Has anybody done one of these? I get offers for them a lot and they do seem intriguing. According to the instructions, I need to set up an appointment and go to a business. Instructions seem very vague. Am I doing a revealed audit and telling them who I am or am I pretending to be a potential client and going through a sales pitch? The pay seems higher than for many shops, but I don;t want to take one and find out that it is not something I am wanting to do.

Thanks you in advance for any advice.

They are very straightforward. You call and identify yourself and make an appointment. They know who you are and why you're coming. You take about 7 photos (office space showing computer, exterior building, exterior signage, door to where files are kept, shredder etc.,) and then you ask questions. You just print out the questionnaire and take it with you. I put mine on a clipboard and then you go through and ask the questions off he questionnaire. All up it takes me about 20 minutes. The only thing is you have to make sure you get all the required photos and they differ depending on who the client is but they're always noted on your form.

Super easy BUT sometimes for whatever reason the client can and might decline your visit. All defeats the purpose but it does happen, rarely. Trend source will NOT go to bat and help. They insist you go to the business even without the required appointment and get the interview anyway. Trendsouce is NOT helpful, and downright rude I. Those cases. Beware.

Mmmm, Canadamom - not sure what inspections you are doing. I have been doing these for the past few years as often as I can get them assigned to me. The instructions are quite clear that if the contact declines to meet with you or the address is incorrect, you note it on the call log and then wait for TS to notify you when the problem is cleared.

I just had one this week where I called the contact and he did not understand the procedure and even thought perhaps that he was not really supposed to have the inspection done. I simply noted that and the project was put on hold until the problem was cleared. I might also note that the same projet listed the address as 500 instead of 5000. I noted that and the project again was put on hold until the correct address was posted.

The ones that I do, TrendSource insists that an appointment must be made.

I did my first one recently, and it was easier than I thought it would be. Just like jpg said, a few questions, a few pictures, and you are done. The report is quick and easy as well.

Trust me those are the exact same ones.... but have you ever (rare) have one refused by the
company (not Trendsource). I am perfectly aware of the procedure. I am aware of the appointments etc.
And I am aware of how to mark the form for declines etc. BUT my point is have one that the company just plain outright does not want an onsite visit. Again very rare but it does happen. Watch and see what Trendsource response will be.
They will not get paid unless the event occurs.
I do these for several companies and none have this issue like Trendsource.
The other companies will be the go between with no issues at all.
I love these as great pay for little time.


plmccut Wrote:
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> Mmmm, Canadamom - not sure what inspections you
> are doing. I have been doing these for the past
> few years as often as I can get them assigned to
> me. The instructions are quite clear that if the
> contact declines to meet with you or the address
> is incorrect, you note it on the call log and then
> wait for TS to notify you when the problem is
> cleared.
>
> I just had one this week where I called the
> contact and he did not understand the procedure
> and even thought perhaps that he was not really
> supposed to have the inspection done. I simply
> noted that and the project was put on hold until
> the problem was cleared. I might also note that
> the same projet listed the address as 500 instead
> of 5000. I noted that and the project again was
> put on hold until the correct address was posted.
>
> The ones that I do, TrendSource insists that an
> appointment must be made.

Trendsource has always paid a minimal fee if the company declined the visit. Of course, this was after I had made an initial call and the fee was like $3.

I have had some target companies decline the inspection (I would hardly term it an interview). I note that on the form to TrendSource. You are never supposed to go without a firm appointment time, and the date and the time have to be reported to TrendSouce at the time you make the appointment. I think that the target company has refused me twice. One required so much time and effort, that TrendSource paid me 50% for all the time I spent on the phone (I think I ended up making 9 phone calls). Then there was one company which apparently thought that they could get out of the onsite inspection by insisting that it had to be done between 1 AM and 4 AM. After another Shopper refused to go, Trendsouce paid me double to go in the middle of the night.

The only problem I have with these is in setting up the appointments to fit into your schedule - if you are doing other shops.

Trendsource is also fussy that you make the initial call and follow up calls within certain periods -even if the hours don't make sense. Like You get the assignment at 5:00pm. You have to call within 4 hours even though no one is going to be there until the next day. Then you have to make a call everyday before 10:00am - even on the weekends . Again when no one is at the business.

Actually you make your first call within 4 hours of getting the assignment and then once a day for three days thereafter. You have until 7 pm to make the calls. I don't find that very difficult at all. And usually when I call to make an appointment the contact will ask me when I want to come out and then I just tell them I would prefer afternoons but would accommodate them for whatever time. So, for instance, I have two for tomorrow afternoon and one gentleman said his time was better in the morning so I suggested 11 and it worked for him. You do have some leeway if you use the right wording when talking to the contact. The only time I've had to make a call by 10 am is when I accepted a shop late in the day, after the 7 pm cutoff time. Some of you need to re-read the instructions.

