I ran into a situation this week. Had a call from a scheduler who had some bank shops and wondered if I could do them. A couple were too far away (more than 60 miles one way) But one was very close. Only problem was I was already scheduled for this bank for another company. I told the scheduler that I was sorry but I had that particular bank scheduled with another company. Okay, later, all the niceties.
Yesterday I did the shop in question. Returned home and was waiting for my computer tech to install a new printer when my phone rings. It was the scheduler who had called earlier in the week.
She wanted to know if I had done the shop yet. I responded yes just a few minutes ago. Her next comment nearly floored me. She said I will give you $25 over what the other company is paying you if you send the shop information to me instead of them.
I really did not know what to think or say. My good sense kicked in and I said no thank you. She said well maybe I will call you in 90 days when your rotation is up.
Has anyone had this happen?

No, thank heavens, that has not happened to me. That is one of the lowest and most disgusting things I have heard, and I have heard some pretty disgusting ones. I would be seething with anger. And frankly I would probably be naming names because this scheduler should NOT be in the business.

Wow, that has got to be a joke on their part.

Awful behavior, and good for you for resisting the temptation. I hope that scheduler calls you in 90 days and that when she does, you ask for the same fee, one that exceeds what you were paid by the other MSC, by $25.00.

Be proud of yourself for resiting the temptation. You might have lost both companies. I have a feeling it is for a bank that many of the companies are trying to hold on to. I would report the scheduler to the original company that you did the shop for.

I doubt I would report it to the company I was doing the job for as it would only be still another source of contention between the companies. This really needs to be dealt with by the company that the scheduler is representing because they need to rethink their relationship with that individual.

Good to know that this is not common practice. That would put me off for good. It made me feel dirty. Like she thought I could be bought. I just wanted to know if it had happened to anyone else. I hope there is only one of those in the pond and that she just goes away.
I had done another shop for that company and they paid almost before my report was cold. I want to do more for them but not if they condone such practices. I am willing to bet it was just that scheduler but that is taking desperation a notch too far.
Thanks for the feedback.

I would try to tell the company that employs that scheduler. Her behavior was outrageous and, as far as I know, rare.

beajai's forum identity would, of course, be revealed to the MSP if s/he named names. Fortunately, we are allowed anonymity here. Whistleblowers don't always come out smelling like a rose. Perhaps I would spill if I decided that the MSP employing the unscrupulous scheduler was one with whom I decided not to work with in the future. Perhaps not.

This $25 bribe, I hope, was isolated and would be unacceptable behavior to the MSP. However, it would be an assumption to believe that the scheduler acted without the MSP's support, albeit unspoken. In a perfect world, I would absolutely spill the beans to the MSP, as the company would be aghast and take appropriate action. However, before taking that leap of faith, I would have to have a solid, trusting relationship.

could it be possible for be to be assigned the same shop by two diffenet mystery shoppping companies/schedulers?
what do you do

We know that there are certain shops, such as for a particular bank and for pizza delivery, that are performed by more than one MSP for what is partly or completely the same shop. It is up to the shopper to determine that they are meeting any rotation requirements.

Lets say that there is a bank in your area that has 7 locations. Three different companies are shopping it. The instructions of all 3 companies are clear you can do only one location per day and a maximum of 5 per month. The companies are A, B and C. If you accept 1 shop from A and two each from B and C, you shop all different locations and you do no more than one per day, you should be good. If, however, you accept 5 shops from each of the companies and are doing 3 per day (one for A, one for B and one for C), you really should talk with the companies before you do that. If it is the CLIENT who wants no more than 5 per month and 1 per day per shopper, the client may object, refuse to pay and you in turn will have your shops rejected.

Many companies would like for you to do no more than 4 shops per day. All they can require is that you do no more than 4 shops for THEM. As long as you are shopping other clients for other companies, they can say nothing about your other work because you are an independent contractor. Where you are shopping the same client on behalf of multiple companies is when you need to exercise great caution.

mrpanitz Wrote:
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> could it be possible for be to be assigned the
> same shop by two diffenet mystery shoppping
> companies/schedulers?
> what do you do

It is possible, and happens frequently. Read the guidelines thoroughly and if they don't prohibit any aspect, go for it. One sticking point is when there's a required purchase which will be reimbursed. I make a separate purchase for each MSP.

so Mert, are you actually doing the shop once and reporting it twice? Same requirements, sending it to 2 different companies?

57carol-- The request from the unethical scheduler was for Mert to send the report to her and blow off the first company. Mert held to her ethics and said no so she DID NOT send the report twice.

I know two different companies are doing the same hair salon chain. I received requests from both. Did not tell either about the other.

I would bet the scheduler breached her agreement with the company. I always say, if you're going to be bought off it better be for a huge amount of money, i.e., enough to buy my own private island with no extradition treaty with the U.S.

Im assuming the bribe came from an MSC afraid of losing the bank. Glad you stuck to your guns, totally not acceptable and a very sneaky thing to do. I have never had that happen to me, and would have refused as well. I would report the scheduler to the MSC owner and say you did not appreciate being used in such a way. Sounds like if she didn't get this done, her job could be on the line, very desperate.

