EPMS Phone Attempts

I was assigned a targeted apartment shop for EPMS and, after making 15 calls over several days, was not able to reach the target. I communicated with my scheduler frequently, letting her know about my lack of success. She eventually authorized me to leave a message on the answering machine asking the target to call back; the target never did. When I e-mailed the scheduler asking if she wanted me to continue to attempt to reach the target, she responded this morning that, "We went ahead and processed this one on phone attempts only, so you will not need to do anything else with it."

What does this mean for my payment? I wasn't able to find anything on the EPMS website specifying how jobs are paid (or not) in this situation.

Also, the job is still showing 0% complete and past due in my shop log. Should I worry about that, or will that eventually be updated without my interference?

This was my first assignment for EPMS. I haven't done any apartment shops before, and I'm hoping this isn't the norm. What a PITA!

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That sucks. I can't remember what they paid me for phone attempts when I couldn't go through with the shop but it was low. Annoying since I'd tried to reach her for close to a week.

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Plan the work. Work the plan.

LisaKwaj, the last time this happened to me I was paid $5 for phone attempts. You do not need to worry about the indication in your log. It will sort itself out.

In my experience, reaching the target has never been such a challenge that I considered it not worthwhile. Sometimes though, agents do not want to be reached and become artful dodgers. Hopefully, your next shop will be easier!

Do you think they're aware that they're going to be shopped? Think maybe they have friends with access to the EPMS job board?

I was really bummed because this was my first apartment shop, first audio recorded shop, and was bonused pretty nicely. So I was looking forward to the learning experience, challenge, and payday. At least I'm game for trying again! :-D

Lisa, good for you. Better luck next time. In my experience, the target knows they will be shopped. Rather than rise to the occasion, the target is a loser, feels inadequate, fearful and paranoid of repercussion. So be it. Rotten luck that this happened to you on your first shop. Didn't happen to me for years, and subsequently, happens rarely.

This is not the shopper's problem. Take the $5 for phone attempts = 10 or 15 attempts, each less than thirty seconds? That's the price of doing business, and not the normal.

@ LisaKwaj----- target name started w a D? location P in Nh?

this person has been dodging them since 2013. It is not you.

Make sure you send a reply to the email you received and keep a copy.

Ask them specifically -" Can you confirm the pay rate for this? I would like
to make note of it within my records."

ishoparound Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> @ LisaKwaj----- target name started w a D?
> location P in Nh?
>
> this person has been dodging them since 2013. It
> is not you.
>
> Make sure you send a reply to the email you
> received and keep a copy.
>
> Ask them specifically -" Can you confirm the pay
> rate for this? I would like
> to make note
> of it within my records."

Not in NH, I'm in Central FL. Maybe they're cousins! Ha!

I did another shop for EPMS last week, and this time chose one that didn't have a specific target. Got a live body on my second phone call, performed the shop an hour later. WAY less hassle.

Yes sounds like cousins! The shop anyone so much easier.

I also got $5 for phone shop after unsuccessful attempts to reach target.

Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.

I tried to do one of those shops. Called and called and couldn't get the target to pick up. Finally the scheduler told me to go ahead and just ask for the target by name. Ugh...I was told she was in the hospital.

I won't try any more of those, they just take too much time for no payout.

Thats so frustrating. I hope you get at least the $ 5.00 that BuffaloNY101 did.
Unfortunately I have never been paid the $ 5.00 for trying.

if you communicate with the scheduler during the process they will pay you for the phone rate

Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.

Well, the EPMS website says I'll be paid $5 for the phone attempts. We'll see what actually shows up in my bank account on the 22nd. Considering how much time I wasted trying and trying and trying to reach the target, plus communicating daily with the scheduler, that amounts to way less than my time is worth. I might try one or two more targeted shops -- I realize this could very well not have been the norm. Meanwhile, I'm loving the "shop anyone" shops!

Shop anyone shops are the best ones on the site. The targeted shops are hit and miss and miss and miss and miss and miss. Just one man's opinion.

Shopping Western NY, Northeast and Central PA, and parts of Ohio and West Virginia. Have car will travel anywhere if the monies right.

LisaKwaj,

When you take on another apartment shop for this MSC be sure to remember the eye color
of target shopped. This is a question at the end of the survey. If you have a iPhone you
can download an app called iTalk, it's a recording device that works well and you don't necessarily
have to hide it, because everyone nowadays carry their phones in plain view.
This MSC has a very long, repetitious survey form.

Have you tried shopping for PrimoSolutions, they also offer apartment shops and the form
questions are less detailed. The scheduler Dawn is a delight to work for, great communication
with shoppers.

Good Luck!!!

LinzyA, it's funny you mention the eye color, as that's something I miss sometimes. I have to remind myself that a great way to be sure you look someone in the eye is to notice their eye color. I picked up that tip in a training class at my FT job a few years ago, and it works great. When I remember it! :-P

I have an Android phone and I'm using Easy Voice Recorder for my recorded shops. And you're right, seems like everyone carries their cell phone all the time these days, so I don't worry about trying to hide it. I get much better sound quality when I hold it in my hand instead of tucking it in my pocket or purse, too.

I haven't tried PrimoSolutions, but I'll be sure to check them out. Thanks for the recommendation!!!

Hello mystery peeps, newbie here again and I have a question for anyone out there who will answer, how long are the narratives for MV apt shops? Is it worth the 28$ or are they like Ellis?? Thanks in advance.

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