This is not my first complaint, however, it will be my last. I am doing work in a mall in my town today, and they had a job
with a cell provider, so I apply...last day to do it today. I check and it is still pending, I applied a week ago. I'm so
thinking my time is at least worth a response. I deleted because I'm unable to do it any other time, what are they getting paid for. The job was only 10.00, but easy and I will be right in front of the place. Maybe this is why "some" schedulers
don't get paid.....

Irene. You complaint is similar to many posted about Kern in the past. I have waited, then gone right to the actual MSC, performed the job and received my pay , and have the job at kern still, "Pending".

i think that you are noticing what is an alarming trend that
seems to be accelerating...schedulers who either just dont
care anymore or they are hiring less qualified people who
are not commited to doing the task at hand

Is anyone else seeing links to Secret Shopping Services? Seems like the forum software is confused about the thread title and thinks this thread is about SSS.

I have never been a fan of "3rd party schedulers" and that's what they seem to be.....and usually til it gets to them thats a sheer sign of "nobody wants these crappy jobs and there is a reason"....

Interesting Buzz. For some reason it is only picking up the three S's, maybe because there is no space before the start of the word Scheduling.

I had a problem in which I applied for a bank shop with Kern and when I checked later on my application had been removed. I emailed the scheduler just to understand why (maybe I didn't meet the demographic that they wanted) and never received a response. I have since stopped applying for this shop. I also think that the least they could have done is reply to my email and let me know why my application was removed.

They'll pop on here shortly to let you know how wonderful they are and tell you the entire MSC industry would probably collapse in a heap without them.

I've always gotten responses from them, and my shops are accepted pretty quickly. I will admit though, that there are only a few shops that I do for them, and it's usually the same scheduler and she's usually pretty desparate to fill the shops.

Irene_L.A. Wrote:




-------------------------------------------------------
> This is not my first complaint, however, it will
> be my last. I am doing work in a mall in my town
> today, and they had a job
> with a cell provider, so I apply...last day to do
> it today. I check and it is still pending, I
> applied a week ago. I'm so
> thinking my time is at least worth a response. I
> deleted because I'm unable to do it any other
> time, what are they getting paid for. The job was
> only 10.00, but easy and I will be right in front
> of the place. Maybe this is why "some"
> schedulers
> don't get paid.....

I applied for the shop you are talking about and have heard nothing back, not even a the shop has been given to someone else email.....I'd like to at least get that email so I know that isn't going to pan out for me.....

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/13/2013 09:01AM by squireparty.

It's probably a smart decision to avoid working with them. I could not imagine a less caring or less responsive scheduling company.

That said, the problem seems to be at the top, with underpaid and overworked schedulers who are often very nice, but not allotted the time or resources to put any care into their work.

I haven't worked for them in a zillion years, but this was so close I thought I'd do it...oh well, not a big loss.

There may be reasons that the shop has not been accepted yet. Sometimes the client decides that they do not want the shop, shopped until a certain date or all the shops have been put on hold for a variety of reasons. There may be a shopper rotation not listed and the scheduler will only break the rotation as a last resort.

I, too have been in that situation where no one accepted my shop that I applied for. But, from a schedulers view I have learned that sometimes things happen beyond the control of the scheduler. The shops were posted and it is much easier to change a date on a shop if it is put on hold than to create a new shop. I believe the MSP is charged a fee if they create a new shop, too. Depends on the software.

As for using a third party IC scheduler, we are the same as the scheduler that might be working at an office. Most MSP's now use IC schedulers working from at home because it is much cheaper on their end to hire an IC who works on a per shop basis than to pay for someone working in an office. I would hope any good scheduler would answer emails etc in a timely fashion, but I can't speak for everyone. I try to answer all emails and shops requests as soon as I know about them. I try and treat shoppers the way I would like to be treated. IC schedulers also work weekends and nights. That means that scheduler can be reached usually via email when the office schedulers are at home. IC schedulers work all the time because if they don't schedule the shop, they do not get paid.

Two things I would like to say -

I went to the MSC job board of the cell phone company shop the OP mentioned, and applied with the MSC and very quickly was accepted for the shop. I then went to the KSS board and there I was listed as pending. It's no big deal really but I wonder why my application status on the KSS board does not auto update?

