SQM

Does any one know anything about SQM? I received a e-mail this morning saying they have shops in my area. However, when I checked the board tonight there was nothing in my area.

Thanks

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More Discussions About SQM Mystery Shopping - Sensors Quality Management Inc (All Companies)

I used to do sandwich shops in the food court at my local mall for SQM but haven't done anything with them in a long time. I am probably going to do one of their airline shops next month. They have a weird job board, you might want to give it another look. There are expandable blue arrows with subcategories if you click on them.

The letter I got mention that that they were always adding jobs. I will keep checking

Thanks

They used to have an upscale steakhouse in my area, but apparently they lost the client. I did several of these and loved them.

My idea of an agreeable person is a person who agrees with me.
Benjamin Disraeli

With SQM you need to qualify for each client of theirs usually via a long protracted test, and they rare pay. They are a company that usually (always exceptions to the rule) only covers your shopper expenses. While I have an account with them, it's been years since I shopped for them.

They also have transportation shops (plane and bus), and are very quick to reimburse these.

Now scheduling travel shops for the day after Christmas through mid-January.

Currently as of today most of their shops (transportation, sports, retail, restaurants) are in Canada. An airline shop is in the USA. Paperwork is pretty simple. Reimbursement is 1/2 of the airfare. Booked one today...so we will see how it goes. Talked to a scheduler...they do list accommodations but those close out fast.

Accommodations? As in hotel shops?

That's what they told me...right now they only list NJ and WA...but he said others are usually listed...they get taken quickly

I have never had to qualify for a specific client. They have their 9 steps. I did all the steps and really couldn't tell anything opened up except the very high level hotel.

Having said that, all I have seen lately are retail and restaurants that reimburse 50%. Since they are not for things I am buying anyway, I have not worked with them for a few months.

@OldDog wrote:

With SQM you need to qualify for each client of theirs usually via a long protracted test, and they rare pay. They are a company that usually (always exceptions to the rule) only covers your shopper expenses. While I have an account with them, it's been years since I shopped for them.

Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/20/2016 08:36PM by prince.

I've worked with them for a long time. I miss the sub shops. The hotels are half-reimbursement. There's a very nice one not too far from me, but half of the rack rate is simply not enough for me to go, and they do not bonus even when overdue. Have done some of their airline shops. They're fairly simple (>1 hour reporting). If you're not a member of the airline's loyalty program, it's worth it. However, you don't get the credit for it (it's booked with the scheduler's points) and worse, for me, is that you can't make a change -- which means if they're offering compensation for an overbooked flight, you don't get it. Craig the scheduler is easy to work with, quick to respond, and you never, ever have to chase payment with them.

Now scheduling travel shops for the day after Christmas through mid-January.

@PasswordNotFound wrote:

They're fairly simple (>1 hour reporting). If you're not a member of the airline's loyalty program, it's worth it. However, you don't get the credit for it (it's booked with the scheduler's points) and worse, for me, is that you can't make a change -- which means if they're offering compensation for an overbooked flight, you don't get it.

By fairly simple did you mean less than an hour? Or perhaps only a little more than an hour? I have never tried one of these airline jobs. Can you expand on how you find flights? I am in one of their markets for the airline.Do you get a list of available flights to choose from and can you chose the least expensive seats to pay half of or do they give you the more expensive seats with half off which would end up being not much of a savings for me?

Thanks to this thread I just signed up with SQM and have been accepted. I hadn't heard of them until this thread. Looks like there is lots to study before getting my toes wet with this MSC. Are the flights generally one way - or do you shop the return flight as well? If you're attempting to book a particular date/time for your flight, how closely do they match your needs?

Shopping up and down the Colorado Rocky Mountain front range.

@COMystery wrote:

Thanks to this thread I just signed up with SQM and have been accepted. I hadn't heard of them until this thread. Looks like there is lots to study before getting my toes wet with this MSC. Are the flights generally one way - or do you shop the return flight as well? If you're attempting to book a particular date/time for your flight, how closely do they match your needs?

rr

You are allowed to do one way or round trip flights. I email my itinerary and a couple of times the fare ended up lower than what I see on the airline site. You get your flight as long as it's available to be shopped. Fantastic schedulers!!!

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

~Polish Proverb~

Thanks for the good feedback. I got a flight set up with one of their schedulers but it seemed a little shady to pay up front. Reading these responses make them seem legit and I have nothing to worry about as long as I follow the instructions for the shop. It also makes sense given the kind of shops they do for airline flights. Still pretty awesome that I can get a round trip flight for less than $150!

@sandyf wrote:

By fairly simple did you mean less than an hour? Or perhaps only a little more than an hour? I have never tried one of these airline jobs. Can you expand on how you find flights? I am in one of their markets for the airline.Do you get a list of available flights to choose from and can you chose the least expensive seats to pay half of or do they give you the more expensive seats with half off which would end up being not much of a savings for me?

Yes, less than an hour. I think the first one took about 90 minutes, and about half after that. I write slowly so others may be able to knock off the narratives more quickly.

You find your flight on the airline's website. YOU choose the rate, date, market, etc. Then you email those to the scheduler. HE books the flight on his points (I'm assuming the airline stocked his account), charges your credit card for the full amount, and then reimburses half of that amount after successful completion of the report. You get no points on your loyalty account since they're booked by the scheduler, you cannot change the flight once booked, you cannot accept compensation for a bumped flight, and you have to do a report for each leg of the flight. It's worth it when the flight's expensive; not so much when you're doing a short hop.

They also have international flights, if you're close enough to the border to use a Canadian airport, but check the fares first. The airline is priced higher than many other carriers, so you need to figure out the actual savings.

Now scheduling travel shops for the day after Christmas through mid-January.

Im doing one next week for the first time. Kind of bummed that i couldnt get a direct flight both directions. Oh well.

Since I signed up with SQM, and took all the 9 steps, I had not been doing shops for some MSCs. They never offer any bonus and most are 50% reimbursements for retail, restaurants, hotels, etc. The airport shops are specially offered. They have some shops that have good reimbursements and fees but you have to check them out regularly because they are usually taken or given out to posters who apply for them at least a month in advance. They pay DD also and about a month after the shop. Schedulers and editors are professional. The job board is always loaded with reimbursements only shops. What I do not like are restaurant or retail shops where one is required to spend at least $100 for a $25 reimbursement. But there are a lot of choices and occasionally, an interesting shop comes up and it is best to regularly check the board. Acceptance of applications for shops may take a while if you are new. But as in anything, good work record is a must to ensure your application is accepted. Or sometimes they want to try you out if you are new. Before I passed the 9 steps, my applications were actually accepted.

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