Would you put this in the report?

I have never had this happen but I would like to get your thoughts.

You are assigned a shop and you follow all the guidelines.. Everything is perfect and there are no problems...

While doing the shop you noticed the cashier that checks you out, the server that servers you, the hostess that seats you, have nose piercings/earrings/nose studs or tongue piercings (Other kinds of piercings besides ear rings)

Would you mention it in the report?

I have been out to eat several times and in have been in stores and I have seen cashiers with other piercings besides earrings .. When I go out to eat, I don't want to see any kind of Piercings.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/08/2022 01:43PM by Isaiah4031a.

Create an Account or Log In

Membership is free. Simply choose your username, type in your email address, and choose a password. You immediately get full access to the forum.

More About Reports

I would not. If the report asks if the employee is wearing jewelry I would say yes.

That seems subjective vs. objective. If the suvery asks about jewelry, just respond yes.

In a description of the employee, yes. In the narrative as a 'negative', not unless there was a sanitary issue with it.
Female, 5'2, short brown hair, glasses, nose ring.
'The servers nose ring was oozing a green substance and dripped into my food'
Totally would....

I would if the shop asks for the shopper's personal opinion.
Otherwise, unless the shop's questions to be answered by the shopper specifically asks about the employee's appearance with detail to piercings, tats or perhaps, offensive symbols and images, my answer would be No.

Only as part of the description, or if there is a question about it.

Only if they ask for it. That kind of thing is very subjective. It can be very regional and also vary by age in the way such is regarded. Of course, there is a reason that the MSCs sometimes ask for very specific demographics on certain shops. If they want your opinion on such, they will surely ask. I've had shops that ask about tattoos and such, but I don't mention them unless the question is asked.

How many legs does a dog have if you call the tail a leg?
"Four. Calling a tail a leg doesn't make it a leg."
-- Abraham Lincoln

What is the issue with the jewelry?

No, I would not mention unless you are asked specifically about jewelry. I kind of think that mentioning it without being prompted means you're assuming other people share your aversion to it and consider it a negative thing.

I agree with all of the comments of the responders. What a shopper does not desire to see is completely irrelevant.

If there's a place on the report, I would mention it. Like if one question concerns if you would recommend, or give a rating for your overall experience, I would rate it low and explain why.

I personally detest jewelry inserted into tongues. If the company allows their employees to wear tongue jewelry, my opinion does not belong in the report. I don't like tattoos. I have completed reports that ask if the employee had any visible tattoos. If they did, I report it. If the report does not ask about tattoos, I don't mention them. As a consumer of a retail business, I am entitled to vote with my feet and to walk out of a restaurant if a server has tongue jewelry. As an MSer, I either have to stay or I have to cancel the shop, but unless the MSC asks if the server had any piercings besides earings, I don't report it.

Shopping Southeast Pennsylvania, Delaware above the canal, and South Jersey since 2008

@Isaiah4031a wrote:

When I go out to eat, I don't want to see any kind of Piercings.

That's a personal issue on your part. I'm not sure why you'd put it in your report unless asked if any staff had piercings. I wouldn't include it as part of the description, either, unless it's specifically requested (i.e., "server gender, height, hair color/length, any piercings or tattoos...." ) This is irrelevant as to whether or not an employee is doing his or her job.

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 was asked to politely describe a fast food employee. I did mention he had many visible tattoos. It seemed relevant for describing him. I didn't say they were distasteful. I didn't mention anything at all besides their presence.

If the restaurant hires employees with tongue or nose piercings, the company position is that it is an acceptable condition of employment (or the employee would not be working there).

I would not dye my hair bright green, pink, purple, etc. but I understand and accept it is a fashion trend.

I would not mention any physical appearances unless it tied to the service received or a specific question in a report. That is judging someone based on their appearance vs. evaluating the service received.

Describing an employee using these as descriptors is NOT judging.
5'5, female, medium length brown hair could possibly describe MANY employees. Adding something like 'nose ring & flower tattoo on hand' then makes it very easy to figure out who assisted you.

@Zek wrote:

If the restaurant hires employees with tongue or nose piercings, the company position is that it is an acceptable condition of employment (or the employee would not be working there).

I would not dye my hair bright green, pink, purple, etc. but I understand and accept it is a fashion trend.

I would not mention any physical appearances unless it tied to the service received or a specific question in a report. That is judging someone based on their appearance vs. evaluating the service received.