I stopped doing these for Trendsource a long time ago when I found the other MSCs that do the same audits for the same clients with the same reports for nearly twice the pay, AND they reimburse for parking, which Trendsource does not. In fact, I stopped working with Trendsource a long time ago because of their low pay across the board....

I've never done one of these but am considering it.
Why are they done? I don't want to go not knowing the purpose.

I'm fairly new at this and find their pay per job statements vague. There seems to be a price range as opposed to an actual finite amount. How would you find out exactly what a given job is really paying?

This is not a for sure reason for doing them but my take is that we do the on site to make sure the contact's place of business is secure and legit because they will be pulling personal information from the companies providing various credit/background check type services.

Watching the Wheels Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm fairly new at this and find their pay per job
> statements vague. There seems to be a price range
> as opposed to an actual finite amount. How would
> you find out exactly what a given job is really
> paying?

I'm confused, since I always see a specific fee for every job they offer. What types of jobs and for what areas are you seeing these vaguely priced shops?

Just wondering........

(heart)

PS
Someone else brought this up on another thread, several weeks ago, so I'm wondering if this is regional.

I'm on Long Island, NYC's suburbs

On site inspections cover a range of fees depending upon how much is involved, but when you click on a specific shop to see the details, a specific fee is always given.

The reason for these inspections is a requirement in Federal Law to ensure that records obtained from credit bureaus (for prospective tenants, prospective employees and others) are properly secured and that a mechanism exists to prevent unauthorized people from accessing the computer which is used, the paper which is printed, etc.

These assignments, although very hard for me to find locally, are easy and pay relatively well. You generally visit businesses who are in need of access to information provided by credit services companies. I forget the exact reasons why, but I think firms who will be getting this type of information need to be verified (by law). TS will give you a standard list of questions you go over with the contact regarding address, scope of the business, how long they've been in business, what they do, etc. You're verifying they are who they say they are and verifying that you have visual proof of this: ie: you take photos of their building, signage, furniture, shredder, business equipment and the like. The contacts are always very cordial and eager to please, because they of course want to "pass" the verification. TS also offers assignments where you verify the physical conditions of a business and document the land and physical buildings. I get probably 10-15 automated offers a week from this company regarding these types of jobs, only once in a blue moon are they anywhere close to my home. Good luck to you!

Kudos to TrendSource... I desperately needed an answer to a question about one of these inspections before tomorrow, contacted them through their help link, and received a reply answer in less than two minutes. Way to go Trendsource!

I just don't understand the affinity for this company. They are by far the lowest-paying MSC in my area, even lower than CORI and MF. I don't find their schedulers to be memorable one way or the other, and they do not reimburse for parking for their BVs like the other MSC I work with does. And the last time I checked, which admittedly has been a year or so, Trendsource pays 35% less than the other MSC who offers these EXACT same types of BVs. Same clients, same reports. SMH.

I guess the adage is true: One man's trash, another man's treasure.

I just did a revealed business inspection and it was quite easy. I've only been mystery shopping for a month.

On Site Inspection or Business Verification were among my favourite shops and they were very easy. I liked the fact that I got to meet the higher ups in the company. But I lost my Elite status when I refused to do anymore FF for the company. I am back with them now but I still wondered about the background check they insisted I did not need because I am in Canada. Yet it continued to be required for this shop.

Do they charge for the background check? I have an annual check every year at my job.

Trendsource charges 7.50

I like them a lot. If the location is within a convenient stop for me along the way, I will do it. I have applied for others that are far away and requested PAD. I've never been awarded these, but it's ok. No way am I going to drive 30 min to an hour away for $17! They are quick, easy, and painless. I've only done a few, but I've never had anyone be rude or refuse. If/When I find the MSCs that pay more, I'm all over'em like a cheap suit! On the other hand, TS pays a lot more than another MSC for the insurance shops.

They have never approved pad for me either unless they called me. They called once and approved the pad I requested so fast, I wish I would have asked for more.

I've had success by waiting until the inspection has been on the board a while, and they've sent at least 3 emails, before asking for a PAD. They will, naturally, assign it to an non-PAD request first.
I'm fortunate that there are locations near me (but worth driving to for the right figure) that would be considered 'out of the way' they have a hard time filling. I wait, and I am successfull more than half the time.

Can you mention the name of the MSCs that do the same type of business verifications?

Trendsource does not seem to have many that are within a reasonable distance to me for the payment involved. And the payment never goes up no matter how many notices they send.

Here they are usually gone as soon as the email goes out except for the ones that are in rural areas. They are usually furthur than I want to drive.

december baby Wrote:
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> Can you mention the name of the MSCs that do the
> same type of business verifications?
>
> Trendsource does not seem to have many that are
> within a reasonable distance to me for the payment
> involved. And the payment never goes up no matter
> how many notices they send.

GCS Field Research does them.