A Closer Look

Errrr,
Some shops state that salads are not side but may count as appetizers. What did the event note say?

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

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We have also had good experience with ACL. It took one or two reports to figure out what they don't like, but now I've got it down pat. As someone else commented, I still occasionally get the "canned" text about "Please only use objective (I saw, I observed) and not I think yadda yadda" - even when I'm sure I never gave any opinions. I used to ask them to please point out where exactly I used an opinion or subjective statement, but whatever. It's a different editor every time so it'll never 'stick'

As for the OP, if you told me to order a side - I would order a potato, rice, or veggie. A salad would not be considered a side item, IMO (unless for some reason it listed a salad clearly under the SIDES section). It's not about editors being hard to please, rather I would chalk this up to following instructions or having different interpretations of what a side really is.

I'm doing my first hotel shop for ACL Sunday night. I don't have this chain's loyality club as it's a bit more expensive than I'm usually willing to pay. I tend to be a Days Inn guy.

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Have PV-500 & willing to travel.
"Answers are easy. It's asking the right questions which is hard." (The Fourth Doctor, The Face of Evil, 1977)

"Somedays you're the pigeon, somedays you're the statue.” J. Andrew Taylor

"I have never met a man so ignorant that I couldn't learn something from him." Galileo Galilei

James,
Such a good reason to sign up for the loyalty club! Remmber, every "family" of hotels shares points among all of its members. So, if you stay at a high end hotel in, say, the Hilton or Marriott chain, your points can be used for free nights at the "lesser" hotels in that chain. Staying at any Wyndham hotel family member will earn points that you can "spend" at a Days Inn. Any Hilton family stay, you can use at Hampton or even less expensive inns in that family, etc. Rewards club memberships cost ZERO dollars. AND, if you then get the credit card that is "attached" to that rewards club, you will get 30-60,000 free rewards points. That will be 3-5 night's free at one of the chain's "lesser" hotel names.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Thanks for the info Wales. I just made a note on the form for the shop to ask about signing up for the rewards program.

Earning the points is the main reason I do the hotel shops. I, too, stay at the lower tiered hotels when I'm paying for it myself. However, I see the shops as an opportunity to earn points to stay at the upper tier shops I wouldn't be in a position to stay in if I was paying out of pocket.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/14/2013 04:05PM by CAscotch.

The rewards club is free. All of the rewards-linked credit cards are free. Some are free for the first year, and no penalty if you do not choose to continue when a fee comes up later. However, I find that the rewrds points have turned out to be worth many times the credit card annual fees in the out years. YMMV

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/14/2013 04:04PM by CAscotch.

Hmm, that may be the low end "only" chain that does not have a rewards ckub. That would be ESA. Hilton, Marriott, Holiday Inn, Wyndham, Ramada, La Quinta, and other middle and upper range chains all have rewards clubs and almost all have hotels in all budget ranges within their families.

Not so with ESA and other chains that cater to long term guests, usually folks who are on temporary assignment for a big project and have their company paying for the room.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Earning loyalty points is definitely one of the perks of hotel shopping. I had 20,000 Marriott points (which only took 3 hotel shops for me to earn) and I was able to get one night at Fairfield and one night at Town Place (lower end Marriott) when we go for parents' weekend. Over the years, my ms hotel loyalty points have saved me ~ $1,000 when we travel personally.

Back to topic, ACL just acquired a whole new chain of hotels...very excited!

Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@

~Polish Proverb~

Cake unless You have dig behind the scenes you cannot make sure you are approved and being offered the fine dining assignments!! I am sure fellow loyal shoppers including myself can help you determine exactly what is going on. Do not just take the word of ACL...there could be more than meets the eye...

At least you are lucky to have the editors point out your mistakes. On the MOST RECENT shop that I did for ACL, which took place AFTER the incident with my hotel shop, NO editor contacted me with ANY feedback, neither positive nor negative. When I inquired about it, Melissa Grey claimed that the "editor" decided to adjust and downgrade my shopper status based on grammar/punctuation/capitalization errors !!

Melissa Grey would not even say who this 'mystery editor' is!! Now you figure it out yourselves shoppers....

cake... Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have been approved for the fine dining shops
> with ACL and enjoy them. Recently I had a spaz
> attack and made errors on 2 shops (lower-end ones,
> thank goodness). The editors pointed out my
> mistakes but still accepted the shops, and as far
> as I can tell, I'm still approved for fine dining.

