I last did a shop for Market Force's main client on October 6. A day or two later I received an inquiry, asking if I saw a bus in the parking lot while I was there. No - absolutely not. In fact there were almost no customers inside and I went straight to the front of the line. My timings reflected no crowd. I stayed for 15 minutes and still, no bus of "football players" entered.

After this, the client disappeared from my job list.

I thought perhaps I had reached a quoto and have just received a reply to my question about why they were no longer listed.

"Thank you for writing in. Unfortunately, we are unable to allow you to complete further shops due to two instances of inquiries in your reports. Our Inquiry Department was in contact with you for each of these instances. This is a very serious issue when the client challenges something that was reported. It is important that you print and review both your CPI and Guidelines for every assignment and that you record the results of your shop on the Shopper Questionnaire when you finish with one shop before moving to the next shop or driving home. This will help to ensure the results are recorded while they are fresh in your mind to reduce possible reporting errors."

WOW!!!! So I wrote back and said that I would be happy to provide my description, make / colour of car, etc to match against the store cameras because I am 100% positive that there was no bus present at that location. There is no doubt in my mind. It was the only shop of that kind that I had done all week and in a unique area so I still have a clear recollection of the details.

(I had an inquiry a few months back, asking where I was standing in line and did I get my drink before the order was ready, so that was obviously the second one).

Has anyone successfully appealed something like this? I can't believe that I have been banned for something that did not happen and through no fault of my own.

Not that it is my favourite shop of anything - but still, just the point that I was removed for a non-existent bus is ticking me right off.

Dawn



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2012 08:48PM by Dhunt1.

You should edit your post to remove the client's name. To name both is a violation of your ICA and the forum's rules. MFI pretty much does what they want to do and the shopper has little to no recourse.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2012 08:55PM by tstewart14.

tstewart14 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> You should edit your post to remove the client's
> name. To name both is a violation of your ICA and
> the forum's rules. MFI pretty much do what they
> want to do and the shopper has little to no
> recourse.


Sorry, I was careful to say "main client', not realizing that it was in the reply from the company. Edited.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2012 08:47PM by Dhunt1.

Please read again where you quoted MFI's reply. It is easy to overlook. I'm not trying to be mean. Just wanted to point that out. You edited as I was posting.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/25/2012 08:51PM by tstewart14.

I've heard similar disappointing stories about Market Force and I find it a wonder that anyone will work for them. They seem to do what they please without rhyme or reason. I do not do jobs for Market Force.

Not sure if you have any recourse. I imagine you probably don't. I know I tried to appeal a ruling by Maritz but never had any luck. They don't have to account to you so they can do pretty much what they please.

Whenever I do one of these shops I swear I'm going to get questioned on my times. They have never completed anything within the time they are supposed to . I'm standing there for like five minutes waiting for my food. I feel like an idiot standing there holding my book in one hand hiding my iPod that I'm timing them with, and my empty cup int he other hand. I never leave the counter. I barely even get out of the way of other people who are trying to pick up their food. I just stand there and watch them moving around cooking my food. I only do them when they get up around $25.00 and the kids are here to eat the food. I live across the street, so as long as the dine in portion is served hot and the drive thru doesn't take too long, I can get home and feed the kids reasonably warm food for dinner that I didn't have to cook or pay for!

I've never been questioned though. I find it odd that they would question something if the times were good. Did you report that the food was horrible? I have a hard time with the fries. I don't like their fries. I never have really. So when they ask me if they were crispy or whatever they say, I have a hard time saying yes. I tend to grade them based on my lifetime experience with the product. They say they should be crispy, but I've honestly never had a crispy fry from there in my entire life. They are soft, limpy greasy nastiness. They are salty though so I can choke em down. So as long as it's inline with what I've had from them in the past, I usually just say yes they were crispy. If they were raw or over cooked that's different.

The larger Market Force gets by buying smaller companies, the more powerful they become, and the less accountable they have to be to shoppers.

I declined their biggest FF client forever as a CMA measure.

I challeanged one of their decisions recently. Others shoppers had mentioned or surveyed a certain department was in the store. I had to shop this department. I could not find it. I stayed an extra 20 minutes in the store looking. The department did not exist. BUT the food product did. When the shop returned as NO pay. I was going to accept it until I question the definition of "department". because the food existed but not in a specific department.

The shop went from NO pay ---------> PAID.

If there is something in your guidelines to help your case then go for it. But if not move on. Your waistline will thank you.