Also - the idea of working from home really works for me and I'm sure that scheduling is a stressful job - I am not under any romantic illusions about it. I come here from more years than I want to mention in the very stressful world of food and beverage - I can handle the stress and I really like the idea of working at home like I said. Anyone here have any suggestions of how I might eventually parlay this into a scheduling position? Any advice is appreciated......Thanks.

Hi, I am still new to MSing but am having the same trouble as the OP. I had requested an Oil Change Shop through KSS several days ago that I would like to do tomorrow or the next day. Yet my acct still sits in "Pending". Do I have to wait to hear back or what? (And I REALLY do need an oil change .

Thanks for any advice.

If you know the actual MSC, you could apply on their board. Those are often instant self-assign.

Had a problem also. Applied for a shop, sent an email, was ignored, the shop got removed from my apps, and completely taken off the board. Not communication from KSS whatsoever. Emailed the actual MSC a couple days later and they got me the shop assigned with leniency on the completion date since KSS screwed me out of being able to do it when I wanted to. I will go straight to the MSC from on.

meaggiej Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Had a problem also. Applied for a shop, sent an
> email, was ignored, the shop got removed from my
> apps, and completely taken off the board. Not
> communication from KSS whatsoever. Emailed the
> actual MSC a couple days later and they got me the
> shop assigned with leniency on the completion date
> since KSS screwed me out of being able to do it
> when I wanted to. I will go straight to the MSC
> from on.


I'm finding this to be a good idea, to just go straight to the MSC.

Agreed. KSS is mostly unresponsive to shopper emails. The owner will answer, sometimes. Their schedulers are often well-meaning and a nice bunch, but most seem untrained, without the wherewithal to git r done. Also, if a scheduler departs, the shop and shopper can be left in a lurch. It's not always possible to bypass KSS, wherein lies the problem.

Mert Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Agreed. KSS is mostly unresponsive to shopper
> emails. The owner will answer, sometimes. Their
> schedulers are often well-meaning and a nice
> bunch, but most seem untrained, without the
> wherewithal to git r done. Also, if a scheduler
> departs, the shop and shopper can be left in a
> lurch. It's not always possible to bypass KSS,
> wherein lies the problem.


True that. I applied for a $10 nationwide cell phone company shop through the actual MSC.....the shop was originally to be done on this past Monday. Monday as I was leaving my house to go do the shop, I received an email from KSS telling me that that there were some kind of power outage issues (?) and I was to do the shop on Wednesday or Thursday of this week now. I wonder how KSS got involved there as I signed up through the actual MSC?

If KSS was the scheduler they would be involved even if you signed up through the MSC.

When possible, I've bypassed KSS, going to the MSP. Usually, unless there's a scheduling snafu, it's possible to cut them loose. KSS does request a confirmation when the shop has been completed, but many of my shops have never been confirmed. I hope MSP/Client dollars paid to KSS are commensurate with services rendered.

I know I have said it before (but maybe not on this thread)...KSS schedules for many MSC's and you may not even be aware they are doing it. Usually they have access to the client site and schedule through there as well as putting the shops on their own site as well (to get different shopper databases).

I am not saying they are the be all and end of of scheduling but I will say that it is highly unlikey you have completely bypassed them throughout your (collective you) shopping career.

Liz

Knowing people who used to work for Kerns, they do not pay well or on time. It took one scheduler 6 months to get paid for a project. He is now with another company and much happier....

> I am not saying they are the be all and end of of
> scheduling but I will say that it is highly
> unlikey you have completely bypassed them
> throughout your (collective you) shopping career.
>
>
> Liz


Gee, that's too bad. I was really hoping to have bypassed them because they have never responded to any job that I've applied to through them. I hate the idea that they've made any money off of jobs that I've self assigned or requested directly from a MSC's board.

I don't understand that attitude when directed toward any independent scheduling service, not just KSS.

As Traveliz has explained many times, a shopper is often unaware of an outside scheduling company's involvement in a shop. DRJ, you may very well have performed shops that were scheduled by KSS and just didn't know it.

An outside scheduler makes money when he/she successfully fills a shop. There is work involved, even when the shopper who performs the shop is unaware of the outside scheduler's involvement. Even for self-assign shops, someone has to set up the shop on the MSC's system first.