Thanks to private messaging system, I have heard many complaints about how difficult certain editors (referred to by first and last names) can become regarding those hotel shops!!

walesmaven Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have sometimes had to appeal to my scheduler
> concerning how the editor interpreted some things
> on an hotel shop. The scheduler explained that
> sometimes the editors "didn't get the memo." So,
> my policy is to first ask the editor for
> clarification and then either clarify in my report
> or go back to the scheduler (cc to editor) to get
> it straightened out. Either way, I have found
> them to be helpful, as long as I kept open
> communication.

If you continue to see the shops on you list of "Available Events" you are still approved.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

They dont have the available list tab anymore.

I just worked for them today. I only do restaurants. Too bad they pay only for the meal and no mileage as a rule. They want more than one person but can't always arrange for another person as most work during the day. I would like to perform other jobs but so far all I have seen are restaurant shops-

They have hotels, fitness, audits, theaters, carpet cleaning, night clubs, theme restaurants.... If you don't see them, you might not be at that level.

Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@

~Polish Proverb~

CAscotch Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Did you not get paid for one of your shops for
> ACL?

No, CAscoth, I did NOT get paid for my HOTEL shop.

I have been promised that I will get paid, however having heard it from Melissa Grey I will believe it when I see it!

I have reason enough to suspect I will never get paid for this shop.

Every shopper's "History" in "My Events" shows an updated status of every shop performed for ACL to date. Now, in MY history, there is NO SUCH RECORD of the one and only hotel shop I conducted. Clearly ACL is considering this shop as if it never took place. Let alone how much I can expect its reimbursement

There are shops here they can't find anyone for. I have already shopped so have to wait - so if anyone out there knows anyone in the SE TX area or LA area - check out ACL.

A shop I'm interested in says a test is required but I don't see a testing area. I can't self-assign, but did click the "email request" button. Am I overlooking the testing area or is it only viewable once a shop is assigned? I don't want to miss out on the opportunity to complete this shop if I needed to take a test I can't find! Thanks in advance!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/14/2013 04:04PM by CAscotch.

tsk,
Click on the red check mark near the shop that indicates that a test is required. That should take you to where you need to be.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

Thanks all! I just went back and the check mark is green. When I hover it says something like, "One ore more tests were required to self-assign this event. You have passed this test." but I couldn't self-assign. Here's hoping no one can!

tsk,
Just email scheduling at ACL and ask for the shop.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I got an email from the event request automated address, and at the bottom it says "DO NOT PERFORM THIS EVENT! Thank you for your request. It has been forwarded to the appropriate ACL Staff Member and there is no need to submit further requests for this event.". Would it be poor form to contact a scheduler anyways? I really want this assignment!

They are pretty quick about assigning. You will know shortly if you were assigned.

tsk,
That is standard OP when there is some question about whether not not you qualify to self-select a shop. ACL has a limit on how many shops you can do in a month without a waiver, for instance. Or, if you have not previously done a certain type/client assignment, the scheduler may need to interview you or further check your shoppe record before assigning. If you don't get the shop this month, then I would suggest that you email later in the month and ask how toy qualify for it next time it is offered. I had this work well when I was starting out and then again when working my way up to certain shops at ACL.

Based in MD, near DC
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel

Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.

I just got this in an email:

Thank you for your interest in performing this shop. Due to the complexity of the shop requirements and details required in the report, this shop is reserved for our more seasoned ACL shoppers. We request that you complete a few other assignments before we can consider assigning this shop to you.

Unfortunately, in my area, there are lunch shops or gym shops only. This was a lunch shop, which is already about 25 miles from my home area. The gym shops are significantly further away and of absolutely zero interest to me, so it looks like ACL won't be a fit for me if I'm required to perform "a few" gym shops to get a lunch shop. I've been shopping for almost 7 years with several hundred shops under my belt but not for ACL so I can understand their hesitation and that I'm considered "new" even though I've been signed up w/them for years. I'm not upset with ACL AT ALL, I completely understand their point of view. I just wish there was some sort of reference you could give to prove your experience!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/14/2013 04:21PM by CAscotch.

I completely agree with you. There is one shop that has several locations in my area and is always left on the boards even at the end of the month. Drinks are required and the reimbursement is not enough for the entire meal even if you order the cheapest item on the menu. Additionally, they want pictures too. Way too much work for a discounted meal.

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