So I self schedule three shops at a time because I live 35 miles outside of the major city I shop. Usually I have to shop a target apartment manager because there are very few "shop any" shops available. I like Ellis because they pay $25 per shop. However, if the target is not around, then I have only two shops. So here's how it breaks down. Round trip from the city to my house takes $10 worth of gas with my 1995 gas guzzler. That leaves $40 pay. Then it takes about half an hour for each shop, total 1 hour viewing apartments. Afterwards, add in an hour and a half drive to and fro which now totals time it takes to do the entire shop beginning to end but not including evaluation at the 2.5 hour mark if I beam down instead of drive to each building or more realistically, 4 hours total time off and on the road. And I'm home, click up the evaluation forms for two apartment buildings and spend 2 hours per form (timed it) which adds another 4 hours. So far, I have spent 8 hours for $40 pay, which pans out to $5 per hour. Sucks!

It's still good pay per shop but when you really do the math, it's lousy real-time pay. The forms are exhausting, repetitious. Even if I lived in the city I shop, gas would eat away at the pay. However, if I could be sure to reach 3 targets a day, it would be worthwhile because while I am online filling out the evaluations, I am also logged on to the chat room in which I work. Talk about multitasking.

Ellis is a good company, good schedulers, good tech support department for the recorded shops and generally good pay, comparable to or above anything in the apartment shop industry.

I'm an Accountant so I know exactly how much each shop pays me. I have a spreadsheet that calculates out how much I'm making an hour after deducting vehicle costs and taking into account driving time, time doing the shop and entering the report. After vehicle expenses (and employees don't get to deduct vehicle expenses) I make $25 to $30 per hour.

That is why I stopped doing most EPMS jobs. If the shop is taking you 2-3 hours plus gas to do is it really worth it at $25? I think you can do better for yourself. Some $15 shops might only take you 30 minutes.

Ellis pays $40 around here, and I'm still reluctant to take those jobs, especially the targeted ones. The targeted ones are often just too hard to schedule. I actually like to look at the apartments, but those target assignments and those lengthly reports give me a migrane. I'd much rather do easier forms for less money and less headaches.

JPGilham said "I'm an Accountant so I know exactly how much each shop pays me. I have a spreadsheet that calculates out how much I'm making an hour after deducting vehicle costs and taking into account driving time, time doing the shop
and taking into account driving time, time doing the shop and entering the report. After vehicle expenses (and employees don't get to deduct vehicle expenses) I make $25 to $30 per hour.

I am curious about this b/c I have an accounting background.

Do you record your actual time or just estimate it? I'm trying to figure out how to calculate out how much I make. When I started it took me a ridiculous amount of time to find shops.

Most people go through that for the first year or so. A lot more time is spent building your business than actually making money from your business. As it grows the time spent registering and looking for work becomes less and less. You will also develop a good sense of how long a shop will take and how long a report might take, although we all get fooled now and again

I did my first shop for EPMS, several days ago, and my shop is showing "completed" in the payment history tab. I'm unclear if that means I completed the shop or they completed the editing, although I'm thinking the former. Can someone tell me, please, how can I tell if it was "accepted" or not?

(heart)

I just signed up with EPMS and will be doing my first shop with them next week for $30 with a bonus. Based on other assignments on their job board, that seems to be standard for here. Frankly there are about a dozen shops listed, all with bonuses, so I could've signed up for more but I really want to make sure it's something I can do. Thankfully it's not targeted and I know the location well so I'm hoping it will be a good starting shop for me.

I've shopped for EPMS for roughly 6 months. I like doing their shops. I do understand the lengthy reports and redundant verbiage on the summaries. I have gotten the report writing to about 1 hour or so, so total time spent now on their shop is roughly 2 hours- 2.5 hours. Their schedulers are really excellent to work with and rarely do I have any issues with the editors. I think for me the hardest part was learning what they wanted and then being able to look for what they needed in their reports. Once I figured that out and some techniques for getting a hold of the tough targeted agents (and I have asked numerous questions of the schedulers to help me gain some ideas), the jobs were relatively easy to finish. My biggest problem now is the it seems I've shopped all the regulars, so now have to wait for new jobs to pop up.

stilllearing

If you haven't heard back from them for corrections, it most likely has been accepted. When you look at jobs competed on their job board, it notes that you will be paid if all guidelines have been followed.

