I've done many shops for them at a major telecom firm. I recently had one where the employee was the worst I have encountered. He was supposed to give me a demonstration and if he didn't I had to ask for one. He didn't, I asked, and his total demonstration consisted of changing the channel, then putting it back to where it was, then walking away! He also gave me quite a bit of false information. When I asked him a question he just made up the answers if he didn't know them.

I recently had a batch of 6 of these shops. 5 had good employees. I just received an email that my shop with the bad employee would not be accepted because I "included too much information" and also supposedly did not discuss needing to access the internet a lot at home. That is untrue, they just made that up to reject the shop.

I'm sure the shop was rejected because it was not complimentary enough. I had no idea Service Sleuth would reject shops for that reason. I thought it was only the fast food type companies that did that.

It cost me two bus tokens and quite a bit of time to get to the shop, do the shop, get home, and write the report.

I wouldn't mind if they told me honestly that the client does not like poor reports and I should fluff them. I can do that.
But to blame me and not pay me for the poor service I received is outrageous.

I never "fluff" reports. Sometimes I will give the location some benefit of the doubt particularly if I missed an observation. "Fluffing" defeats the entire purpose of mystery shopping and is usually not what the client is paying for.

That said the only reason I'm not jumping on Service Sleuth shops going forward is their ridiculous payment schedule. End of March for a shop done in early January, when just about every other company I shop for finds a way to pay before (at worst) end of February? Give me a #$%&ing break.

I received an email today from them saying they can't change anything on a report. "Fluff" was the word Ari used. Apparently he reads this board. But they do edit, I've seen sentences removed before. How dishonest to have me do the shop then not pay me. And how dishonest not to tell me the real reason, that the client does not want a poor report.

Shame on Service Sleuth!

sadly this is common place for some companies....they can say what they want but I also know I had a report rejected because it was very negative..not by this company....then they wanted me to re-do the shop and see if I was there on an "off night"....hell NO......

I would have (also) told the truth, he should be reported. I am sorry they chose this route, it makes them look bad.
I have not had a bad experience with them, but they are not on my top list, only do oil changes and wait for pay....lol.

Yep, I had a company reject a gas station report of mine because it was negative. I no longer do any work for that particular company. I work across the street from this gas station and whenever I go there the place is always disgusting. Eventually they need to realize that our negative reports are negative for a reason!

Something I don't like about Service Sleuth? They have a shop of a casino in Tucson that was an overnight shop and paid pretty decently BUT one of the first requirements really really really turned me off and I decided not to apply. You needed to let your car be valet parked and leave a few loose bills - around $10 to $20 - lying around in your car to see if they are pocketed or not - so it's an integrity issue/shop at the start. To me this screams entrapment. I am no lawyer and could quite likely be wrong but these directions to do this rub me the wrong way morally and ethically and even spiritually. Ever since then I've given up on Service Sleuth. Last year they did have one fast casual client that reimbursed a decent meal and even paid $5 for the report, so I stayed with them for this shop, but I have not seen it yet this year and I don't know if they still have this client or not.

I haven't seen a lot of casino shops from them recently. I like them and hope they offer more.