QACi

I did a restaurant shop for QACi. I did not use their spell check function, but I do shops for another company that has a spell check function integrated into their save function. So I saw my spelling of the word "apologise" with an "s" being corrected to "apologize" with a "z" many times and I used the latter "z" spelling for that restaurant shop for qaci. Lo and behold, QACi uses a spell check that likes the "s" version and I got fined $5.00. My request for lenient treatment on this fell on deaf ears with a rebuke that I must be taught a lesson as a first time shopper with QACi. I understand that reports should be correct in all ways. I also think that there are gray areas that could be accepted or edited without a major penalty. The QACi editor said the misspell made the report look bad to its readers. Unbelieveable that the readers of the hundred or more reports I have done for that other company that likes the "z" must not have been horrified when they read "apologize" with a "z". I doubt I will work again with QACi. If I were ever to make an error more serious than not using their spell check I can only imagine how many dollars I would be out after doing their "easy" (NOT) restaurant shop.

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Besides the ridiculous notion of "teaching someone a lesson" as if you are a child, you were not wrong. Both are acceptable spellings, with the "z" being more common in the U.S. and the "s" being more common in the UK. So, depending on where the readers are located, the "s" could make it look bad.

Equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you. It's not pie.
"I prefer someone who burns the flag and then wraps themselves up in the Constitution over someone who burns the Constitution and then wraps themselves up in the flag." -Molly Ivins
Never try to teach a pig to sing. It's a waste of your time and it really annoys the pig.

Shoplvr, first step back and take a deep breath.

The question you need to ask them is why is their spellcheck programme set to British English when they are based in Massachusetts? That question also provides a logical defense to your spelling of apologize as the American spelling, rather than the UK spelling. Your reasoning would be that you were labouring under the perfectly reasonable assumption that an American company would want the report in American English [tone down the sarcasim that I might be conveying in this reply].

Or is it possible that the company you were evaluating is based in the UK? If that's the case, then you should have been notified of the preference for UK spelling.

.
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

$5.00 penalty seems really harsh for a single spelling mistake.

The editor said that I did a really great job and should do more of these shops! I guess that when all is said and done the idea is not to pay out full compensation and a misspelling is a good reason to use. It seems doubtful that I could have argued the case any better than I did as he was totally adamant from the start that all mistakes are equally punish worthy. As far as the version of their spell check, that is really part of the issue. I like to believe that a person might listen to the British vs. American logic but I am doubtful that the editor was willing to concede no matter what logical reason was given.He said he has been doing this for years and that is that.

Have you thought about appealing to your scheduler?

So he has been doing this for years and that means what, he doesn't make a mistake, he is never wrong? Maybe it just means he is hard-headed and inflexible.

The editor is the owner of the company.

So the answer is yes to all of the above?

Okay, here's one for my list of "companies to never shop for, ever, under any circumstances or for any fee."

If someone ever said to me they needed to "teach me a lesson" about NOT SPELLING THINGS CORRECTLY FOR THE COUNTRY WHERE I AM WORKING I would be compelled to "teach THEM a lesson" by suing in small claims court for the full amount of the fee I had earned, prior to telling them to take their loser company and shove it sideways where the sun don't shine.

I don't care if it's $5 or $500. This is the United States and we don't spell like that. If they're going to conduct business in this country then they need to get used to it. If they only want the Queen's English used then they need to hire people who are fluent in it, just as they would do if they were based in Quebec and needed the reports in French.

If their policy is to turn all first-time shoppers into last-time shoppers, then I guess that's working for them.

Life's too short to work for a jerk.

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I pray it does not occur that the last thing I did before I died was vacuum the house or eat broccoli.

Wow, I'm glad I read this before I finished applying. Thanks, y'all. I have in my notes that they are Canadian, which might give a clue to the spelling problem, but there's no excuse for the attitude.
Charlene

I have to be careful when I write up my narrative. I am Canadian and living in America.

I spell apologize with a "Z". Seeing that word with an "S" looks strange to me. :O

But,

I spell colour the American way = color
Neighbourhood is neighborhood here and so on....

It's a pita at times.

I do shops for American companies and spell the American way (if I can remember that is)

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2014 05:50PM by Canuck.

I understand this was your first shop? Some of their shops pay a fee of $10, $5, or $0 depending on your overall rating/scores on your reports.

If you did not make the required 4.0 or over score, your fee is $0.

They are based in Ma. not Canada.

From inception to date, my experience has been, the editor is not the owner. I enjoy shopping for them.

Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 09/22/2014 11:42PM by Madetoshop.

He has sent an email that for now he will be the scheduler, and I think the editor as well. He has edited my reports many times, always saying that I should save my reports first and ran them through a spelling program! Of course that was what I had always been doing so I guess I should use a British spelling program to correct my American English reports. Since they lost their large client things seem to have been difficult. Really, did not he see it coming? I watched the interview that the owner/client and sons had given at the local news channel and it was too obvious there was a completely different thinking than Qaci. I was also sure what MSC might get the account and I was correct. It is amazing how different philosophies the shops have with the new MSC. I also do not have to worry anymore that I do the cardinal sin and might go over the x dollar amount that was the average bill for that client gazillions years ago.

From Merriam Webster:

"apol·o·gise

British variant of apologize"

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/23/2014 12:47AM by KateH.

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