Is the Ardent training really 2.5 hours?
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Ardent is a love them or hate them kind of company. I found the training to be incredibly interesting and informative. Some people find their reports tedious, I'm on my third month of them and I'm getting faster. The company itself is incredibly easy and fair to work with, and I love the feedback from the editors. You get a full paragraph on every report about what was good and what could make it better in the future, and it's done in a very constructive way. They're my favorite MSC and if they had enough clients they would be the only one I worked for.
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
bgriffin Wrote:
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> Ardent is a love them or hate them kind of
> company. I found the training to be incredibly
> interesting and informative. Some people find
> their reports tedious, I'm on my third month of
> them and I'm getting faster. The company itself
> is incredibly easy and fair to work with, and I
> love the feedback from the editors. You get a
> full paragraph on every report about what was good
> and what could make it better in the future, and
> it's done in a very constructive way. They're my
> favorite MSC and if they had enough clients they
> would be the only one I worked for.
Thank you so much for your input I really appreciate it.
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> Ardent is a love them or hate them kind of
> company. I found the training to be incredibly
> interesting and informative. Some people find
> their reports tedious, I'm on my third month of
> them and I'm getting faster. The company itself
> is incredibly easy and fair to work with, and I
> love the feedback from the editors. You get a
> full paragraph on every report about what was good
> and what could make it better in the future, and
> it's done in a very constructive way. They're my
> favorite MSC and if they had enough clients they
> would be the only one I worked for.
Thank you so much for your input I really appreciate it.
****************
Motivation increases when we assume large responsibilities with a short deadline.
Motivation increases when we assume large responsibilities with a short deadline.
Another question: do they have more than one client, or is their best-known client their only one?
They have two clients, one of which is in only about 5 cities, but growing fast. It may become a very fast-growing company, IMHO.
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.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
Yes, but you get a delicious lunch out of it.
The training for each client is about 2.5 hours. You do get a free lunch, and the training is very interesting. You will meet senior management/owners from both the client and the MSC and will leave with a good understanding of exactly what the priorities are for their shops/reports. The MSC staff is small and very supportive and helpful.
Your first report will probably take you 4 times as long as your 4th report for them. But, once through that learning curve, it should be very smooth sailing.
Your first report will probably take you 4 times as long as your 4th report for them. But, once through that learning curve, it should be very smooth sailing.
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.
Shopping from the Carolinas to New York
Have video cam; will travel
Poor customer service? Don't get mad; get video.
My training was slightly less than 2.5 hours. At our training, they provided us with a beverage when we came in, explained their standards, gave us generous samples of every single item on the line, went over a few more things, and then invited us to get whatever we wanted for lunch. With all the samples, it was like two lunches. Plus, there isn't a report to do for the training (although you don't get paid for it until you complete your first assignment). I greatly enjoyed meeting other mystery shoppers in my area and gleaning from their experience. In my opinion, it is definitely worth doing the training (if you can) and doing at least one assignment for them. I'm on my fifth shop with them I think.
I agree with the above. I thought the training was informative and fun. It was actually less than 2 hours. It ended with each of us going through the line and ordering (free) lunch. I was stuffed after the samples, so I ate the chips and took the bowl home for dinner. You get paid for the 2 hour training when you do your first shop. LOVE them and their client.
Edited to remove the client name. Although Ardent does not prohibit disclosure of the names of their clients, the guidelines of our forum do.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/2013 06:32PM by AustinMom.
Edited to remove the client name. Although Ardent does not prohibit disclosure of the names of their clients, the guidelines of our forum do.
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/12/2013 06:32PM by AustinMom.
AustinMom, you may want to delete the name of the restaurant, since the ICA prohibits us from mentioning the msc and client. 
I would love to train, but the only class they had was almost 3 hours away!
I would love to train, but the only class they had was almost 3 hours away!
Ardent's ICA does not prohibit mentioning them and the client and they are very open about who their client is.
There are reasons that a body stays in motion
At the moment only demons come to mind
At the moment only demons come to mind
Ok. just didn't want anyone to get in trouble
This is the only MSC I know that does not prohibit disclosure of the client's name, although they do have a confidentiality clause giverning shop details. I did delete the clent's name, though, as our forum's guideline prohibit disclosing the names of clients.
