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Huge Bestmark Pet Peeve (or is there a way around it that I don't know)

March 03, 2010 08:42PM
I hate that you can not know the address of a shop before you sign up for it. Sure they give you the city, but most of the cities I search for are rather large and just giving the city name really doesn't give much info.

For instance I am doing an audit at the southern tip of a city just over the state line on Saturday. The northern part of that city is a 45 minute drive. There's a Bestmark shop in that city I would like to sign up for, but I don't want to risk having to add an hour and a half total driving time on to my trip if it's in the northern part of town.

Is there a way to find the address before signing up?
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More Discussions About BestMark (All Companies)
More About Veterinarian and Pet Mystery Shopping
March 03, 2010 11:51PM
You can see the ZIP code in the Bestmark listing, so if you know the client and can look up the ZIP of the location you are interested in, you can match it that way.

That's depends on the locations being in different ZIP codes, but here in L.A., that's usually the case.
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March 04, 2010 04:31AM
lisams901 Wrote:
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> I hate that you can not know the address of a shop
> before you sign up for it.

I hate that too!!! Also, I really don't like how little detail they give you about the shop upfront. I think, it's the least information of all the MSPs I have ever worked for.
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March 06, 2010 03:15PM
I recently did my first shop for Bestmark. I know what you're talking about, but I agree with the shopper above about the zip code. Also, before I accepted the shop that I did, I was able to identify the business by looking it up because the address and type of shop were provided.
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March 06, 2010 05:22PM
My peeve with them lately has been from them calling and not leaving messages - not a huge deal, but I've done some of the auto shops for them, and they take FOREVER. I think the last time I actually spoke to them, I told them that I really wasn't interested in those shops anymore. They simply take too long. Yet the calls continue...

The dealership shops they had SEEMED like they paid well, but some of the services I had done (simple oil changes and such) took well over an hour. No wonder the American auto industry is in trouble! Their service departments are terrible. I could go to a local oil change place and be in and out in significantly less time. Counting drive time to some of the locations, it just made my hourly rate drop quite a bit and I'm just not interested in those shops any longer.
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March 06, 2010 06:37PM
Last summer, I did a service shop that was at a car dealership for a different MSC. It was an oil change. I was ignored at the check-in site (but males who came after me were assisted,) and I had an appointment, but the shop took 2 hours and 45 minutes of waiting in a small, uncomfortable waiting room with an active, misbehaving and often screaming and crying two-year old whose father ignored him the majority of the time. Because of numerous errors and mistakes made by the dealership, the report was a nightmare to write.

On the other hand, I've done two for another MSC that were at oil change/brake repair facilities located in an industrial/lower rent district of my city. The service was exceptional, fast, and the report was a breeze. In fact, one of these places made a customer of us through that visit.

You just never know. :-)

**********************************************************************
“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton


Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 03/06/2010 06:47PM by dee shops.
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March 06, 2010 06:44PM
Joanna, that happened to me with this shop. I tried to get in touch and got no response. At this point, I'm assuming that everything is in order since I didn't hear back, but I agree. Not good business.
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March 07, 2010 03:12AM
nicelytwicely Wrote:
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> Also, before I
> accepted the shop that I did, I was able to
> identify the business by looking it up because the
> address and type of shop were provided.

That would be fine except the auto shops I was searching for them do not have that. They just have the city and zip. When the cities have a few zips and many car dealerships, you really can't find out ahead of time.
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March 07, 2010 08:13PM
Okay, first shop completed for this company, and first problem! Hope to resolve it tomorrow, but if not, another BestMark rant will be coming!
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March 11, 2010 04:53AM
This is a problem, no address. I email, callis possible and look-up zip code. But often I like specific addresses so that I can put my shops in order before performing them.
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March 11, 2010 03:16PM
I usually just e-mail the scheduler directly and they seem to get back right awaw. The only thing I don't like about this company is that they send checks, and if the assignment has a two part pay, they send two separate checks! Ridiculous.
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March 20, 2010 02:30AM
Both my husband and I are regular Bestmark shoppers and get called at least once a week for emergency shops. They pay via check every 2 weeks like clockwork. Never had a shop rejected. When we see the shops, we look at the zipcode to evaluate whether it is close enough.
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March 20, 2010 03:28AM
jmstead08 Wrote:
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> Both my husband and I are regular Bestmark
> shoppers and get called at least once a week for
> emergency shops. They pay via check every 2 weeks
> like clockwork. Never had a shop rejected. When
> we see the shops, we look at the zipcode to
> evaluate whether it is close enough.