If the fact that the employee had a particular piercing or tattoo makes that person clearly identifiable, as opposed to someone with very similar appearance (i.e., a material fact), then I'd probably add it. But if it's immaterial as to identification, I, personally, wouldn't.

I especially wouldn't add it in a comment unrelated to the employee's physical description. This is what it sounded like the OP was asking about.

I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.

Did you like the shoes they were wearing? (kidding)

"Did you like the shoes they were wearing? (kidding)"

I filled out a report for a retail store that asked if the associate was dressed appropriately. He was wearing a untucked buffalo check shirt that I didn't think was business -like but realized someone younger would think it was.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/25/2022 05:30AM by Rho*.

Well some shops don't even want you to use race in your employee description. So unless they ask about piercings or tattoos, I tend to stay away from using them. Unless, as stated above, it is relative to the service.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2022 04:27AM by wrosie.

@luckygirl0100

Correct, as I stated "unless it is tied to the service or a specific question in the report."

But the poster was not looking for input on how to make an employee description clearer. He was looking for an avenue to report something that he pointed out he did not like; seeing employees with piercings when at a restaurant.

Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but that is indeed judging a book by its cover.

@luckygirl0100 wrote:

Describing an employee using these as descriptors is NOT judging.
5'5, female, medium length brown hair could possibly describe MANY employees. Adding something like 'nose ring & flower tattoo on hand' then makes it very easy to figure out who assisted you.

@Zek wrote:

If the restaurant hires employees with tongue or nose piercings, the company position is that it is an acceptable condition of employment (or the employee would not be working there).

I would not dye my hair bright green, pink, purple, etc. but I understand and accept it is a fashion trend.

I would not mention any physical appearances unless it tied to the service received or a specific question in a report. That is judging someone based on their appearance vs. evaluating the service received.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/10/2022 09:14AM by Zek.

I would not mention piercings unless:

(1) there were relevant guidelines;
(2) I saw (or could clearly tell there were) genital piercings;
(2a) unless this was a shop where genital piercings might have been appropriate/acceptable/expected

It is irrelevant whether a shopper doesn't want to see piercings.

@Isaiah4031a wrote:

I have been out to eat several times and in have been in stores and I have seen cashiers with other piercings besides earrings .. When I go out to eat, I don't want to see any kind of Piercings.

@BusyBeeBuzz

Curious what type of shop we might observe genital piercings. A man's club?

@BusyBeeBuzzBuzzBuzz wrote:

I would not mention piercings unless:

(1) there were relevant guidelines;
(2) I saw (or could clearly tell there were) genital piercings;
(2a) unless this was a shop where genital piercings might have been appropriate/acceptable/expected

It is irrelevant whether a shopper doesn't want to see piercings.

@Isaiah4031a wrote:

I have been out to eat several times and in have been in stores and I have seen cashiers with other piercings besides earrings .. When I go out to eat, I don't want to see any kind of Piercings.

Yep.

@Zek wrote:

@BusyBeeBuzz

Curious what type of shop we might observe genital piercings. A man's club?

Of course there's always some subjectivity with the details. If I saw employees snorting lines of coke, I'd probably put it in the report and not think "Well, they didn't ask." (I'd also wonder how well that location pays if their staff can afford cocaine.)

The key difference is that obviously my example is illegal and piercings aren't. If you truly, deeply believe that piercings were affecting hygiene or the staff's ability to perform to describe standards then you should put it in your report. But the impression you should get from all these replies is that most people don't care about piercings. Which means the client (who already has internal hiring standards) also probably doesn't care and you shouldn't assume that they do.

Your biases are showing.

I hope it is okay to bump an old thread.

I think that MSC's and their clients must be very deliberate in the questions they put in MS reports to ensure they address the clients key goals and metrics, and to avoid subjective "information" like discussed in this thread and others.

No, I don’t mention it. It’s a waste of time.

There have been a few times I have mentioned piercings or tattoos in my reports. Usually, the report requires a name tag of the person being evaluated, and if there is no name tag, they want a physical description. At that point, I may state something like: "multicolored flowery tattoo covering left forearm" or "nose and eyebrow piercings left side"....just state the facts so they can look for the person if need be, either by reviewing their tapes or physically locating the person.

Sorry, only registered users may post in this forum.

Click here to login

Would you put this in the report?

Create an Account or Log In

Official List of Mystery Shopping Companies

Mystery Shopper Magazine