Doing open gas station audits and hearing about a mystery shopper nit picking minor issues.

While doing open gas station audits I'm having managers complaining about mystery shoppers writing them up for minor issues. One manger told me a mystery shopper wrote them up about a crack in the asphalt. This was a minor crack you wouldn't even notice it unless you were standing over the crack. Sad to see so many getting reported for minor issues. We are not doing White Glove tests.

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A crack that I can trip on will be reported. I'm not the only mobility challenged customer, if I would trip on it, something far worse could happen to someone with more difficult disabilities than mine. Most of the gas station owners don't do or say anything to me, but they follow me around and every time I take a picture of something they say, "Is it ok?" I just tell them that the folks that can answer that are on their LOA, there is a phone number or a website, and they should know their company representative. I just take the pictures, what happens to them or because of them is above my pay grade.

Many times, it is the editors who change our answers and then the shop owners blame us. In the past, that has been a big issue with the editors at a former MSP not following the guidelines that it is not a white-glove audit.

I've been banned from the Dinosaur, but I do all the other gas brands.

There's definitely some variation in the criteria between them when it comes to reporting issues, but after doing hundreds it would appear I've developed a good feel for what will be accepted.

If I can see something on the pump (other than checking the tops) from the driver's rear side of the car as I head to put in gas I'll report it. I can recall one report where an editor found a pump dirty that I did not, and a handful with the reverse, but that's been about it.

Occasionally I will hear comments about previous shops, both about nitpicky shoppers and those who may not be quite as thorough as the MSC would like. I use the "above my pay grade" line if they ask about my visit.

Recently, when I revealed, the clerk stated the previous shopper had simply walked into the store with their vest on and waving the LOA, and began the evaluation without the covert purchase portion first.

Have synthesizers, will travel...

When confronted like that, I will usually say something along the lines of what Mjt said... that (insert gas brand here) may use a picture and decide something was infraction level even though the shopper might not have reported it themselves. That said, a crack in the asphalt that is "barely noticeable" (but potentially bad enough) can very well be worse than a crack that IS noticeable, if you catch my drift.

It could be an editor saw the crack and reported it. It might not have been the fault of the shopper. I have submitted pictures of gas station shops and the editor mentioned an issue. Sometimes I wonder if they look at the picture on their monitor with a magnifying glass. I remember one shop said, if the issue cannot be seen from 20 ft, do not report it.

I often picture the editors sitting at their computer staring at gas pump after gas pump after restroom after restroom. What a boring and horrible job..imho. When they do catch a legit error, I am impressed. It must be so tedious.

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The more I learn about people...the more I like my dog..

Mark Twain

@CoolMusic wrote:

I've been banned from the Dinosaur, but I do all the other gas brands.

There's definitely some variation in the criteria between them when it comes to reporting issues, but after doing hundreds it would appear I've developed a good feel for what will be accepted.

If I can see something on the pump (other than checking the tops) from the driver's rear side of the car as I head to put in gas I'll report it. I can recall one report where an editor found a pump dirty that I did not, and a handful with the reverse, but that's been about it.

Occasionally I will hear comments about previous shops, both about nitpicky shoppers and those who may not be quite as thorough as the MSC would like. I use the "above my pay grade" line if they ask about my visit.

Recently, when I revealed, the clerk stated the previous shopper had simply walked into the store with their vest on and waving the LOA, and began the evaluation without the covert purchase portion first.

I wear my vest for all portions. As soon as I am handed the receipt for my purchase I do the reveal. So many people wear safety vests and are just regular customers.
Maybe the employee exaggerated a bit, or maybe the shopper did present the LOA before the purchase...

To each their own.

I will typically follow the shop guidelines, for the most part.

Besides... my vest rarely if ever matches my ensemble for the day. So walking around in a neon orange vest with reflective neon lime panels is not normal behavior for me.

I take my purchase out to the car, take a picture of the store receipt (I take the gas receipt photo before going in), and head back into the store with the vest in my back pocket. I reveal, and take care of all interior photographs for the particular shop. Then I put on the vest, grab the selfie, and head outside to complete my photos.

Have synthesizers, will travel...

@CoolMusic wrote:

Recently, when I revealed, the clerk stated the previous shopper had simply walked into the store with their vest on and waving the LOA, and began the evaluation without the covert purchase portion first.

I've had clerks ask me a few times when revealing why I never bought anything first, when I had. Some of them are simply going through the motions so much (even if they did pass the customer service section) that they don't even remember you. That may have been what happened there.

One station manager complained to me after observing that I had taken a picture of an open fire (trash burning in a 55 gal. drum) not far from the pumps. Although there is no question directly related to fires, I reported it as trash on property and attached the photo as information that the company ought be aware. I still wonder if it got through the editor without being deleted.

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Doing open gas station audits and hearing about a mystery shopper nit picking minor issues.

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