Maybe if someone actually did assignments instead of griping about them online, they would realize that the audits do not pay $14 each.

And the beat goes on...and add frustration/annoyance, etc.

This morning I get a pleading email to please help out GFK and complete 2 non-revealed cellphone shops by today, Saturday or tomorrow, Sunday.

I decide that since these are non-revealed shops and that I don't have to do the dreaded 21 pictures that I would consider doing them.

I tried the email link that was suggested to me and it promptly came up that I wasn't registered with GFK and directed me to their website for registration. I've completed about 100 +/- assignments for GFK as recently as July 3, 2015 (8 days ago).

I then emailed the scheduler with that issue and asked her to just manually assign the shops to me if she wanted me to do them. She complied and both were duly assigned.

This was this early-ish Saturday morning.

I had already taken the "test/quiz" so I was ready to go and reviewed the "comments" and "guidelines" and was ready to bake this cake.

I then reviewed the "questionnaire" (which is the actual shop report) and discovered that the very first question was: to verify the "Feature Group Assigned".

Now the fun begins... There were 4 feature group designations to choose from. I had been assigned Feature Group 2.

Everyone with me, so far?

Here are the Feature Group choices:

Feature Group 1
Feature Group 2
Feature Group 1 (APR/MAY)
Feature Group 2 (APR/MAY)
Clear Answer

Well...Feature Group 2(APR/MAY) was default checked for me and I was unable (trying mannnny times and throughout the afternoon) to see if I could override the "Feature Group2 (APR/MAY) verification.

What I wanted to do was to select the "Clear Answer" which would have (imo) allowed me to then select the proper choice for me which was "Feature Group 2).

Because of the sometimes pissy attitude of the editors for GFK (worksmith or wordpro or whatever it is) my fear was that my shops would be rejected.

I have sent 4 emails (starting with not-to-long after being assigned these shops) to the scheduler and the other email address that was on my original one (they work together, probably) with this long winded explanation and mentioning that I want assurances that if I go ahead and complete these assignments that they will be accepted and that I will, indeed, be paid.

I also suggested that they update their reporting form because, guess what GFK....IT AIN'T APR/MAY. It just happens to be JULY.

I just sent copies of all my emails about this issue to: Christy Ensley & Carey Medina & Carlos Hernandez (whoever those people are).

As of now I've heard nothing from anyone.

The names of the 2 schedulers involved in this lastest fiasco are: Robin Upchurch & April Myers

Finally...and GFK continues to be tone-deaf about all this stuff and they continue to stress that they "EXPECT NOTHING LESS THAN FLAWLESS REPORTS".

How about, GFK, giving us "FLAWLESS GUIDELINES AND FORMS IN WHICH TO GIVE YOU THOSE FLAWLESS REPORTS)

Sorry this latest dust-up is so long but I can see how the great majority of us has become disillusioned and is starting to or has already written off doing assignments for GFK.

Edited to add: Again, my past reference to when I think of the clown car at the circus...GFK pops into my mind.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/2015 12:26AM by parkcitybrian.

update on above = no response from GFK

more of an update = still nothing from GFK (and they wonder why the rats are deserting their sinking ship?)

finally...just received an email from scheduler advising me to leave the defaulted verification of my scenario as: "Feature Group 2 (APR/MAY)" even though this is JULY.

ok, will do

Wow, only 26 hours later. Looks like they're starting to get their stuff together.

@cammikun wrote:

Thank you to everyone who contributed to this thread.

I must have a learning disability.
I took ANOTHER shop with this company.

1. I had to pass a test before I could self-assign it.
2. Get an e-mail to download an app for the shop.
3. Download the app. It doesn't work. I'll have to go and try again.
4. Get an email to listen to a conference call the day before I do the shop.
5. Get another email warning me that if I don't take another test and pass it immediately, it'll be cancelled.
6. Read 14 pages of instructions.
7. Watch a 15 minute video that has three hidden codes in it to pass the test in 5.
8. Take the test. Luckily, I passed it.
9. I've already put more than 90 minutes into this shop and I haven't even left the house.

Hope I will learn something from this experience! Waterboarding is not the only kind of torture that should be outlawed?

I canceled one of theirs the other day because of crap like this. I also passed the test to find out that it was a 2014 test after the fact, even though the questions all seemed to be exactly the same. I didn't time my ordeal. Or add up how many back and forth emails I went through. I would think that a business, in business to audit the performance of others should at least get "THEIR" acts together.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/12/2015 10:34PM by Watching the Wheels.

I have never had a problem with GFK and I have done lots of shops for them. If there was a problem it was usually caused by me and they gave me ample time to correct. I have had one problem that was partly their doing and they worked with me until it was successfully corrected. I cannot say anything bad about this company.

@ctalbert wrote:

I have never had a problem with GFK and I have done lots of shops for them. If there was a problem it was usually caused by me and they gave me ample time to correct. I have had one problem that was partly their doing and they worked with me until it was successfully corrected. I cannot say anything bad about this company.

madam/sir...you are truly fortunate. i have done many, many assignments for GFK (as recently as yesterday) and continue to find them posting inaccurate, confusing and contradictory instructions and guidelines and their editors (wordsmith or wordpro or whatever/whoever they are) are continually asking for clarification(s) when none are necessary (the editors have a habit of deleting their clarification requests when confronted with disagreement without any comment or apology).

As the forever optimist, I'm hoping that GFK does get their sh!t together before they lose their best resource...the seasoned, professional, dedicated shoppers that made up the core of their business. It does seem as if there is a lot of vitriol here about GFK but they seem to be tone-deaf about how to address their shortcomings.

edited to add...If ignorance is bliss then GFK must be the most blissful company out there.

Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/14/2015 10:39PM by parkcitybrian.

Hello everyone:

I thought it was me, but I'm glad to know it wasn't me...

I agree with all the posts about this company: silly tests, super long reports, endless guidelines, inaccurate addresses, no response from the schedulers... etc. I also agree with the positives, but they are not that many.

I have not cancelled my account, once in a full moon I will sign up for a shop if it is "reasonable".

It's really not worth it.

Cheers!

You made me laugh! I had the same reaction as yours.

I signed up for those shops too. I was hoping they would be reasonable, but they were awful.

Never again...