Great company so far, working on my second shop for them. Yes the reports are detailed, but the pay is great!
I honestly enjoyed the training, I wish more clients who train their shoppers. So we know what to look for. :-)
I honestly enjoyed the training, I wish more clients who train their shoppers. So we know what to look for. :-)
KelliCO Wrote:
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> Great company so far, working on my second shop
> for them. Yes the reports are detailed, but the
> pay is great!
>
> I honestly enjoyed the training, I wish more
> clients who train their shoppers. So we know what
> to look for. :-)
I went to the training and it was fun! I met some really nice people and had a good time.
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> Great company so far, working on my second shop
> for them. Yes the reports are detailed, but the
> pay is great!
>
> I honestly enjoyed the training, I wish more
> clients who train their shoppers. So we know what
> to look for. :-)
I went to the training and it was fun! I met some really nice people and had a good time.
****************
Motivation increases when we assume large responsibilities with a short deadline.
Motivation increases when we assume large responsibilities with a short deadline.
I would endorse their training. It not only helped me with the way that I looked at how to evaluate the shops I did in their stores, it also made me think more carefully about how I was critiquing other fast food, fast casual, casual and fine dining shops. I take more time on all the dining shops in the years since I did the in person training with this company.
The training is very valuable--a shopper couldn't do this report without having gone through training. It was a lot of fun, and the background info they give you on the restaurant is really interesting and gives you a perspective on its "mission."
And,as MichaelinNH says, the training and doing the shops and reports can be really helpful in doing other dining shops. I am much more observant on dining shops than I think I would have been otherwise. Ardent was the first MSC company I signed up with, and its shops were the first I did, so I'm not sure about that, but I really doubt I'd have been as thorough and "nit-picky" without having done the Chipotle shops first.
My training session lasted just about 2 hours, maybe a hair over, but we got paid for 2.5! Another nice perk....
And,as MichaelinNH says, the training and doing the shops and reports can be really helpful in doing other dining shops. I am much more observant on dining shops than I think I would have been otherwise. Ardent was the first MSC company I signed up with, and its shops were the first I did, so I'm not sure about that, but I really doubt I'd have been as thorough and "nit-picky" without having done the Chipotle shops first.
My training session lasted just about 2 hours, maybe a hair over, but we got paid for 2.5! Another nice perk....
I learn something new every day, but not everyday!
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
I've learned to never trust spell-check or my phone's auto-fill feature.
BirdyC Wrote:
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> The training is very valuable--a shopper couldn't
> do this report without having gone through
> training. It was a lot of fun, and the background
> info they give you on the restaurant is really
> interesting and gives you a perspective on its
> "mission."
>
> And,as MichaelinNH says, the training and doing
> the shops and reports can be really helpful in
> doing other dining shops. I am much more observant
> on dining shops than I think I would have been
> otherwise. Ardent was the first MSC company I
> signed up with, and its shops were the first I
> did, so I'm not sure about that, but I really
> doubt I'd have been as thorough and "nit-picky"
> without having done the Chipotle shops first.
>
> My training session lasted just about 2 hours,
> maybe a hair over, but we got paid for 2.5!
> Another nice perk....
I agree, I really enjoyed it!
-------------------------------------------------------
> The training is very valuable--a shopper couldn't
> do this report without having gone through
> training. It was a lot of fun, and the background
> info they give you on the restaurant is really
> interesting and gives you a perspective on its
> "mission."
>
> And,as MichaelinNH says, the training and doing
> the shops and reports can be really helpful in
> doing other dining shops. I am much more observant
> on dining shops than I think I would have been
> otherwise. Ardent was the first MSC company I
> signed up with, and its shops were the first I
> did, so I'm not sure about that, but I really
> doubt I'd have been as thorough and "nit-picky"
> without having done the Chipotle shops first.
>
> My training session lasted just about 2 hours,
> maybe a hair over, but we got paid for 2.5!
> Another nice perk....
I agree, I really enjoyed it!
****************
Motivation increases when we assume large responsibilities with a short deadline.
Motivation increases when we assume large responsibilities with a short deadline.
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