Why do auditors bother giving a 9 out of 10 with no feedback?
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If it doesn’t hold me back from getting assignments and/or is not a differentiator from getting picked over another shopper, it’s fine with me.
Very infrequently shopping the Greater Denver Area, Colorado Springs and in-between in Colorado these days.
You can look at some of my previous posts and see that I have asked for feedback regarding the same issue. The overall consensus was that I should not pursue the issue because I was paid. I empathize with you on this issue, but I have asked for explanations from editors and received nothing or I received a reply that was contradictory to the evaluation submitted. I gave up trying to pursue the issue - I think some editors have the mentality that “Nothing is perfect, so I will never give a 10”. I have chalked it up to laziness on the part of the editor.
@veebeeshops wrote:
You would think that an MSC in the feedback business would request/require its auditors to provide some explanation if they feel an evaluation was less than perfect. Since these scores can affect the shopper's access to opportunities, I feel any score less than a 10 should be required to come with an explanation so the shopper can make a correction for the next time. I know we get paid, anyway, but it's still annoying.
This is no less than what they require of us as shoppers. Thoughts?
There is one company that no matter how lengthy or short the narrative - no matter how many times I comb over it, I always get a 9 with no explanation. I'll admit, it bothers me a little - but not too much. I goes along with my other rating question I mentioned earlier LOL!
Confero was always famous, or infamous, for never giving 10s.
When I get a 9, I think, "Hmm, I wonder why" for about a split second and then don't think about it again. Really, I love getting 10s, but generally a 9 or 10 are both considered excellent, so I don't sweat it. An 8, I might wonder a little bit more, but I'm still not going to get hung up on it, nor ask for a reason if there was none given. Getting paid what was promised, and on time, is my primary concern. I've got more important or more urgent things to worry about than why I got a 9 on a mystery shop. It's no big deal in the grand scheme of things, to me.
Hope you can find some peace about it and not let it bother you!
Hope you can find some peace about it and not let it bother you!
@sestrahelena wrote:
Confero was always famous, or infamous, for never giving 10s.
You're not kidding! I got a shop from them one time that had absolutely no narrative and I still got an 8! I do their grocery store project and I'm getting half eights and half nines and I'm writing them the exact same way. I think it just depends. But my shops are always accepted and I'm paid so I really don't care what they rate them at because it doesn't affect self assign status or my payments.
Editors are usually paid by the shop. Providing feedback requires time, and time is money. Also, some shoppers will argue or ask for even more feedback if there is feedback.
In mathematics, it is possible to get a 100% score. A perfectly right answer. However, in other subjects it can be argued that perfection is not possible; that even the best student at best can provide an incomplete and imperfect answer. I have serious doubts, however, that most (if any) editors dabble, let alone grasp, issues of pedagogy and epistemology. Some editors might think that if every report earns a 10/10 then there is no need to engage editors. Issuing of 9s justifies the editor's continued engagement by the MSC.
@veebeeshops I think some of this has to do with the luck of the draw. With one of the larger MSCs, I get 10s from one reviewer all the time, but 8s or 9s from their colleague. I compared two of the same shops (company, report, narrative, etc.) and one of my reports received a 10 and the other an 8.
There were no glaring grammatical errors on the 8 and the narrative length was the same on both. I think the same MSC should have set guidelines so that the grading is more uniform, regardless of the grader/reviewer.
A long time ago I asked for feedback on how I could improve and I was disappointed to see all of the errors in their reply. I thought, this is who is grading me?
There were no glaring grammatical errors on the 8 and the narrative length was the same on both. I think the same MSC should have set guidelines so that the grading is more uniform, regardless of the grader/reviewer.
A long time ago I asked for feedback on how I could improve and I was disappointed to see all of the errors in their reply. I thought, this is who is grading me?
I might also add that some editors have no business being editors. I remember well, one who dinged me for using a word which "does not exist" and blasting me for inventing a "word." I sent the editor a link to the definition of the word in the OED, copying the project manager. My 8/10 became a 10/10 and I never had my work edited by that person again.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2022 05:13AM by Rousseau.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2022 05:13AM by Rousseau.
I used "forego" once and was dinged for it. I'm searching for an opportunity to correctly use "forewent"!
(I actually could have used it that time; I wrote "I chose to forego the option..." and I could just as easily have used "I forewent the option..." )
I was recently miffed to find I can no longer self-assign on IPSOS. Why? My shopper rating dropped to 5. So I looked at all my jobs, ever, and all I saw was 9s and 10s. No explanation, no citations, nothing. Oh, well. I rarely self-assign anyway, so no big loss -- you cannot get bonuses self-assigning!
But as ICs, we should neither expect nor search for the equivalent of a pat on the back. Long as I get paid, I don't care. Unless, of course, it's an error I can avoid in future, then I would really appreciate feedback on it. Like the editor who did respond that my sentences were run-on -- OK, on reports I now use the "simple declarative" sentence. No commas, no semi-colons, and especially no colons!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/11/2022 04:24PM by ceasesmith.
(I actually could have used it that time; I wrote "I chose to forego the option..." and I could just as easily have used "I forewent the option..." )
I was recently miffed to find I can no longer self-assign on IPSOS. Why? My shopper rating dropped to 5. So I looked at all my jobs, ever, and all I saw was 9s and 10s. No explanation, no citations, nothing. Oh, well. I rarely self-assign anyway, so no big loss -- you cannot get bonuses self-assigning!
