Informa Research Services is THE WORST

I have shopped with this company on a number of occasions and 90% of the time there's a problem with my pay. I've just had enough now! They will ask for me to do shops, promise bonuses, and never pay out the bonuses. Not only that, they have completely left out payment for whole shops. And when I've contacted them about it, I get ignored until I annoy them with several emails! I've had to escalate problems myself to even get a payout. The last straw was today. I received an email asking for revisions on a shop I did 2months ago on a step that I doesn't even apply to the scenario I performed! I'm sooooo done with them!!

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That sounds awful. I think I will feel the same way and revisions after 2 months is ridiculous. I personally haven't had a problem with them but I do very little work for them overall.

I am perplexed, as this has been one of my most supportive and reliable MSCs.

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.

On that request for revision, I'd refer them to their guidelines and inform them that step was not included. That should take care of that situation. On the payment issues, if you feel doubts about reliability you are exactly right to back away.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.

I think I've had two payment issues in the past. Both were due to oversights, and quickly corrected after calling. I haven't had any problems on any front in the past year, but that said, the company has felt a little different since they started to use outside schedulers. I'm not 100% sure, but I believe they've pared down their full-time staff considerably.

I have to email on overdue payment for $50 bank shop. I'll let you all know how it goes.

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

I was trying to do one of those $50 bank shops but could never reach the target employee at the bank so I had to cancel. I had regretted losing the money but I made around 20 calls for nothing since I could never get anyone from the branch to answer the phone. Now I'm not sorry about it!

I've never had a problem with them before....sorry I can't help

Yes, I have emailed to inquire about payment because they sent me 2 more emails for revisions but retracted them realizing the revisions weren't even needed. It's been 4 days and I still haven't received a response. It's all a little sketchy to me. I have shopped for companies before that I've not necessarily enjoyed shopping for and my mom loves shopping for and vice versa. Unfortunately we have had the same experience with Informa. They only paid me for 3 shops so far which were all apart of a route. It's now been 60 days since I've completed the shops and nothing.

I have done 70 shops for Informa over the years and always got paid within 30 days. That being said the last time I shopped for them was March 2014 so it is possible that they have changed. The only problems that I had with them was for a couple of bonuses that they missed. This was quickly rectified with an email to the scheduler.

I've had payment issues from time to time but I was always eventually paid. Tegurl64, I suggest continuing to email and call about your problem. I'm hoping you can eventually reach the person who can take care of it for you.

Mary Davis Nowell. Based close to Fort Worth. Shopping Interstate 20 east and west, Interstate 35 north and south.

Currently Informa has some studies that are not only large but very lengthy to edit. When you are editing 22 pages it takes awhile especially if the program has 500-600 shops. Unfortunately with programs that large it takes longer to edit which means it takes longer to get paid. Unfortunately shoppers do not always realize that part of the shop. Do I agree that it is a pain to wait yes it is. As a mystery shopper, scheduler, and editor of different companies when it comes to an editor asking questions I highly recommend saving a copy of that report before sending it in. If you have to send in a written copy scan it and save it to a file. Ask your scheduler to send you a PDF file of the report. These are all things that will help when an editor asks questions you can quickly pull the report and say I am looking at my report what are questions.

I just did one of those very long reports and the instructions specifically remind the shoppers to print a copy for their files. BTW, the 21 page survey actually is much shorter in the comupter version, where the form auto-shrinks to display only the appropriate following questions, based on your previous answers (skip pattern). The narrative takes about 45 minutes; the report itself takes about 15 minutes. At $100 a pop, I would do these all day long!

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.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/03/2014 03:53PM by walesmaven.

NOBOBDY should ever have to chase their pay....and since this is happening (and I believe it is), I won't be very active with them....and outsourced schedulers are one of my biggest pet peeves....

I think I signed up with them before but they had nothing worthwhile here. Glad I didn't do any shops with them.. Like nanabelle said, no one should have to chase for what money they've earned

Silver Certified ~ Shopping all of Toronto and beyond

I completely understand that but the issue is the policies state a certain turnover for shops and pay. It's not up to me to make sure they review their shops on time and pay appropriately. And if this is a consistent issue maybe changes need to be made on the company's behalf. Communication is also key. And if I'm expected to keep to a timetable with the threat of not getting paid or destroying my reputation as a shopper I would think they have the same responsibility.

The shop that I did in mid-August was paid in mid-September.

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.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/05/2014 02:24PM by walesmaven.

I always save a PDF copy of the report before I submit it. This way it is always available to me if there are any questions.

sk8ermom Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

> I highly recommend saving a copy
> of that report before sending it in.

nycrocks Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I was trying to do one of those $50 bank shops but
> could never reach the target employee at the bank
> so I had to cancel. I had regretted losing the
> money but I made around 20 calls for nothing since
> I could never get anyone from the branch to answer
> the phone. Now I'm not sorry about it!

I had a similar type of issue when attempting to get the banker on the phone. Luckily I was paid since all the calls were recorded. It took four days and many stressful hours. I was paid, but it's on my 10' pole list now. On the other hand, I have a friend who loves doing them.

Not my circus - Not my monkeys @(*.*)@

~Polish Proverb~

cubbiecat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> nycrocks Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I was trying to do one of those $50 bank shops
> but
> > could never reach the target employee at the
> bank
> > so I had to cancel. I had regretted losing the
> > money but I made around 20 calls for nothing
> since
> > I could never get anyone from the branch to
> answer
> > the phone. Now I'm not sorry about it!
>
> I had a similar type of issue when attempting to
> get the banker on the phone. Luckily I was paid
> since all the calls were recorded. It took four
> days and many stressful hours. I was paid, but
> it's on my 10' pole list now. On the other hand,
> I have a friend who loves doing them.

I do those shops with an open mind, I know that there is a chance that it won't work out but fortunately they will still pay if you make the required calls and my scheduler is the best!

****************

Motivation increases when we assume large responsibilities with a short deadline.

I have done several bank shops for this company and always received payment on time. The schedulers I work with are awesome and responsive to my emails.

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What you get by achieving your goals is not as important as what you become by achieving your goals. -Henry David Thoreau
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Real generosity is doing something nice for someone who will never find out. -Frank Clark
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