Within 5 weeks, you will receive automatic payment into your account, your assurance its been accepted. They pay on time as promised. Give them a chance, as they are the best to work for.

hootie3CA Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> stilllearing
>
> If you haven't heard back from them for
> corrections, it most likely has been accepted.
> When you look at jobs competed on their job board,
> it notes that you will be paid if all guidelines
> have been followed.
>
> Within 5 weeks, you will receive automatic payment
> into your account, your assurance its been
> accepted. They pay on time as promised. Give them
> a chance, as they are the best to work for.

Thanks for your reply. It still shows "Completed" and "Payment Pending".

They may be the best, but, ahem, that report was the worst I have ever seen.

The report was such a horrible experience because it was so painfully (and needlessly) redundant. My standards of perfection vanished at the halfway point. By the time I finished, I felt as if I was writing gobblety gook and I didn't care. Afterwards, I fully expected to hear from the editor and, once again, I didn't care. I swore to my husband that as soon as I got paid, I was deactivating myself, so I didn't get lured into doing another shop.

Now, I'm thinking this must be like childbirth because, after reading the last line of your post, I find myself thinking maybe I should.

(heart)

PS
I thoroughly enjoyed the shop itself!

EPMS is a decent company to work for. They are great as far as what they tell you to expect, what you need to do, and what rules to follow. But, as people stated, finding your target can be HARD and the reports are longer than long.

If this type of shop really gets you excited, I'd STRONGLY suggest going Video. This is (from what I can tell) the number one arena for video shopping and you can make a ton more money for the same exact shop with little to no report to do.

EPMS reports are a slight pain in the neck, partly due to their reporting platform, which does include redundancy. I cannot calculate hourly rate, as the time on site can widely vary. Some agents are ready at the appointed time, and we can do our dog and pony show in a half hour; not so, others.

As far as EPMS goes,
in my area they add a WHOPPING $10 for video and still require the full written report.

more insulting than rewarding

I didn't say video shop with EPMS. I just said video shop :-D

They add $10 to the standard video rate if you own your equipment. The starting video rate is still $20 higher than for traditional shops. The rates vary slightly according to geographic location. Here written start at either $25 or $30, video with a loaner cam starts at $50, with your own rig $60.

I sometimes will do the long report but I will not do their target shops anymore. I occasionally wasted weeks trying to reach targets that were no longer working there or refused to pick up the phone. I was not allowed to ask for the target.

Typically, after five or so attempts, the scheduler will direct accordingly, with advice. I have never wasted weeks trying to reach the target. With scheduler advice, and my attempts, I have had only one target who was absolutely unwilling to be reached. I was paid for phone attempts, $5. Schedulers willingly assist in meeting the goal line.

I have always been told 3 times a day for multiple days. Some clients do not want targets asked for no matter what the scenario. I was given the can you have someone else call to tie up the line suggestion among other suggestions after around 10 calls but if a target does not work there or is unwilling to answer the phone there is little that can be done.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/2014 04:18AM by SAVS.

Were these EPMS shops?

Doing my first apartment shop tomorrow.

My shop contract specifications state:

If agent attempts to set an appointment, you must set an appointment and arrive on time. If agent does not attempt to set an appointment, DO NOT set one.

I know the chances of the agent not setting up an appointment is slim....but just curious what do you do in that case? do you just show up at the office and ask to speak to the target agent (assuming I was able to get her on the phone)?

Sorry..this is my 1st apartment shop and I'm getting a little nervous here. Reading the guidelines and training over and over again...but I know this is a great place to ask for advice.

Thanks in advance!

Edited 3 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/2014 10:58AM by NancyHawaii.

Nancy Hawaii,

I suggest contacting your scheduler if unable to schedule an appointment with target. The purpose of the shop is to conduct phone call and onsite with target.

It is schedulers responsibility to inform you if and when it is appropriate to ask for target. Remember follow guidelines, if you show up without a set appointment with target you might not get paid.