But as ICs, we should neither expect nor search for the equivalent of a pat on the back. Long as I get paid, I don't care. Unless, of course, it's an error I can avoid in future, then I would really appreciate feedback on it. Like the editor who did respond that my sentences were run-on -- OK, on reports I now use the "simple declarative" sentence. No commas, no semi-colons, and especially no colons!
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/11/2022 04:24PM by ceasesmith.
I've been dinged by certain editors for not using an apostrophe in a plural use. I've been dinged by an editor for not capitalizing a word in a one word description of what I purchased.
But, I've also received a lower score for what I consider an editor's "newbie" or rookie mistake in their not understanding the question of the report. The editor in that instance(s) wanted an explanation. I wrote the explanation in the comment section of the report detailing the reason the photo seemed duplicate of another shop. I could have been snarky and pointed out the background differences, but I did not.
I received a score lower than I have ever received - even though there was nothing wrong with my answers nor my photos.
So, I do agree, in my opinion, in order to improve the quality of the report and the shopper's work, there should be reasons given for a lower score.
But, I've also received a lower score for what I consider an editor's "newbie" or rookie mistake in their not understanding the question of the report. The editor in that instance(s) wanted an explanation. I wrote the explanation in the comment section of the report detailing the reason the photo seemed duplicate of another shop. I could have been snarky and pointed out the background differences, but I did not.
I received a score lower than I have ever received - even though there was nothing wrong with my answers nor my photos.
So, I do agree, in my opinion, in order to improve the quality of the report and the shopper's work, there should be reasons given for a lower score.
@ceasesmith wrote:
I used "forego" once and was dinged for it. I'm searching for an opportunity to correctly use "forewent"!
(I actually could have used it that time; I wrote "I chose to forego the option..." and I could just as easily have used "I forewent the option..." )
I was recently miffed to find I can no longer self-assign on IPSOS. Why? My shopper rating dropped to 5. So I looked at all my jobs, ever, and all I saw was 9s and 10s. No explanation, no citations, nothing. Oh, well. I rarely self-assign anyway, so no big loss -- you cannot get bonuses self-assigning!
But as ICs, we should neither expect nor search for the equivalent of a pat on the back. Long as I get paid, I don't care. Unless, of course, it's an error I can avoid in future, then I would really appreciate feedback on it. Like the editor who did respond that my sentences were run-on -- OK, on reports I now use the "simple declarative" sentence. No commas, no semi-colons, and especially no colons!
That's very strange @ceasesmith. The whole "score algorithm" is mysterious anyway since even one 9 in a sea of 10s seems to have an outside weight on the overall average score. How did you discover your score had dropped to 5 if all you'd ever received is 9s and 10s?
I often give 9s on reports when nothing is wrong - it's just that the place did not excel. I may not mark off any deductions and I don't explain why I gave a 10. It's not a score, just a rating.
On IPSOS' shop log page, it clearly states: Shopper Rating: 5
But every job has a 9 or 10. So I'm completely mystified.
(Edited to add: And on the other side, my shopper rating is 9. Makes no sense, right? )
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2022 04:24AM by ceasesmith.
But every job has a 9 or 10. So I'm completely mystified.
(Edited to add: And on the other side, my shopper rating is 9. Makes no sense, right? )
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2022 04:24AM by ceasesmith.
@ceasesmith wrote:
On IPSOS' shop log page, it clearly states: Shopper Rating: 5
But every job has a 9 or 10. So I'm completely mystified.
(Edited to add: And on the other side, my shopper rating is 9. Makes no sense, right? )
5 is the default score for unrated/new shoppers. Its sounds like a Sassie glitch. Perhaps you should inquire of Surfmerchants.
@ceasesmith wrote:
On IPSOS' shop log page, it clearly states: Shopper Rating: 5
But every job has a 9 or 10. So I'm completely mystified.
(Edited to add: And on the other side, my shopper rating is 9. Makes no sense, right? )
It makes no sense whatsoever, but we do not see what is visible to IPSOS (schedulers, editors, etc...). Were you ever advised by a scheduler to "just let a shop fall off your shop log" if you asked the scheduler to cancel or reschedule a shop? Have you sent an email to a scheduler to remove or reschedule a shop and instead of receiving a timely reply, you got a reply after the due date informing you what would happen (when the shop had already been automatically removed)? There was a thread not long ago about a scheduler providing such [wonderful] service - I gave my 2 cents worth and named the scheduler in the thread. Apparently, some schedulers can be pretty underhanded (or maybe, just lazy?).
[www.mysteryshopforum.com]
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/12/2022 07:09AM by patman9760.
Had the same problem. In TX I only got 10s, in NY 9s and 8s, for exactly the same kind of report, same shops.
The problem was in NY the editor used to ask me: Why didn't the shop assistant give you detailed info on the product you asked about? And I was expected to guess. I suppose the editor would have liked me to write from the start why the employee was a bad one. Even though not required in the survey for me to guess why or express personal opinions. ????
The problem was in NY the editor used to ask me: Why didn't the shop assistant give you detailed info on the product you asked about? And I was expected to guess. I suppose the editor would have liked me to write from the start why the employee was a bad one. Even though not required in the survey for me to guess why or express personal opinions. ????
Confero at least told you upfront that you wouldn't get higher than an 8 unless your report was somehow exemplary. Of course they never explained what that was.
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