Does anyone know a link or something that would enable me to get in touch with this company? I did two shops for them months ago and have not been paid. I would appreciate any information.

Below your post is a link to more discussions. From what I've read over the years you are not alone.

I usually get a response when I use...

limitedserviceshoppe@freemangroup.org


The info at the bottom of the responses is...

Amy Denning/Lisa Price

T : (972) 479-1345 | F : (972) 479-1366


Good Luck!

Good info butif are you are going to work for them be prepared to wait months to be paid. It never changes.

This is the contact info that I have:
Contact Info 972-479-1345
Pam Senter (psenter@freemangroup.org)
Sacheen McLemore
Jesse Boles- e-mail= jboles@freemangroup.org
Send receipts to: mguzman@freemangroup.org
Another e-mail= deid@freemangroup.org

I'm glad I read this because Freeman mentions something about getting paid but not when in their job description for motel shops. This raised a red flag with me. I decided to search the forum for Freeman Group and found a lot of pay issues. Thanks to everyone who has posted.

They are notorious for being awful payers. I will not do it again. Too much grief. The worst that I have experiend. They do not respect their shoppers. Do these shops at your own risk.

The emails I have been receiving state, "Payments are made 10-12 weeks after your paperwork has been received and processed by the accounting department." Recent comments would indicate that 12 without demand is beginning to happen. And of course historically you get to send in your paperwork several times while the time clock moves on. It is not a good reputation but folks do eventually get paid.

I also read 10-12 weeks, and hoping this is true. I took a job, actually my first one, so, I'll learn from experience...some say they do get paid, and others not. I'll find out and write my story. They have it in print.

I did my first shop for them 12/25/2011 -- okay, a Sunday, and Christmas to boot -- but according to their stated 10-12 week pay policy, I'm expecting pay and reimbursement between 3/02/2012 and 3/16/2012. That shop was approved within two days, so there *should* be no delays. I will keep y'all apprised, come March.

I've scheduled another as well, next weekend. (I'm padding my customer-loyalty program points for their client.)

@Irene: the feedback on my report said "In the future, please remember to refer to yourself as "the Analyst" rather than in first person pronouns." Nowhere in the guidelines did I note this, so be aware.

I did a shop for them in early October. Still no payment. I called on Friday but the accounting lady apparently "left early." I will try again on Monday. I won't be shopping for them again. Who wants to wait 3 months for payment only to have to chase it down? I don't care if it IS $40, I'm not waiting. It's not worth it. And why would it take 3 months to process a payment anyway? They're probably hoping for shoppers with lazy accounting practices to forget they're owed a payment.

Kathryn

I actually was given a job through email but no confirmation. Nothing appeared on my job log. After the due date, I was asked by email if I had done it and I said I did not receive any confirmation and there was nothing on my job log. She was a bit upset. After a couple of days, I received the confirmation on my email. So, I really have never done anything for the company, and with their numerous pay issues. judging from this message board, I am lucky.

I think stating these are W hotels is deceiving. These are flea bags, under a great hotel's name, even if W owns them, they get a 3 star, s/b
1/2......actually scary to stay there.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2012 02:02AM by Irene_L.A..

FYI, you could be blacklisted and get in a lot of trouble for stating client names on here or anywhere else for that matter. That is confidental information.

Also, mystery shopping is not about you getting to stay in a nice hotel for free. The point is to give an objective evaluation based on whatever the guidelines are asking for. It's for the client's benefit, not yours. You know ahead of time which hotel it is (or at least what the address is which you can then google to find out more information) when you accept the assignment so if you don't like it, you don't have to do it.

If you think these are not up to par with that company's standards then take it up with that company. They obviously ARE up to their standards if they operate under that parent company's name. It's just a way for that company to get a piece of the value priced hotel market as well as the higher end.

Plus... aren't we talking about 'DE-BRAND' shops or are there others?

Irene_L.A. Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I think stating these are W hotels is
> deceiving. These are flea bags, under a great
> hotel's name, even if Wyndham owns them, they get
> a 3 star, s/b
> 1/2......actually scary to stay there.