57carol Wrote:
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> so Mert, are you actually doing the shop once and
> reporting it twice? Same requirements, sending it
> to 2 different companies?

Yes. Sometimes, more than twice. When I can meet the requirements and guidelines, it has been doable. The onsite portion is done once, maybe with a different point of view, depending on the report. If a purchase is required, I purchase once per MSP. Caution though. Be sure to thoroughly read restrictions in the guidelines. Any false move, prohibited, is too costly.

Mert -- How is it ethical to use one shopping experience for different companies?

question [g-d hope it doesnt happen] but what you were mystery shopping
a bank and it get held up?

If an IC adheres to guidelines, and does nothing prohibited by the MSPs, how is that unethical? Personally, if this is cause for concern, don't do it. If I feel I'm in a gray area, I walk. If not, I shop 'em.

mrpanitz Wrote:
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> question but what you were mystery shopping
> a bank and it get held up?

I'd hope that Mel Gibson or Matt Damon was outside to save us all ! ?

lol i just wonder how it would effect the shop
since you probally would be interview by the police/fbi
and you probally would ask why were at the bank

beajai Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Yesterday I did the shop in question. Returned
> home and was waiting for my computer tech to
> install a new printer when my phone rings. It was
> the scheduler who had called earlier in the week.
> She wanted to know if I had done the shop yet. I
> responded yes just a few minutes ago. Her next
> comment nearly floored me. She said I will give
> you $25 over what the other company is paying you
> if you send the shop information to me instead of
> them.
> I really did not know what to think or say. My
> good sense kicked in and I said no thank you. She
> said well maybe I will call you in 90 days when
> your rotation is up.
> Has anyone had this happen?

i might say 'give me $50' and i won't get you fired from your job by telling the world who you are and what you did, lol.

Mert Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> If an IC adheres to guidelines, and does nothing
> prohibited by the MSPs, how is that unethical?
> Personally, if this is cause for concern, don't do
> it. If I feel I'm in a gray area, I walk. If
> not, I shop 'em.

While it is rare to have the stars align, it's great to be able to kill multiple birds with one stone There are ethical and unethical ways to do it. When a purchase is required I don't necessarily get more than one receipt, but I do make sure to not be reimbursed twice for the same item. In other words, MSC A is reimbursing $5 and B is reimbursing $2, I'll make sure to spend $7 or more. Large stores with multiple departments work the best for this.

I recently heard of a very lazy, very unethical shopper who got caught, lost pay and reimbursement for both assignments and is banned from 2 companies. The client was changing MSCs and for some reason there was a month or two overlap between companies. The job required multiple interactions including the time and location for each. The shopper completed just one set of interactions and didn't even bother to change the narrative, just copied and pasted from one company's report to the other. Needless to say, the client was not a happy camper. What makes it truly stupid is the scheduler who shared the info told me if the shopper had actually completed and reported on two different shops at two different times there would not have been a problem with them both being on the same day.

I have been seeing postings on MSC webpages about shoppers copying and pasting reports and how this is unacceptable. Therefore, it would appear that this behavior is a violation, written or not, of MSC rules. I think it is dishonest.

Sentry has a thread about this, and posted it on their web-site, not acceptable in short, unethical in long. I do the easy bank shops where you can only do one a day, but 5 a month. I don't take the same bank from the other MSC that keeps offering them, because, how many times can I evaluate the same teller, small towns only have 1 or 2 Bankers in, and I respect Co. #1 and don't want to put them in harms way....without sounding stuffy, if it sounds questionable, it probably is....

avitoots Wrote:
------------------------------------------------------
> I have been seeing postings on MSC webpages about
> shoppers copying and pasting reports and how this
> is unacceptable. Therefore, it would appear that
> this behavior is a violation, written or not, of
> MSC rules. I think it is dishonest.

Maybe I should clear up what I said. I will do multiple shops at the same stores, not use one shop multiple times. Example, company A wants plumbing department shopped at Home Depot and company B wants lawn & garden shopped. Two shops, two reports, one trip.

Lisa -- There is another shopper who has admitted using the same report for two different shops. Don't see any reason why a shopper couldn't perform two different shops in the same store for two different companies unless it's the same shop. For example, two different companies were offering hair salon shops for the same client. I would think it would be completely dishonest and unethical to accept the same shop from both companies and submit the same report to each.

-

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/17/2011 11:56AM by vince.

When such an opportunity arises, I email both schedulers and get their written permission to make a double shop, without, of course, telling either one who the other company may be. If I get permission, I do it as a double. If not, I do not. Simple rule: get informed consent.

They really can't say no as we are Independent Contractors, this to me is a moral decision, made by the shopper, as MSC #2 might be trying to get the client, and we are double dipping in certain causes as the starter of this thread writes.

walesmaven Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> When such an opportunity arises, I email both
> schedulers and get their written permission to
> make a double shop, without, of course, telling
> either one who the other company may be. If I get
> permission, I do it as a double. If not, I do
> not. Simple rule: get informed consent.