Mert Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Were these EPMS shops?


Yes they were EPMS shops. Other companies often have easier policies about reaching a target. To EPMS credit since that time I have seen a few target shops where they specified exactly what day the target would be working. That was a huge step in the right direction. EPMS has many positives. I do not want people to feel like I'm down on them as a company. They pay as agreed and in a reasonably quick time frame. That is a big positive. I just avoid their target shops now.

Based on past experiences, does the schedulers often reply quickly? I called but was told only way to reach them is by sending an email.

I don't want to make my call before I hear from them.

I know is fairly unlikely the target would not ask to set an appointment, but I just want to be prepare in case they dont (and I'm not suppose to)... what do I do then since its a phone/visit assignment.

Thanks all!

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/25/2014 07:05PM by NancyHawaii.

NancyHawaii Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Based on past experiences, does the schedulers
> often reply quickly? I called but was told only
> way to reach them is by sending an email.
>
> I don't want to make my call before I hear from
> them.
>
> I know is fairly unlikely the target would not ask
> to set an appointment, but I just want to be
> prepare in case they dont (and I'm not suppose
> to)... what do I do then since its a phone/visit
> assignment.
>
> Thanks all!


Nancy most likely they will ask to set a appointment but if they do not its not a big deal. Go tour the apartment the same day. When you walk in its fine to say I spoke to xyz person on the phone. Is she here? If she is not there or not available (within 15 minutes or so) then you will shop a person other than the target. The hard part can be getting the target on the phone. If you tour on the same day as your phone call and the target is not there that is not your fault. Just tour with another agent in that case.

SAVS Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> NancyHawaii Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > Based on past experiences, does the schedulers
> > often reply quickly? I called but was told
> only
> > way to reach them is by sending an email.
> >
> > I don't want to make my call before I hear from
> > them.
> >
> > I know is fairly unlikely the target would not
> ask
> > to set an appointment, but I just want to be
> > prepare in case they dont (and I'm not suppose
> > to)... what do I do then since its a
> phone/visit
> > assignment.
> >
> > Thanks all!
>
>
> Nancy most likely they will ask to set a
> appointment but if they do not its not a big deal.
> Go tour the apartment the same day. When you walk
> in its fine to say I spoke to xyz person on the
> phone. Is she here? If she is not there or not
> available (within 15 minutes or so) then you will
> shop a person other than the target. The hard part
> can be getting the target on the phone. If you
> tour on the same day as your phone call and the
> target is not there that is not your fault. Just
> tour with another agent in that case.


I didn't hear back from Ellis so I just decided to call.

First 2 calls... someone picked up ...but immediately hung up the phone.

Third & fourth -- was not able to reach the target.

So...i just emailed Ellis that I could not do the job since today was the due date. Oh well...

Nancy I do not like EPMS target shops because I hate having to chase after the targets on the phone but if you want to do the job EPMS will extend the due date so that you can keep trying to reach the target.

Hi SAVS.

Thanks! I did receive an email this morning that the due date has been extended. I tried again today but still could not reach the target agent.

I had to remove my caller ID in order for the call to be connected. I'm thinking they are gonna catch up soon that I've be calling and making excuses to hang up lol.

NancyHawaii---- Had 3 recent bad experiences on their target shops. Its a compound problem. The scenarios are old and it felt like the targets were aware of them and how to avoid being shopped. And the assignment info/instructions being off. This being said you may find yourself extending til the end of time! Hope not for your sake.


On one whoever wrote the targets name on the assignment wrote the name wrong- they figured it out once I emailed them about the difficulty getting the target on the phone... On the second the target had someone else answer the phone for them all week....Again resolved once I emailed about the difficulty. On the third I reached the target then they no showed on their own appointment . .....

NancyHawaii,....

If the due date has approached and you still haven't reached target, communicate with scheduler. They are in the position to extend the shop or tell you that its been cancelled. Do not give up, these experiences will make you a better shopper. Most of these targets (leasing consultants) want your business. They actually want to lease you an apartment, if they have too many vacancies then that means they are not doing their jobs properly.

Dial * 67 and then the number, this will remove your phone number from their caller ID..