(CLIENT NAME) does not actually own the properties, each of which is a franchise, locally owned and operated. Yes the ones that Freeman Group shops are the budget chains associated with the group, not the (CLIENT NAME) Resorts. But the loyalty program, which is a big part of both the reservation and check-in portions of the shop, is valid at any lodgings in the chain, including the upscale resorts.

I can see why the client has these locations shopped, too. They are working to overcome the reputation some associated chains have earned over the years. I have found at least one of them to be reliably decent affordable lodgings. I'm still undecided about a second associated chain. The phone call I made for reservations yesterday afternoon played right into that dismal reputation. Thanks to mystery-shopping, the fellow who answered the phone will enjoy some corrective counseling. He may even have gotten himself on the Special High-Intensity Training list.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/22/2012 01:23AM by Dagosto.

Edited.... Sorry to tell you, staying at a nice hotel is what msing is about for me. Different strokes.....does 2 posts make you the authority, if you don't know I did not mention the name of the hotel the MSC is doing, well, I do know not to mention both in same thread.

D'Agosto, do you feel it above board to sell them as W hotels when they are in fact their own Franchises. Why not call them as they are, so, you know what your getting into.



Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2012 03:50AM by Irene_L.A..

Thanks for the info.

Your welcome, I wish I knew, so felt it important to share this information. Helping one is good, always know what your getting into, reimbursements take a looong time.

onetiredmom3651@aol.com Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Thanks for the info.

Ah yes, mystery shopping is many things to many people. It also doesn't have to be about staying in a roach motel for nothing more than a reimbursement. Besides there is no such thing as a "free" night in a hotel or a "free" lunch, the report is how we pay for all the freebies

Okay... Saying that "W" word IS a violation of confidentiality. They ARE the client no matter which sub-branch name they are operating under, period.

Getting free or discounted benefits is another perk of mystery shopping in addition to earning money. However, it is a job like any other job with responsibilities, some of which may not always be your favorite (but then again, you have full control of choosing what you do and do not want to do). If you are only mystery shopping for your own personal benefit, then you are doing the client and frankly this whole industry a disservice and a bad name.

LisaSTL: I don't know what shop you did but mine came with a $40 fee in addition to the reimbursement. That's a good one. In that case, the room was free. The fee paid for my time, effort and reporting. However, I got them to let me into the room to take pictures without staying the night so it didn't factor in for me. I never do reimbursement only shops. And once again, I just wouldn't do the shop if it wasn't worth the bad hotel room.

Back to the subject at hand: right at 15 weeks now waiting for that $40 shop fee. Talked to the lady the other day, she promised payment within the next 2 weeks. She apologized for the delay and said they were "working on" a new payment policy. I'll keep you posted.

I've never done one of these and basically have no desire to at this time. I am curious about something. Can you clarify the statement regarding mystery shopping for one's own personal benefit? I'm interested to know what falls under that category.

Yes, me too - what do you mean "only do shopping for your own personal benefit?" I am confused - because that is exactly why I mystery shop.

Irene - I also think that you are in violation of your ICA by naming the hotel brand - they are the client. Do you think that it you say XYZ shops McDonalds that isn't in violation becuase you are not saying, XYX shops the McDonalds on 123 Main Street?

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2012 12:52AM by MickeyB.

I guess I should clarify, that didn't really translate the way I intended it. Of course it is for your own benefit and that is the main drive, but it is also for the benefit of the client. I actually fe.el like I am helping the customer service industry by doing this. I don't know about you guys, maybe you shop for fun or spare cash but this is how I bring income into my home. It enables me to not have to put 3 kids in daycare or to starve and collect welfare. I take it very seriously. I've been doing this for around 6 years now and I would say that I don't enjoy 70% of the shops I do. I have to do them if they are going to be profitable for me. It sounds like sunshine and roses, but it is an actual job with actual responsibilities. Sometimes you may even have to "take one for the team" in a bind to keep a scheduler on your good side to where they offer you good shops or bonuses. My point was just that its annoying when someone is whining about a crappy hotel they CHOSE to evaluate and got compensated for while doing it. If its the same shop I did for a $40 fee + reimbursement, well then, that's well worth it!

