writing skills. Calm yourself, please.
All that luckygirl was showing was emphasis on a further essential skill beyond excellent general writing skills. Calm yourself, please.
Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
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