I've not had a problem with not getting paid or getting a shop rejected. And yes you can check the zip code, except for areas where one zip code covers a large area. I guess I just don't see the point in not letting a shopper know where they are going before they sign up.
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March 20, 2010 09:27PM
Just got my payment for my first shop. Correct amount, and exactly on time.
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April 05, 2010 03:26AM
I usually Google the zip and the type of shop, for example (zip code, electronics) then atleast I know all the ones in that area. After you do one shop for them, you then know who the client is for the rest of them.
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April 20, 2010 10:04PM
I have been working for Bestmark for several years... It takes me a month before I see a reimbursement check! Consider yourself lucky! I've never had a shop rejected...and have to date never been called for an emergency shop. Perhaps it is the type of shop?

jmstead08 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Both my husband and I are regular Bestmark
> shoppers and get called at least once a week for
> emergency shops. They pay via check every 2 weeks
> like clockwork. Never had a shop rejected. When
> we see the shops, we look at the zipcode to
> evaluate whether it is close enough.
Reply
May 15, 2010 03:47PM
Do they pay bonuses when they call you for emergency shops? I did one shop for them and the survey took forever to fill out for the amount of pay.
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May 15, 2010 03:56PM
Yes, they do. I have received several emergency phone calls, one with a very nice bonus that got even higher when I expressed reluctance. The timing ultimately didn't work out for that one and to date, I've only completed one shop for them. I saw on my caller ID that they called me yesterday, but didn't leave a message.
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May 15, 2010 04:18PM
I almost get my checks from bestmark right away and they call me personally a lot of shops
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May 15, 2010 04:36PM
I have worked for Bestmark for over 5 years. Every second Friday my check is always in the mailbox which include reimbursements. I have never had a problem with them.
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May 15, 2010 05:26PM
trollydoll Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Do they pay bonuses when they call you for
> emergency shops? I did one shop for them and the
> survey took forever to fill out for the amount of
> pay.


They do pay bonuses, but I believe if a bonus were to be paid, it would be agreed on before you accept the shop. I don't know of any companies that pay a bonus after the shop because the report seemed too long.
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May 22, 2010 12:44AM
I just re-registed with Bestmark...oy vey, now I'm getting those "fun" job offers again, only this time, they pay 12.00 reimbursement only. Should have stayed away....oh yea, you have to be a size 14, I'm an 8, thanks for nothing!!!

Live consciously....
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May 22, 2010 01:58AM
I have had weird check issues with them. The first was my fault as I forgot to update my address. I was contacted right away by them to let me know my check had come back to them. I updated the address and they resent it, and it came back again because the wrong zip code was used. They resent it a 3rd time and I got it in the mail. In the mean time, another check was mailed to my correct address and I got a notification by them that it had been sent back. I asked them to resend it again. Very strange. Has anyone else had problems like this? I do appreciate the fact that they notified me proactively and their communication throughout this process. Just wondering if it's a problem with my mail carrier or what.
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June 05, 2010 03:02PM
My pet peeve with them is that I cannot determine if I have shopped the store before, such as car dealerships. The salesmen would remember me. I wrote to them to ask the name of the dealership but no reply.

In general, I like them, but to hide the company name until you sign up for it does create a problem.
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June 05, 2010 04:58PM
Have not accepted a shop since my first experience. I was paid promptly and able to successfully fight an unwarranted deduction but to be honest, it seems like more trouble than it's worth for the pay. I did the higher paying retail shop and am not really interested in their dealership visits. I'm open to working for them again but it just has to be worth it.
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June 13, 2010 03:45PM
I did my first job for them in years (mobile), it was fine, and I got paid within two weeks, I don't mind a check that comes quickly. They have a restaurant with Cory begging me to do it, however, it is in Palmdale and I just don't go there...not having name or excact location makes it not worth while, since no pay for gas, and reimbursement only. I won't eat if I don't know name of restaurant.

Live consciously....
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June 13, 2010 05:37PM
The good French restaurant chain in LA appears to have moved on from Bestmark. There's no good food shops left there except the coffee shops, but I only did those in conjunction with the no-longer-offered bookstore where many are located.

When I signed up with Bestmark years ago they had the pizza/brewery place, the famous prime rib place, food outlets at Disleyland, etc.

All of those are now with other MSCs.
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June 13, 2010 06:36PM
LOL. They got what they deserved. :-)

**********************************************************************
“Lying in bed would be an altogether perfect and supreme experience if only one had a colored pencil long enough to draw on the ceiling."
~Gilbert K. Chesterton
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June 13, 2010 07:15PM
Steve...and where did it move too????? That was my favorite (remember). We used to go there when married, and it is a part of my history, so pm me, o.k...

Live consciously....
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June 15, 2010 02:31AM
Seems like lately when you try and check for job openings it is always down...Tells you to come back later...when you do finally get in..the jobs the emailed you about are all gone...

Plus with them no longer doing the Hardware shops and the Big Red store there is little left to do.
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