Okay. You are not new to mystery shopping, but you are new to the forum. We all accept the fact there are myriad reasons for entering and continuing in the biz. There are plenty of shoppers who like this work and enjoy the perks involved. As far as I'm concerned they can have any and all restaurants and hotels that are reimbursement only. Like you, this is my business. There is nothing related to mystery shopping that I choose to do for fun. My fun and relaxation come from other sources. My motivation is not some altruistic notion that it's all for the client or the customer service industry. Of course the client will benefit and I'm glad that the result will be improved service, but I'd better benefit as well. There are plenty of worth charities I have worked for and will work for in the future, but for profit businesses who hire mystery shoppers don't fit my criteria for a charity. Bottom line, whether someone does this for fun or profit they are still doing it for their own personal benefit.

Since MickeyB said not to mention W..I edited it out, now does everyone feel better, I know I do. MSing is for many different types of lifestyles, it is a bit naive to think it only belongs to one lifestyle. We have shoppers from Mothers to seniors, full time workers to retired, all with their own motives, which work for them. I personally do work because I like the lifestyle it provides me with. I know alot about the business and restaurant world, and enjoy doing this work, that is a given, if I have given honest feedback and a business is helped, more power, that would be the end result. We all work to supplement our income, plus get the perks. I as well have been doing this for 6 years, and unlike you, enjoy 70% of the jobs I do, because 98% of the time, I take what I want to do.

Freeman pays $20.00 for the hotel jobs here, not 40.00, and reimbursement only for some, so consider yourself lucky. I choose to do the hotel because I thought it was what they advertised. My post was about being deceived and I signed before knowing actual hotel. I have no reason to stay in a fleabag. I understand shoppers doing a run and needing a hotel. I choose it because they said it was in Marina del rey, a nice beach area, it ended up being in Venice, a crappy area.
Everything was misleading...I'm done!!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 01/21/2012 02:10AM by Irene_L.A..

I agree with Irene...Different stokes for different folks!

Personally, MSing is ALL about staying in a nice hotel in exchange for the report to me. For you it may be the $20 or $40. Either way, waiting months to get your money sucks. There no defense for that and the posted payment policy is just plain deception IMHO. They have been 'working' to get the payment schedule corrected for years. I don't have faith in that happening any time soon.

I would always recommend checkin tripadvisor for any hotel yo are considering shopping, however. You live and learn, eh, Irene?

Sometimes there is an email address somewhere in the instructions. I had trouble getting paid the last time I did a shop for them, too. It took them nine months to pay me and that was after I sent them two or three emails. It is very annoying. I might consider doing shops for them occassionally but rarely. It takes too much time to chase after them to get paid.

Steve, yeh we learn from our mistakes, fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me....

LisaSTL: "You are not new to mystery shopping, but you are new to the forum." Oops... I thought this was a mystery shopping forum, not High School. I guess you're queen of the "mean girls"? What does it matter how new I am to this forum? Just because I don't have thousands of posts under my belt doesn't mean I am wrong or my opinion is any less valid. I also didn't say it was all for the client's benefit nor am I claiming to be altruistic. No one is in business to loose time or money. My point was that you are doing everyone a disservice if you don't at least care a little about what you're doing beyond getting free stuff.

Irene_L.A.: No one said MSing was for one lifestyle. You said you work to supplement your income. Well this IS my ONLY source of income. It's a job to me just like any other job. It's not quite as much fun after doing it full time for 6 years. I also only take the shops that I want to do or the ones that will be the most profitable for me. That means I take a lot of shops that aren't "fun" for me - it's actual work and who likes that? As far as taking the hotel shop and complaining about it: I would NEVER accept an overnight hotel shop without knowing the exact location. These shops might not say the specific client name but they definitely give you an address. Any resourceful person would google the address and find out exactly what you're dealing with before hand. You're what I call a "shop poacher." You do this for "fun and games" and take shops away from someone who is trying to make a living off of this profession. It's because of people like you that my income is only 1/3 of what I made a few years ago. Have fun "playing around."

Good grief!